When your laptop is stuck in a restart loop, it can be frustrating and disruptive. This issue, often caused by power settings, driver conflicts, or problematic startup programs, can prevent you from accessing your system.
1. Check Power Settings
Incorrect power settings can cause your laptop to restart repeatedly. To address this, access the Power Options in the Control Panel. Ensure that the settings are configured to prevent the system from restarting unnecessarily. For example, disable the Fast Startup feature, which can sometimes interfere with the boot process.
Additionally, check the Advanced Power Settings to ensure that the system is not set to restart after a critical error. Adjusting these settings can often resolve restart loops caused by power-related issues.
2. Update or Roll Back Drivers
Outdated or incompatible drivers are a common cause of restart loops. To fix this, boot your laptop in Safe Mode and navigate to the Device Manager. Look for any devices with a yellow exclamation mark, indicating a driver issue.
Update the drivers for these devices by right-clicking and selecting Update Driver. If the issue persists after updating, consider rolling back to a previous driver version. This can be done by selecting Properties > Driver > Roll Back Driver.
3. Disable Problematic Startup Programs
Startup programs that conflict with the operating system can cause your laptop to restart repeatedly. To identify and disable these programs, open the Task Manager and navigate to the Startup tab. Here, you will see a list of programs that launch when your system boots.
Disable any unnecessary or suspicious programs by right-clicking and selecting Disable. Restart your laptop to see if the issue is resolved. If the problem persists, repeat the process and disable additional programs until the restart loop is fixed.
4. Run System File Checker
Corrupted system files can also cause restart loops. To check for and repair these files, open the Command Prompt as an administrator and type sfc /scannow. This command will scan your system for corrupted files and attempt to repair them automatically.
If the System File Checker finds and fixes issues, restart your laptop to see if the problem is resolved. If no issues are found, consider running the DISM (Deployment Imaging Service and Management Tool) to further ensure system integrity.
5. Check for Windows Updates
Outdated system software can lead to compatibility issues and restart loops. To ensure your system is up to date, navigate to Settings > Update & Security > Windows Update. Click Check for Updates and install any available updates.
After updating, restart your laptop to see if the issue is resolved. If the problem persists, consider performing a Clean Boot to isolate the cause further.
6. Perform a System Restore
If none of the above steps resolve the issue, a system restore may be necessary. This process will revert your system to a previous state where it was functioning correctly. To perform a system restore, boot your laptop in Safe Mode and open the System Restore tool.
Select a restore point from before the issue began and follow the on-screen instructions. After the restore is complete, restart your laptop to see if the problem is resolved. This step can often fix issues caused by recent software changes or updates.