The menu with advanced startup options is a fundamental function and must be known for those who use a Windows 10 or Windows 8 PC, because it allows access to the diagnostic and repair tools that are used to correct computer startup errors . These tools are part of the Recovery Console of Windows 10 or Windows RE (Recovery Environment), which is loaded into a separate partition from the actual system. The recovery console is different from the boot menu which allows you to choose the boot disk and is also different from the safe mode, the one that loads Windows with only the essential services. The recovery console can then be the only way to start the computer when it no longer starts and when Windows goes into a loop and restarts continuously.
In the Recovery console of Windows 10 there are vital and automatic tools such as that to repair the boot, to restore the system configuration, to reset the PC (which means to reset it from programs while still keeping personal files), to return to a version previous Windows 10 (if there are problems after an update), enter safe mode and, above all, to enter the Command Prompt from which it becomes possible to correct practically any type of error and also to save the files in an external drive.
Knowing how to enter the recovery console therefore becomes essential to be able to repair the PC when the system fails the initial load and everything seems lost.
The Windows 10 recovery console menu should appear automatically after two consecutive startup errors. The first way, therefore, to make it appear, is to press the reset or the shutdown button (on the laptops you have to keep it pressed) to restart it two or three times before the login screen or the desktop appears.
Cleaner ways to access the recovery console are instead the following and we divide them into two groups: the first three to be used if Windows 10 starts normally or if at least it loads correctly up to the login screen. The second three, however, are to be used to open the console with boot options in case the PC does not boot and crashes immediately during the initial load.
At the prompt, run the command
shutdown / r / o
To cancel the shutdown command once executed (as if you forgot to save your work!) Execute in the same shutdown window / a .
After a few seconds, during which nothing seems to happen, Windows 10 will close and the menu of advanced startup options will appear on restart.
Go Next to the first Windows installation screen, then to the second press on Repair your computer at the bottom of the window.
It should be noted, however, that in this case the recovery console is more limited than the one you load from Windows 10, but you can use the command prompt to do any data recovery or repair operation.
By loading the PC from the recovery USB stick, choose the keyboard layout and then wait for the recovery options to appear.
Method 6: boot directly to advanced boot options
Only on some computers it is possible that by pressing a key on the keyboard the recovery console appears, for example by pressing the F11 key as soon as you turn on the computer.
Fortunately, you can recreate the Windows RE recovery console as seen in another article.
Use the option to repair your computer startup
READ ALSO: How to reset Windows 10 and what it means
In the Recovery console of Windows 10 there are vital and automatic tools such as that to repair the boot, to restore the system configuration, to reset the PC (which means to reset it from programs while still keeping personal files), to return to a version previous Windows 10 (if there are problems after an update), enter safe mode and, above all, to enter the Command Prompt from which it becomes possible to correct practically any type of error and also to save the files in an external drive.
Knowing how to enter the recovery console therefore becomes essential to be able to repair the PC when the system fails the initial load and everything seems lost.
The Windows 10 recovery console menu should appear automatically after two consecutive startup errors. The first way, therefore, to make it appear, is to press the reset or the shutdown button (on the laptops you have to keep it pressed) to restart it two or three times before the login screen or the desktop appears.
Cleaner ways to access the recovery console are instead the following and we divide them into two groups: the first three to be used if Windows 10 starts normally or if at least it loads correctly up to the login screen. The second three, however, are to be used to open the console with boot options in case the PC does not boot and crashes immediately during the initial load.
How to open the recovery console if Windows 10 loads, from the desktop or from the login screen.
Method 1: Shift + restart
This is the easiest way to open the recovery console: hold down the Shift key while pressing the Restart key on the lock screen. This method does not work, however, if you use an on-screen keyboard.Method 2: Settings menu
In Windows 10, press the Start button and then the settings button, go to Update and Security, then go to Recovery and press the Restart Now button in the Advanced Startup section on the right.Method 3: stop command
Right click on the Start button, then on Run and and run the cmd command to open the Command Prompt.At the prompt, run the command
shutdown / r / o
To cancel the shutdown command once executed (as if you forgot to save your work!) Execute in the same shutdown window / a .
After a few seconds, during which nothing seems to happen, Windows 10 will close and the menu of advanced startup options will appear on restart.
If the PC no longer starts like entering the recovery console (if it does not appear by itself)
Method 4: boot from the Windows 10/8 installation media
Insert a DVD or USB stick with Windows 10 installation files into the computer and boot the PC from the DVD or USB (see how to change the boot order of the PC)Go Next to the first Windows installation screen, then to the second press on Repair your computer at the bottom of the window.
It should be noted, however, that in this case the recovery console is more limited than the one you load from Windows 10, but you can use the command prompt to do any data recovery or repair operation.
Method 5: booting from a Windows 10/8 recovery drive
If a Windows 10 recovery drive was created, insert it into the free USB port. If it had never been created, you can use any other computer with Windows 10 to create a recovery USB stick that will also work with our computer (as long as it is the same version).By loading the PC from the recovery USB stick, choose the keyboard layout and then wait for the recovery options to appear.
Method 6: boot directly to advanced boot options
Only on some computers it is possible that by pressing a key on the keyboard the recovery console appears, for example by pressing the F11 key as soon as you turn on the computer.
What to do if the recovery console does not have the repair tools
The recovery console, as mentioned above, is loaded from a different partition than the one where Windows 10 is installed. If this partition had been deleted, when you open the advanced boot options menu, it will be almost empty, with just the key to restart Windows 10 and nothing more.Fortunately, you can recreate the Windows RE recovery console as seen in another article.
Important recovery console options
In the Advanced startup options, the first thing to do is press the troubleshooting square and then go to Advanced Options . Here you can proceed in the following order to solve the boot problem.Use the option to repair your computer startup
- Enter Windows 10 Safe Mode and see if your PC starts smoothly. To do this, click on Start settings and then on Restart
- If that doesn't work, try the option to repair the computer startup
- If nothing works and nothing has changed, try the system restore option
- If there were errors after installing a new version of Windows 10, use the key to go back to the previous version.
- If you have the backup image, try a restore from the backup disk.
- If you still have not been able to start the PC, before using the Reset PC key which does a complete reset (keeping the personal files intact anyway), it is better to open the command prompt . From the Prompt, following specific guides, it is possible to launch the commands to recover access to the PC.
READ ALSO: How to reset Windows 10 and what it means
