What to do if Windows cannot locate boot.wim

Although it is not very common, there have been some cases where some users have gotten the error message Windows could not locate boot.wim .

This error usually appears when updating from one version of Windows to another, so today we will try to fix it.

Contents index

• How can I fix that Windows could not locate the boot.wim error?
  • Temporarily disable antivirus
  • Create a boot device
  • Make modifications to the Registry

How can I fix that Windows could not locate the boot.wim error?

1. Temporarily disable antivirus

If you have any antivirus application running on your PC, it may be the cause of Windows not being able to locate the boot.wim error .

So the best solution here would be to disable virus protection while downloading and installing the desired software

To disable antivirus protection, run the antivirus application and follow the corresponding instructions, or you can do the same from the Windows Security Center.

Make sure to restore protection after installation is complete to avoid malware infections later.

If your antivirus software was causing this problem, you may be able to fix it by switching to a different antivirus solution.

Bitdefender offers reliable protection, and it won’t interfere with your system in any way, so feel free to give it a try.

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2. Create a boot device

If you are getting Windows could not locate the boot.wim error when upgrading to a new version of Windows, you may be able to fix the problem by using a Windows 10 device to install Windows 10 on the device.

To do this, you will need to download the Media Creation Tool and create a bootable media . The process will vary depending on the installation media (USB flash drive or DVD) that you want to create.

Follow the instructions on the screen to complete the process. Once you’ve created a bootable media, use it to install the latest version of Windows 10.

3. Make modifications to the Registry

Another way to fix that Windows could not locate the boot.wim error is to modify the registry. For this, follow these steps:

1. Press the Windows + R buttons on the keyboard.
2. Type regedit and hit enter. This will start Registry Editor .

1. Alternatively, you can also type regedit in Cortana’s search box . Right-click on the displayed search result and select Run as administrator .
2. In the Registry Editor window , locate HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINESOFTWAREMicrosoftWindowsCurrentVersionWindowsUpdateOSUpgrade in the options on the left.

1. Create a new DWORD (32-bit) Value with Name = AllowOSUpgrade , and set the Value = 0x0000000001 . You can create a new DWORD value by right-clicking the blank part on the right and hovering the mouse pointer over New. Select the value of DWORD (32 bits)
2. Start Control Panel again and navigate to Windows Update .
3. You should be able to see a Get Started button . Click on it to start the Windows 10 installation process . Follow the instructions on the screen.

In case the OSUpgrade folder or key is not in Step 4, you will have to create it. Here are the steps.

1. Right-click on the blank part on the right. There is only one option you can see – New . Hover over it and, from the submenu that appears, click Password . A new folder appears under WindowsUpdate . Name it OSUpgrade and hit Enter .
2. Double click on the newly created OSUpgrade key to open it.
3. Check if the AllowOSUpgrade value is present, and make sure its value data is set to 0x0000000001 . If so, that’s fine. If not, there is something else you need to do.
4. If the AllowOSUpgrade value is not present, right-click again as before and select DWORD (32-bit) Value and name it AllowOSUpgrade .
5. With the value created, double click on it to set it to 0x0000000001 . Do the same if the value is set to something else.
6. Restart your PC for the new changes to take effect.

A word of caution. It is always recommended to back up your registry before making any changes to it. This is how you do that.

1. Click File in the top menu bar and select Export . & Lt; br / & gt;
2. In the Export Log File window that opens, set the location where you want to save the settings in the Save in box . Also, give it a name as well and click Save .

That’s all.

If you detect a problem with your PC immediately after modifying the registry, simply navigate to the backup file and double-click on it. Follow the instructions on the screen and restart your PC when prompted. You should be back where you started.

Here you go, these are some solutions that can help you correct . Windows could not locate the boot.wim error , so be sure to try all of them.