Windows 11 doesn't recognize Bootrec? Apply this simple fix

The boot sector is a critical part of the drive that takes over shortly after the computer boots. When you have a problem, bootrec is here to help. What should you do if you encounter the problem of bootrec not being recognized in Windows 11?

MBR or Master Boot Record exists in the boot sector and its role is to help locate the operating system on the drive and load it. Additionally, its issues may prevent you from booting Windows 11 efficiently or at all.

Speaking of issues, many are reporting Bootrec/Fixboot access denied messages and we have detailed this issue in a separate tutorial.

In this case, it is recommended that you run the bootrec command to eliminate this problem. If you encounter an error when running a command, learn what to do in the following sections.

Why doesn’t Windows 11 recognize Bootrec?

When you launch Command Prompt alone or in Windows Terminal while logged into Windows 11 and try to run the bootrec command, it says, bootrec is not an internal or external command, runnable program, or batch file.

You may have tried searching for the root cause online, but have struggled to find any useful information. Honestly, not a lot. So, we have a solution!

When you log into Windows 11 or even the previous iteration, you cannot use the bootrec command and can only execute it from Windows RE (Recovery Environment).

Whether you are unable to boot the operating system at all or you are just experiencing minor errors, this tutorial will help you fix Bootrec /fixmbr not working and similar issues.

Keep in mind that sometimes bootrec doesn't recognize Windows installations, but we'll show you how to fix this.

What should I do if Bootrec is not recognized in Windows 11?

Using Command Prompt

1. Turn off the computer and press the power button to turn it on. Once the display lights up, press and hold the power button to turn off the system.
2. Repeat the same process three or four times until you see a blue screen that says Recovery.
3. Click the "View advanced repair options" button under "Looks like Windows is not loading correctly."
4. Next, click Troubleshoot.
5. Select Advanced Options.
6. Now, select Command Prompt from the six options listed here.
7. You can now paste the following bootrec commands and Enterclick after each command to execute them. When finished, click the Close icon: <strong>bootrec/ fixmbr</strong><strong>bootrec/ fixboot</strong><strong> bootrec/ scanos</strong><strong>bootrec/ rebuildbcd</strong>
8. Finally, click Continue to boot Windows 11 normally.

If you are having trouble recognizing Bootrec in Windows 11, the above steps should help you.

Expert Tip: Some PC problems are difficult to solve, especially if the repository is corrupted or Windows files are missing. If you are having trouble fixing errors, your system may be partially corrupted. We recommend installing Restoro, a tool that can scan your machine and determine where the fault lies.
Click here to download and start repairing.

In addition, if you are able to mount Windows 11, you do not need to force shut down the computer when accessing the recovery environment. You may consider other methods to enter recovery mode in Windows 11.

Remember to use the force shutdown method only in emergency situations as this may harm the operating system if it is currently working fine.

After using this solution, check if the bootrec /fixboot cannot recognize file system error message still exists.

How does Startup Repair work in Windows 11?

Is it necessary to follow such tedious steps to handle startup errors? the answer is negative. Microsoft provides built-in tools and utilities that can help identify and eliminate a large number of errors in Windows 11, such as the Bootrec /fixboot system not found error.

One of them is the startup repair utility. You can use this feature to fix problems when starting Windows. It looks for problems with system files, whether they are damaged or missing, and then replaces them.

You can open the Startup Repair utility from the Advanced Options screen in Windows RE. Additionally, running the utility does not take too long. You should have your PC up and running in about 20-40 minutes if it resolves the issue.

If startup repair cannot somehow eliminate the error, there are various third-party startup repair tools that may come in handy.

Your best option here is Restoro, which will help you if your system can't find Bootrec due to file corruption, so we encourage you to give it a try.

Now that you have a proper understanding of Bootrec, feel free to try all our solutions.

In addition to this, some users have reported getting stuck on the Windows 11 Auto-Repair screen. Bootrec command can help you again, as MBR is the root cause of this issue..

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