How to Back Up and Restore the BCD File in Windows 10
The BCD file is used by the Windows boot manager to load the operating system. During the boot process, the boot manager reads the BCD file and displays the available operating system options to the user. The user can then select the desired operating system and boot into it.
The Boot Configuration Data (BCD) file has been part of Windows since the Vista days. It’s not a file that many people will come across regularly, but it’s vital to your operating system. If the BCD file is accidentally deleted or becomes corrupted, your entire Windows operating system could fail to load.
If something does go wrong, and your unfortunate enough not to have a backup, you might need to perform a clean install of Windows to get your computer up and running again. Not only does this mean endless hours lost to reinstalling all your apps, but you could also lose all your data if you’re not in the habit of making regular backups.
It’s not worth taking the risk. So, in this quick article, we’re going to show you how to back up and restore the BCD file in Windows 10.
How to Back Up and Restore the BCD File
You can both back up and restore your BCD file in Windows 10 using the Command Prompt.
To launch the Command Prompt, press the Windows key and type cmd. When the results load, right-click on Command Prompt and select Run as Administrator.
If you want to create a backup of your current BCD file, type the following command then hit Enter:
bcdedit /export f:1.bcdNote: You can choose the drive letter when you want the file to be saved.
And if you want to restore the backup you created, type the following text and press Enter:
bcdedit /import f:1.bcdIf you don’t want to use the Command Prompt, you could try using a third-party app. The most popular is EasyBCD. It’s free to download and use. The app provides a user interface that makes it easy to back up and restore your BCD file at will.
