Written by
Wilsey YoungSome Windows 10 users encounter the black screen of death during system startup, and it prompts with the error message: invalid or damaged bootable partition.
This post revolves around the "invalid or damaged bootable partition" error and primarily shows how to fix this error.
How to fix invalid or damaged bootable partition Windows 10/11
Below are some methods that can help you fix the black screen of death and the "invalid or damaged bootable partition" error. As a side note, having a spare computer in advance can save you some trouble.
Set the correct boot order in UEFI or BIOS
Incorrect boot order or boot option priorities in the UEFI or BIOS may cause the "invalid or damaged bootable partition" error.
In other words, the hard disk containing the Windows operating system should be set as the first boot option, making your PC boot directly from the target hard disk and load the Windows OS.
Here's how to enter the BIOS and change the boot order:
- Restart your PC and continuously press the Esc, Del, or F2 key (depending on the manufacturer) during boot to enter the BIOS.
- Use the arrow keys on the keyboard to go to the Boot tab.
- Use the "+" or "-" key to move the device containing the Windows OS up to the top of the list.
- Press the Enter key to expand the device and select the specific one.
- Press F10 to save the exit.
- Your PC reboots automatically.
Here's how to enter the BIOS and change the boot order:
- Restart your PC and continuously press the Esc, Del, or F2 key (depending on the manufacturer) during boot to enter the UEFI.
- Move the mouse cursor and click the Boot tab.
- Go to the “Fixed Boot Order Priorities” or “Boot Option Priorities” section. This section decides which type of device your PC will attempt to boot from first.
- Set the Boot Option #1 as the device from which your PC boots.
- Go to the “UEFI Hard Disk Drive BBS Priority” section. This section determines the specific hard disk is the preferred boot device. If you only have one hard disk installed, ignore this option.
- Tap on "UEFI Hard Disk Drive BBS Priority" or "Hard Disk BBS Priority" and click “Boot Option #1.”
- Set "Boot Option #1" as your system hard disk which contains the Windows OS.
- Save the changes and exit to let your PC boot automatically.
Note: Manufacturers may differ on the UEFI or BIOS page, so the sections or options above could vary.
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Run startup repair
The "invalid or damaged bootable partition" error may be to blame for the problems that keep Windows from loading. These types of errors could be resolved by running the startup repair tool.
Note: Running the startup repair tool requires preparing a Windows installation media.
- Insert the Windows installation media into your PC and restart the PC.
- When the Windows installation media appears, click Next, and tap on “Repair your computer.”
- Click Troubleshoot and Advanced options.
- Tap on Startup Repair
- Choose the target operating system and the Startup Repair will try to fix any detected issues.
- If the problem is fixed, restart the PC to see if the "invalid or damaged bootable partition" error is resolved
Fix MBR (Master Boot Record)
MBR (Master Boot Record) is a partitioning scheme responsible for the storage and boot process of the Windows operating system.
If an accident occurs and the MBR becomes corrupted, the "invalid or damaged bootable partition" error might occur. Here's how to fix MBR through the Command Prompt:
- Boot from the Windows installation media.
- When the setup window appears, press the Shift+F10 keys to open the Command Prompt tool.
- When the command window pops up, input the following commands and hit the Enter key after each:
bootrec /fixmbr
bootrec /fixboot
bootrec /scanos
bootrec /rebuildbcd
Inactivate excessive active partition
The active partition on Windows refers to the partition containing the bootable operating system. Therefore, your Windows PC only needs one active partition for the Windows OS to boot.
More than one active partition may result in the "invalid or damaged bootable partition" error, so you need to make the active partitions that don't contain the Windows OS inactive! Here's how to inactivate excessive active partition:
- Boot from the Windows installation media.
- When the setup window appears, press the Shift+F10 keys to open the Command Prompt tool.
- When the command window pops up, input the following commands and hit the Enter key after each:
diskpart
list volume
select volume # Note: Replace # with the actual number of the target volume
inactive
exit
If the volume list doesn't show whether the partition is active, try the following command after running select volume #
detail partition
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