12 Proven Ways to Fix Windows 10 Boot Failure and Get Your PC Running Again

If your Windows 10 PC won’t boot, don’t panic. There are several proven methods to resolve boot failures and get your computer back up and running. In this comprehensive guide, we’ll walk you through 12 effective solutions to fix Windows 10 boot issues, from simple troubleshooting steps to advanced repair techniques.

1. Try Windows Safe Mode

If your Windows 10 PC is stuck in a boot loop or fails to boot normally, try booting into Safe Mode. Safe Mode loads Windows with only the essential drivers and services, which can help identify and resolve boot issues caused by incompatible drivers or software. To enter Safe Mode, follow these steps:

1. Restart your PC and press the F8 key repeatedly during the boot process.
2. Select “Safe Mode” from the Advanced Boot Options menu.
3. If Safe Mode loads successfully, you can troubleshoot and fix the boot issues from there.

2. Check Your Battery

If you’re using a laptop, a dead or low battery can sometimes cause boot issues. Make sure your laptop is plugged in and charging, and the battery is in good condition. If the battery is old or damaged, consider replacing it to resolve the boot failure.

3. Unplug All Your USB Devices

Incompatible or faulty USB devices, such as external hard drives, flash drives, or printers, can interfere with the boot process. Unplug all USB devices from your PC and try booting again. If the boot issue is resolved, you can plug in the devices one by one to identify the culprit.

4. Turn Off Fast Boot

Fast Boot is a feature in Windows 10 that speeds up the boot process by skipping certain checks and loading the operating system from a hibernation file. However, this feature can sometimes cause boot issues. To turn off Fast Boot:

1. Open the Control Panel and go to “Power Options”.
2. Click on “Choose what the power buttons do”.
3. Click on “Change settings that are currently unavailable”.
4. Uncheck the “Turn on fast startup (recommended)” option.
5. Click “Save changes” and restart your PC.

5. Check Your Other BIOS/UEFI Settings

The BIOS (Basic Input/Output System) or UEFI (Unified Extensible Firmware Interface) settings on your PC can affect the boot process. Make sure the boot order is set correctly, with the primary boot device (usually the hard drive or SSD) listed first. You can also try resetting the BIOS/UEFI to its default settings to resolve any conflicts or incompatibilities.

6. Try a Malware Scan

Malware infections can sometimes cause boot issues by modifying system files or interfering with the boot process. Run a full system scan with your antivirus software to detect and remove any malware that might be causing the boot failure.

7. Boot to Command Prompt Interface

If your PC fails to boot normally, you can try booting to the Command Prompt interface using the Windows Recovery Environment (WinRE). This allows you to run various commands and troubleshooting tools to diagnose and fix boot issues. To boot to Command Prompt:

1. Restart your PC and press the F8 key repeatedly during the boot process.
2. Select “Troubleshoot” from the Advanced Boot Options menu.
3. Click on “Advanced Options”.
4. Select “Command Prompt”.
5. Run the following commands to repair the boot process:

 bootrec /fixmbr bootrec /fixboot bootrec /rebuildbcd 

These commands will repair the Master Boot Record (MBR), fix the boot sector, and rebuild the Boot Configuration Data (BCD) store.

8. Use System Restore or Startup Repair

If you’ve recently made changes to your system that might be causing the boot failure, you can try restoring your PC to a previous restore point using System Restore. This will revert your system files and settings to a known good state, potentially resolving the boot issue. Alternatively, you can use the Startup Repair tool to automatically diagnose and fix common boot problems.

9. Repair Corrupted System Files

Corrupted or missing system files can cause boot failures. You can use the System File Checker (SFC) tool to scan for and repair corrupted system files. To run SFC:

1. Boot to the Command Prompt interface using the steps in method 7.
2. Run the following command:

 sfc /scannow 

If SFC finds any corrupted files, it will attempt to repair them. If the issue persists, you can also try running the Deployment Image Servicing and Management (DISM) tool to repair the Windows image.

10. Perform a Clean Install of Windows 10

If all else fails, you can perform a clean install of Windows 10 to resolve the boot failure. This will erase all data on your PC, so make sure to back up any important files before proceeding. You can create a Windows 10 installation media using the Media Creation Tool and boot from it to perform a clean install.

11. Check Your Hard Drive for Errors

A faulty or corrupted hard drive can cause boot issues. You can use the Check Disk (CHKDSK) tool to scan your hard drive for errors and attempt to fix them. To run CHKDSK:

1. Boot to the Command Prompt interface using the steps in method 7.
2. Run the following command:

 chkdsk /f 

This will scan your hard drive for errors and attempt to fix them. If the issue persists, you may need to replace your hard drive.

12. Perform a Factory Reset

If none of the above methods work, you can perform a factory reset to restore your PC to its original state. This will erase all data and settings on your PC, so make sure to back up any important files before proceeding. To perform a factory reset:

1. Boot to the Windows Recovery Environment (WinRE) using the steps in method 7.
2. Click on “Troubleshoot”.
3. Select “Reset this PC”.
4. Choose “Get started” and follow the on-screen instructions to reset your PC.