[2025 Fixes] How to Fix Your Computer Was Unable to Start

Quick Access to Fix "Your computer was unable to start" Error

This "Your computer was unable to start" error may be caused by system files. When the system files were broken or corrupted, it may cause the issue. To solve it, you can use System File Checker (SFC) to repair the broken system files:

Step 1. Press Win + X to bring up the Power User menu and select Command Prompt.

Step 2. Type: sfc /scannow and hit "Enter"...Read More>>

Top 4 Solutions to Fix "Your computer was unable to start"

We have provided you with useful solutions. You can try them one by one until the "computer unable to start" error was fixed.

Error Message - Your Computer Was Unable To Start

"Original Title: Your computer could not start...startup repair is checking your system for problems. I have a new Toshiba with windows 10 preinstalled when I first took it out of the box and turned it on, it started up fine after I connected to my network it stops responding and shut down I tried to start it back up, it went to the startup repair utility and stays on that screen I've let it run for hours and nothing happens is there a way around this... Is there a way I can start in safe mode to try and figure out what's going on?"

Your computer was unable to start. Startup repair is checking your system for problems... Once such an error occurs, you're going to suffer from disasters as follows:

• Your Windows new updates have failed to install properly on your computer.
• The endless Startup Repair loop takes a long time to check your system for problems.
• Your PC has run into problems such as operating system file corruption or misconfiguration.

How do we resolve this error? Do not panic! Pick up the best troubleshooting guide below. Before you are going to fix the error, access the data without OS. Your files are probably OK. If you access the files and export them to another place, you can fix the won't boot device without worries.

Recover Data When Your Computer Was Unable to Start First

You need two things for help, including our third-party EaseUS bootable data recovery software and another working computer. EaseUS bootable data recovery software recovers lost data even when the operating system fails to start or crashes. It is mainly designed for data recovery cases of any system crash or starting problems. Follow the steps to rescue files when your computer cannot boot into Windows:

Step 1. Create a bootable disk

Launch EaseUS Data Recovery Wizard, choose "Crashed PC" and click "Go to Recover".

Select an empty USB to create the bootable drive and click "Create".

⚠️Warning: When you create a bootable disk, EaseUS Data Recovery Wizard will erase all data saved in the USB drive. Back up important data beforehand. 

Step 2. Boot your computer from the bootable USB

Connect the bootable disk to the PC that won't boot and change your computer boot sequence in BIOS. For most users, it works well when they restart their computer and press F2 simultaneously to enter BIOS.

Set to boot the PC from "Removable Devices" (bootable USB disk) beyond Hard Drive. Press "F10" to save and exit.

Step 3. Recover data from a crashed system/PC

After booting from EaseUS Data Recovery Wizard bootable disk, select the drive you want to scan to find all your lost files. Preview and recover the files you need to a safe location.

💡Tip: You can restore data on the local disks, external hard drives, and also the cloud storage.

After you have exported data to a safe location, you can now fix the unbootable PC or laptop. Usually, when this happens for the first time, just wait for the Startup Repair utility checking the problem for you. If the checking process goes smoothly, largely, it's because the computer shuts down improperly. But if you have waited for a long time, you can follow the solutions below.

1. Fix 1. Boot into Safe Mode
2. Fix 2. Run SFC
3. Fix 3. Run System Repair
4. Fix 4. Reinstall Windows 10

Fix 1. Boot into Safe Mode to Fix "Your computer was unable to start"

If a reboot didn't work, and it takes forever for Startup Repair to check the problem, maybe you have a corrupt driver. In this case, try to boot into Safe Mode. When your computer has problems, it’s always a good idea to enter the Safe Mode to trigger the reason for this issue.

Step 1. Turn off your PC by pressing the power button.

Step 2. Press the power button to turn on your PC, then hold the power button down until the PC shuts down automatically (about 5 seconds). Repeat this more than 2 times until you see the Preparing Automatic Repair.

Step 3. Click "Advanced Options" > "Startup Settings" > "Restart".

Step 4. Now you will see the "Startup Settings" screen. You can choose one of the three Safe Mode options: "Enable Safe Mode", "Enable Safe Mode with Networking", or "Enable Safe Mode with Command Prompt".

Step 5. Restart your computer and see whether it boots properly.

Fix 2. Run SFC to Fix Computer Unable To Start Error

As I have explained before, system file issues can also result in "Your computer was unable to start" error. In this case, you can run sfc /scannow command to fix it.

Step 1. If you are running Windows 10, Windows 8.1, or Windows 8, first run the inbox Deployment Image Servicing and Management (DISM) tool prior to running the System File Checker. (If you are running Windows 7 or Windows Vista, skip to Step 3.) 

Step 2. Type the following command, and then press "Enter". 

DISM.exe /Online /Cleanup-image /Restorehealth
DISM.exe /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth /Source:C:\RepairSource\Windows /LimitAccess

Replace the C:\RepairSource\Windows placeholder with the location of your repair source.

Step 3. At the command prompt, type the following command: sfc /scannow and then press "Enter":

Read Also: SFC scannow There is a system repair pending

Fix 3. Run System Repair to Make your Computer Bootable

When your PC is unbootable and the SFC/SCANNOW cannot repair the error, follow this method immediately. 

Step 1. Insert CD/DVD into DVD-ROM or connected external DVD drive.

Step 2. Click "Control Panel" on the computer screen, then click "Backup and Restore (Windows 7)".

Step 3. Click "Create a system repair disc" from the left column to open the repair disc creation window. Follow the on-screen instructions to create a system repair disc.

Step 4. Put the disc in your optical drive and restart to boot from the drive. Change the boot settings in your BIOS if booting from a CD/DVD is not enabled. 

Step 5. On the "Install Windows" screen, make the appropriate selections for language, time, and keyboard, and then click "Next".

Step 6. On the next screen, click "Repair Your Computer". Do not click "Install now". Then, click "Next", and select "Startup Repair" or whichever option you wish to apply.

After these steps, you can try to restart your computer and see if you have solved the problem or not. If the answer is No, the last choice is system restore.

Fix 4. Create a Windows Installation Disk to Reinstall Windows 10

This method is available when your PC cannot boot properly. Before starting, please prepare a USB drive. Here are the steps:

Step 1. Create a Windows 10 installation media on an empty USB (min 8GB).

Step 2. Connect the Windows 10 installation USB to your PC and boot the system into BIOS. 

Step 3. Locate the boot options menu and set the USB Boot option is at the top of the Boot Priority List.

Step 4. Save your changes and restart the system to start installing Windows 10 on the disk.

Step 5. Select "USB flash drive > Install Now > Install Windows only".

Your computer may restart several times during this process. And the installation may take several minutes, about half an hour or more, just wait patiently. When you complete the installation, reboot the PC and enter the BIOS. Set the computer to boot from the disk with Windows 10. Save the changes and restart the PC. 

Conclusion

That's all about the way to fix "Your computer was unable to start startup repair is checking your system for problems" error. Don't worry about the state of your PC. The solutions above could solve most of the errors. By the way, if you have a blue screen of death error, you can refer to the video below:

Follow this video to learn how to:

• Fix MBR and system file error and boot error using Windows installation disc.
• Fix BCD error, which always cases system boot issue.
• Uninstall software or driver in safe mode to fix BSOD.