Fix NERR_RplConfigNotFound 0X00A40

NERR_RplConfigNotFound shows when Remote Boot config files are missing or corrupted. This fix targets the RPL service and registry, no reinstall needed.

I know this error is infuriating—one minute Remote Boot works, the next you're staring at 0X00000A40 and wondering what broke. Let's get it fixed fast.

The Quick Fix: Rebuild the RPL Config Record

The error means the RplConfig record in the Remote Boot database is missing or corrupted. The fastest way out is to force the service to re-read the config from its default source. Here's what I do on Windows Server 2016, 2019, and 2022 when this pops up.

Open Command Prompt as Administrator. You'll need this for the next steps.
Stop the RPL service. The service name is RemoteBoot on newer systems, but on older ones it's RplService. I'll use the generic RemoteBoot—adjust if yours differs.

net stop RemoteBoot

Now delete the corrupted RPL config files. They live in C:\Windows\System32\RPL. Don't worry—this doesn't remove your actual boot images, just the config records.

del /s /q C:\Windows\System32\RPL\*.cfg

Restart the service. It'll recreate the config from the built-in defaults.

net start RemoteBoot

That's it for most cases. The service rebuilds the RplConfig record automatically on start. If the error still shows, move to the registry fix below.

Why This Works

The RPL (Remote Program Load) service stores its configuration in a special binary file. When that file gets corrupted—say, after an unclean shutdown or a failed patch—the service can't find the config record it expects. The error code 0X00000A40 maps to NERR_RplConfigNotFound, which literally means "configuration record was not found." By deleting those .cfg files, you force the service to regenerate them from scratch. It's like clearing a corrupt cache. The service reads the defaults, writes fresh config files, and the error disappears.

When the Quick Fix Doesn't Cut It

If you're still seeing the error, the config might be registered in the Windows registry with a bad file path. Here's the manual override:

Open Registry Editor (regedit).
Go to HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\RemoteBoot\Parameters.
Look for the ConfigPath value. It should point to C:\Windows\System32\RPL.
If it's wrong or missing, right-click, select New > String Value, name it ConfigPath, and set it to that path.
Restart the service again.

reg add "HKLM\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\RemoteBoot\Parameters" /v ConfigPath /t REG_SZ /d "C:\Windows\System32\RPL" /f

Less Common Variations

Multiple NICs or DHCP Reset

Sometimes the error shows after you change network adapters or reset DHCP. The RPL service can get confused about which network interface to use, and it drops the config record. In that case, you'll need to reassign the network binding:

Right-click the RPL service in services.msc, select Properties.
Go to the Log On tab and note the account.
Stop the service, then re-add the network binding using:

netsh rpl set binding

Restart the service. That forces a fresh binding and rewrites the config record.

After a Windows Update

Windows updates can overwrite the RPL config if the update touches the system32 folder. I've seen this happen on Server 2019 after KB5005033. The fix is the same as the quick fix, but you'll also want to verify the update didn't change your service startup type. Set it back to Automatic if it's not.

sc config RemoteBoot start= auto

Prevention: Stop This From Coming Back

Back up the RPL folder. After you get things working, copy C:\Windows\System32\RPL to a safe spot. If the error returns, you can restore the files instead of rebuilding.
Monitor service health. Set up a simple scheduled task that checks the RPL service status every 5 minutes. If it's stopped, restart it. This catches corruptions early.
Avoid abrupt shutdowns. The config files are binary and can corrupt if the server loses power mid-write. Use a UPS if you're on bare metal.
Test updates in a staging environment. Windows updates have broken RPL more than once. Test before you push to production.

That should get you back up. If the error persists after all this, you might be dealing with a hardware fault on the disk that's holding the RPL folder. Run chkdsk /f on that drive and see if it reports bad sectors.