How to Fix "Access Denied" Error in Bootrec.exe on Windows

When attempting to restore Windows boot using bootrec.exe, users may encounter an "Access Denied" error. This message suggests that the current user lacks the necessary permissions to execute the command. Let’s go through steps to resolve this error and successfully restore system boot.

Reasons for the "Access Denied" Error

The "Access Denied" error with bootrec.exe is commonly related to insufficient user privileges. This issue typically arises due to:

  • Launching Command Prompt without administrator rights.
  • The system being installed on a different drive partition that is inaccessible.
  • Corrupted boot or system files.

Steps to Resolve "Access Denied" in Bootrec.exe

1. Run Command Prompt as Administrator

To use bootrec.exe, you need to open Command Prompt with elevated permissions. Here’s how:

  1. Click on Start and type cmd in the search bar.
  2. Right-click "Command Prompt" and select Run as administrator.
  3. Confirm if prompted.

Now, try running the bootrec.exe command again.

2. Check Boot Partition Access

If your hard drive has multiple partitions, verify that the correct boot partition is accessible to the system. You can do this using diskpart and list vol commands:

  1. In Command Prompt, type diskpart and press Enter.
  2. Type list vol to display available volumes.
  3. Identify which volume is the boot partition and ensure it’s accessible.

3. Repair the Boot Sector

If the issue persists, attempt to restore the boot sector completely using the following commands:

  1. bootrec /fixmbr – to repair the master boot record.
  2. bootrec /fixboot – to repair the boot sector.
  3. bootrec /rebuildbcd – to search for and add new entries to the boot configuration.

If you still encounter "Access Denied" errors, try running bootsect /nt60 C:, replacing C: with the correct boot partition.

4. Check for Corrupt System Files

The sfc utility can help you check for and repair corrupt system files:

  1. Enter sfc /scannow in Command Prompt.
  2. Wait for the scan to complete and restore any damaged files.