Having your Windows 10 crash and refusing to boot can be frustrating. However, there are a few fixes that can help you restart your PC smoothly.
Boot in Safe Mode
To boot your Windows 10 PC in Safe Mode, follow these steps:
1. Start by shutting down your computer completely.
2. Turn on your computer and as soon as you see the manufacturer’s logo, press and hold the F8 key repeatedly.
3. This will bring up the Advanced Boot Options menu.
4. Use the arrow keys on your keyboard to highlight “Safe Mode” and then press Enter.
5. Windows will now start in Safe Mode, which only loads essential drivers and services.
6. In Safe Mode, you can troubleshoot and fix issues that may be preventing your computer from booting normally.
7. Once you’re done troubleshooting, you can restart your computer to exit Safe Mode and boot into Windows normally.
If you’re unable to access the Advanced Boot Options menu using the F8 key, you can also try the following method:
1. Insert your Windows installation media, such as a USB flash drive or DVD.
2. Restart your computer and press any key to boot from the installation media.
3. Select your language preferences, and then click “Next”.
4. Click on “Repair your computer” at the bottom left corner of the screen.
5. In the next window, select “Troubleshoot” and then “Advanced options”.
6. From the Advanced options menu, choose “Startup Settings” and click “Restart”.
7. When your computer restarts, you will see a list of options. Press the number key associated with “Enable Safe Mode” or “Safe Mode with Networking”.
8. Your computer will now boot into Safe Mode.
In Safe Mode, you can run CHKDSK to scan and fix any issues with your hard drive. To do this:
1. Press the Windows key + X and select “Command Prompt (Admin)”.
2. In the Command Prompt window, type “chkdsk C: /f” and press Enter. Replace “C:” with the drive letter of the partition you want to scan.
3. You’ll be prompted to schedule a disk check on the next restart. Type “Y” and press Enter.
4. Restart your computer for the disk check to run.
Remember to remove any USB flash drives or external storage devices before starting the boot process. Safe Mode only loads essential drivers, so any external devices may cause issues.
Perform Startup Repair
Performing a startup repair can help fix issues when your Windows 10 crashes and won’t boot. Here are 12 fixes to restart your PC:
1. Start by inserting a Windows 10 installation USB flash drive or recovery disk into your computer.
2. Restart your PC and boot from the USB flash drive or recovery disk. You may need to change the boot order in the BIOS settings.
3. Choose your language preferences and click “Next” to continue.
4. Click on “Repair your computer” at the bottom left corner of the screen.
5. Select “Troubleshoot” and then “Advanced options.”
6. Choose “Startup Repair” from the list of options.
7. Follow the on-screen instructions to complete the startup repair process. Windows will attempt to fix any issues preventing your PC from booting.
8. If the startup repair doesn’t work, you can try running the bootrec command in the command-line interface (CMD).
9. Open CMD by selecting “Command Prompt” from the Advanced options menu.
10. In the command prompt, type bootrec /fixmbr and press Enter to repair the Master Boot Record.
11. Next, type bootrec /fixboot and press Enter to fix the boot sector.
12. Finally, type bootrec /rebuildbcd and press Enter to rebuild the Boot Configuration Data.
These steps should help you repair your Windows 10 startup issues and get your PC running again.
Reset CMOS and Check Motherboard Connections
1. Start by shutting down your computer completely.
2. Unplug the power cable from the back of the computer and remove the side panel of the case to access the motherboard.
3. Locate the CMOS battery on the motherboard. It is a small, round battery usually labeled CR2032.
4. Carefully remove the CMOS battery from its socket.
5. Wait for about 5 minutes to allow any residual power to dissipate.
6. While waiting, inspect the motherboard connections for any loose cables or components. Ensure everything is securely plugged in.
7. After 5 minutes, insert the CMOS battery back into its socket.
8. Put the side panel back on the case and plug the power cable back in.
9. Power on the computer and see if it boots up properly now.
If the issue persists, try the following additional steps:
1. Disconnect any external devices such as USB drives or SD cards.
2. Open the command prompt by pressing the Windows key + R, typing cmd, and pressing Enter.
3. In the command prompt, type diskpart and press Enter.
4. Type list disk and press Enter to see a list of all connected drives.
5. Identify your main hard drive and note its disk number.
6. Type select disk X (replace X with your disk number) and press Enter.
7. Type clean and press Enter to remove all partitions on the selected disk.
8. Type create partition primary and press Enter to create a new primary partition.
9. Type format fs=ntfs quick and press Enter to format the partition with the NTFS file system.
10. Type assign letter=C (or any available drive letter) and press Enter to assign a drive letter to the partition.
11. Close the command prompt and restart your computer.
By resetting CMOS and checking motherboard connections, you can often resolve boot issues and get your Windows 10 system up and running again.
Disconnect External Devices
To troubleshoot a Windows 10 crash and boot issue, it is important to disconnect any external devices connected to your PC. This step is crucial as sometimes these devices can interfere with the boot process and cause further issues.
To disconnect external devices, follow these steps:
1. Unplug any USB devices, such as printers, scanners, or external hard drives, from your computer.
2. If you have any SD cards or memory cards inserted, remove them from their respective slots.
3. Disconnect any external monitors or displays connected to your PC.
4. If you have any external audio devices, such as speakers or headphones, unplug them as well.
By disconnecting these external devices, you eliminate any potential conflicts that may be preventing your PC from booting properly. Once you have disconnected all the external devices, you can proceed with the other troubleshooting steps mentioned in the article.
Uninstall Recent Updates and Drivers
1. Start your computer and wait for the boot process to begin.
2. When you see the Windows logo, press and hold the power button for 5 seconds to force a shutdown.
3. Repeat steps 1 and 2 two more times to trigger the Automatic Repair feature.
4. On the third restart, Windows will enter the Automatic Repair mode.
5. Select Troubleshoot > Advanced options > Command Prompt to open the command-line interface.
6. In the Command Prompt, type “rstrui.exe” and press Enter to open the System Restore window.
7. Choose a restore point before the recent updates were installed and follow the on-screen instructions to restore your computer to that point.
8. If System Restore doesn’t work or you don’t have a restore point, you can use the “uninstall” command to remove specific updates or drivers.
9. In the Command Prompt, type “wusa.exe /uninstall /kb:
10. To uninstall a driver, type “pnputil.exe /delete-driver
11. Restart your computer and check if it boots up properly.
If uninstalling updates and drivers doesn’t resolve the issue, you may need to consider other troubleshooting steps or seek professional help.
Perform System Restore or Automatic Repair
Performing a system restore or automatic repair can help fix issues with a Windows 10 PC that has crashed and won’t boot. Here are the steps to follow:
1. Start your computer and wait for the Windows logo to appear.
2. Press and hold the power button to force the computer to shut down.
3. Repeat steps 1 and 2 two more times.
4. On the fourth restart, let your computer boot up normally.
5. If the Automatic Repair screen appears, select “Advanced options.”
6. Click on “Troubleshoot” and then “Advanced options.”
7. From the list of options, choose “System Restore” or “Startup Repair” depending on your specific issue.
8. Follow the on-screen instructions to complete the process.
9. If you are using a recovery drive or installation media, connect it to your computer before starting the process.
10. If prompted, select your keyboard layout and enter your account credentials.
11. Choose “System Restore” or “Startup Repair” from the options provided.
12. Follow the prompts to restore your system to a previous point or repair any startup issues.
Remember to back up your important files before performing any system restore or repair. This will help prevent data loss in case anything goes wrong during the process.
If these steps do not resolve the issue, it may be necessary to seek further assistance from Microsoft support or a professional technician.
Rebuild Boot Configuration Data (BCD)
To rebuild the Boot Configuration Data (BCD) and fix a Windows 10 crash that prevents your PC from booting, follow these steps:
1. Access the Advanced Startup Options by restarting your computer and pressing the appropriate key (usually F8 or F11) during startup.
2. From the Advanced Startup Options menu, select “Troubleshoot” and then “Advanced options.”
3. Choose “Command Prompt” to open a command prompt window.
4. In the command prompt, type “bootrec /fixmbr” and press Enter. This command repairs the Master Boot Record (MBR) on your computer’s hard drive.
5. Next, type “bootrec /fixboot” and press Enter. This command repairs the boot sector of your computer’s hard drive.
6. Finally, type “bootrec /rebuildbcd” and press Enter. This command rebuilds the BCD by scanning your computer for Windows installations and adding them to the boot configuration.
7. Follow the on-screen instructions to select the Windows installation you want to add to the BCD.
8. Restart your computer and check if it can boot properly now.
If these steps didn’t resolve the issue, you may need to consider other fixes mentioned in this article. Remember to consult a professional if you are unsure or uncomfortable performing these steps yourself.
Always back up your important data before attempting any repairs to avoid data loss.
Keep in mind that the exact steps and commands may vary depending on your system configuration.
FAQ
How do I force Windows 10 to repair startup?
To force Windows 10 to repair startup, open the Settings app, go to Update & Security, select the Recovery tab, click Restart Now under Advanced Startup, and then navigate to Troubleshoot > Advanced Options > Startup Repair.
What do you do if the computer does not boot up after turning on?
If the computer does not boot up after turning on, you can try the following steps:
– Check the power source and try a different one if necessary.
– Verify the monitor connection.
– Disconnect any external devices.
– Listen for any error beeps.
– Attempt to start the PC in safe mode.
– Restore the computer to previous settings if possible.
– Check for unresponsive applications.
– Unplug any USB devices.
What to do if your computer crashes and now won t boot up?
If your computer crashes and now won’t boot up, try troubleshooting by checking and reseating components such as RAM, graphics card, motherboard cables, and heatsink. Remove and reinsert them firmly. Additionally, consider booting without certain hardware, like the graphics card or one RAM stick, to identify any faulty components.
How do I recover Windows 10 that won’t boot?
To recover a Windows 10 that won’t boot, you can try the following steps: unplug all USB devices, attempt to start in Windows Safe Mode, check the battery and charger, disable Fast Boot, review BIOS/UEFI settings, scan for malware, and boot to the Command Prompt interface.
