A stripped-down Windows environment for troubleshooting issues. Hold Shift while clicking Restart.
Troubleshooting
A Windows tool that logs system events, including errors, crashes, and other helpful clues.
Loose connections can cause all sorts of quirks. Power down, unplug everything, blow out the dust, then carefully plug it all back in.
Every open program eats up resources. Close ones you’re not actively using.
Low storage and memory can lead to poor performance. Try uninstalling apps you don’t use or moving files to the cloud.
Viruses and their nasty friends can throw a real wrench in the works. Run a full system scan just to be safe.
Glitches are often caused by out-of-date software. Keep your OS, drivers, and apps updated.
Completely shut down the device, wait a minute, then start it back up. Fixes a surprising number of issues.
A crash so bad, Windows can’t recover. Note the error message and look it up later. Then take a deep breath and reboot.
Don’t beat yourself up trying to fix something alone. Ask a friend, visit a forum, or call tech support.