This article describes how to start your computer by using a minimal set of drivers and startup programs so that you can determine whether a background program is interfering with your game or program. This kind of startup is known as a "clean boot." This article also provides information that you can use to try to determine which background program is causing the problem.

Instructions are also provided to return Windows to a Normal startup mode.

If you are a Windows XP user, you can watch a video included with this article for a demonstration of how to perform a clean boot procedure. Another video available in this article shows how to return Windows to a Normal startup mode.

This article is intended for a beginning to intermediate computer user.

You may find it easier to follow the steps if you print this article first.

Before you start troubleshooting the problem, check the "Prerequisites" section.

Prerequisites

Check the following requirements before you follow any of the methods in this article.

• You must be logged on as an administrator or as a member of the Administrators group to perform the methods discussed in this article. If this is your personal computer, you are likely already logged on with an administrator account. If this is a computer that is part of a network at work, you might have to ask the system administrator for help. To verify that you are logged on to Windows with a user account that is a computer administrator, visit the following Microsoft Web site:
  http://support.microsoft.com/gp/admin (http://support.microsoft.com/gp/admin)
• You must know which version of Windows your computer is running. To determine which version of Windows that you are running, visit the following Microsoft Web site:
  http://support.microsoft.com/gp/admin (http://support.microsoft.com/gp/admin)

Things that you should know before you perform a clean boot procedure

• Some services may temporarily lose functionality when you perform a clean boot procedure. When you restore the settings, the functionality will be restored. However, the original error message or behavior may return.
• Be aware that if the computer is connected to a network, the network policy settings might prevent you from completing the clean boot procedure. You might have to contact the system administrator for help if you cannot perform a clean boot.

Next, go to the "How to perform a clean boot procedure" section to continue.

When you start Windows in Normal startup mode, several programs start automatically and run in the background. These programs may include third-party antivirus programs, system utility programs, and other programs that you installed. These programs may interfere when you install, run, or use a game or program such as Microsoft Flight Simulator or Microsoft Streets and Trips. If this occurs, you can use the clean boot procedure to prevent these programs from starting automatically. Then, check your game or program to see whether the problem still occurs while in clean boot mode.

If you are a Windows XP user, you can watch a video included in this section for a demonstration of how to perform a clean boot procedure.

To perform a clean boot procedure, go to the appropriate section for your Windows version.

• If you are running Windows Vista, go to the "If you use Windows Vista" section.
• If you are running Windows XP, go to the "If you use Windows XP" section.

If you use Windows Vista

To perform a clean boot on a computer that is running Windows Vista, follow these steps.

1. Click Start
   Collapse this imageExpand this image

   
   , type msconfig in the Start Search box, and then press ENTER.
   
   
   Collapse this imageExpand this image

   
   If you are prompted for an administrator password or for a confirmation, type the password, or click Continue.
2. On the General tab, click Selective Startup.
3. Under Selective Startup, click to clear the Load Startup Items check box.
4. Click the Services tab, click to select the Hide All Microsoft Services check box, and then click Disable All.
5. Click OK.
6. When you are prompted, click Restart.
7. After the computer starts, start the game or program and check whether the problem is resolved.

If you use Windows XP

To perform a clean boot on a computer that is running Windows XP, follow these steps.

1. Click Start, and then click Run.
2. Type msconfig in the Open box, and then click OK.
3. On the General tab, click Selective Startup.
4. Under Selective Startup, click to clear the following check boxes:
   • Process SYSTEM.INI File
   • Process WIN.INI File
   • Load Startup Items
5. Click the Services tab, click to select the Hide All Microsoft Services check box, and then click Disable All.
6. Click OK.
7. When you are prompted, click Restart.
8. After the computer starts, start the game or program and check whether the problem is resolved.

If the problem does not return while your computer is in clean boot mode, then this indicates that a background program is interfering. Go to the "How to determine what is causing the problem" section for instructions.

If the problem returns while your computer is in clean boot mode, the interference is not being caused by a background program. In this case, unfortunately, this article cannot help you any further. Please go to the "How to return Windows to a Normal startup mode" section to return your computer to a Normal startup mode. Then, go to the "Next steps" section for other resources that may help you resolve this problem.

Watch a video about how to perform a clean boot procedure on a computer that is running Windows XP

Click Play to view this streaming media demonstration.

If the problem does not return while your computer is in clean boot mode, a background program is likely causing interference. You can try to determine which background program is causing the problem while the computer is in clean boot mode.

To try to determine which background program is causing the problem, start by turning off all drivers, third-party programs or services, and startup items that load with Windows. Then, if the problem is resolved, turn back on half of these services to try to isolate the interfering service. If the problem is not resolved at this point, you will repeat this process until you have isolated the interfering service. Finally, if you are able to determine which specific program or service is causing the problem, contact the program manufacturer to determine whether there is a solution. You can also disable the program or service to resolve the problem.

Follow these steps to try to determine which background program is causing the problem.

Step 1: Start the System Configuration Utility

Windows Vista users

1. Click Start
   Collapse this imageExpand this image

   
   in the Start Search box.
2. Type msconfig, and then press ENTER.
   
   
   Collapse this imageExpand this image

   
   If you are prompted for an administrator password or for a confirmation, type the password, or click Continue.

Windows XP users

1. Click Start, and then click Run.
2. Type msconfig in the Open box, and then click OK.

Step 2: Enable half of the Services items

In this step, you are trying to isolate which background service is causing the interference with the game or program. Start by turning half of the services on and turning half off.

1. Click the Services tab, and then click to select the Hide All Microsoft Services check box.
2. Click to select half of the check boxes in the Services list, leaving the other half unchecked.
3. Click OK.
4. When you are prompted, click Restart.

Step 3: Determine whether the problem is resolved

If the game or program works after you restart your computer, then you know that the interfering service is not among those services that were turned on. Therefore, it must be among those services that were turned off.

If the game or program does not work after you restart the computer, then you know the interfering service may be among the services that were turned on.

Now that you have eliminated some services as the cause of the problem, you can use a process of elimination to try to determine which service might be causing the problem. You can keep selectively turning services off or on until you isolate a service that might be causing the interference. To do this, follow these steps.

1. Start the game or program and check whether the problem is resolved.
2. If the problem returns, follow these steps:
   1. Start the System Configuration Utility. Go to "Step 1: Start the System Configuration Utility" for instructions on how to do this.
   2. Click the Services tab, and then click to select the Hide All Microsoft Services check box.
   3. Click to clear half of the check boxes that you originally selected in the Services list.
   4. Click OK, and when you are prompted, click Restart.
   5. Start the game or program and check whether the problem is resolved. If the problem returns, one of the services that is turned on may be causing interference. Continue to repeat steps a through d, turning off services to try to isolate a service that is causing interference. If you cannot isolate any one service as the cause of the problem, then these services are likely not causing the interference.
   If the problem does not return, then one of the services cleared in step 2 is an interfering service. To isolate that service, follow these steps:
   1. Start the System Configuration Utility. Go to "Step 1: Start the System Configuration Utility" for instructions on how to do this.
   2. Click the Services tab, and then click to select the Hide All Microsoft Services check box.
   3. Click to select half of the check boxes that you originally cleared in the Services list.
   4. Click OK, and when you are prompted, click Restart.
   5. Start the game or program and check whether the problem is resolved. If the problem returns, one of the services that you selected in step c is an interfering service. Continue to repeat steps a through d, turning off services until you to isolate the service that is causing interference.
3. If you find that the services in the Services list are not causing this problem, go to "Step 4: Enable half of the Startup items" to try to determine whether a Startup item is causing the interference. If you were able to isolate a service as causing the interference with your game or program, go to "Step 6: Resolve the problem."

Step 4: Enable half of the Startup items

In this step, you are trying to isolate which Startup item might be causing the interference with the game or program. Therefore, start by turning half of the Startup items on and turning half of the items off.

1. Start the System Configuration Utility. Go to See "Step 1: Start the System Configuration Utility" for instructions on how to do this.
2. Click the Startup tab, and then click to select half of the check boxes in the Startup list.
3. Click OK.
4. When you are prompted, click Restart.

Step 5: Determine whether the problem is resolved

If the game or program works after you restart your computer, then you know that the interfering service is not among those Startup items that were turned on. Therefore, it must be among those Startup items that were turned off.

Otherwise, if the game or program does not work after you restart the computer, then you know that the interfering service is among the Startup items that were turned on.

Now that you have eliminated some Startup items as the cause of the problem, you can use a process of elimination to try to determine which Startup item might be causing the problem. You can keep selectively turning Startup items off or on until you isolate a service that might be causing the interference.

1. Start the game or program and check whether the problem is resolved.
2. If the problem returns, follow these steps.
   1. Start the System Configuration Utility. Go to "Step 1: Start the System Configuration Utility" for instructions on how to do this.
   2. Click the Startup tab.
   3. Click to clear half of the check boxes that you originally selected in the Startup list.
   4. Click OK, and when you are prompted, click Restart.
   5. Start the game or program and check whether the problem is resolved. If the problem returns, one of the Startup items that is turned on may be causing interference. Continue to repeat steps a through d, turning off Startup items to try to isolate a service that is causing interference. If you cannot isolate any one Startup item as the cause of the problem, then these services are likely not causing the interference.
   If the problem does not return, then one of the Startup items cleared in step 2 is an interfering service. To isolate that service, follow these steps.
   1. Start the System Configuration Utility. Go to "Step 1: Start the System Configuration Utility" for instructions on how to do this.
   2. Click the Startup tab.
   3. Select only half of the remaining check boxes that are cleared in the Startup list.
   4. Click OK, and when you are prompted, click Restart.
   5. Repeat this step until you have selected all the check boxes.
   6. Start the game or program and check whether the problem is resolved. If the problem returns, one of the Startup items that you selected in step c is an interfering service. Continue to repeat steps a through d, turning off Startup items until you to isolate the service that is causing interference.
3. If you were able to isolate a service as causing the interference with your game or program, go to "Step 6: Resolve the problem." If you find that the services in the Startup list are not causing this problem, then go to the "Next steps" section for other resources that may help you resolve this problem.

Step 6: Resolve the problem

If you determined which specific background program or service is causing the problem, contact the program manufacturer to determine whether the issue can be resolved.

Or, you can disable the interfering service in the System Configuration Utility. To disable the service, follow these steps.

1. Start the System Configuration Utility. Go to "Step 1: Start the System Configuration Utility" for instructions on how to do this.
2. Disable the service. Follow these steps.
   1. Click the Services or Startup tab, depending on where the service is located.
   2. Click to clear the check box next to the service that you want to disable.
3. Click OK, and when you are prompted, click Restart.

If the methods in this article resolved your problem, you are finished. If they did not resolve your problem, go to the "Next steps" section for other resources that may help you resolve this problem.

If the problem returns while your computer is in clean boot mode, then the interference is not being caused by a background program. In this case, return your computer to a Normal startup mode. The Normal startup mode starts Windows in the usual manner and loads all device drivers and services.

You might also want to return Windows to a Normal startup mode if you have problems during any of the troubleshooting procedures that are discussed in this article and you want to return the services back to the original settings.

Note If you isolated and disabled the interfering program or service, then returning your computer to a Normal startup mode will enable it. And, the original error message or behavior will return.

You do not have to return your computer to a Normal startup mode if you followed the steps in the "How to determine what is causing the problem." This is because you have likely enabled all the services already during the procedures in that section.

To return your computer to a Normal startup mode, follow these steps.

Windows Vista users

1. Click Start
   Collapse this imageExpand this image

   
   in the Start Search box.
2. Type msconfig, and then press ENTER.
   
   
   Collapse this imageExpand this image

   
   If you are prompted for an administrator password or for a confirmation, type the password, or click Continue.
3. Click the General tab.
4. Click Normal Startup - load all device drivers and services, and then click OK.
5. When you are prompted, click Restart to restart the computer.

Windows XP users

1. Click Start, and then click Run.
2. Type msconfig in the Open box, and then click OK.
3. Click the General tab.
4. Click Normal Startup - load all device drivers and services, and then click OK.
5. When you are prompted, click Restart to restart the computer.

If the methods in this article did not resolve the problem, go to the "Next steps" section for other resources that may help you.

Watch a video about how to return Windows to a Normal startup mode on a computer that is running Windows XP

Click Play to view this streaming media demonstration.

If these methods did not help you, you might want to ask someone you know for help. You can use the Microsoft Customer Support Services Web site to find other solutions. Some services that the Microsoft Customer Support Services Web site provides include the following:

• Searchable Knowledge Base (http://support.microsoft.com/search/?adv=1) : Search technical support information and self-help tools for Microsoft products.
• Solution Centers (http://support.microsoft.com/select/?target=hub) : View product-specific frequently asked questions and support highlights.
• Microsoft Customer Support Newsgroups (http://www.microsoft.com/communities/newsgroups/default.mspx) : Contact counterparts, peers, and Microsoft Most Valuable Professionals (MVPs).
• Other Support Options (http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?pr=csshome) : Use the Web to ask a question, contact Microsoft Customer Support Services, or provide feedback.

If you continue to have questions after you use these Microsoft Web sites or if you cannot find a solution on the Microsoft Support Services Web site, click the following link to contact Support.

For more information about Microsoft games, visit the following Microsoft Web site: For more information about how to troubleshoot games, click the following article numbers to view the articles in the Microsoft Knowledge Base: