How to Do a Clean Boot Windows 10?

If you’re looking to troubleshoot a Windows 10 issue, the clean boot process is a great way to start. Not only can a clean boot help you diagnose what exactly is causing the issue, but it can also help you resolve it quickly and easily. In this guide, you’ll learn how to do a clean boot in Windows 10, step by step.

What is a Clean Boot?

A clean boot is the process of starting Windows with a minimal set of drivers and startup programs to help eliminate software conflicts and identify the root cause of a problem. It is useful in troubleshooting issues in Windows 10, such as resolving errors caused by third-party software or hardware.

A clean boot is used to help narrow down the source of a problem. It reduces the amount of software that is running when Windows boots, so only the essential services and drivers are loaded. This helps to identify the cause of the problem, as the system can be monitored for changes when the software or hardware causing the problem is added back.

Steps to Do a Clean Boot in Windows 10

The process of doing a clean boot in Windows 10 is fairly straight forward. It involves disabling all non-essential services and startup programs and then restarting your computer. Here are the steps for doing a clean boot in Windows 10.

Step 1: Enable the “Safe Mode” Feature

The first step in doing a clean boot in Windows 10 is to enable the “Safe Mode” feature. This will help ensure that only the essential services and drivers are loaded when Windows boots. To enable the Safe Mode feature, open the Settings menu by pressing the Windows key and typing in “Settings”. Then, click on Update & Security and select Recovery. Under Advanced Start-up, select Restart now. When the Advanced Start-up menu appears, select Troubleshoot, then Advanced options, and finally Startup Settings. Click the Restart button and then select Enable Safe Mode.

Step 2: Disable Non-essential Services and Startup Programs

The next step is to disable all non-essential services and startup programs. This can be done by pressing the Windows key and typing in “msconfig”. When the System Configuration window appears, select the Services tab, then uncheck all services that are not essential. Next, select the Startup tab and uncheck all programs that are not essential. Once this is done, click the Apply button, then select the OK button to save the changes.

Step 3: Restart Your Computer

The final step is to restart your computer. This will start Windows with the minimal set of drivers and startup programs. If the problem is resolved, you have successfully done a clean boot in Windows 10.

Troubleshooting After a Clean Boot

Once you have done a clean boot and restarted your computer, the next step is to troubleshoot the problem. To do this, you will need to add back the services and startup programs that were disabled. Start by enabling the services and programs one by one and restarting your computer after each one is added back. If the problem is still resolved, then the issue is likely not related to the service or program that was added back.

Adding Services Back

To add services back, open the System Configuration window by pressing the Windows key and typing in “msconfig”. Select the Services tab and check the services that you want to enable. Once you have selected the services that you want to add back, click the Apply button and then select the OK button to save the changes.

Adding Startup Programs Back

To add startup programs back, open the System Configuration window by pressing the Windows key and typing in “msconfig”. Select the Startup tab and check the programs that you want to enable. Once you have selected the programs that you want to add back, click the Apply button and then select the OK button to save the changes.

Advanced Troubleshooting

If the problem is still not resolved after the clean boot, then the issue is likely related to hardware or a driver. To troubleshoot hardware and driver issues, you can use the Device Manager. To access the Device Manager, press the Windows key and type in “Device Manager”. Once the Device Manager window appears, you can view a list of all the hardware and drivers installed on your computer. If you see any devices with a yellow triangle, then there is likely an issue with the driver. You can update the driver by right-clicking on the device and selecting Update Driver.

Few Frequently Asked Questions

1. What is a Clean Boot Windows 10?

A Clean Boot Windows 10 is a method of starting up a Windows 10 computer with a minimal set of drivers and startup programs. This is done to diagnose and troubleshoot issues with software that may be conflicting with other programs or services running on the computer. By performing a clean boot, it can help identify what is causing the issue and allow you to address it without affecting other programs or services on your system.

2. What are the Benefits of Doing a Clean Boot?

Doing a Clean Boot can help identify and address software conflicts, improve system performance and stability, and resolve various errors. It can also help you identify which programs or services are causing the issue, allowing you to disable or uninstall them if necessary.

3. What is the Process for Doing a Clean Boot?

The process for doing a Clean Boot on a Windows 10 computer involves disabling all non-essential services and startup programs, as well as any unnecessary hardware devices. To do this, you need to open the System Configuration utility, select the “Services” tab, then uncheck any services that aren’t essential. You then need to open the “Startup” tab, uncheck any programs that aren’t necessary, and then restart the computer.

4. How Long Does a Clean Boot Take?

The amount of time it takes to complete a Clean Boot depends on the number of services and programs that need to be disabled. Generally, it should take between 5 to 10 minutes to complete the process.

5. Are There Any Potential Issues with Doing a Clean Boot?

There are some potential issues that can arise when doing a Clean Boot. For example, some services and programs may be disabled that are essential for the system to run properly. Additionally, some hardware devices may need to be disabled, which could cause the system to not function properly. Therefore, it is important to be aware of what you are disabling and make sure that you don’t disable anything that is essential for the system to run.

6. Is There Any Way to Revert Back to a Normal Boot After Doing a Clean Boot?

Yes, it is possible to revert back to a normal boot after doing a Clean Boot. To do this, you need to open the System Configuration utility, select the “Services” tab, and then check the services that you disabled. You then need to open the “Startup” tab, check any programs that you disabled, and then restart the computer. Once the computer has restarted, it should be back to a normal boot.

How to do a clean boot in Windows | Microsoft

Congrats! You have just successfully done a clean boot on your Windows 10 computer. This will help you identify any software conflicts that might be causing problems with your system. With a clean boot, your computer will be running its best. So if you ever experience any issues with your computer, try doing a clean boot first before trying any other troubleshooting methods.