Long time back, we shared you the article to fix, if your Windows 11/10 not booting. Usually, it can be fixed by repairing boot records as shown in that article. In the above mentioned article, some users were not able to execute a specific command. When they run bootrec /fixboot command, they receive Access is denied message instead of The operation completed successfully.

FIX 'bootrec /fixboot' Access Is Denied In Windows 10
‘bootrec /fixboot’ command ‘Access is denied’ error message on Windows

As the command didn’t worked out, users were not able to repair the boot records, and thus can’t fix booting problem. In case if you’re also facing the similar issue, here is how you can fix it.

FIX: ‘bootrec /fixboot’ Access Is Denied In Windows 10

Please follow these steps carefully.

1. Boot into Advanced Recovery Options.

2. Under Advanced options screen, select Command Prompt. Select your administrator account and provide its password to open Command Prompt.

3. In Command Prompt window, type following commands one-by-one and press Enter key after each:

diskpart

This opens DiskPart utility.

list disk

List all disks on your system.

sel disk #

Replace # with disk number on which Windows is currently installed.

list volume

List all volumes on previously selected disk.

sel volume #

Replace # with volume number with EFI partition.

assign letter=K:

Assigns letter K to EFI partition volume selected previously. If drive letter K is already assigned to any of your drives, pick another drive letter.

exit

Exits DiskPart utility.

K:

Changes to K: drive.

format K: /FS:FAT32

Format the EFI partition with FAT32 file system.

bcdboot C:\windows /s K: /f UEFI

Repairs the boot loader.

4. Retry with bootrec /fixboot and it should work fine this time.

5. Once you’re satisfied with results, close Command Prompt and reboot to get the booting problem resolved.

In case, if this solution doesn’t worked for you, drop us a comment. We’ll help you further.

Hope this helps!

Originally shared on Mar 11, 2020. Updated for Windows 11.

63 Comments

Add your comment

  • John

    Hello, unfortunately this fix didn’t help. I still get access denied after /fixboot again

  • Steve

    This failed to work for me either. Everything seemed to work but the bootrec /fixboot gave the same error..”Access is denied”.

  • Dennis

    This did not work for me either. All was fine up to the bootrec /fixboot and I received the same “Access is denied”. However, I noticed in the formating process that I had to force access because it said the drive was being used and force an unmounting of the drive.

  • Victor Gomez

    Everything went smooth until tried to bootrec /fixboot for second time, still gave ‘Access is denied’

  • Suki Prewitt

    Still got msg access is denied. Can you pls further help..??

  • AJ

    Also didn’t work for me (trying to salvage an upgrade from 1909 to 2004 gone wrong)

  • jimbo

    didnt work…people indeed are leaving comments yet no one ‘is helping further’

  • Philippe M

    It worked for me :-)

  • Kapil Arya

    ^^ Glad to help!

  • Raju

    It worked for me, thanks!

  • Kapil Arya

    ^^ Happy to help Raju!

  • Tom

    Sorry. It doesn’t work for me

  • Fuad

    Sorry, whats is EFI partition? In step before assign letter? Should i use C?

  • Lisa Heapy

    I got it to a point it said, “WARNING ALL DATA ON NON-REMOVABLE DISK WILL BE REMOVED.” I didn’t have the nerve. Would that be O.K? The EFI partition didn’t work.

  • Kapil Arya

    ^^ It is expected when you format, continue to next command.

  • Shubham

    Hi Kapil,
    Do I need to insert DVD-ROM for K partition. Actually after running ‘list volume’ command K is already there, representing DVD-ROM.

  • Kapil Arya

    ^^ You can assign another letter, instead of K. Also mentioned in the article.

  • Maria

    When performing the last step of step 3 I got the following error: Failure when attempting to copy boot files. Is there something that can be done?

  • Kapil Arya

    ^^ You need to make sure the command you entered is correct.

  • David Getts

    I got the warning All data on non removable drive K: will be lost. Should I say yes or no.

  • Kapil Arya

    ^^ Select Yes.

  • Grundewalt

    How can u possibly suggest formatting the main windows EFI partition and hope all will be ok afterwords?

  • Ryan

    I went ahead and did this with the hopes I could later recover data with a data recovery tool. So far, I’m not having much luck. Is there any tools or methods you would suggest to recover data or am I basically starting over?

  • Kapil Arya

    ^^ Refer: https://www.kapilarya.com/recovering-permanently-deleted-files-in-windows.

  • Sharon

    PLEASE help… did not fix boot. K :bcdboot is not recognized as an internal or external command, operable program or batch file. K:\>bootrec /fixboot. Access is denied. Please next step/options please…

  • Sharon

    Tried this again, I successfully assigned the Drive letter or mount point and exit Formatted K: /FS:FAT32. Received new file system is FAT32. (I have two FAT32,s and selected the FAT32 with partition, not the ESD-USB FAT32) Stuck @ Enter current volume label for Drive K: (had entered bcdboot C:\windows /s K: /f UEFI and received: An incorrect volume label was entered for this Drive. ) The selected FAT32 has no Label listed??? Please advise. seems so close to a fix boot.

  • Kapil Arya

    ^^ You need to recheck this command bcdboot C:\windows /s K: /f UEFI and enter exactly with variables on your system.

  • Ali M

    After formatting, a new volume serial number was assigned. Typed in bcdboot C:\windows /s K: /f UEFI and i get an error about “failure when attempting to copy boot files”.

    Any suggestions?

  • Malac

    Just a guess but have you got “Secure Boot” enabled?

  • Kapil Arya

    ^^ Unfortunately, couldn’t remember that 😞

  • Francie Robertson

    Thank you Kapil – you are right on the ball. As in any programming of sorts we need to re-check eveything step by step (typo’s etc) even if scary and use a bit of common sense e.g. am I sure about the EFI partition of which myself needed to be sure of and yes I googled and found how to check it. It has that identifying GUID code. Then I was able to proceed confidently. Hard part of course was the “WARNING ALL DATA ON NON-REMOVABLE DISK WILL BE REMOVED.” etc. And twice I didn’t proceed form there either. I chickenend out but not yet opting out. And then found myself facing the dreaded bits again. Third time lucky including the “forcing access because it said the drive was being used and force an unmounting of the drive.” By this time too late to turn back I was thinking so it was a big “Y.” Success! Then continued with bootrec steps still getting “access denied” at the fixboot step nevertheless IT WORKED my pc STARTED UP. I guess the fixmbr step was all that was needed for me THANKS AGAIN!!!

  • Kapil Arya

    ^^ Thanks Francie for sharing your inputs.

  • GabeL

    If the “access is denied” persists with bootrec /fixboot, than run the command “bootsect /nt60 all” before and it should solve this.

  • Kapil Arya

    ^^ Thanks for adding this Gabe!

  • Ercole Cavezza

    not work for me

  • Andrew

    worked as far as Diskpart for me when I used List disk I got
    Disk 0 Online 119gb free 0 gpt*
    Disk 1 Online 931 gb free 0 gpt*
    Disk 2 Online 60gb free 20gb

    So it would seem OS is on probably Disk 0 for bootup and Disk 1 is data etc – but cannot access or follow any further commands

    the MBR option completed successful;ly
    the fixboot did not “Access is denied

  • Kapil Arya

    ^^ Thanks for sharing!

  • Bernie

    If I change the C: to K: and then run this: format K: /FS:FAT32 , wont’ I erase the entire contents of the C: drive??

  • RICK ROBINSON

    It is stuck in a restarting loop.

  • Dhanaraj

    I can’t get advance repair screen in any key combo method screen is black Lenovo desktop computer help is appreciable

  • Chad Mooney

    unable to format, volume to big for fat32

  • Olivia

    I got to bcdboot C:\windows /s k: /f UEFI
    And it said An incorrect Volume label was entered for this drive

  • Kapil Arya

    ^^ Kindly recheck the command and make sure you tried previous steps correctly.

  • jack weed

    i would be very cautious about following this advice. anytime you format a drive make sure you know what drive you are formatting. I never did see Kapil respond to a question asked as to what is the EFI drive. in fact I never saw Kapil respond to any questions really. I only saw responses to replies that “worked”. again, make sure you are formatting the right drive or else you might lose data

  • jackweed

    so I was a little premature in my comment above. i was able to follow the instructions provided while in front of the affected computer and was able to determine the efi volume. These instructions were pretty much spot on except I still got the “access denied” error when running “bootrec /fixboot” I ran the “bootrec /rebuildbcd” and it worked. upon reboot my windows 10 started. thanks for posting this

  • John

    GabeL – thanks this worked for me

  • Gary Settz

    This did not work

  • Dave F.

    Did this and bootrec /fixboot for still gives ‘Access is denied’ and I seem to be way farther down

  • JoaoFRA

    Thank you Kapil Arya and also GabeL.
    My feedback:

    When doing “bootrec /fixboot” still have “access is denied”.
    Then I’ve run “bootsect /nt60 all” and again “bootrec /fixboot” and runs successfully.

  • Kapil Arya

    ^^ Thanks for sharing this JoaoFRA!

  • Jay

    @JoaoFRA – I can confirm this worked for me as well. I have a bitlocker enabled C:\ drive. Running “bootrec /fixboot” would provide the “access is denied” error. After running “bootsect /nt60 all” then re-running “bootrec /fixboot” it finally provided the output of “The operation completed successfully.” On re-boot it asked for my bitlocker key. However unfortunately, after restarting, it still failed to boot with error “INACCESSIBLE BOOT DEVICE”

  • Blaine

    Hi, this did not work for me. I have this problem: Malware changed all my files but most notable changed Boot drive X: to always host malicious files even when using command line and selecting D: drive media it will revert to using Boot X: and is bootstrapped. The drive X: is not visible anywhere I have seen outside of the boot menu with alternative media. Not in diskpart or anywhere and I’m not sure where the data is being stored for it. Oh also this drive is write protected so I am unable to make changes to it. How can I fix this issue if it is write protected and the bootrec commands will not work thank you.

  • mil

    no where is shows name EFI partition. it doesnt show. ( therefore he didnt show printscreen) urs all bullshit here

  • Laura

    So finally was able to get through all the steps but I’m still getting the same error srt\srttrail blah….. thx for your help tho. Can you come over and fix this damn pc for me! 😢 jk

  • Josh

    this did not work for me. Admittedly, bootrec /scanos returns 0 windows installations. Please see my post for help below in Microsoft’s support community:
    answers.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/forum/windows_11-wintop_update/windows-11-22h2-caused-boot-process-to-fail/897bdb13-b461-4b90-be9b-4229353dad84
    Got to this process from hwww.kapilarya.com/fix-windows-10-master-boot-record-corrupted
    I’m lost.

  • Duyn Davis

    Hi – didn’t work. Got to K:\>bcdboot C:\windows /s K: /f UEFI.
    Got: “Failure when attempting to copy boot files”. What now? I’m out of my league and comfort zone here.
    HELP please??

    (I can’t access my email, so………..)

  • Dion Dee

    I followed these instructions and although I still got Accessed Denied, I restarted and it did some disk checking and then bored into Windows. Thank you for the help.

  • Kapil Arya

    ^^ Glad it worked 😎

  • Jeremy

    I didn’t understand most of that. I’m not very good with computers and this is all new territory for me. Could you break it all down to me in layman’s terms please. Actual step by step. I’m really confused right now.

  • Michael P.

    Thanks it worked for me. Once I found run the command “bootsect /nt60 all” in the comment area.

  • Art

    The volume label for me was DATA if that helps anyone

  • Michal

    If you still have access denied, try to disabled safe boot optional in BIOS. Then just start the system and it should load. After it boots to the os, just power off pc, go to bios again and enable safe boot option. It should also work now

  • Kapil Arya

    ^^ Thanks for your inputs Michal!

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