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System Health and Repair Guide 2

Windows 11 Stability and Repair Guide

Section titled “Windows 11 Stability and Repair Guide”

1. Check for Windows Updates

Section titled “1. Check for Windows Updates”

Keeping your system updated can resolve stability issues.

Terminal window
sfc /scannow

Steps:

  1. Press Win + I to open Settings.
  2. Navigate to Windows Update.
  3. Click Check for updates and install any pending updates.

2. Run System File Checker (SFC) and DISM

Section titled “2. Run System File Checker (SFC) and DISM”

These commands scan and repair corrupted system files.

Terminal window
sfc /scannow

If SFC finds issues but can’t fix them, use:

Terminal window
dism /online /cleanup-image /restorehealth

3. Check and Repair Disk Errors

Section titled “3. Check and Repair Disk Errors”

Scan and repair potential disk issues.

Terminal window
chkdsk /f /r

You may need to restart for the repair to complete.

4. Optimize Startup and Background Processes

Section titled “4. Optimize Startup and Background Processes”

Disable unnecessary startup programs:

Terminal window
Get-ItemProperty HKCU:\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run

Disable a startup program:

Terminal window
reg delete HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run /v ProgramName /f

Or use Task Manager (Ctrl + Shift + Esc) to disable startup apps manually.

5. Update Drivers

Section titled “5. Update Drivers”

Check for outdated drivers:

Terminal window
Get-WmiObject Win32_PnPSignedDriver | Select-Object DeviceName, DriverVersion

Update drivers via Windows Update:

Terminal window
pnputil /scan-devices

Or manually update from manufacturer websites.

6. Free Up Disk Space

Section titled “6. Free Up Disk Space”

Run Disk Cleanup:

Terminal window
cleanmgr /sageset:1
cleanmgr /sagerun:1

Alternatively, use Storage Sense in Win + I > System > Storage.

7. Scan for Malware

Section titled “7. Scan for Malware”

Run Windows Defender scan:

Terminal window
Start-MpScan -ScanType FullScan

Or use third-party tools like Malwarebytes.

8. Reset Windows Components

Section titled “8. Reset Windows Components”

Reset Windows Update components if updates fail:

Terminal window
net stop wuauserv
net stop cryptSvc
net stop bits
net stop msiserver
ren C:\Windows\SoftwareDistribution SoftwareDistribution.old
ren C:\Windows\System32\catroot2 catroot2.old
net start wuauserv
net start cryptSvc
net start bits
net start msiserver

9. Perform a Clean Boot

Section titled “9. Perform a Clean Boot”

This helps identify software conflicts.

  1. Press Win + R, type msconfig, and hit Enter.
  2. Under Services, check “Hide all Microsoft services” and disable the rest.
  3. Go to Startup > Open Task Manager and disable unnecessary apps.
  4. Restart your PC.

10. Restore or Reset Windows

Section titled “10. Restore or Reset Windows”

If all else fails, restore Windows:

Terminal window
rstrui.exe

For a full reset:

  1. Go to Settings > System > Recovery.
  2. Choose “Reset this PC” and follow the prompts.

Following these steps should help improve stability and fix common issues on Windows 11. If problems persist, consider hardware diagnostics or a fresh OS installation.