If, your computer won’t boot or Windows crashes when you turn it on Just do some windows troubleshooting . What could have happened? And more importantly, what can you do to try to fix it? Today we bring you a guide with solutions for the most common problems when Windows does not start correctly or shows errors when doing so.
We are going to explain windows troubleshooting it in the simplest and most basic way possible, and we are going to try to cover as many cases as possible. We will mention from how to try to repair slow startups to when a computer does not start, going through the possible failures that you may have after updates or blue screens. As we always say at Xataka Basics, we invite you to also leave us your own tips in the comments section.
Table of Contents
When Windows starts too slow
If the problem is not so much that the computer does not start, but that it starts too slowly , the measure is always to prevent windows troubleshooting some particularly heavy applications from starting together with the operating system . To do so, press Control + Alt + Delete and choose the Task Manager option . In it, click on More details to access all the information. Once you are in the full version of the Task Manager , click on the Startup section of the top row . You will see a list with all the applications that try to start at startup. There are two important columns here, the one for Status because if it says Enabled it is because the application starts automatically when the PC is turned on, and the one for Startup Impact because it tells you how much this application penalizes your computer when it starts up when the computer starts.
Windows troubleshooting With this data you can now make informed decisions. Now, click on the application that you want to stop starting automatically when you turn on the computer (1), and once you have selected it , click on the Disable button so that it stops starting, and to run it you have to be the one who starts it deliberately . Try to do it with the applications that have the greatest impact on your computer’s startup, something that will be indicated in the Startup Impact column .
No USB or memory cards connected
Sometimes a Windows update can cause the computer not to start due to a conflict with an external memory drive. And even if there hasn’t been an update, it’s also possible that the BIOS could be configured to try to boot the OS from external storages first. In any of the cases, an important step that you must take is to remove all the external memories that are connected , both USB drives and microSD cards or any other. Then, restart the computer again. If you are a DVD or Bluray reader, also remove the disc just in case.
Some accessory or peripheral does not work well
On other occasions, even though Windows seems to start correctly, it is some peripheral or component of your computer that does not seem to work correctly. In these cases, it is recommended to update the drivers of the computer . This is usually something that Windows 10 does itself, but you can also use third-party applications to update Drivers , and sometimes they are even more effective. Of course, the best ones are usually paid. A driver or controller is a small file present in each component, accessory and hardware on your computer. Its function is to act as a ‘link’ between the operating system you have installed and the hardware or connected peripherals, both internal and external. To do this, these files have information with which your operating system knows what is connected, how to get to the component to use it, and how it works or what it can do with each one.
Updating a driver can serve both to avoid bugs and errors that have been discovered and to solve problems or fix them in the event that they have stopped working correctly. To find out which drivers are missing from your computer, open the file explorer and right-click on This PC . In the pop-up menu, click on the Manage option that will come in second position. A window will open with the Computer Management options , which includes all the information about your computer’s components, system tools and some advanced services. Here, in the left column you must display the System Tools options , and once they are displayed, click on the Device Manager option that will appear last within them.
In the center of the window you will see a list with all the hardware and devices connected to your computer , all organized in different categories. You can’t see it in the screenshot, but devices that have compatibility problems or are missing drivers will have a yellow indication to let you know that they are not working correctly. If you right click on one of the hardware items in the list , a pop-up menu will appear to act on it. You can update the driver to try to check for a new version of the driver. If this isn’t enough, you can also uninstall the device, which will erase the driver and make Windows try to install it from scratch the next time you plug it in. And the other option is to use a third-party application to update drivers , since these also usually have a function to detect those that fail in Windows, and sometimes they are even more effective. Especially the paid ones. By using it, I have purchased Driver Easy , but in our article on updating drivers we gave you some free suggestions. Here we remind you in case you want to consider them:
- Drivers Cloud : If you are looking for security over simplicity, this application is very useful as it does not try to install anything behind you. It is complemented by the product’s website, and after analyzing your hardware it lets you choose drivers to download from the web, and you can download an installer to install them all at once. You can download it from its official website .
- Slimware DriverUpdate : With a much more visual interface in which a graph stands out in which you will see what proportion of drivers you have without updating, it is another alternative with which to update or uninstall drivers, create backup copies of the installed ones, and schedule periodic updates to always be up to date. You can download it from its official website .
- Driver Booster : It has a very simple interface to understand and use, where it shows your outdated drivers, tells you how outdated they are and offers you to update them with a single click. It is exclusive to Windows, and works on all versions starting from XP. Be careful with its installer, if you do not choose to customize the installation it has an extra application. You can download it from its official website .
- Snappy Driver Installer : A simple alternative that has the added ability to update drivers offline. First, it asks you to download the information on the updatable drivers, and then you can view and choose the ones you want to install. You can download it from its official website .
- Driver Talent : Another tool that not only allows you to update drivers, but also to repair those that are corrupt or make backup copies of those that you already have updated. It has two versions, one free with the most basic options and another Pro that you can purchase for $16.95. You can download it from its official website .
- Driver Doctor : Another option similar to Drivers Cloud for those who seek security over comfort. It analyzes your system, but it doesn’t update the drivers, instead it links you to a website from which you can download them to install them by hand. You can download it from its official website .
- Windows Update : But if everything goes well on your computer and your Windows, you won’t need to resort to any of these applications because Windows Update will do everything automatically. And if it fails and you don’t want to resort to third-party apps, you always have the option to reset Windows.
Find out what’s wrong with safe mode
There will be times when you don’t know if you have errors due to a Windows problem or an installed application. In this case, safe mode can help you to start Windows only with certain elements, and thus rule out that they are the ones that fail. You have to go into Windows startup functions and choose windows troubleshooting. To do this, hold down Shift while clicking on Restart , or try to start Windows three times without success. From here, Windows suggests resetting your PC and other features that may vary from version to version of the operating system. The one you have to search for and click on is Advanced Options . When you enter the advanced options, tap on the Startup Settings option . In some versions of Windows this section does not appear directly in the first window, but you must first click on More advanced options so that it appears on the next page.
The name doesn’t say much, startup settings?, but what this option does is reboot the system to show the old menu where you can choose how Windows starts. The available options are those listed in the image, including Safe Mode with or without networking. Press the Restart button . You will then be shown a menu similar to this, where you can now choose to start Windows in safe mode. Choose the Safe Mode option if the menu appears in Spanish or Safe Mode , if it is in English. You can choose to activate it with network functions. If Windows starts normally, the operating system itself is fine, and the error may be with some program or application, or with a driver.
Find which app is giving you trouble starting up
Beyond the drivers, it is also possible that there is an application that is giving you problems when starting up. In this case, you will have to do a clean reboot . The first step for this is to disable all applications that start alongside the operating system . The idea is that once you start the system, then you go reactivating them until you find which one is causing the error.
But this clean reboot requires another step above . You have to press Windows + R at the same time to open the Run window , where you have to type the command msconfig and accept to open the system configuration. In it, first click on the Services tab (1) to view all the services installed on your computer, and then activate the option *Hide all Microsoft services (2) to not make changes to essential Windows services.