After Windows VM restore that OS is not booting with the error status 0x0000225

Products

• VMware vSphere ESXi

Issue/Introduction

After restoring the Windows VM from the backup it does not boot with an error status 0x0000225

Error from the VM

████████████████████████████Windows Boot Manager████████████████████████████████

Windows failed to start. A recent hardware or software change might be the
cause. To fix the problem:

  1. Insert your Windows installation disc and restart your computer.
  2. Choose your language settings, and then click "Next."
  3. Click "Repair your computer."

If you do not have this disc, contact your system administrator or computer
manufacturer for assistance.

 

    Status: 0xc0000225

    Info: The boot selection failed because a required device is
          inaccessible.

 

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Environment

vSphere 8.x

Cause

The error 0x0000225 ("A required device isn't connected or can't be accessed") typically indicates that the Windows boot process cannot access necessary boot files. This is often caused by:

• Corrupted or missing Boot Configuration Data (BCD).
• Potential issues arise from hardware changes or the restoration process.

Resolution

This issue is generally caused by corruption in the Boot Configuration Data (BCD), which is responsible for the boot process in Windows. To resolve the problem, follow these steps:

1. Repair the Boot Configuration:
   
   
• Insert a Windows installation disc (or bootable USB) and restart the VM.
  
• When prompted, choose the language settings, then click Next.
  
• Select Repair your computer from the options provided.
  
• Navigate to Troubleshoot > Advanced Options > Command Prompt.
  
• In the Command Prompt window, type the following commands one by on

                                bootrec /fixmbr
                                bootrec /fixboot
                                bootrec /rebuildbcd

     2. If the issue persists: The next step is to perform a Startup Repair from the Windows Recovery Environment (WinRE). This tool attempts to automatically fix issues related to missing or corrupted boot files

     3. Contact Microsoft Support: If the issue is still unresolved after running the commands, it may be necessary to escalate the issue or seek additional support from Microsoft. For detailed troubleshooting steps, refer to the           official Microsoft documentation on this error:
         Microsoft Troubleshooting Guide for Boot Errors (Status 0x0000225)

Additional Information

• Backing up the Boot Configuration: In the future, it is recommended to back up the Boot Configuration Data (BCD) before performing VM restores or system changes, as this can help prevent this issue.
  
  
• VM Restore Considerations: When restoring VMs, ensure that the backup is consistent and contains all critical boot information. Corruption can sometimes occur during the restore process, especially if snapshots or incomplete backups are involved.
  
  
• Further Assistance: If the steps above do not resolve the issue, consider reaching out to Microsoft support for more advanced recovery options.