The boot sector contains the MBR or Master Boot Record, which helps locate the OS on the drive and load it. And, issues with it can prevent you from booting Windows 11 effectively or at all. Speaking of issues, many reported Bootrec /Fixboot access is denied message, and we covered this problem in detail in a separate guide. In this case, it’s recommended that you run the bootrec command to eliminate the issue. If you get an error running the command, find out what to do in the following sections.

Why Bootrec is not recognized in Windows 11?

When you launch Command Prompt separately or in the Windows Terminal while logged in to Windows 11 and try to run the bootrec command, it would read, bootrec is not recognized as an internal or external command, operable program or batch file. You may have searched the web for the underlying cause, but wouldn’t have come across any informative results. And honestly, there ain’t many. So, here we are with a solution! You can’t use bootrec command while you are logged in to Windows 11 or even the previous iteration, rather it can only be executed from the Windows RE (Recovery Environment). No matter whether you are unable to boot OS at all or are just encountering a minor error, this guide will help you fix Bootrec /fixmbr not working and similar issues. Keep in mind that sometimes bootrec is not recognizing Windows installation, but we’ll show you how to fix this issue.

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

Use Command Prompt

If you’re getting Bootrec is not recognized in Windows 11 the steps above should be able to help you. Also, if you can load Windows 11, there’s no need to force shut down the PC to access the Recovery Environment. Rather, you can try the other ways to enter recovery mode in Windows 11. SPONSORED Remember to use the force shutdown method only in case of emergencies since this could harm the OS if it’s currently working fine. After using this solution, check if the bootrec /fixboot not recognized file system error message is still there.

How does Startup Repair work in Windows 11?

Do we always need to follow such intricate approaches when dealing with boot errors? The answer is No. Microsoft provides built-in tools and utilities that can help identify and eliminate a plethora of errors in Windows 11, such as Bootrec /fixboot the system cannot find error for example. One such is the Startup Repair utility. You can use this feature to fix issues while booting Windows. It looks for problems with the system files, be they corrupt or missing, and replaces them. You can open The Startup Repair utility from the Advanced Options screen in the Windows RE. Also, it wouldn’t take too long to run the utility. If it’s able to eliminate the problem, you should have the PC up and running in around 20-40 minutes. If Startup Repair is somehow unable to eliminate the error, there are various third-party boot repair tools that might come in handy. The best option you have here is Restoro, and it will help you if 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 of our solutions. Also, some users have reported being stuck on the Automatic Repair screen in Windows 11. Problems with MBR are responsible for this issue, so the bootrec command will again come to your aid. Do not hesitate to tell us which fix worked for you in the comments section below.

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