Having trouble booting Windows?
Getting greeted with a BSOD on launch?
If you’re encountering errors associated with error code 0xc0000098, we may have the solution.
What Is Error Code 0xc0000098?
What Is pci.sys?
An additional term that may also appear alongside a 0xc0000098 error is that pci.sys is missing.
The first thing you’ll need to check is if you might get into the Windows Recovery Environment.
This should be an option presented to you along with the boot error.
If it isn’t, there’s a chance the recovery environment is unavailable or was never enabled.
Check out ourguide on accessing the recovery environmentto check that you’re not missing anything before you move on.
We have acomprehensive guide on the best way to create a bootable USB gadget.
If you’re running off the recovery environment, hitTroubleshootand thenCommand Prompt.
If you’re doing this off a bootable USB, ensure you clickRepair your computerwhen given the prompt.
This will be the staging ground for our attempts to fix this boot error.
Being connected to the internet with an Ethernet cord will be a benefit.
Now, let’s have a look at our options.
Run a Check Disk Scan
Our first option is to run theCheck Diskcommand.
Simply inputchkdsk /f /rinto the Command Prompt (seehow to launch the Command Prompt) and hitEnter.
This will take some time to complete.
It will scan the drive that you’ve installed Windows on and report any major errors.
Hopefully, it will fix them too.
Check Boot Configuration Integrity
This next step will check the overall integrity of your Windows installation.
Unlike the previous step, this won’t scan the entirety of your drive.
Rather, it will just check to see if anything has gone wrong with Windows itself.
This is a useful step in ruling out a possible corrupt update.
Still in command prompt, enter each of these four commands separately.
Each of these commands may take some time to process.
Restart and check it out.
However, if this did fix your problem, consider doing somefurther reading on working around unmountable boot volumes.
These errors can occur with a simple corrupt Windows update and are well worth knowing inside and out.
Still Can’t Fix the 0xc0000098 Error?
If you’re still having errors at this point, it may be bad news.
Further troubleshooting may help.
We have an even more comprehensive guide onrepairing the Master Boot Recordwhich may be where your issue is.
