The latest Windows 11 23H2 from Microsoft brings many new features and improvements. Regular Windows updates can patch recent security issues and errors while optimizing overall system performance. However, there might be issues like failure to start, crashing upon startup, or automatic restarts on Windows 11.
There are various reasons for startup problems on Windows 11, such as corrupted system files, update errors, virus or malware infections, outdated drivers, or disk drive errors.
Today, we present methods to fix common Windows 11 issues.
Note: If your computer consistently crashes and cannot perform any tasks, it is recommended to boot Windows 11 in safe mode and apply the solutions listed below.
01
Install the latest Windows 11 updates
Microsoft regularly releases Windows updates containing the latest security enhancements and fixes for previously reported issues by users. Whenever encountering Windows system problems, check and install the latest Windows updates. Updates not only resolve issues but also optimize and speed up the system.
① Check for Windows updates
- Press the Windows key + I to open Windows Settings
- Select Windows Update, then click on the Check for Updates button
- If there are pending updates, allow them to download and install on your computer,
② Look for optional updates
- Click on “Advanced options” and select Optional updates
- Expand the driver updates section, if driver updates are pending, select that section, then click Download and Install.
After completion, you’ll need to restart your Windows 11 computer to apply the latest updates.
02
Repairing damaged Windows system files
System file corruption or loss on your computer is another common reason for Windows 11 to become unresponsive when opening applications, displaying errors, or taking a long time to start or shut down.
Running the System File Checker (SFC) utility and Deployment Image Servicing and Management (DISM.exe) commands can be highly beneficial.
① Run the System File Checker
- Press the Windows key + S and type cmd, right-click Command Prompt, and choose Run as administrator
- Run the sfc /scannow command to start scanning all protected system files on your computer
- If found, the utility will automatically replace the corrupted files with cached copies located in the %WinDir%\System32\dllcache folder.
After the scan is completed, check the scan results. If it shows no integrity violations, there are no missing or corrupt system files on your system, and no further action is required.
If the SFC scan results find corrupted files but cannot repair some of them, in such a case, you’ll need to run the DISM RestoreHealth command to repair the system image and enable SFC to complete its job.
② DISM RestoreHealth command
Again, open Command Prompt as an administrator and run the following command:
DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth
03
Updating device drivers
Device manufacturers regularly update their driver software to ensure compatibility, fix errors, and optimize performance. Having older or outdated drivers, especially essential ones like graphics cards, sound cards, and network cards, can lead to issues such as automatic restarts with blue screen errors, black screen during startup, very slow or unresponsive systems, slow startup or shutdown, among others.
You can update drivers using Device Manager, visit the device manufacturer’s site for the latest driver versions, or opt for third-party driver update software for automated processes.
① Updating drivers in Device Manager
- Press the Windows key + X and select Device Manager
- Locate the driver, for instance, expand Display adapters, right-click on the installed graphics driver, and then choose the Update driver option.
- Next, select “Search automatically for updated driver software” or you can use “Browse my computer for driver software” to locate drivers on your local drive.
- If you choose the first option, Windows will automatically find updated drivers on your computer, or check Windows Update for the latest available drivers and install them on your computer.
② Downloading drivers from the manufacturer’s website
Additionally, you can download and install the latest drivers from the device manufacturer’s website. For example: updating NVIDIA graphics card drivers.
- Visit the official NVIDIA website
- Navigate to the Downloads section, select the product type, and operating system, then click Search
- Download the latest NVIDIA graphics card driver for your computer, and double-click it to run and install it on your computer.
04
Fixing disk drive errors
If you notice your computer becoming very slow, frequently crashing, getting stuck on blue/black screen freezes, or experiencing slow processing and boot speeds, these symptoms could indicate disk drive issues or an increase in bad sectors on the hard drive. In such cases, you’ll need to use the chkdsk command to repair disk drive errors.
① Run disk check command
- Press the Windows key + S and type cmd, right-click Command Prompt, and choose Run as administrator.
- Running the chkdsk command scans for disk errors but doesn’t fix them.
- To identify and fix disk errors, Need to use additional parameters with the chkdsk command. You can use the command chkdsk /? to view the parameters.
- /F repairs errors on the disk.
- /R locates bad sectors and recovers readable information.
- Additionally, if necessary, you can add /X to force the volume to dismount first. The command to fix disk errors is chkdsk C:/f /f
Note: C is the drive letter where errors need to be scanned.
05
Performing System Restore
If the above steps fail to resolve issues on your Windows 11 PC, you can attempt to use the System Restore feature. However, this feature can only be utilized if you have previously enabled system protection. Once this feature is enabled, Windows 11 creates a snapshot of your computer’s current working state and saves it as a restore point. When issues arise, you can execute System Restore to revert the system to its previous working state.
Performing System Restore:
- Press the Windows key + R, type rstrui.exe, and hit OK.
- By default, choose the recommended restore option and click the “Next” button to proceed (you can also select a different restore point there)
- Click “Next” again and then hit the “Finish” button; this will restart your Windows 11 for the System Restore process to take place.
06
Performing Boot Repair
At times, you might encounter situations where your system fails to start properly. This could be due to damaged system files or issues with the Master Boot Record (MBR) file.
① Executing Boot Repair
- We’ll need to run the system installer and select the “Repair your computer” option from the pop-up window.
- In the subsequent window, select Troubleshoot, then Advanced options. Click on Startup Repair in the following window.
- This will restart your computer, scan for missing or corrupted system files, and fix any issues with files required to boot the operating system.
② Repairing Master Boot Record
If Startup Repair fails to resolve the issue, and Windows 11 still doesn’t start properly, you’ll need to examine the Master Boot Record (MBR) file and perform repairs by running the following commands.
Access Advanced options again, then click Command Prompt and run the following commands:
- Bootrec /fixMbr
- Bootrec /fixBoot
- Bootrec /RebuildBCD
- Bootrec /ScanOS
After completion, restart your computer and check if the system starts normally this time.
