Windows 10 Won’t Boot? 7 Methods To Fix It

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Summary: It is terrible for most users that their computer does not boot up as usual. Maybe the computer crashed and is beyond recovery, or everything was fine when you shut it down, but now, your Windows system won’t boot for some reason. The problem does not exist in the Windows system but in your BIOS (Basic Input/Output System) or computer hardware. There are many possibilities. In this article, we will share the methods to fix the Windows 10 won’t boot issue.

Windows 10 boot process is straightforward. Whenever you start your computer, the UFEI or BIOS firmware is loaded. These perform a short series of steps on your hardware called Power on Self Test (POST). After completing the test and if no errors are found, the BIOS scans the master boot record, which loads a necessary file to your RAM (the file is called Winload.exe). After loading the file, it starts the startup process by loading NTOSKRNL.EXE and HAL (NT Kernel is the heart of Windows, and HAL stands for Hardware Abstraction Layer).

If you cannot boot your Windows, your computer cannot load Winload.exe. Besides other reasons that can cause the Windows won’t be boot issue:

  • Insufficient power supply: In most cases, users found out that the computer didn’t receive the required power, leading to it not turning on.
  • Issues with the drivers: Corrupt or outdated drivers are just as likely to prevent Windows from booting on the PC.
  • Incompatible hardware: If you recently connected new hardware and Windows 10 won’t boot ever since there is a chance that the device is incompatible. Also, a broken or malfunctioning internal component could be responsible.
  • Corrupt system files: When the system files are corrupt, you encounter issues with the OS, and when things become severe, Windows fails to boot.
  • Problems with the Windows installation: For some users, the problem started just after installing Windows 10, which points to an issue with the installation.

If the computer fails to start, perform the following operations to rectify the fault. Different solutions are required for other fault causes. If you need to know the specific reasons, try the following methods individually.

Methods to Fix Windows 10 Won’t Boot 

Method 1: Check Your Motherboard Connections

If you see a completely blank screen when Windows 10 tries to start, here are the main components you should check.

RAM: RAM is shaped like tiny sticks, so if the computer is knocked over, the RAM can quickly come off. Open the back of the computer, remove the RAM, and plug it back in to ensure it’s well-connected. Laptops usually have the RAM fixed in the bottom tray, so you don’t have to open the whole computer to see it.

OS HDD: Another possibility is that the primary Windows HDD is disconnected from the motherboard (or power supply). In this case, press firmly on the SATA cable to ensure it is connected to the PSU.

PCI-E Card: A disconnected GPU (Graphic Processing Unit) or PCI-Express card may also be the reason for Windows 10 desktop not booting. While that’s very unlikely, make sure they’re all connected properly.

Method 2: Check the External Storage Device

Your computer may be set to boot from an external drive preferentially. This means that if you have another operating system or recovery drive on your pen drive that is connected to your computer, the computer will try to boot that drive first.

If such an external storage device is connected to the computer, Windows 10 tries to boot from it first but fails because it does not contain a recovery file. Remove all external storage before booting Windows 10 and see if that helps.

Method 3: Windows Startup Repair

Windows system has a built-in startup repair option, which can scan and restore missing or damaged startup system files. Follow the steps below to execute:

  1. Force power off the computer three times by simply holding down the power button on your computer.
  2. After three forced power-offs in a row, the computer will load Windows Startup Repair.
  3. Then choose Troubleshoot > Advanced Options > Startup Repair.startup repair
  4. Choose an account to continue.
  5. Enter the password for the user account if you have set one, and click on Continue to proceed.

Method 4: Reset the BIOS

Often, a change to the BIOS can lead to a situation when Windows 10 won’t boot. And instead of spending a lot of time identifying it, resetting the BIOS should quickly do the job. This operation will not affect the computer but will restart the Windows system. 

  1. Depending on the manufacturer, turn on the computer and repeatedly hit the F1F10F12, or Esc keys to access the BIOS.
  2. Look through the various tabs here to locate the Load Optimized DefaultsLoad Default Options, or the Load System Defaults option, and select it.
  3. Click Yes to confirm the change.BIOS-Load Optimized Defaults

Method 5: Run the DISM and SFC Scan

Running the DISM tool and SFC scan helps fix corrupt system files, one of the reasons Windows 10 won’t boot on your PC. Once done, check if Windows now boots appropriately.

    1. Force power off the computer three times by simply holding down the power button on your computer, which can lead you into Recovery Mode.
    2. Then choose Troubleshoot > Advanced Options > Command Prompt.
    3. In the Command Prompt, paste the following commands one by one, and hit Enter after each:
      DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /ScanHealth
      DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealthCMD-DISM
    4. Then type the command: sfc /scannow to run the SFC scan.

Method 6: Repair the Master Boot Record (MBR)

MBR or Master Boot Record is mainly responsible for loading Windows, and when there are issues with it, you might encounter such problems. In this case, it’s recommended that you repair and rebuild the MBR to get things running.

  1. Similarly, enter Command Prompt in the Windows RE (Recovery Environment).
  2. Then run the following commands individually:
    bootrec /FixMbr
    bootrec /FixBoot
    bootrec /ScanOs
    bootrec /RebuildBcdbootrec-fix-master-boot-record

Method 7: Reset Your PC

If the above doesn’t help for some reason and you have to do a clean Windows 10 installation and lose everything in the process, following these steps will save you some data.

  1. Force power off the computer three times by simply holding down the power button on your computer, which can lead you into Recovery Mode.
  2. Then choose Troubleshoot > Reset this PC > Keep my files.reset this pc-keep my files
  3. After that, your system files will be reset and reinstalled, and you can keep your personal files intact.

NOTE: To prevent data loss, we advise you to back up your important files during the operation of the methods above. Regarding data loss and recovery, choose our professional data recovery tool: Bitwar Data Recovery Software.

Conclusion

If your Windows 10 won’t boot, one of these methods should resolve it. The only exception will be if something is broken in your Windows hardware. In that case, a visit to a computer repair shop may be needed to get back into your workflow.

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