Use Windows Advanced Startup Options for faster troubleshooting

If you’re having trouble starting your Windows PC, Advanced Startup Options can help get to the bottom of the problem. These options allow you to quickly diagnose and fix various problems without requiring extensive technical knowledge.

Startup repair

If a problem prevents your Windows computer from starting properly, the Startup repair This option can help you fix the problem. It scans for and attempts to fix common problems such as corrupted system files, incorrect boot configurations, hard drive errors, and driver issues.

Startup Settings

The Startup Settings The option contains special boot modes for your Windows PC. They provide different levels of access and functionality to the operating system, allowing you to troubleshoot, diagnose, and resolve various Windows problems.

Here are the modes available in the Startup Settings menu:

• Enable debugging: Starts Windows in debugging mode so developers or system administrators can troubleshoot Windows problems using advanced tools. For example, when debugging mode is enabled, you can use WinDbg to investigate problems such as system crashes.
• Enable boot logging: This creates a detailed log of the entire boot process, including drivers and services loaded, and saves it in a file named ntbtlog.txt in the C:\Windows Directory. By examining this file, you can determine whether a driver was responsible for your computer failing to load.
• Enable low resolution mode: This will help you troubleshoot display issues by loading Windows with basic graphics drivers. The display is low resolution, but you can access the desktop and update or reinstall the display drivers if they stop working.
• Enable Safe Mode: This will start your computer with a minimal set of drivers and essential services, enough for Windows to function. This can help fix issues like frequent crashes, driver issues, malware infections, software conflicts, system file corruption, and hardware failures.
• Enable Safe Mode with Networking: Basic Safe Mode doesn’t load network drivers, but this mode does, so you have an Internet connection to troubleshoot online problems. Since other parts of the system are not loaded, they are protected from problems that might arise online.
• Enable Safe Mode Command Prompt: This Safe Mode directly opens Command Prompt instead of the minimal desktop UI. This allows you to run troubleshooting commands such as: B. the commands SFC and DISM.
• Disable driver signature enforcement: This mode starts Windows normally, but with driver signature enforcement temporarily disabled. This allows you to install unsigned drivers on your Windows PC. However, make sure the drivers are from trusted sources before disabling them to avoid security risks.
• Disable early launch anti-malware protection: This mode disables the Microsoft Defender Antivirus Early Launch Anti-Malware (ELAM) driver. It checks for problematic drivers at startup and can stop the process if it detects one. Disabling it will allow you to load these questionable drivers – assuming they are safe – and troubleshoot them.
• Disable automatic restart after an error: When Windows encounters a critical error – a serious problem that significantly affects the functionality of the operating system – your computer will restart. If you disable this feature, your computer will not restart but will instead show you the error so you can fix it.

Prompt

The Prompt The option launches a command line interface in the advanced boot options for advanced system recovery and troubleshooting.

This is useful when you need to run diagnostic commands, repair system files, manage hard drive partitions, or perform other administrative tasks that require the use of command-line tools without fully booting Windows.

Uninstall updates

The Uninstall updates This option allows you to roll back the latest Windows updates. This is useful if the update causes problems on your computer, such as: Examples include slowdowns, system instability or crashes, startup errors, driver issues, and missing or broken features.

In general, if you notice something is wrong after updating your computer, you must use this option before the updates exceed their 10-day rollback window.

UEFI firmware settings

Selecting the UEFI firmware settings gives you access to the modernized version of the traditional Basic Input/Output System (BIOS), called Unified Extensible Firmware Interface (UEFI).

This feature allows you to customize your computer’s basic or hardware settings, including boot order, secure boot, system time and date, fan speed, RAM settings, and power mode.

So if you want to configure how your computer’s hardware and firmware interact, UEFI offers a more user-friendly way to do it.

If you don’t see that UEFI firmware settings Option, don’t panic. It just means that you have to access similar settings through the BIOS, but they are more limited. Depending on the manufacturer of your device, you can access the BIOS by pressing keys like F2, F10, Deleteor Esc during the startup process.

System Restore

The System Restore The option returns your computer to a previous operating state by undoing changes made to system settings. This feature is useful when you want to troubleshoot problems caused by problematic updates, changes, or sudden instability without affecting your personal files.

Note that System Restore relies on system restore points being available on your hard drive to undo the changes.

While Windows creates them automatically before an important system event (such as installing new software or updates), for better control it is better to create system restore points manually.

System image recovery

If you have created a system image of your Windows PC, the System image recovery This option allows you to restore your computer. The system image restores all of your data from this Windows installation, including settings, configurations, apps, and files. This is one of the best options to recover your PC after a complete hardware failure.

However, please note that data created after the system image is created will not be restored. Therefore, if possible, create system images monthly before performing major updates to your PC or before important life events (such as a trip or moving to a new home).

A warning before you get started: Using the startup options incorrectly can worsen existing problems or cause new ones, making your system more unstable. Only use them if you fully understand how they work and the implications.

If you are still unsure how Advanced Startup Options work, you should seek the help of an IT professional before using it.