Performing a clean boot

A clean boot starts your computer with a pre-selected, minimal set of drivers and startup programs required by the operating system. It creates a “clean” environment that enables you to control which applications and services run at startup so that you can determine if a startup item is interfering with your game. Performing a clean boot is not itself a solution.

This article describes how to perform a clean boot, troubleshoot startup items, and perform a normal restart for Windows 10, Windows 8, and Windows 7.

• Starting in a clean boot environment
  • Windows 10 and Windows 8
  • Windows 7
• Troubleshooting
• Resetting your computer to start normally
  • Windows 10 and Windows 8
  • Windows 7

Important: To perform a clean boot you must have full administrator rights.

To see the steps for performing a clean boot, watch our video “How To Perform a Clean Boot” on YouTube (see below).

Note: This article contains screenshots that are for example purposes only. Actual text and visuals may vary.

Starting in a clean boot environment

Windows 10 and Windows 8

1. Open the System Configuration tool.
   Note: Depending on your version of Windows, you can open most apps and tools in different ways. Some of the most commonly used methods are described below.
   Do one of the following:
   • Click Start to access the Search box (if hidden), type msconfig, and then select the System Configuration App.
     
   • Right-click Start and select Run. In Open, type msconfig, and then click OK.
     
2. Click the Services tab, and then select the Hide all Microsoft services option.
   
3. Click Disable all. If this option is unavailable (appears dimmed), skip this step.
   
4. Click the Startup tab.
5. Select Open Task Manager.
   
   The Task Manger window opens to the Startup tab.
6. Select an item with an Enabled status, and then click Disable. Repeat this for each enabled item.
   
7. Close the Task Manger window.
8. From the System Configuration app, click OK.
9. Restart your computer.

Your computer now starts in a clean boot environment and you are able to troubleshoot your issue (see Troubleshooting).

Windows 7

1. Open the System Configuration tool.
   • Click Start, in the Search box type msconfig.exe, and then press Enter.
     
2. From the General tab, click Selective Startup, and then clear the Load startup items option.
   
3. Click OK.
4. Restart your computer.

Your computer now starts in a clean boot environment and you are able to troubleshoot your issue (see Troubleshooting).

Note: If the System Configuration dialog appears after restarting, select Don't show this message, and then click OK.

Troubleshooting

After you restart your computer, you'll have a clean boot environment in which to troubleshoot your issue.

Open the game and check if you are still experiencing a problem. If not, then a startup application or service is the reason.

To find out which one is the cause, enable each startup item one at a time. After enabling a single application or service, restart your computer and check the game.

Once you find the problematic startup item, disable it to prevent further issues.

After you finish troubleshooting, reset the computer to start normally (see Resetting your computer to start normally).

If your issue does continue in the clean boot environment, try troubleshooting in safe mode to determine if default settings or basic device drivers are the cause (see Starting in Safe Mode with Networking).

Resetting your computer to start normally

Windows 10 and Windows 8

1. Open the System Configuration tool.
   Note: Depending on your version of Windows, you can open most apps and tools in different ways. Some of the most commonly used methods are described below.
   Do one of the following:
   • Click Start to access the Search box (if hidden), type msconfig, and then select the System Configuration App.
   • Right-click Start and select Run. In Open, type msconfig, and then click OK.
2. From the General tab, select Normal Startup.
3. Click the Services tab, clear the Hide all Microsoft services option, and then click Enable all.
   
4. Click the Startup tab, and then select Open Task Manager.
   The Task Manger window opens to the Startup tab.
5. Select an item with a Disabled status, and then click Enable. Repeat this for each disabled item that you want to run at startup.
6. Close the Task Manger window.
7. From the System Configuration app, click OK.
8. Restart your computer.

Your computer now starts normally.

Windows 7

1. Open the System Configuration tool.
   • Click Start, in the Search box type msconfig.exe, and then press Enter.
2. From the General tab, click Normal Startup, and then click OK.
3. Restart your computer.

Your computer now starts normally.