How to Perform a Clean Boot in Windows

A clean boot is a troubleshooting method used to start Windows with a minimal set of drivers and startup programs. This process helps identify software conflicts that may be causing performance issues, application crashes, or errors.

What is a Clean Boot?

A clean boot starts your system with only the essential services and programs required by Windows. It temporarily disables third-party applications, non-critical services, and startup programs, allowing you to identify potential causes of system issues.

Common scenarios where a clean boot is useful include:

• Diagnosing software conflicts.
• Fixing application errors.
• Improving system performance.

Steps to Perform a Clean Boot in Windows

Step 1: Open the System Configuration Tool

1. Press Windows + R to open the Run dialog box.
2. Type msconfig and press Enter.

Step 2: Configure a Clean Boot

1. In the System Configuration window, navigate to the Services tab.
2. Check Hide all Microsoft services to avoid disabling critical Windows services.
3. Click Disable all to turn off all third-party services.

Step 3: Manage Startup Programs

1. Go to the Startup tab and click Open Task Manager.
2. In the Task Manager, disable all startup programs by right-clicking each and selecting Disable.
3. Close Task Manager and return to the System Configuration window.

Step 4: Restart Your Computer

Click OK in the System Configuration window and restart your PC. Your computer will boot with only essential services and programs.

After the Clean Boot

1. Test the Issue: Check if the problem persists in the clean boot state.
2. Identify the Conflict: Gradually enable services and startup programs to isolate the problematic one.
   • Return to System Configuration > Services to re-enable individual services.
   • Use Task Manager to enable startup programs one at a time.
3. Restore Normal Boot:
   • Open System Configuration, select Normal startup under the General tab, and restart your computer.

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