If your Windows PC is stuck in a boot loop or showing a message like “Your PC needs to be repaired”, and it keeps restarting without loading the desktop, you don’t need to reinstall Windows or lose your precious files. In this article, we’ll guide you through repairing common boot-related errors using a free recovery toolkit — Hiren’s Boot CD PE.

This solution is ideal for repairing MBR (Master Boot Record), PBR (Partition Boot Record), and BCD (Boot Configuration Data) problems.

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🔧 What is Hiren’s Boot CD PE?

Hiren’s Boot CD PE is a pre-installed Windows PE (Preinstallation Environment) system filled with powerful repair and recovery tools. It’s completely free and designed to help fix boot failures, recover data, test hardware, and much more.

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✅ Step-by-Step Guide to Repair Windows Boot Errors

Let’s break down the steps to resolve your boot issues without reinstalling Windows.

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Step 1: Download Hiren’s Boot CD PE

1. Go to the official Hiren’s Boot CD website: hirensbootcd.org
2. Scroll down to find HBCD_PE_x64.iso.
3. Click to download the ISO file (approximately 3 GB). Ensure your internet connection is stable.

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Step 2: Download Rufus to Create a Bootable USB

To create a bootable USB, we’ll use a tool called Rufus.

1. Open your browser and search for “Rufus download”.
2. Visit the official site and download the latest version.
3. After downloading, open Rufus from your Downloads folder.

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Step 3: Create the Bootable USB Drive

⚠️ Warning: This process will erase everything on the USB drive. Use an empty USB or back up important files first.

1. Insert an empty USB drive (at least 4 GB).
2. In Rufus:
   • Select your USB under Device.
   • Click SELECT and browse to the downloaded HBCD_PE_x64.iso.
   • Leave all other settings at default.
   • Click START.
3. Wait for Rufus to finish writing the image to the USB. It may take a few minutes.

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Step 4: Boot from the USB Drive

1. Insert the USB into the problematic PC.
2. Power on the system and press the boot menu key (usually F12, F9, Esc, or Del).
3. From the menu, select the USB Drive and press Enter.
4. Hiren’s Boot CD will now load. This may take a couple of minutes.

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Step 5: Use BootICE to Repair MBR and PBR

Once the desktop-like environment loads:

1. Click the Start menu and search for BootICE.
2. Open BootICE.

Repairing MBR (Master Boot Record):

• In BootICE:
  1. Select your internal hard drive where Windows is installed.
  2. Click Process MBR.
  3. Choose Windows NT 5.x/6.x MBR from the list.
  4. Click Install/Config.
  5. Then, choose Windows NT 6.x MBR and confirm.

Repairing PBR (Partition Boot Record):

• In BootICE:
  1. Click Process PBR.
  2. Select BOOTMGR boot record.
  3. Click Install/Config, and confirm when prompted.

These steps restore the necessary records that help your system locate and boot into Windows correctly.

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Step 6: Rebuild BCD Using EasyBCD

1. Click Start menu again and search for EasyBCD.
2. Open EasyBCD.

Recreate Boot Files:

• Go to BCD Backup/Repair tab.
• Click Recreate/Repair Boot Files.

Add New Boot Entry:

• Go to Add New Entry tab.
• Choose:
  • Type: Windows Vista/7/8/10.
  • Name: You can name it “Windows”.
  • Drive: Choose the drive where your OS is installed (usually C:) .
• Click Add Entry.

Set Default Boot:

• Go to the Edit Boot Menu tab.
• Make sure Windows is selected as the default.
• Click Save Settings.

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Step 7: Reboot the PC

1. Shut down the system from the Hiren’s desktop.
2. Remove the USB drive.
3. Turn the PC back on.

If everything was done correctly, Windows should boot normally without any errors!

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❓ Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Q1. Is Hiren’s Boot CD safe to use?
Yes, Hiren’s Boot CD PE is safe and widely used by professionals for diagnostics and repair. Always download it from the official website.

Q2. Will this method delete my files?
No, this method only repairs boot files. Your data and programs will remain intact unless your disk is already corrupted beyond recovery.

Q3. What if I have a GPT partition instead of MBR?
BootICE works best for MBR-based systems. For GPT and UEFI-based systems, consider using advanced tools or your Windows installation disk for startup repair.

Q4. Can I use this on Windows 11?
Yes, this guide works for both Windows 10 and Windows 11 systems.

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🛑 Disclaimer

While this method is generally safe and doesn’t affect your personal data, it is highly recommended to back up important files regularly. Proceed at your own risk. DTPTips is not responsible for any data loss or hardware issues resulting from incorrect use.

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🔖 Tags:

boot error, Windows boot repair, MBR fix, BCD repair, Hiren’s Boot CD, Windows not booting, boot loop fix, Hiren’s PE, Rufus bootable USB, EasyBCD, BootICE

🔗 Hashtags:

#WindowsBootError #HirensBootCD #EasyBCD #BootICE #FixBootLoop #MBRRepair #BCDFix #Windows10 #Windows11 #RufusUSB #DataRecovery

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This article gives you a complete walkthrough of repairing Windows boot errors without reinstalling or formatting. Keep this method bookmarked — it’s a lifesaver for any PC user.

Sneha Rao

Sneha is a hardware reviewer and technology journalist. She has reviewed laptops and desktops for over 6 years, focusing on performance, design, and user experience. Previously working with a consumer tech magazine, she now brings her expertise to in-depth product reviews and comparisons.

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