How to solve "Bad System config info" error on Windows 10 from a multi-OS PC

Run DISM against the offline Windows 10 installation—the main repair path not yet attempted—and use a matching Windows 10 installation image as the repair source if the local component store cannot repair itself.

1. Identify the Windows 10 and USB drive letters

Boot from the Windows 10 USB, then select Repair your computer → Troubleshoot → Advanced options → Command Prompt.

Drive letters in WinRE commonly differ from those in Windows 7. Identify them before running anything:

bcdedit
diskpart
list volume
exit

In bcdedit, find the Windows Boot Loader entry for Windows 10 and note its osdevice. Confirm it by checking for its Windows directory; this example assumes Windows 10 is D::

dir D:\Windows\System32\Config

Microsoft documents using BCDEdit to find the offline system volume before running repairs.^1^

2. Repair the offline Windows image

Since the existing SFC attempt did not help, service the component store first:

dism /Image:D:\ /Cleanup-Image /ScanHealth
dism /Image:D:\ /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth
sfc /scannow /offbootdir=D:\ /offwindir=D:\Windows

Replace D: with the identified Windows 10 volume. DISM repairs the offline Windows image; SFC then uses the repaired component store to replace protected system files.^1^

If RestoreHealth reports that source files cannot be found, locate install.wim or install.esd on the USB—assumed below to be E:—and list its editions:

dir E:\sources\install.*
dism /Get-WimInfo /WimFile:E:\sources\install.wim

Select the index matching the installed Windows 10 edition, then run:

dism /Image:D:\ /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth /Source:wim:E:\sources\install.wim:<index> /LimitAccess
sfc /scannow /offbootdir=D:\ /offwindir=D:\Windows

For install.esd, substitute esd:E:\sources\install.esd:<index>. The source must match the installed edition and architecture. DISM supports repairing an offline image with a specified known-good source.^2^

3. Revert pending servicing only if an update was interrupted

If Windows was installing or completing an update when the forced reset occurred, run this once:

dism /Image:D:\ /Cleanup-Image /RevertPendingActions

Then restart and test Windows 10. This option is specifically intended for recovery of an offline Windows image that no longer boots because pending servicing actions may be involved; it must not target the running WinRE image.^3^

4. Check BCD resource limits only if they were previously changed

This is a low-probability branch applicable only if msconfig or bcdedit was previously used to limit processors or memory. First locate the actual legacy-BIOS BCD store:

dir C:\Boot\BCD
dir D:\Boot\BCD

For the drive containing it—represented as S:—back it up and inspect the Windows 10 loader entry:

bcdedit /store S:\Boot\BCD /export S:\bcd-backup
bcdedit /store S:\Boot\BCD /enum all

If that specific Windows 10 entry displays numproc or truncatememory, remove only the value actually present, using its displayed loader identifier:

bcdedit /store S:\Boot\BCD /deletevalue {loader-guid} numproc
bcdedit /store S:\Boot\BCD /deletevalue {loader-guid} truncatememory

Do not run both deletion commands unless both values appear. Editing the wrong BCD store or entry can make other systems unbootable; Microsoft recommends backing up and using safer startup tools where possible.^4^

About the empty RegBack folder

That folder is empty by design starting with Windows 10 version 1803. Do not copy zero-byte hives over the active registry: Microsoft recommends System Restore instead.^5^

Because there is no restore point, recovery by manually replacing hives is unavailable from RegBack or System Restore. It remains possible only if a separate system-state, registry, or full-system-image backup exists. BAD_SYSTEM_CONFIG_INFO can indicate a damaged SYSTEM hive or missing critical registry data.^6^

If offline servicing fails

Back up the Windows 10 files through Windows 7, then clean-install Windows 10. A clean installation removes files, applications, and settings.^7^

For this multi-disk PC:

1. Record each disk’s model and capacity.
2. Back up the Windows 10 partition.
3. Preferably disconnect the Windows 7 and Android disks temporarily.
4. Boot the USB in legacy BIOS mode.
5. Install only to the Windows 10 disk.
6. Never delete or format a partition based solely on the label Disk 0; identify the physical disk by capacity and disconnect uncertain disks.

References

1. Use Windows Recovery Environment (WinRE) to troubleshoot common startup issues
2. Repair a Windows Image
3. DISM Operating System Package (.cab or .msu) Servicing Command-Line Options
4. BCDEdit /set
5. The system registry is no longer backed up to the RegBack folder starting in Windows 10 version 1803
6. Bug Check 0x74: BAD_SYSTEM_CONFIG_INFO
7. Reinstall Windows with the installation media | Microsoft Support