Windows VM Fails To Boot

Problem

A Windows virtual machine migrated from VMware to PCD fails to boot successfully. During startup, the VM stops at the “Choose your keyboard layout” screen and does not proceed further into Windows.

Cause

The issue occurs because Windows boot files or BCD (Boot Configuration Data) become corrupted or misaligned during the migration process.

When Windows cannot locate valid boot information, it automatically enters recovery mode and prompts for keyboard layout selection.

Possible contributing factors include:

• Missing or outdated VirtIO drivers during migration

• Incomplete or interrupted conversion process

• Boot partition corruption due to disk mapping or UUID mismatch

• File system inconsistencies on the migrated disk

Diagnostics

1

Confirm boot state

Verify that the VM halts at the “Choose your keyboard layout” screen during boot.

2

Inspect disk from recovery media

Use WinPE or a Windows recovery ISO to access the disk and check for file system integrity issues.

Resolution

Running a simple filesystem check from a WinPE ISO or Windows recovery media can resolve the issue.

Run chkdsk

chkdsk C: /f

Running chkdsk /f fixes most common NTFS or MBR inconsistencies that trigger WinRE.

Additional Information

The chkdsk command runs the Check Disk utility to scan the specified drive (C: in this case) for disk or filesystem errors, and the /f flag instructs it to automatically fix any issues found. If your Windows installation uses a different drive letter, replace C: with the appropriate one for your system volume.