What to do when a Windows computer won't start?

There are many reasons why a Windows computer might not start. Read on to learn about these causes and what to do when your Windows computer won't boot.

What to do when a Windows computer won't start?

Method 1: Changes you have recently made

Take some time to reflect on any recent changes you've made to your Windows computer, such as whether you've installed any new hardware drivers, connected any new hardware components to your computer or case. The cause could be a faulty hardware driver, incompatibility with the new hardware, or perhaps you accidentally unplugged the wrong power cord or cable.

Method 2: If the computer does not power on or boot up.

If the computer won't power on and boot up, check the power cord and make sure the power connector isn't loose or damaged. If it's a desktop computer, check if the power button on the computer case is turned on.

If your computer still won't power on and start up, the cause could be that you accidentally unplugged a cable from the computer case while opening it for inspection. It could also be due to a faulty or damaged power supply. In this case, the solution is to take your computer to a reputable computer repair center for assistance, or if you can afford it, consider buying a new computer.

Method 3: The computer starts up and displays the message "No Bootable Device".

If your computer powers on and starts up, but then displays a black screen with an error message like "No bootable device" or "Disk error," or a similar message, the computer is unable to boot from the hard drive where Windows is installed.

In this case, the solution is to access the BIOS or UEFI firmware setup window and check the boot order settings, ensuring the computer is set to boot from the hard drive.

If the hard drive is not listed, it may be because the hard drive is faulty, damaged, and unable to boot Windows.

If everything in the BIOS is fine, you can plug in the Windows installation or recovery USB drive and run Startup Repair. This will make Windows restart. It's possible that something overwrote the Windows boot sector on the hard drive; this operation is to repair the boot sector. If the recovery environment cannot load or cannot find the hard drive, the problem may be hardware-related. Try checking the BIOS or UEFI boot order if the recovery environment fails to load.

Additionally, you can also fix Windows bootloader issues by using the fixmbr and fixboot commands. On modern versions of Windows, you can use Startup Repair to fix this error.

Method 4: If Windows hangs or freezes during startup

If your Windows computer freezes or hangs mid-boot, the cause could be a software or hardware issue.

If it's a software issue, you can easily fix it by performing a Startup Repair. If you can't do this from the boot menu, insert the Windows installation drive or recovery drive and use the Startup Repair tool from there. If neither of these methods works, your solution is to reinstall Windows or perform a Refresh or Reset on Windows 8 or Windows 10.

If your computer encounters errors during Startup Repair or Windows reinstallation, or if the installation process was done correctly but you still experience the same error afterward, the cause is likely a hardware problem.

Method 5: Windows starts up and displays a blue screen or the computer freezes.

If your Windows computer freezes or displays a blue screen every time it starts up, the cause of this error could be a hardware or software problem. For example, malware or faulty drivers could cause hardware or software issues during startup.

To check, boot your Windows computer into Safe Mode. In Safe Mode, your Windows computer doesn't load any hardware or software drivers that start with the system. If your computer runs smoothly in Safe Mode, try uninstalling any recently installed hardware drivers, performing a system restore, and scanning for viruses and malware, then check if your Windows computer starts up and runs smoothly.

Note: If you don't know how to boot your Windows computer into Safe Mode, you can refer to the steps in the article " How to enter Safe Mode on Windows 7/8/10" on TipsMake.

If the problem persists, try reinstalling Windows, or performing a Refresh or Reset on Windows 8 or Windows 10. This process will restore your Windows computer to its original factory default settings.

Finally, if your Windows computer still won't start, the cause may be a hardware problem.

Method 8: Recover files in case your Windows computer won't boot.

If your Windows computer stores important files and data and you want to back them up before reinstalling Windows, you can use a Windows installation drive or Linux Live CD to restore them. These solutions are performed on CDs, DVDs, or USB drives, allowing you to copy your files to external media or hard drives.

If you are unable to boot from the Windows or Linux live CD installation drive, you will need to access the BIOS or UEFI and change the boot order settings.

If the above methods are not available, or if you cannot boot from your devices and your Windows computer is frozen, unresponsive, and you cannot access the hard drive, this means there is a problem with your hardware. Try removing the hard drive and inserting it into another computer to recover important files and data.

The article above from TipsMake has just shown you some reasons why your computer won't start and some ways to fix the problem. Hopefully, after reading this article, you will know what to do when your Windows computer won't start. Good luck!