: A failed Windows Update or sudden power loss damaged the file's integrity.
The most common cause is simple data corruption. This can happen due to sudden power loss, bad sectors on the hard drive, or an interrupted Windows update. If the binary file changes even by a single bit, the cryptographic hash will not match the signature, causing verification to fail. winload.efi digital signature
If Startup Repair fails, you can manually fix the boot instructions via the in the recovery menu: bootrec /fixmbr bootrec /fixboot bootrec /rebuildbcd Use code with caution. Copied to clipboard : A failed Windows Update or sudden power
Once loaded, winload.efi is responsible for: If the binary file changes even by a
Windows sometimes stages a new version of winload.efi during an update. If the update is interrupted, the boot manager may try to load a partially updated file whose signature hasn’t been finalized.
Rare, but possible. A bootkit might attempt to replace winload.efi to load early in the boot sequence. In this case, the digital signature fails because the malware author lacks Microsoft’s private key.