Hiren Boot Repair: How to Use on Windows 10

Hiren’s BootCD is a free, community-maintained bootable rescue toolkit that helps diagnose, repair, recover, and optimize your PC. If you’re facing Windows 10 system issues—like boot failures, corrupted files, or forgotten passwords—this tool can be a lifesaver.

In this guide, we’ll cover:

• What Hiren’s BootCD is and how it works
• How to create a bootable USB with Hiren’s BootCD
• How to repair Windows 10 using Hiren’s tools
• Downsides and troubleshooting tips

What is Hiren’s BootCD?

Hiren’s BootCD is a bootable rescue toolkit that helps fix common Windows problems. It works by bypassing your installed Windows system and loading a lightweight version of Windows (Windows PE) with built-in repair utilities.

Compatibility

Hiren’s BootCD is based on an older Windows PE environment, which means:

• Works on: Windows 7, 8, 10, and some older versions
• Limited support for: Windows 11 and modern hardware (without tweaks)

You can use it on most PCs, but if you have a very new device, some tools might not work perfectly.

How to Use Hiren’s Boot CD to Repair Windows 10

Create a Bootable USB/CD

1. Download the Hiren’s Boot CD ISO file from here.
2. Burn it to a CD/DVD using Nero or ImgBurn, or create a bootable USB using Rufus or Sardu.
3. 2. Boot from Hiren’s Boot CD
4. Insert the bootable USB or CD/DVD into your computer.
5. Restart your PC and enter the BIOS/UEFI (usually by pressing F2, F12, DEL, or ESC at startup).
6. Change the boot order to prioritize USB/CD-ROM.
7. Save changes and restart your computer to boot into Hiren’s Boot CD.

8. Once Hiren’s Boot CD loads, select Mini Windows 10 from the menu.

This will launch a lightweight Windows environment with built-in repair tools.

Run Repair Tools to Fix Windows 10 Issues

Inside Mini Windows 10, you’ll have access to various tools. Here’s how to use them based on your problem:

Fix Boot Errors

• If you see errors like “NTLDR is missing”, use the NTLDR Fix option to restore missing boot files.
• For MBR issues, open BootICE and go to MBR Management to repair or rewrite the Master Boot Record.

Remove Viruses and Malware

• Use Malwarebytes or other built-in antivirus tools to scan and remove malware from your system.
• If your PC was infected with a virus that modified system files, running a malware scan from Hiren’s Boot CD can clean it up.

Recover Lost or Deleted Data

• If you lost files, use data recovery software like Recuva to retrieve them.
• This is useful if your hard drive has failed or your system crashed unexpectedly.

Reset a Forgotten Windows Password

• If you’re locked out of your PC, use Kon-Boot to bypass the password or use Offline NT Password Changer to reset it.

Repair the Windows Registry

• If you suspect registry corruption, use remote registry editing to fix entries without booting into Windows.

Use Advanced Disk Tools

• Open Parted Magic for disk partitioning and secure disk wiping.
• If Windows fails to recognize your hard drive, running a SMART test in HDDScan can diagnose disk issues.

Downsides and Troubleshooting Tips

While Hiren’s BootCD is powerful, it has some limitations.

Common Issues & Fixes

Problem	Cause	Solution
Boot errors on modern PCs	Hiren’s BootCD is based on older Windows PE	Enable Legacy Boot/CSM in BIOS, or use a tool that supports UEFI
Missing drivers	Hiren’s BootCD doesn’t include the latest drivers	Manually install missing drivers after booting
Outdated interface	Uses an older UI, which can feel clunky	Be patient; it still works well despite the appearance
USB formatted during setup	Rufus erases all data when creating the bootable USB	Back up your USB before using Rufus
Can’t detect NVMe SSDs	Older Windows PE may not support newer hardware	Try adding NVMe drivers manually

If you need full UEFI support, consider using a modern tool like Ventoy to create a multi-boot USB with Hiren’s BootCD and other tools.

Additional Tools for Windows 10 Repair

If the above-mentioned issue or something else makes Hiren Boot a bad option for you, there are plenty of other reliable tools out there that offer similar results, but might be easier to use and more modern.

Other essential repair tools:

Memtest86+ – Diagnoses faulty RAM, a common cause of crashes and boot failures.
Offline NT Password Changer – Resets forgotten Windows passwords.
HDD Diagnostic Tools – Use SMART tests in HDDScan to detect failing hard drives.

Download Hiren’s Boot CD and keep it handy for troubleshooting Windows issues.

Hiren’s BootCD is a powerful, free toolkit for repairing Windows 10, especially for boot issues, lost files, and password recovery. While it may lack support for newer hardware, enabling Legacy Boot and adding drivers can improve compatibility, making it a valuable troubleshooting tool.