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
- Download the Hiren’s Boot CD ISO file from here.
- Burn it to a CD/DVD using Nero or ImgBurn, or create a bootable USB using Rufus or Sardu.
- 2. Boot from Hiren’s Boot CD
- Insert the bootable USB or CD/DVD into your computer.
- Restart your PC and enter the BIOS/UEFI (usually by pressing F2, F12, DEL, or ESC at startup).
- Change the boot order to prioritize USB/CD-ROM.
- Save changes and restart your computer to boot into Hiren’s Boot CD.
- 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.
Any idea on how to remove HP elitebook Bois password with eprom ?
Removing bios battery ? And then back in ?
I have used Hirens in the past when I couldn’t get my PC to boot into Windows. Using Mini Windows XP I was able to access my files. From there I copied what I didn’t want to lose onto a USB drive. I normally have a Macrium image backup. But sometimes I forget to update it. I am talking about maybe only a couple of weeks after last image made. Documents mostly needing saving. Restore the image and add the docs back.
Hirens 2018 New Generation, check this >> IT Tools Pack Solution 2018 Rescue
The last time Hiren updated his boot CD was back in 2012. The guy has completely disappeared, and his boot CD is severely outdated. Yet he continues to renew his domain, so we know he’s still alive. Someone else needs to continue where he left off, and update all the utilities.
Nobody seems to know why it has never been updated. I suspect Hiren realized the whole thing probably needed an overhaul, Parted Magic became payware and MiniXP was getting long in the tooth and wasn’t working so well with newer systems and UEFI etc.
There have been restored and enhanced edition offshoots but they have all been basically editions by warez groups full of illegal software.
I did think about updating all the free tools in Hiren 15.2 a while back but Parted Magic/MiniXP would probably need updating or replacing too, or at least the MiniXP drivers would need updating. That requires more work and time than we can realistically put into it.
nice i like it
Hi, i have been using hiren since ver 8. since the development in this haven’t been update for such time, i been wondering how can i update or integrate new boot live program (such as gparted, live antivirus or mini windows 10 and etc..) it’s best to have useful program in one boot cd/usb right..
Hires boot cd ver 15.2 you can download from there site.
you can google; Gandalf’s Windows 8.1 PE
Gandalf’s made also windows 7 & 10 PE
Thank you
Now will I still have Windows 7
thank u
Nice article & informing
that was very helpful Thank you endeed.
My daughter decided she was going to give her daughter her old lap top. It’s a Toshiba Satellite A305D-S6848. Her goal was bring the laptop to factory condition so she used the Recovery and Applications/Drivers disc’s that were provided with the laptop. Following all the prompts on both disc’s, at the end of disc 2 the computer screen went black and in the upper left corner a message that reads BOOTMGR IS MISSING, Press CTRL+ALT+DELto restart. Did that and nothing happens What must be done to bring computer back into operating condition ?
H Zaloga
What OS was on it?
Excellent article.
thank u
COOL MAN