This tutorial will show you how to perform a clean boot to start Windows 10 or Windows 11 using a minimal set of drivers and startup programs for troubleshooting application conflicts.
Troubleshooting Windows can be a complex process due to the many different drivers, settings, and programs interacting simultaneously. This varied environment may lead to software conflicts that manifest in a number of ways. This varied environment may lead to software conflicts that manifest in a number of ways, often times as Windows struggling to start up properly or updates failing to install.
A clean boot starts Windows with a minimal set of drivers and startup programs, so that you can determine whether a background program is interfering with your game or program. This is similar to starting Windows in Safe Mode, but provides you more control over which services and programs run at startup to help you isolate the cause of a problem.
You must be signed in as an administrator to perform a clean boot.
Your computer may temporarily lose some functionality while you perform a clean boot. When you start the computer normally, the functionality returns.
Contents
- Part One: Perform a Clean Boot in Windows
- Part Two: Troubleshoot Software Conflicts in a Clean Boot
- Part Three: Restart Computer to Normal Startup after Finished Troubleshooting
PART ONE
Perform a Clean Boot in Windows
1 Open Task Manager (Ctrl+Shift+Esc) in More details view.
2 Click/tap on the Startup tab, and disable all startup items. (see screenshot below)
3 Close Task Manager.
4 Open System Configuration (msconfig.exe).
5 Perform the following steps in System Configuration: (see screenshot below)
- Click/tap on the Services tab.
- Check the Hide all Microsoft services box.
- Click/tap on Disable all.
- Click/tap on OK.
6 Click/tap on Restart to restart the computer with a clean boot at startup, and go to step 7 to troubleshoot. (see screenshot below)
PART TWO
Troubleshoot Software Conflicts in a Clean Boot
7 After the computer has restarted now in a clean boot environment, do step 8 or step 9 below for what is appropriate in your situation.
8 If you could not install or uninstall a program or an update before you performed the clean boot, try to install or uninstall the program or update again.
If you receive the "The Windows Installer service could not be accessed" error during the installation or uninstallation, manually start the Windows Installer service, and then install or uninstall the program or update again.
A) If the installation or uninstallation is successful, you have resolved your issue. Go to step 18 below to reset your computer to normal startup.
B) If the installation or uninstallation still fails, that means this issue is not caused by application or service interference. Please post in the appropriate forum here to get further support for your issue.
9 If you could not run a program before you performed the clean boot, try to run the program again.
A) If the program runs correctly, this issue is caused by application or service interferences. Go to step 10 below to determine which application or service causes the issue.
B) If the program still does not run as expected, this issue is not caused by application or service interference. Please post in the appropriate forum here to get further support for your issue.
10 Open System Configuration (msconfig.exe).
11 Perform the following steps in System Configuration: (see screenshot below)
- Click/tap on the Services tab.
- Check the Hide all Microsoft services box.
- Check the upper half of check boxes in the Service list.
- Click/tap on OK.
12 Click/tap on Restart to restart the computer. (see screenshot below)
13 After the computer finishes restarting, determine whether the problem still occurs.
A) If the problem still occurs, repeat steps 10 through 12, but uncheck the lower half of the check boxes in the Service list that you originally checked in step 11.
B) If the problem does not occur, repeat steps 10 through 12, and check only the upper half of the remaining check boxes that are cleared in the Service list at step 11[/B]. Repeat step 13 until you have selected all the check boxes in the Service list at step 11.
C) If you still experience the problem when only one service is selected in the Service list at step 12, this means that the selected service causes the problem, and you should go to step 18. If no service causes the problem, go to step 15 below.
14 Open Task Manager (Ctrl+Shift+Esc) in More details view.
15 Enable the upper half of items in the Startup list, close Task Manager, and restart the computer. (see screenshot below)
16 After the computer finishes restarting, determine whether the problem still occurs.
A) If the problem still occurs, repeat step 14 and step 15, but disable the lower half of the items in the Startup list that you originally enabled in step 15.
B) If the problem does not occur, repeat step 14 and step 15, and enable only the upper half of the remaining items in the Startup list at step 15. Repeat step 16 until you have enabled all startup items.
C) If you still experience the problem after only one Startup item is enabled in the Startup list, this means that the selected startup item causes the problem, and you should go to step 17. If no startup item causes this problem, a Microsoft service probably causes the problem. To determine which Microsoft service may be causing the problem, repeat steps 10 through 13 without checking the Hide all Microsoft services box in each step.
17 After you determine the startup item or the service that causes the problem, contact the program manufacturer to determine whether the problem can be resolved. Or, leave the problem startup item disabled in Task Manager or service unchecked in msconfig until it can be resolved. Stop here.
PART THREE
Restart Computer to Normal Startup after Finished Troubleshooting
18 Open Task Manager (Ctrl+Shift+Esc) in More details view.
19 Click/tap on the Startup tab, and enable all startup items you want. (see screenshot below)
20 Close Task Manager.
21 Open System Configuration (msconfig.exe).
22 Perform the following steps in System Configuration: (see screenshot below)
- Click/tap on the Services tab.
- Uncheck the Hide all Microsoft services box.
- Click/tap on Enable all.
- Click/tap on OK.
23 Click/tap on Restart to restart the computer back in normal mode. (see screenshot below)
That's it,
Shawn Brink
Last edited: