How do I fix boot errors on Windows 10 and 11?

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Question

What can I do if my device with Windows 10 or 11 no longer starts properly?

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Answer

Problems starting Windows can have many different causes. Here are some ways to solve your problems and get your device working normally again.

Windows switches on and off immediately:

Disconnect all devices (except monitor, mouse and keyboard) and restart the PC. If the PC now boots properly, connect one device at a time and restart Windows to identify the device causing the problems.

Windows boots but shuts down immediately:

Start the automatic repair and select Advanced Options. Click on Troubleshoot and reset the PC. There are two ways to do this:

1. Keep personal files: All data except personal files on the system hard disk will be deleted.
2. Remove all: All data on the system hard disk will be deleted and the hard disk will be formatted.

Execute the Windows start-up help and start the recovery environment (WinRE).

Run diagnostics via Troubleshooting > Advanced Options > Startup Help and Windows will fix the startup problem if one is found.

System Restore:

If the start-up help can not solve the problem, it is possible to restore the PC to a previous functional state via a system restore:

1. Switch off the PC three times via the power switch or start the PC from an installation USB drive or CD to call up WinRE.
2. Navigate to Troubleshooting > Advanced Options > System Restore.
3. Click Next when the System Restore widget opens.
4. In the pop-up window, you may see the restore points you created. Select the last one you created and click Next.
5. Confirm the restore point and click Finish to start the restore process.

Defective Master Boot Record:

It is possible that the MBR (Master Boot Record) is damaged. This error can be solved from a command prompt. Proceed as follows:

1. Start WinRe
2. Go to Troubleshooting > Advanced Options > Command Prompt to open the CMD window.

Enter the following commands and confirm each with the Enter key to repair the MBR:

1. bootrec /fixmbr
2. bootrec /fixboot
3. bootrec /rebuildbcd

If all these procedures are unsuccessful, the last option is to reinstall Windows.

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The information in this article refers to:

• Devices with Windows 10 and 11

ChangeLog:

• 2024-10-01 Version 2.0
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• 2023-08-03
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• 2022-12-19
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Review Date: 2025-04-01