Start with Windows Recovery Environment (WinRE) and run Startup Repair. Microsoft lists Startup Repair as the built-in tool for a computer that cannot start. If it cannot correct the failure, try System Restore or uninstall the latest update before considering Reset this PC or a USB reinstall. Error 0xC0000305 has no code-specific definition in Microsoft’s published recovery guidance, so the event immediately before the error—an update, driver, hardware change, firmware change, or power interruption—is your best clue.
What error 0xC0000305 means
Windows displays 0xC0000305 during a startup or recovery failure, but Microsoft’s authoritative Windows 10 and Windows 11 documentation does not assign this hexadecimal value a single, confirmed cause. It is therefore unsafe to declare that the code always means a failed disk, a damaged bootloader, malware, or one particular driver. Treat it as a symptom: Windows could not complete startup, and the recovery path must identify what changed.
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Write down the exact screen text and photograph it before you restart. Record whether the first occurrence followed a Windows update, a driver installation, a new USB or internal component, a BIOS or firmware change, a sudden power loss, or a forced shutdown. That timeline determines which recovery option is least disruptive. A one-time appearance after a power interruption can have a different cause from a loop that began immediately after a graphics-driver update.
Before you make a change
- Disconnect recently added hardware. Shut down, remove nonessential USB devices, docks, external drives, printers, and newly installed expansion hardware, then try to start again. Leave the keyboard, mouse, display, and the drive that contains Windows connected.
- Protect important data. If Windows starts even once, copy documents, game saves, photos, and authentication files to another drive or a trusted cloud location. If it does not start, avoid a reset or reinstall until you have attempted a backup from another environment.
- Have the BitLocker recovery key available. WinRE may request it when the system drive is encrypted. A Microsoft account, an organization account, a printed key, or a saved file may contain it. Without the correct key, encrypted files may remain inaccessible.
- Keep another computer and an empty USB drive available. They are needed if the built-in recovery environment is damaged or missing. The USB will be erased when installation media is created.
Do not repeatedly force power off a machine that is actively repairing. If the same screen returns after one normal restart, move to WinRE rather than continuing an uncontrolled reboot cycle.
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Enter WinRE and run Startup Repair
Microsoft describes Startup Repair as “a built-in Windows recovery tool that helps fix issues preventing the operating system from starting.” It examines common startup blockers, including missing or damaged system files, corrupted boot configuration data (BCD), a damaged master boot record (MBR), incompatible drivers, and registry errors. It does not establish that any one of those problems caused your particular 0xC0000305 event.
When the automatic recovery screen appears
- Allow Windows to reach the Automatic Repair or recovery screen.
- Select Advanced options.
- Choose Troubleshoot, then Advanced options.
- Select Startup Repair.
- Choose the Windows installation if asked, provide the password for an administrator account, and select Restart when prompted.
When Windows keeps restarting before WinRE opens
Interrupt the normal boot process only enough for Windows to enter recovery: turn the computer on and, when Windows begins loading, hold the power button to shut it down. Repeat this interruption until the Preparing Automatic Repair or recovery screen appears, then use the path above. If your manufacturer supplies a dedicated recovery key or button, its location and timing vary by model; consult the computer’s manual rather than guessing.
What to expect
Startup Repair may take several minutes and can restart the computer. A message that it could not repair the PC is not proof that the disk is dead; it means this automated pass did not resolve the startup condition. Select Advanced options to continue with a less destructive recovery choice. If BitLocker is enabled, the recovery key may be required before the tools can inspect the Windows volume.
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Microsoft’s recovery guidance places options on a practical damage scale. The choices below preserve more of your existing installation than a reset or clean reinstall, but each has a different rollback effect.
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| Option | Personal files | Applications and updates | Restore point or USB needed | Reversible? |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Uninstall latest update | Not affected | Removes the selected recent quality or feature update | No restore point; WinRE access required | Usually, by reinstalling the update later |
| System Restore | Personal files remain | System files, drivers, settings, and applications changed after the restore point can be rolled back | A usable restore point is required; no USB normally needed | Often; restore can be undone when Windows offers that choice |
| Point-in-time restore | Depends on the recovery image and prompts shown | Returns the installation to the selected point | Available on some Windows 11 version 24H2 or later systems | Depends on the available recovery points |
| Reset this PC — keep my files | Personal files are retained, subject to the confirmation screen | Windows and installed applications are removed or reinstalled according to the selected reset method | No USB normally needed | Not a simple undo; reinstall applications and restore settings |
| Reset this PC — remove everything | Removed | Windows and applications are removed and reinstalled | No USB normally needed | No, unless you have a separate backup or image |
| Reinstall from installation USB | Can remove everything on the Windows device | Fresh Windows installation; applications and settings must be restored | Working second PC and bootable USB required | No, unless backed up first |
Uninstall a recent update
- In WinRE, open Troubleshoot > Advanced options > Uninstall Updates.
- Choose the available recent quality update first. If the problem began with a larger release upgrade and that option is shown, use the feature-update choice instead.
- Confirm the account and let Windows complete the removal, then restart.
Microsoft says this option does not affect personal files or installed applications. If the error returns, do not repeatedly remove unrelated updates; continue to the next recovery branch and later install current updates once the system is stable.
Try System Restore
- Select Troubleshoot > Advanced options > System Restore.
- Choose an administrator account and enter its password.
- Select a restore point dated before 0xC0000305 first appeared. Use Scan for affected programs when offered so you can see which drivers or applications will be changed.
- Confirm the restore and allow the computer to restart without interruption.
System Restore rolls back system files, drivers, registry settings, and other configuration changes; it does not roll back personal files. If no restore point exists, the tool cannot create one after the fact. A failed restore may leave Windows unchanged, but do not assume that every failure is harmless—read the final status screen and move on to another option.
Use Point-in-time restore when it is offered
Some Windows 11 systems on version 24H2 or later show a Point-in-time restore choice in recovery. The available dates and scope depend on what the device has created or retained. Read the confirmation screen carefully, note which applications and updates will be affected, and use it only when the selected point predates the startup failure.
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Test Safe Mode and investigate a recent driver or device
Microsoft’s stop-code guidance recommends Safe Mode, Device Manager checks, removing newly added hardware, and updating or uninstalling a suspect driver. These are general stop-code steps, not a guaranteed fix for 0xC0000305.
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- In WinRE, select Troubleshoot > Advanced options > Startup Settings > Restart.
- After the restart, press the number for Safe Mode or Safe Mode with Networking only if you need network access for a legitimate driver download.
- If Safe Mode opens, press Windows key + X and select Device Manager.
- Expand categories related to the event—such as Display adapters, Network adapters, Bluetooth, Sound, video and game controllers, Storage controllers, or Universal Serial Bus controllers.
- For a device marked with a warning icon or installed immediately before the failure, open Properties > Driver. Use Roll Back Driver when Windows offers a previous version; otherwise choose Uninstall Device and restart. Do not check a box that removes driver software unless you have a replacement from the device manufacturer.
- Remove software that installs low-level drivers, such as a newly added security, disk, virtualization, or peripheral package, only when you can identify it as part of the timeline. Keep a record of every change so you can reverse it.
Once Windows starts normally, install current Windows updates and obtain a driver from the computer or component manufacturer’s support page. Avoid downloading a driver from an unknown mirror. If Safe Mode also fails, return to WinRE rather than making several speculative driver changes.
Check disk space, firmware visibility, and hardware diagnostics
A full system volume can prevent updates and recovery operations from completing. Microsoft includes adequate free disk space in its general stop-code triage. If you can reach Safe Mode or another working account, open Settings > System > Storage in Windows 11 or Settings > System > Storage in Windows 10, remove only files you recognize, and keep enough room for Windows to operate. Do not delete unknown folders from the Windows directory.
Enter the firmware setup screen using the manufacturer’s documented key and verify that the system drive is detected. The key and menu names differ by device. If the drive is absent in firmware, recovery commands and a Windows reinstall are unlikely to solve the underlying hardware connection or drive failure; shut down and seek model-specific service.
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Run the computer maker’s built-in storage and memory diagnostics, if available. Record any test identifier, failure code, or SMART warning. A failing memory module or storage device can produce repeated startup failures, and replacing hardware should follow a confirmed diagnostic rather than the hexadecimal code alone.
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Create a Windows installation USB when WinRE will not load
If the internal recovery environment is unavailable, use another working Windows computer to create official Windows installation media on a USB drive. Microsoft documents this as a way to start repair workflows or reinstall Windows. The USB is a recovery tool, not a guarantee that the existing installation will be preserved.
- On the working computer, download the Windows 10 or Windows 11 installation-media creator from Microsoft’s official Windows download page. Match the edition and architecture to the license on the affected computer whenever possible.
- Connect an empty USB drive with sufficient capacity for the media creator, and copy anything on it elsewhere first because the creation process erases it.
- Run the media creator, choose Create installation media, select the language, edition, and 64-bit or 32-bit architecture offered for the target device, and select the USB drive.
- Insert the finished USB into the affected computer. Start it and open the one-time boot menu using the manufacturer’s documented key, then select the USB device.
- At Windows Setup, choose the language and keyboard layout, select Repair your computer instead of Install now, and open Troubleshoot.
- Try Startup Repair, System Restore, or update removal from this external WinRE session. Check whether the Windows volume is visible before attempting anything destructive.
Generic Microsoft media may not include hardware-specific drivers or factory applications supplied by the original equipment manufacturer. If the computer maker provides recovery media for your exact model, it can be more appropriate for restoring those components, but it may also restore factory software and settings. Verify licensing and edition compatibility before proceeding.
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When repair options fail and diagnostics do not indicate a hardware emergency, copy files before resetting. From another working computer, you can remove the affected drive and attach it with a compatible enclosure, or use a bootable environment that can read the unencrypted volume. BitLocker-protected data still requires the recovery key. Copy user folders and application-specific data you actually need; a reset or reinstall will not recreate unsaved game progress, browser profiles, or locally stored credentials.
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In WinRE, choose Troubleshoot > Reset this PC only after reading the summary of what will be removed. Keep my files preserves personal files but removes Windows components and applications as described on screen. Remove everything erases personal data as well. Cloud download and local reinstall choices can differ in the files used to rebuild Windows; select the one your connection and recovery state can support.
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A clean reinstall from USB is the most disruptive path. It can remove everything on the target device, including personal files, applications, settings, and recovery partitions. Use it only after backup, license verification, and a decision about whether the disk itself is trustworthy. If diagnostics report a failing drive, replace the drive rather than installing Windows onto it and hoping the code disappears.
What to do after Windows starts
- Open Settings > Windows Update, install current updates, and restart when requested. Do not interrupt a firmware or Windows update.
- Check Device Manager for warning icons and confirm that storage, graphics, network, audio, Bluetooth, and USB devices work.
- Reconnect removed hardware one device at a time, restarting between additions. If 0xC0000305 returns after one device is restored, that timeline is useful evidence.
- Review Event Viewer > Windows Logs > System around the failed boot, and save relevant error and warning details with their timestamps. Logs may identify a driver or storage event, but they do not turn the code into a confirmed diagnosis by themselves.
- Keep a current backup and, once the system is stable, create restore points before major driver or firmware changes.
When to stop troubleshooting and get specialist help
Escalate to the computer manufacturer, an authorized repair service, or a qualified technician when the system drive is not visible in firmware, storage or memory diagnostics fail, the BitLocker key is unavailable, or every recovery path returns to the same screen. Also stop if you hear unusual drive noises, see repeated data corruption, or cannot make a verified backup. Provide the technician with the photographed code, the event timeline, Windows edition and version, BitLocker status, diagnostic identifiers, and a list of every recovery action already attempted.
Do not let a generic “BCD repair” command, a driver replacement, or a third-party cleaner be presented as a guaranteed solution for this code. Microsoft’s guidance supports a sequence of recovery choices, but it does not promise that any single step repairs every 0xC0000305 failure. The safest approach is to preserve data, use the least destructive supported option, and treat persistent recurrence as evidence that device-specific logs or hardware testing are needed.
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