Fixed: Fixboot Access Denied on Windows 11 (4 Top Methods)

What is Bootrec/fixboot?

Bootrec is a command-line repair utility found within the Windows Recovery Environment. It provides a powerful tool to address system startup issues and resolve boot errors on both Windows 10 and 11 operating systems.

Nonetheless, when running the command, you might come across the "Bootrec /Fixboot access is denied" error. This issue can arise due to a broken EFI structure or problems with the Boot Configuration Data (BCD) file.

Here are 3 options offered for you to address the “fixboot access denied Windows 11” issue. let’s see the exact operations.

How to solve fixboot access denied Windows 10 or 11

Method 1. Run CHKDSK

Check Disk is a valuable utility designed to detect and repair system errors. You can initiate it through the Command Prompt by running specific commands.

Step 1. Shut down your computer at the startup screen, and repeat it three times to boot into WinRE.

Step 2. Once you boot into WinRE, when you see the Automatic Repair screen, click Advanced options＞Troubleshoot＞Command Prompt.

Step 3. Type chkdsk c: /r (If your system partition’s drive letter differs, replace the c with the correct one.) into the command prompt and hit Enter. It implies you have Windows on your C: drive.

Step 4. After running CHKDSK and allowing it to scan for drive errors, it will report if any issues are found that require repair.

Wait for the process to complete, then check to see if you’re able run the “bootrec /fixboot” command. If you cannot, please move to the next method.

Method 2. Run startup repair

Startup Repair is a useful tool designed to address common startup issues in Windows. If you find yourself unable to boot your PC normally, it's advisable to start with this straightforward solution within the Windows Recovery Environment (WinRE) before attempting more complex methods. Startup Repair can often resolve common boot problems and get your system back up and running smoothly.

Once you boot into WinRE, select Troubleshoot＞Advanced options＞Startup Repair. Immediately it starts to detect and will try to fix the errors it has found.

If there are issues detected with startup, you'll be presented with options to choose how Windows should address those problems. If Startup Repair finds nothing to fix, then you can try the next method.

Method 3. Repair bootloader

If you're encountering bootrec fixboot access denied Windows 11 related to your EFI system partition, one potential solution is to use the DiskPart utility to reassign a drive letter to the EFI system partition and then reformat it. This process can help address problems associated with the EFI partition and potentially resolve the access denied error you're experiencing.

Step 1. Boot into WinRE, when you see the Automatic Repair screen, select Advanced options＞Troubleshoot＞Command Prompt.

Step 2. Input these two commands one by one into the Command Prompt window and hit Enter on your keyboard to run them in order.

> diskpart > list disk

>select disk 0

Step 3. Type the following line to list all the volumes on this drive:

list vol

select vol 1 (1 refers to your EFI volume number and it differs depending on your system configuration)

Step 4. Type the following line and press Enter to reassign a driver letter to this volume: (V can be replaced by any other letter that hasn’t been used by the other volumes.)

assign letter=V:

Step 5. Type exit and press Enter to leave diskpart.

Step 6. Type V: (the drive letter that you just assigned) and hit Enter. Type the following line and press Enter to reformat this volume:

format V: /fs:fat32

Step 7. Type the following line and hit Enter:

bcdboot c:\windows /s V: /f uefi

Step 8. Close the Command Prompt window and then open it again. Then check to see if you’re able to run the “bootrec /fixboot” command.

Method 4. Repair your boot sector or rebuilt BCD

Step 1. Please boot your PC from the installation disc.

Step 2. Navigate to Repair your computer >Troubleshoot >Advanced options >Command Prompt.

Step 3. Type the following command and hit Enter after each command.

• Bootrec /fixmbr
• Bootrec /fixboot
• Bootrec /rebuildbcd

After trying the “fixboot access is denied” fix, if each of these methods does not work properly, then you need to use a third-party tool to bring your computer back.

Bonus tip: restore your PC to normal state from boot errors

Regrettably, there are instances where boot errors cannot be solved, and as a result, the system will remain unable to boot unless the exact issue is resolved. Such situations can pose a risk of partial or complete data loss on the disk. To mitigate this potential risk, it's advisable to seek assistance from one of the top free backup and restore software solutions. These tools enable disaster recovery measures in the event of system failures, helping safeguard your data and ensuring it can be restored if needed.

As the best free backup and restore solution for Windows 11/10/8.1/8/7/XP, Vista, etc., AOMEI Backupper Standard offers you complete and powerful functions to safeguard your data security. It supports not only the operating system, but can also be used to restore partitions, disk, or individual files & folders. With a system backup file on hand, you can recover your computer in case of unexpected situations such as hard drive failure, virus attack, etc.

Now let’s get the graphical instructions to restore your computer with AOMEI Backupper in case of a system crash. Firstly, download and install AOMEI Backupper Standard on your computer.

Before you use AOMEI Backupper to restore your PC to normal state, you need to do the preparations:

▶System backup image is needed. You need to create a full backup of your PC in advance.
▶A bootable media is needed. Create a bootable media to restore your Windows system as it cannot boot up correctly.

Once you have the 2 prerequisites, you can follow the tutorial below to restore your PC and make it bootable:

Step 1. Boot your computer from the bootable disk, and then AOMEI Backupper Standard will load automatically after booting. In the main interface, click Restore on the left menu and click Select Task or Select Image File to find the image.

Step 2. Select the system backup in the following window and then click Next.

Step 3. Then, select to restore the entire backup or a part and click Next.

★Note: Normally you need to select a path for your backup after this step. But if AOMEI Backupper can detect this image and you want to restore it to the original location, this software will select the destination path for you.

Step 4. Then, click Start Restore to execute the progress. When the progress is completed, click Finish to exit.

★Note: If the system image is created on another PC with different hardware, you need to tick Universal Restore (supported in the Professional edition) to make sure the computer can boot up after restoration.

Conclusion

You have 4 options to troubleshoot fixboot access denied Windows 11, namely, run CHKDSK and startup repair, and repair bootloader and your boot sector or rebuilt BCD. However, you cannot always fix every issue sometimes, you need seek a professional software like AOMEI Backupper to protect your data and recover it every time you need. This software is a full-featured backup and restore software, offering other functions like clone and sync as well. Just download it to backup your C drive Windows 11 in case of hardware breakdown.