On most systems, Windows 8 is
optimized to decrease boot time from many seconds (or minutes) to just
a handful of seconds. For example, a laptop might take approximately 35
seconds to boot to Windows 7. With Windows 8, the boot time is only
eight seconds. You may or may not see that large of a decrease in wait
time, but you should pay attention if the boot time takes longer and
longer each time you start your computer.
Many things that prevent a computer from starting
have nothing to do with Windows 8. It often takes even seasoned pros
many hours to diagnose and repair startup problems. But before you
resort to the repair shop, here are some other things you can try.
Restore system files to an earlier time
If you can get the computer to
start in Safe Mode, try restoring your files to an earlier time. In
Safe Mode, click the Start button, type Restore,
and then click System Restore on the Start menu. Follow the onscreen
instructions to restore system files from a date prior to when the
problem began. Choose the most recent date. For example, if the problem
started today, restore files from yesterday or the day before.
Windows 8 Automatic Repair Mode
If you press F8 during boot up, or if
Windows 8 automatically detects an issue with your startup, you see a
light blue window (not the Blue Screen of Death) that says “Automatic
Repair.” This is Windows 8’s Automatic Repair Mode.
System Restore turns back the clock to a previous
setup when Windows was working correctly. During the System Restore
process, you do not lose any personal data that you added to the
system. Instead, programs and apps that were installed after the latest
System Restore point and time are uninstalled from your computer. The
assumption is that a program or app may have damaged your computer to
the point that it will not boot. By removing the programs and apps,
Windows may be able to start properly.
If you decide to choose to restore, the process
cannot be undone. You have the option of canceling, but you must do it
from this initial screen; don’t try to cancel after you start the
restore process. If you decide to cancel, click the Cancel button now.
To continue, click the Restore button and work through the onscreen prompts.
Repair Windows 8 Install
If you have the DVD with Windows 8 on
it, you can boot from that disc and do a repair installation. Put that
disc in the DVD drive and start the computer. Watch the screen for the
message “Press Any Key To Boot From CD Or DVD” (or a similar message);
then, press Enter or the Spacebar.
If the option to boot from the CD or DVD never
appears, and the computer won’t boot from that disc, you need to change
your BIOS options to boot from the CD/DVD drive. How you do that varies
from one computer to the next. Typically, you start the computer and
then immediately start pressing the F1, F2, or Del key (perhaps all
three, if you don’t know which is required) repeatedly as the computer
is starting. This should take you to the BIOS Setup options where you
can configure the computer to try booting from the CD/DVD before it
tries booting from the hard drive. Close and save the new settings. The
computer will restart, and this time you should be able to boot from
the Windows DVD.
If you’re able to boot from the DVD, the first
screen you see will likely ask about your language and locale. Make any
necessary changes and click Next. On the next page, click Repair Your
Computer (not the Install Now option). Then just follow the onscreen
instructions to do a repair install of Windows 8.
Advanced startup
If you can boot into Windows 8, but are
having issues with the boot process, consider using Windows 8’s
Advanced Startup tool. This tool does assume you can boot into Windows
and navigate to the PC Settings area.
To use this tool, perform the following steps:
1. Display the Charms Bar and choose Settings.
2. Click Change PC Settings.
3. Click the General item.
4. Scroll to the last item on the page, as shown in Figure 1.
5. Click the Restart Now button. Windows displays a screen similar to the one in Figure 2.
6. Click Troubleshoot.
7. Click one of three options and work through the onscreen prompts:
- Refresh Your PC: Use this option to
refresh your copy of Windows but not to destroy any of your files. This is a good option as you do not lose your file and you get
a “fresh” version of Windows.
- Reset Your PC: Use this option to
completely remove all files (including files you have created) and to
reinstall Windows 8. This will destroy all files you have created or
saved to the computer. You should not use this option until you have
made a backup of your critical files and you should use it only as a
last resort — when all other troubleshooting tasks fail.
- Advanced Options: Provides several additional tools for fixing startup problems, as shown in Figure 3.
