Are you running Windows 11? There's a chance that you might face infinite boot loop error.
If your PC keeps on restarting countless times and fails to get into the login screen, you definitely have a problem.
This boot loop error isn't much seen in the older Windows versions. But in Windows 11 and Windows 10, it has been seen a lot.
Windows 11 boot loop error is mainly caused due to faulty registry files that can prevent PCs from starting normally. This creates infinite Windows startup boots and keeps on restarting your PC.
This isn't a sudden problem. You will notice some abnormalities in your Windows 11 system before your computer gets stuck in loops, such as:
Now, no need to worry. This post will share all the troubleshoots to fix the Windows 11 boot loop error swiftly. All you have to do is follow this guide to the dot.
Workable Solutions | Step-by-step Troubleshooting |
---|---|
Windows 11 Boot Loop Quick Fixes | 1. Unplug external drives and restart Windows 11...Full steps |
Method 1. Run Windows Automatic Repair | Step 1. Open a command prompt at boot...Full steps |
Method 2. Repair Boot Drive from Command Prompt | Step 1. Go to Troubleshoot > Advanced options > Command Prompt...Full steps |
Method 3. Clean Windows SoftwareDistribution Folder | 1. Unplug external drives and restart Windows 11...Full steps |
You already know that the Windows registry files are the main culprit behind the Windows 11 boot loop issue. Now, let's see which registry files are exactly the problem here:
Now, let's get to the main topic: how to fix the Windows boot loop? Well, sometimes, the boot loop error occurs because of small things like faulty apps or incompatible drivers. In that case, you can run a few quick fixes to resolve the issue, such as:
1. Unplug external drives and restart Windows 11
Sometimes the external drives attached to your computer are the culprits. The external drives might contain viruses or some corrupted files that are impacting your Windows registry. So, the quickest fix is to unplug all the external drives attached to your computer and then restart your Windows 11 to see how it boots now.
2. Run antivirus scan
As we have already discussed, viruses and malware can corrupt your Windows registry files and cause several system errors, including the infinite boot loop. So, simply run an antivirus scan on your computer and get rid of all the system vulnerabilities.
3. Check and enable Secure Boot Mode
Secure Boot Mode is a built-in security feature in Windows 11 that provides a secure environment to start your system. Once check if the Secure Boot Mode is enabled on your system to securely boot your PC.
Steps to Check and Enable Secure Boot Mode
Step 1. Open Start Menu > System Information > System Summary > Check if the Secure Boot State option has On or Off written next to it.
Step 2. If Secure Boot Mode is disabled on your computer, you can turn it on by clicking on Settings > Update & Security > Recovery > Restart now button under the Advanced startup section.
Step 3. Then, go to the Troubleshoot > Advanced options > UEFI Firmware Settings (this option won't be available on legacy BIOS) > Restart button.
Step 4. Open the security settings page.
Step 5. Choose the Secure Boot option, press Enter. Then, select the Enabled option.
Step 6. Exit the UEFI settings and restart your computer.
If these quick solutions haven't worked for you, don't stress. You can try some of the advanced options to fix the Windows 11 boot loop error, such as:
Automatic repair is a built-in Windows recovery tool that can diagnose and troubleshoot common Windows 11 boot errors. This feature is automatically triggered when a system fails to boot in two consecutive attempts.
The tool runs several diagnostic tests to detect and self-repair booting problems. If the Automatic Repair tool is disabled on your computer, you can enable it to fix Windows 11 boot loop errors for you. To enable Windows Automatic Repair, follow these steps:
Step 1. Open a command prompt at boot.
Step 2. Enter the bcdedit in the command prompt and press Enter.
Step 3. Enter the following command to enable the Windows Automatic Repair:
bcdedit /set {identifier} recoveryenabled Yes
Step 4. Close the command prompt and start your Windows 11 to automatically repair the boot loop error.
If your boot repair isn't working properly, the Windows 11 boot loop error can also be created. To fix the boot drive, you can use this Command Prompt:
Step 1. Go to Troubleshoot > Advanced options > Command Prompt.
Step 2. Type bootrec.exe /rebuildbcd and hit Enter.
Step 3. Type bootrec.exe /fixmbr and hit Enter.
Step 4. Type bootrec.exe /fixboot and hit Enter.
Step 5. Type exit and hit Enter once you have completed each command successfully. Also, restart your PC to check whether you are still stuck in Windows infinite boot loops.
The "SoftwareDistribution" folder is an important component for Windows Update. This folder temporarily stores files that you need to install new updates on your Windows 11 device.
However, if you are facing Windows 11 boot loop error after updating an app or Windows files on your computer, it's safe to empty the SoftwareDistribution folder. Also, reinstall Windows 11 after clearing the SoftwareDistribution folder to make sure the faulty Windows OS isn't causing the problem.
To remove content inside the SoftwareDistribution folder, follow these steps:
Step 1. Go to the Start Menu > Run as administrator > Type net stop wuauserv > Hit Enter.
Step 2. Type this command to stop the Background Intelligent Transfer Service and press Enter:
net stop bits
Step 3. Press Windows + R keys on your keyboard to open the Run command.
Step 4. Follow this path on the File Explorer:
C:\Windows\SoftwareDistribution
Step 5. Select all the content and click on the Delete button.
Step 6. Again go to the Command Prompt and type the following command to start the Windows Update Service:
net start wuauserv
Step 7. Now, use this command to start the Background Intelligent Transfer Service and press Enter:
net start bits
Step 8. You can now go to Microsoft website and reinstall Windows 11 ISO files on your computer.
If all these Command Prompt-based solutions are making you dizzy, you can turn to Qiling Windows 11 Update Support Service. The Qiling technical team will provide you comprehensive solutions to fix Windows 11 boot loop and many other errors.
To avoid Windows 11 boot loop error or any other system errors, effectively manage and optimize your disk using the following tips:
You can use Qiling Partition Master to manage disk space and all your partitions. The software will merge, resize, edit, format, delete and wipe data from your hard disk permanently to protect your system.
[1] "Resize/Move" enables you to adjust space of a selected disk partition as wish. By "Resize/Move", you can shrink a volume, extend the other one, or create unallocated space for special use.
[2] "Clone" is for the purpose of making two identical hard disks or partitions with the same layout and content. You can use the "Clone" feature to upgrade a hard disk, replace a failing one, backup the drive data and so on.
[3] "Delete" is a common method to remove an unwanted disk partition, turning it into unallocated space.
[4] "Format" is frequently used in many situations. By formatting a drive partition, you can alter the file system, fix some corruption issues, and sometimes remove viruses and malware.
[5] "Allocate space" is very useful when one drive partition space is too much while the other is inadequate.
[6] "Migrate OS" makes it easy to transfer a Windows installation drive to the other without reinstalling.
[7] Conversion between GPT and MBR, NTFS and FAT32, and Basic to Dynamic is getting more and more popular among Qiling Partition Master customers. Besides all the listed benefits, there are so many functional yet practical features are waiting you to explore.
You should back up your Windows 11 OS and other data for the safe side. To backup Windows files, folders, apps, and system settings, you can use Qiling Backup for help.
Step 1. On the Backup and recovery page, click "System backup" feature to start.
Step 2. Qiling Backup will automatically select your system partition, you only need to select the backup destination.
Step 3. Both Local Drive and NAS are available for you to save the backup file.
Step 4. After finishing the backup process, you can check the backup status, recover, open, or delete the backup by clicking the backup task on the left.
Use the robust antivirus and antimalware program to constantly scan your system for vulnerabilities and abnormalities.
There you go, people! You have learned all the awesome ways to fix the Windows 11 boot loop problem.
So, now don't panic whenever your system is stuck in the infinite boot loops. Here you can go and adjust your registry files, unplug external drives, use Safe Mode or scan your system with antivirus software.
And if nothing works, give a call to the Qiling team, and we will help you fix all the Windows 11 installation problems for you.
Further, you can use Qiling family tools like Partition Master, Qiling Backup, and other tools to better optimize your Windows 11 environment.