Clean boot into Windows 10 and troubleshoot

Clean boot into Windows 10 and troubleshoot

In this guide, we'll talk about what a clean boot in Windows 10 is, when to use it, and how to do it. Windows comes preloaded with several settings, programs and drivers that interact simultaneously to keep your PC running smoothly. Unfortunately, this "mixed" environment very often leads to compatibility problems and software conflicts that manifest themselves in different ways.


The result is that updates may not be installed or Windows may have difficulty starting properly, often causing slowdowns, freezes, BSODs, or crashes. Performing a clean boot disables all non-essential services and helps you find any software conflicts or problems in your PC.



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What is a clean boot in Windows 10?

A clean boot is a diagnostic approach that involves disabling non-essential services in Windows and booting the system with a minimum of essential programs and always essential drivers. This way, you can determine and isolate which app or program is causing the problems you are having while using your PC. 

Performing a clean boot is similar to starting Windows 10 in safe mode. A clean boot gives you more control over which programs and services run at startup. It also helps isolate elements of the normal boot process that cause performance issues without deleting personal files. Safe Mode, on the other hand, is recommended when your PC has software, hardware, or driver issues.


  • Windows 10 Safe Mode, Complete Guide

When should you perform a clean boot in Windows 10?

A clean boot is useful in the following cases:



  • When your computer does not boot normally
  • If you get errors on startup that you can't identify 
  • When an official Windows update is not installed correctly
  • When frequent app crashes occur

To diagnose the problem, perform a clean boot and then enable one service at a time (followed by a restart) until the service causing the problem is found.

How to perform a clean boot in Windows 10

Before performing a clean boot, you need to log in as an administrator on your Windows 10 PC to access the settings mentioned below.


Follow the steps below to perform a clean boot in Windows 10.

  1. Type msconfig in the search box and select System configuration .
  2. Select Hide all Microsoft services in the card Services and select Disable everything .
  3. Then, select Open Task Manager in the card Start .
  4. Right-click each item in avvio in Start in Task Manager select Disable and exit the Task Manager . 

Then, select OK on the Startup tab and restart your computer. Once your PC restarts, it will be in a clean boot environment.

How to reboot your PC for normal boot after a clean boot

Once the clean boot process has finished and the cause of the problem has been found, you can reset your PC to restore normal operation. 



  1. Open System Configuration by typing msconfig in the search box on the taskbar. You can also right-click on Start > Run , to type msconfig and press Submit .
  2. Select Normal startup in the card General .
  3. Then, select Services and then uncheck the box next to Hide all Microsoft services .
  4. Select Enable everything .
  5. Then, select Start > Open the Task Manager .
  6. Right-click each launcher in Task Manager select Enable and then select OK . 
  7. Select Restart if you are asked to restart your PC.

How to start the Windows Installer service after performing a clean boot in Windows 10

If you clear the Load system services check box in the System Configuration utility, the Windows Installer service will not start. You can manually start the Windows Installer service if you want to use it when system services are not loaded on your PC. 



  1. Type Computer management in the search box on the taskbar and select apri in Computer Management in the search results. 
  2. Select Services and applications in the console structure.
  3. Then, select Services .
  4. Right-click on Windows Installer in the details pane, and then select starts .

The computer should restart and function normally again without any problems.


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Restore your PC to normal operation

Windows 10 is a large and complex operating system with many competing processes, programs, and settings. In such a varied environment, you are bound to run into software conflicts and other problems when launching or installing apps and updates. Performing a clean boot will help resolve most, if not all, problems so that you can use your PC normally again. 

Were you able to fix your PC using a clean boot? Share your solution with us in a comment. 

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