Windows 10 won’t boot: How to fix it

It has happened to all of us that Windows 10 does not start , but do not panic because we will show you how to solve it in each of the cases that happens. There are many reasons why our computer’s operating system may fail, but for each failure there is also a possible solution.

There is not always a computer engineer at home, but we don’t have to be to solve Windows 10 bugs either , that’s why we have created a guide with all the possible problems that can occur with Windows 10 when it doesn’t run correctly and also the solutions in a simple language and that everyone who reads it can understand the explanation.

Windows 10 starts, but it is very slow

This is one of the first cases that we are presented with when running the Microsoft operating system. Windows 10 starts to work, but its operation is like in slow motion and nothing happens as we expect, or maybe this happens in the middle of a work session and that can be due to certain applications that are very heavy and that start together with the operating system, which collapses the memory somehow.

To check this you must press the combination of Control + Alt + Delete at the same time and at that moment select the Task Manager option, then click on More details and there you will have information about the applications.

After being inside the full version Task Manager, then click on the Start option that you will find in the top menu , in that option you will be able to have the complete list of all the applications that try to run with the startup of the operating system.

You have to pay attention to the two columns that are on the right side , the first is the Status column, there you will know if each of these apps are executed when the computer starts up if the word “Enabled” appears, then there is the “Impact” column startup” which is the one that tells you if an application affects the operation of the startup of the computer.

Now that you know what is happening, it is time to make decisions. Go to the application that you want to stop running automatically when the computer starts, after choosing it then click on the Disable button and this will prevent it from running at startup.

From now on, this application will only work when you run it manually and not automatically when you turn on the computer. This procedure is recommended for apps that rank high in the Startup Impact column.

Conflict with a USB drive

In some cases, Windows 10 not working properly or not booting is due to a conflict between the computer and an external storage drive that is connected to the PC, which prevents the operating system from loading normally or at all.

There are many reasons for this type of conflict with a USB drive, first of all it can be a recent Windows update that prevents that drive from being connected at startup, but it can also be an issue with the BIOS, as it may be set to try to get the operating system to load from an external drive first.

The solution at this point is very simple, you simply have to remove all external drives that may be connected to your computer before running the operating system, whether they are USB drives, microSD cards, even discs that are placed in DVD or Bluray drives, since they can generate conflicts.

If any peripheral is not working properly

An inconvenience similar to the previous one has to do with accessories or peripherals . In some cases, everything seems to be normal with Windows, its startup went smoothly, but then it can present performance problems during the session and it is the product of a failure in some accessory that requires updating its drivers in order to work correctly and not cause conflicts. with the operating system.

The drivers are files that are found in each accessory that is connected to the computer and that execute the commands and directives so that this peripheral works correctly when it enters into communication with the computer. Basically, the drivers are a bridge between the operating system and that peripheral hardware connected, it tells Windows important data such as what device is connected, how to link to it and how it works.

These types of updates are usually carried out directly by Windows 10 , but for some reason they are not carried out sometimes, due to conflicts with the manufacturer’s website or a connection failure at the time of download, but in any case you can go to third-party options to update Drivers, some of them are paid and others are free.

When we make these types of updates we can correct bugs and errors that occur and cause the accessory to malfunction.

In cases where there is no driver, all you have to do is open the file explorer and then right-click on the “This computer” icon , then select the Manage option located in the second position of the menu that appears on the screen.

At this point you will see that it displays a Computer Management window, in which you will see the information of all the components present in the computer, as well as the system tools, in addition to some other services.

You will see in the left column that there is a drop-down menu with the System Tools options , when it appears press on the Device Manager option that will be in the last position.

Now you will see that in the center of the window appears the list with all the accessories and devices connected to your computer , you will notice that they are arranged in different categories. In the case of devices that have compatibility problems or that do not have a driver installed, they will be identified with a yellow signal that indicates to the user that they are not working correctly.

When you right-click on any of the items in the list, you will see that a menu appears that allows you to manage that peripheral, you can update the driver if there is a new version of it , you can also uninstall the device that you It will allow you to erase the driver and so you can get the operating system to install again from scratch, once you connect it to the computer again.

Some of the alternatives available to update drivers are the following:

1. Windows Update : We start with the most obvious option when updating drivers in Windows and that is Windows Update, it is the automatic Windows update system that will take care of all the work, but you also have the option to search through this tool for updates pending the drivers of your peripherals.
2. Driver Booster : Now we move on to a third-party alternative and this one in particular is one of the best options because it has a very intuitive and simple interface, you can simply see the outdated drivers, it also tells you the status of the peripheral and gives you an alternative to update them instantly in one step. This application is available for Windows from the XP version. It has an official website and we recommend that you request the custom installation so that you do not install anything extra.
3. Drivers Cloud : We are going with another third-party alternative and this one is specially designed to offer you security, but in return you will have to sacrifice the intuitive since it is not so intuitive, but it guarantees that nothing will come beyond the driver you are trying to update. It has a database provided by its own website and after analyzing your components it offers you a list of drivers to download, being able to download an installer that takes care of the complete operation.
4. Driver Doctor: This is one of the safe alternatives, because it does not take care of installing anything directly, but analyzes your computer and tells you which drivers need to be installed or updated, then pointing you to an official website for each product so that you can download and install it manually.
5. Snappy Driver Installer: We return to simple applications, but in this case we see that the function of being able to update drivers offline has been incorporated and that is really an advantage. First of all, it will ask you to download the data of the drivers that are updatable, then you choose the one you want to install.
6. Slimware DriverUpdate: We continue with another third-party alternative, in this case we see that its visual interface will allow you to understand everything at a glance. It shows you the drivers that you have without updating, it shows you an option to choose to update a driver or delete it, create backup copies, schedule updates and in general keep all your accessories updated.
7. Driver Talent: Finally, we move on to a payment option and there is an alternative for all tastes. With this application you will be able to keep all your drivers updated, but it also takes care of repairing those that are corrupted and also makes backup copies of those that are already updated. You have a free version that includes the simplest options and a Pro for which you must pay.

Windows 10 crash after major update

Windows releases a couple of major updates to the operating system every year and each computer that receives it may have different configurations and conditions that may or may not receive and install the update correctly , which undoubtedly leads to errors in the operating system.

When this moment arrives, you will only have two ways out: the first will be to repair the system files and for this you must execute a process; Or, restore Windows to the pre-upgrade version.

If you decide to run the system file repair processes, you need to go to the start menu and then type cmd , at which point then open the Command Prompt application and select the Run as Administrator option.

Once the command prompt is open, then you must execute the four commands (one after the other) that we will give you below, but you must bear in mind that you must wait for the previous process to finish before writing the next one. Once the whole process is complete then reboot the operating system.

1. DISM.exe /Online /Cleanup-image /Scanhealth
2. DISM.exe /Online /Cleanup-image /Restorehealth
3. DISM.exe /Online /Cleanup-image /StartComponentCleanup
4. Sfc /Scannow

Restore to previous version

It is recommended to try repairing system files before reaching this point, but the truth is that you have 10 days that Windows grants you so you can go back to the previous version of the operating system before a large update is maintained. definitively.

To get you to roll back to the previous version, go into Windows Settings, then go to Update & security ; Once there, you must go to a column on the left side and click on the Recovery option, there you must choose Go back to the previous version of Windows 10. Now it only remains to press on the option to start to revert the update.

Windows 10 crashes after a minor update

Sometimes errors can also be caused by minor updates to the operating system. But as we mentioned before, Windows 10 allows you to uninstall the latest updates and for this you just have to go to Windows Settings, then you have to select the Update and security option. On the left side you will find Windows Update, inside click on the option View update history.

Once you’re in the View update history menu , you’ll find all the minor updates you’ve had to your operating system recently. At this point click on the Uninstall updates option that will appear at the beginning, before the list of all those that are installed.

Now you will see that a new window opens where you will find all the updates that can be uninstalled. You will be able to see that they all have a date and description, so all you have to do is right-click on the one you want to remove and click on the Uninstall option, this will remove it from your system. It is important that you also consider going to the support links suggested by Windows at this point.

Safe mode: so you can find the problem

We are not always clear about the origin of the problem, that is, we do not know if it is an application or the operating system itself, but it is something that we can solve without much inconvenience by starting the safe mode in which only certain elements will be active , so we can rule out what is failing.

To do this, you must enter Windows startup functions and select Troubleshoot, this can be done by holding down the Shift key while clicking Restart.

When you are in this option, you will see that the operating system suggests you to reset the equipment and there are also other functions that may be different in each version of the system. Here you must locate the Advanced Options alternative and then click on the Startup Settings option.

It may happen that in the version of Windows 10 on your computer this section does not appear directly in the first window, in that case you must enter the More advanced options menu and it is likely that you will already be able to see it on the next page.

Here you can see that this option restarts the operating system and shows you the old menu with which you can choose how to start Windows , being able to choose several options, but in this case we must choose the “Safe mode” with or without network functions. Then click on the Restart button.

You will now see a menu where you can choose to start Windows 10 in safe mode . Select the Spanish Safe Mode option, but you may also see English Safe Mode and you may decide to activate it with networking. Here you can see that if the operating system loads normally, then your problem comes from a program, an application or a driver and not the operating system itself.

Detect problematic apps

Now that you have discovered that it is not a problem of the operating system itself, then the ideal is to find that application that is causing problems with Windows. Above we explained how to solve driver problems, but now we must also check if it is a program that prevents it from working properly.

In order to know if the problem comes from an application you must execute a clean restart and for this you must, first of all, disable all the applications that start together with the operating system as we explained at the beginning, then you must activate each one of them progressively until the error is found.

But previously you must comply with a step that will allow you to do a clean restart correctly . Press the Windows key + R and this will open the Run window, there you must type the command msconfig and then accept to open the system configuration.

Here you must go to the Services tab so that you can see all the services installed on the computer, then activate the option “Hide all Microsoft services” this will prevent you from making changes to the essential services of the operating system.

Now you need to click on the Disable all button , which will disable all third-party services that are running at that time at once. Once done, click on the Accept or Apply buttons, which will execute the changes made.

After applying these changes, a window will appear that tells you that you must restart Windows, there press “Exit without restarting” and do not restart without having deactivated the applications as we indicated before so that the complete procedure can be carried out.

Check if the errors come from the hard drive

Now that we have verified the applications, drivers and other options, it is necessary to know if Windows 10 does not work correctly because we have errors on the hard drive , but it is something that you can check and solve without major inconveniences.

The first alternative to be able to verify it is to open the Windows command prompt or PowerShell, there we must use the command “chkdsk /f C:.” that will allow you to analyze the errors of the hard disk, if you have several units, simply substitute the letter C to analyze each one of them.

Another option is to go directly to the file explorer and right click with the mouse on the hard drive that we want to analyze, then in the menu that is displayed, click on the Properties option.

We will see that a window opens where we must choose the Tools tab , then click on the Check button in the Error Checking section and this will begin to examine the storage unit in search of possible failures.

The blue screen of death

On other occasions we have talked about what to do if the popular and negative blue screen of death appears in Windows , but the truth is that it is a method of protecting the operating system itself in case of file corruption. of the system, due to incompatibilities of the computer, as well as physical damage to the hard drive, something that is less likely.

The solutions to this problem will be associated with each of the causes that originate it, for example, if the blue screen appears after an update, that means that something went wrong after its installation. In this case, you must follow the protocol indicated above on major and minor updates, as the case may be, and uninstall the corresponding updates.

In the event that it happened after one of the big updates of the year, then the best thing would be to go back to the previous version immediately and we have already explained how to achieve it, but let’s review a little, go to Windows Settings, then choose Update and security, then on the right side click on Recovery and finally Go back to the previous version of Windows 10.

Now, when that blue screen appears after you have installed some application then you don’t need to look for another reason, you must uninstall it and wait for some kind of update of it. To delete it, go to the Control Panel, then select the Programs option, that will take you to the applications that are installed and at that moment you can uninstall the one that you think is causing problems.

When the blue screen appears unexpectedly it could be a specific error, in that case just restart your Windows 10 and continue without worry, but if it happens again it would be best to go to Device Manager and check for recently updated drivers.

If you see any updated driver, then go to it and right-click on it and select the Properties option. When the window opens, select the Driver tab and in that case it would be best to uninstall it completely and reconnect the device, so that when upgrading the previous installation is reversed and Windows recognizes it from scratch.

How to repair Windows 10 startup automatically

As you have seen so far, there are many reasons why Windows 10 has problems starting on the computer, however we must always go to the Windows function to analyze and repair the startup automatically, this tool is responsible for searching for different types of errors and try to correct them.

Enter the Windows startup functions , then select Troubleshoot, to get there you must hold down Shift and at the same time you must click on Restart, you can also try unsuccessfully booting the operating system three times.

Now Windows will recommend you to reset the computer and among the alternatives that it offers you, you must choose Advanced Options, there you must select the Startup Repair option, in that process you must confirm your Microsoft account and when finished, the analysis functions will start and Startup repair will eventually run , but you should be careful not to shut down your computer or perform any tasks during the process, otherwise you may cause further damage to your system.