Does your Windows PC doesn’t start or boot? Do you see a blank screen on your monitor? If yes, then this post will help you fix the problem. We will first look at some essential solutions, followed by advanced tools.
Windows PC Doesn’t Start or Boot: Basic Troubleshooting
- Check if the power supply to your PC is turned on. It is silly, but that is one of the most common problems.
- Check if the power supply to your CPU is on or not. It applies to older PCs. There is another switch at the back of your computer. Make sure to switch it on. Also, there may be a voltage switch; make sure it is set for the right voltage. (120v for the US 220v for Europe).
- Check if cables are loose or in bad condition. It is essential in case your wiring is in bad shape. It could be a threat to you, and you may lose everything.
- Check if the outlet you have your computer plugged into is working.
- Check if your monitor turns on. Sometimes the computer turns on, but nothing shows up on the screen. If the monitor light is not green and continuous, there is a high chance that something is wrong with your monitor.
- Check if internal components are covered with dust. If yes, it might be a problem. Use an anti-static cloth if you have one or a high-powered vacuum. Don’t forget to plug off your PC when you clean it. Also, try to avoid using compressed air; it tends to jam dust into crevices, and while it may solve the dust build-up issue, it is likely to cause a more severe one later.
- Try re-installing some of the significant components. It’s easy, and anybody can do it. Don’t touch the processor, but you can permanently remove and put back hardware like RAM, modem, and others. Ensure you are grounded to something while touching the surface of the components to avoid damaging them through static discharge.
- If you hear beeps when you boot your computer, this could be a problem with your hardware. Check your manual; they have a definition of every beep. Follow it.
- Check if you have connected the monitor to the correct port on the back of your computer.
- If you have tried all those and it is still not working, It is time to go for the advanced section.
Fix: Windows PC Doesn’t Start or Boot
There are five ways in which you can repair Windows not able to boot issue.
1. Startup Repair Tool
2. Repair Boot Codes
3. Fix BCD Error
4. Replace Bootmgr
5. Restore System Hive or Registry
Make sure to have a backup of all critical files.
1] Startup Repair Tool
The Starter Repair program can fix several basic issues. You can use the program to identify and fix complicated startup issues quickly. The computer launches the Startup Repair program when it notices a startup issue. The tool runs diagnostics as soon as it is launched. As part of these diagnostics, startup log files are examined to ascertain the issue’s root cause. The Startup Repair tool tries to automatically resolve the issue after identifying the cause.
These steps should be followed to launch the Startup Repair tool:
- Open the Windows installation media on your computer to begin the installation process. Read Create Windows installation media for further details.
- Choose Next > Repair your computer on the Install Windows screen.
- Click on Troubleshoot on the Choose an option screen.
- Choose Startup Repair from the Advanced options menu.
- Choose Shutdown after Startup Repair, then restart your computer to check if Windows can boot properly.
To assist you in understanding the startup issues and the fixes made, the Startup Repair tool creates a log file. The log file is located in the following location:
Local Disk (C:) > Windows > System32 > LogFiles > Srt > Srttrail.txt
2] Repair Boot Codes
So here, we need to repair the boot codes for the smooth booting of Windows PC. To repair boot codes, run the following commands:
BOOTREC /FIXMBR
This command uses a master boot record compatible with Windows to write the master boot record of the system partition.
What is BOOTREC?
It is used to analyze and resolve Windows RE boot issues.
What is Master Boot Record (MBR)?
It is commonly referred to as the master partition table or partition sector, a boot sector (a section of your hard drive) where the BIOS will figure out how to boot Windows. It also stores data about the partitions of your hard drive and serves as a loader for the operating system you are using.
Use this command to fix the boot sector:
BOOTREC /FIXBOOT
Note: Only the master boot code is changed when BOOTREC and FIXMBR are run simultaneously. Running FIXMBR might not resolve the issue if the MBR corruption impacts the partition table.
So, always run the FIXBOOT command in case of any corruptions, as FIXMBR cannot fix any existing corruptions on Windows.
3] Fix BCD Error
The Boot Configuration Data (BCD) component helps in Windows device booting. You cannot access your computer or hard drive when the BCD is missing or corrupt, and you can get stuck on the loading screen. A BCD problem can occur if a hard drive fails or during an incorrect software installation.
If you get BCD-related errors, do the following:
Check all of the installed systems by running this command to complete this step:
Bootrec /ScanOS
ScanOS option will look or scan for the installed OS on the system.
When Windows cannot boot and cannot find where its operating system is, and if there is a double Windows installation, you might want to set one as default. Restart the computer to see if the issue has been resolved. Run the following commands if the issue is not resolved:
bcdedit /export c:\bcdbackup attrib c:\boot\bcd -r -s -h ren c:\boot\bcd bcd.old bootrec /rebuildbcd
So, these commands do export the current boot-related things, give permissions to several attributes, rename the old BCD file, and finally, rebuild the boot records.
4] Replace Bootmgr
If none of those mentioned above methods work, you can replace the bootmgr file on the System Reserved partition with the one from drive C. Follow the steps given below to replace this item:
- Change the directory to the System Reserved partition at a Windows Terminal.
- To unhide the file, run the command given below:
attrib -r -s -h
- Here, you need to go to the system drive and execute the same command given above from there.
- To finish replacing the Bootmgr, give the bootmgr file the new name bootmgr.old:
ren c:\bootmgr bootmgr.old
- Go to the system drive’s location, copy the bootmgr file, and paste it into the System Reserved partition.
- Restart the PC.
The Bootmgr file is replaced.
5] System Restore
The advanced recovery also allows you to restore your system, especially Registry using System Restore. One of the options, Startup Repair, helps system restore Windows using one of the earlier dates.
Conclusion
So, the methods given in this article should help you to successfully restart your device without any delays after running into the Windows not booting problem.
How to stop the PC if it keeps booting to the recovery options?
Run the following command in Windows Terminal to stop the process if your PC keeps booting to the recovery options.
Bcdedit /set {default} recoveryenabled no
Try the following command if the F8 options dos not work:
Bcdedit /set {default} bootmenupolicy legacy
