Windows Clean Boot Guide

TL;DR

This guide shows you how to set up Windows so it starts with only essential services and drivers each time, giving you a cleaner system. This is useful for troubleshooting problems or improving performance.

How to Clean Boot Windows Automatically

1. Understand Selective Startup: Windows normally loads many programs and services at startup. Selective Startup lets you choose what starts.
   • This doesn’t permanently remove anything, just stops it from loading on boot.
   • You can always undo the changes later.
2. Open System Configuration: There are a few ways to do this:
   1. Press Windows Key + R, type msconfig and press Enter.
   2. Search for “System Configuration” in the Start Menu.
3. Go to the Services Tab: In System Configuration, click on the ‘Services’ tab.
   • You’ll see a long list of Windows services.
   • Important: Check the box “Hide all Microsoft services”. This prevents you from accidentally disabling essential system components.
4. Disable Non-Microsoft Services:
   • Carefully review the remaining services.
   • Uncheck the boxes next to any service you don’t need running at startup. If unsure, leave it checked!
   • Common candidates for disabling include third-party antivirus software (temporarily), update checkers, and background utilities.
5. Go to the Startup Tab: Click on the ‘Startup’ tab.
   • This shows programs that launch when you log in.
   • Click “Open Task Manager”. This will open the Task Manager with a list of startup items.
6. Disable Startup Programs: In Task Manager:
   1. Right-click on each program you want to disable and select ‘Disable’.
   2. Again, be cautious about disabling things you don’t recognize.
7. Apply Changes: Back in System Configuration:
   • Click “Apply” then “OK”.
   • You’ll be prompted to restart your computer. Choose ‘Restart’.
8. Test and Re-enable if Necessary: After restarting, see if the problem you were trying to fix is resolved.
   • If it’s not fixed, repeat steps 4 & 5, enabling services/programs one at a time until the issue reappears. This helps identify the culprit.
9. Revert to Normal Startup: When you’re finished troubleshooting:
   1. Open System Configuration (msconfig).
   2. Click the ‘General’ tab.
   3. Select “Normal startup”.
   4. Click “Apply” then “OK”, and restart your computer.

Advanced: Using a Batch File (For Automation)

You can automate the clean boot process using a batch file, but this requires more technical knowledge. This is not recommended for beginners.

@echo off
REM Disable Services
reg add "HKLMSYSTEMCurrentControlSetControlSafeBootMinimal" /v BootExecute /t REG_SZ /d autocheck autochk *

REM Disable Startup Programs (Requires Tasklist and Powershell)
taskkill /f /im explorer.exe
Stop-Process -Name Explorer

REM Re-enable services/programs when needed (reverse the above commands)

Warning: Incorrectly modifying the registry or using batch files can cause system instability. Back up your system before attempting this.