[Adrian Anansi]

Although I've found a few posts similar to this, none had the same flavor as mine. The basic problem is as follows. I installed updates, restarted my computer received a message from the Boot Manager telling me that \windows\system32\winload.exe is missing or corrupt, status 0xc000000f. It tells me pop in my disk and hit repair my computer. I don't have a installation disk, I have a recovery partition. The F8 menu doesn't work, and I can't figure out how to do anything in the F10 setup menu that would help. Please don't tell me I have to do a clean install AGAIN. I did one just this morning for an entirely unrelated issue, and spend my whole day reinstalling programs.

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Try unplugging all USB devices. Close windows down, then unplug your mouse and keyboard. Restart Windows, then plug in the mouse and keyboard.
If you aren't getting the error, then see which one of your USB devices may be causing the problem by plugging the rest back in and turning on the device (such as printer or ?)

[Jacee]

Try unplugging all USB devices. Close windows down, then unplug your mouse and keyboard. Restart Windows, then plug in the mouse and keyboard.
If you aren't getting the error, then see which one of your USB devices may be causing the problem by plugging the rest back in and turning on the device (such as printer or ?)

[Broni]

If it's HP/Compaq, after entering Recovery partition by pressing F10 key, it'll give you Repair option.

[Will_00]

You may also contact your computer manufacturer and request a Startup disk/Recovery disk - I had to do this recently with Dell and they sent me one in about 1-1.5 day(s). In that sense you should be able to open the BIOS and reboot from the disc to repair the system.

[Adrian Anansi]

I actually came up with a little solution myself. Rather then screw around too much with the partition, I simply used a Ubuntu installation disk to have some kind of operating system momentarily. I loaded it, opened up my hard drive and copy and pasted the winload.exe in C:/WIndows/System32/Boot to its place in System 32. While this did solve the problem, I turned on my computer this morning and lo and behold the same message appeared. Is there any way I can determine why this file keeps vanishing?

[Broni]

The file may be corrupted. Why don't you use Recovery partition to perform Repair?

[Adrian Anansi]

Although I have an HP, the F10 thing did not work. Anyway, I replaced it, and it happened again, I think it has something to do with the WIndows updates.

[Broni]

What happens when you press F10, when that option is displayed during Windows startup?