The Winload.efi error is a dreadful sight to see during a PC startup. If you too are facing this error on your computer, try the fixes in our article to get you through this problem smoothly.
The Winload.efi error is an error that is a bit difficult to solve compared to the other BSoD (Blue Screen of Death) errors. Since, the winload.efi file is responsible for launching Windows smoothly, its failure or absence can trigger peculiar errors. There are other factors that can contribute to this error as well. For example, unsuccessful updates, power outages, and HDD damage can also throw a Winload.efi error. Additionally, this error can also be caused due to wrong UEFI or Legacy settings. Generally, the error codes associated with Winload.efi error are – 0xc000000f, 0xc000000e, 0xc0000428, and 0xc0000001. You will be able to see the error code in the pop up that mentions the Winload.efi error.
Luckily, you won’t have to spend a lot of time trying to solve this error. Take a look the solutions for this problem listed below. You will be surprised at how easy it is to get rid of this error.
Related: Internal power error on Windows 11: How to fix it?
Secure boot error on Windows 11: How to fix it?
Fixes for Winload.efi error on Windows 11:
1) Disable secure boot:
Secure boot can sometimes stop your computer from accessing the Winload.efi file. So you might want to turn off secure boot from the BIOS settings in order to solve this error. Press and hold the power button on your PC for 10 seconds. Repeat this three times to activate Advanced Repair. Click on Troubleshoot and then select Advanced options. Next, select UEFI firmware settings. Now, change the Secure boot state to disabled. Save the changes and exit. Restart your computer. This should get rid of the Winload.efi file error.
2) Scan for abnormalities:
You can try to perform an SFC scan. This will check if any of the locally saved files are corrupted and need repairing. Insert a Windows installation media into your computer. Now, boot into advanced repair options and open the Command Prompt. Type in the following command –
sfc /scannow
This scan shouldn’t take more than 10 minutes. Let the command execute itself while you wait patiently. Once the scan is complete, restart your computer to see if everything is fine.
3) Rebuild BCD:
Use the installation media to boot into recovery mode again. Click on Troubleshoot > Advanced options > Command Prompt. Now, execute these commands one after the other and press enter after each one.
bootrec /fixmbr, bootrec /fixboot, bootrec /scanos, bootrec /rebuildbcd.
After this, restart your computer and check if everything has went back to normal. If the Winload.efi error still persists, try the next fix.
4) Reinstall OS:
You will have to reinstall Windows 11 on your computer if none of the above methods were able to fix the Winload.efi error on your computer. But, before you do that, copy your boot drive to another using the Command prompt. Just like the steps mentioned above, boot your PC into recovery mode using a Windows installation media. Open command prompt and type the following command –
“xcopy c:\ f:\ /s /e /h /i /c /y”
Feel free to interchange the drive name according to your device. Usually, C: is the primary drive for most users. That is where the OS is installed. Now, format the boot drive by entering the following command –
“format c: /fs:NTFS”
and press Enter. To confirm the process, you will have to type Y and press enter again.
When the format is complete, install Windows 11 again on the drive and everything should be fine. You won’t have to worry about the Winload.efi error again. Stay tuned for more such articles!
