The Windows 10 “Diagnosing Your PC” error often occurs due to corrupted Windows system files or registries. While the issue can be solved by using the system repair option, you will have to opt for other options, such as uninstalling recent update files, if it does not work.
Key Takeaways
- Windows 10 can get stuck in a loop on the Diagnosis screen due to issues like an improperly installed update or a corrupted BCD.
- A corrupted startup repair utility, corrupted Windows registry or system files, and lack of available space can also be the reasons behind this issue.
- You can fix Diagnosing Your PC Error by using the automatic repair or system restore functionality, uninstalling the recent updates, rebuilding the BCD and Windows registry, clearing up space, and booting the system safely.
How To Fix Stuck On “Diagnosing Your PC” Issue
The are several reasons why your system might get stuck on the message. The system tries to tell you that the device is being diagnosed but gets stuck in a loop. These reasons may include corrupted system files that will compel the system Diagnostic tool to kick in upon system startup. The system may get stuck in a loop if the utility is corrupted.
A corrupted Automatic Repair program can also cause this issue. It may try to launch upon every startup and fix the problem but fails constantly. Also, you might want to check out our guide on how to use a headset mic on a PC with one/two jacks.

Let’s see how you can fix this issue.
Hard Reboot Your PC
You can try to force reboot your device to get out of the loop if the Windows is stuck in the diagnostic process and seem unable to make any progress. To do that:
- Unplug your device’s power and remove the battery in the case of a laptop.
- Now plug the power back in or put the battery in.
- Press and hold the power button until the device turns on.
- See if the issue has been solved or not.
Startup In Safe Mode
When you launch Windows using Safe Mode, a limited amount of data and system utilities are used. You can use Safe mode to ascertain the root cause of a problem by monitoring the system using safe mode.
To boot up your system in safe mode:
- Turn off the device by holding the power button for around 10 seconds.
- Turn on the device by pressing the power button again.
- Repeat the process three times to enter the Windows Recovery Environment (winRE).
- Now in the Choose an option screen, select Troubleshoot.
- Now go to Advanced Options > Startup Settings.
- Select Safe Mode with Networking.

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Another valuable resource for diagnosing PC issues is a free VPN (Virtual Private Network). While a VPN is commonly associated with online privacy and security, it can also be a handy tool for troubleshooting network-related problems.
By connecting to different server locations through a free VPN service, you can determine if a particular network issue is region-specific or a broader problem. It helps in isolating network congestion or restrictions that might be affecting your internet connection, allowing for a more comprehensive diagnosis of your PC’s performance issues.
Clean Up Space
This issue can also occur when your system doesn’t have enough space at startup to load the required files. You can try to free up some space to help fix this issue. To do that, you have to do a Disk Clean-up.
- Go to the Windows search bar and write Disk Clean-up.
- Open the Disk Clean-up utility and select the drive you want to clean up.
- Now select the option of Clean up system files at the bottom.
Disk Clean-up Utility – Image Credits [Tech4Gamers] - Check the items that you want to clean up and press OK.
- Wait for the clean-up process to finish.
- Reboot the device to check for the issue.
Uninstall Unwanted Applications
Often we have several unused and unwanted programs installed on our system and forget to uninstall them. These applications may take up quite a bit of space. You can free up space by uninstalling these applications. To do that:
- Use the Windows search bar to search for Control Panel and initialize it.
- Select Uninstall a program under the heading of Programs.
Uninstall a program – Image Credits [Tech4Gamers] - Right-click the program you want to uninstall and select uninstall.
- Once you have sufficient space available, reboot the device and check whether the problem has been fixed.
Delete Restore Points
You can try to solve this issue by deleting all the restore points except the last one. Disk Clean-up can be used for this task.
- Search for Disk Clean-up in the Windows search bar.
- Open it while ensuring that you select C: Drive for the clean-up process.
- Now click on the Clean up system files and select Yes if prompted as such.
- Select C: Drive again if the system requires so.
- Now go to More Options and select the Clean Up option under System Restore and Shadow Copies.
Delete Restore Points – Image Credits [Tech4Gamers] - Click on Delete when the confirmatory prompt appears.
- Again click on Delete Files to continue with the clean-up process of the restore points.
- Restart the system and check whether the issue has been resolved or not.
Similar Guide: Make Sure OneDrive Is Running On Your PC
Repair The System Files
Several factors can cause the System Files to get corrupted, including viruses or malware, improper shutdown, and incomplete Windows Updates. Virus or malware attacks, improper shutdown, incomplete Windows Updates, and other factors can all lead to corrupt Windows System Files. Corrupt files can also result from a system crash or a damaged sector on your hard drive, which can potentially cause issues like this. You can try to repair the system files to fix this issue. To do that:
- Open the Command Prompt by writing cmd in the Windows search bar.
- Right-click on it and Run as administrator.
- Click Yes when the User Account Control prompt appears.
- Type the command “dism.exe /Online /cleanup-image /scanhealth” and enter.
- Next, enter the command “dism.exe /Online /cleanup-image /startcomponentcleanup.“
- Lastly, type in “dism.exe /Online /cleanup-image /restorehealth” and press enter.
Repair system files using Command Prompt – Image Credits [Tech4Gamers] - Wait for the process to complete, and then close the window.
Use System Restore Function
Your system may face a severe corruption issue if you are stuck at the “Diagnosing Your PC” message. You can try to restore the system to a condition in which the system was working fine. To do that:
- Attach an Installation Disk to your PC and restart the system.
- Press any key to initiate the installation disc when the booting screen appears.
- Click on Repair your computer.
Repair your computer window – Image Credits [Tech4Gamers] - Find the Troubleshoot menu from the repair menu.
- Select Advanced options in the troubleshooting menu.
Advanced options – Image Credits [Tech4Gamers] - Now select Command Prompt from the list of available options.
- Write rstrui.exe and enter to go to System Restore.
System Restore using rstrui – Image Credits [Tech4Gamers] - Select Next to go to the next screen.
- Select the option that says “Show more restore points.“
Select show more Restore points – Image Credits [Tech4Gamers] - Now search for the restoration snapshot taken before this issue and select it.
- Select the suitable picture and select next.
- Finally, when you select Finish, the system will restart after restoring.
Restore Windows Registry
A corrupt registry can also be a cause behind this issue. You can restore the Windows registry to fix this issue. Here’s how you can do it:
- Go to Troubleshoot menu as explained above.
- Go to Advanced Options and open Command Prompt.
- Enter the command: C:\Windows\System32\config\regback* C:\Windows\System32\config
- When a prompt asks which data you want to restore, type All and press enter.
- Once the process has been completed, restart the system and see if the issue has been fixed.
Rebuild Boot Config Data
BCD or Boot Configuration Data stores the important information needed to start Windows. It allows the windows boot loader to locate the boot information that helps configure data at startup. You might face this issue if the boot files are corrupted or missing. Rebuilding the BCD might help solve this issue. To do that:
- Attach a bootable installation disk to your PC and follow the previous steps to open up the command prompt (till step 6).
- Now enter these 4 commands and press enter after each: bootrec /fixmbr, bootrec /fixboot, bootrec /scanos, bootrec /rebuildbcd.
Repair BCD using command prompt – Image Credits [Tech4Gamers] - Type in exit and press enter.
- Restart the device to see if the error is gone.
Deactivate The Startup Repair
The Startup Repair launches automatically after every bootup. However, if there is some issue with the program, the system will remain stuck at the startup screen. Therefore, you need to disable the auto repair function to avoid this issue. To do that:
- As soon as you turn on your PC, press F8 repeatedly to enter the Boot Menu.
- Select the option Safe Mode with Networking from amongst the options by using the arrow keys.
- Once the system has been launched in Safe Mode, open Command Prompt by writing cmd in the search bar.
- Open the command prompt and type in bcdedit /set recoveryenabled NO.
Turn off startup repair using command prompt – Image Credits [Tech4Gamers] - Press Enter and wait till the process finishes.
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Uninstall The Recent Updates
This problem can occur due to an update that hasn’t been installed correctly. An improperly installed update might interfere with the system, causing this issue. To fix that, you have to remove any recently installed updates. To do that:
- Open Control Panel by going to the Windows search bar and typing control panel.
- Find Uninstall a program under Programs and click it.
Uninstall a program – Image Credits [Tech4Gamers] - Now select the option View installed updates.
- Search for the most recently installed app by looking at the date under the heading Installed On.
- Uninstall the update by selecting it and clicking Uninstall button at the top or right-click on the update and select Uninstall.

Clean Install Windows
If you are still unable to get rid of this problem, chances are that there is some serious issue with your Windows. In this case, it is recommended that you should clean install Windows 10 on your PC. In other words, you will have to reset your PC. This will delete the files on your system, including the files or programs that might be causing this issue. Your PC will get a fresh start after the clean install. To clean and install Windows 10 on your device, follow this guide on the Microsoft Community forum.
Conclusion
Hopefully, the fixes explained in this guide have helped you eliminate the issue of getting stuck in “Diagnosing Your PC” in Windows 10. If you are still unable to solve this issue, you may post your queries on the forum of Microsoft Community or seek guidance from the queries and the answers already posted there.
Frequently Asked Questions
Your PC might be facing issues like improperly installed updates, corrupted startup repair utility, corrupted Windows registry, or lack of space, due to which this problem can occur.
You can fix this problem by utilizing the automatic repair utility, uninstalling the recent updates, rebuilding BCD and Windows registry, using system restore functionality, clearing up space, and starting up the system in safe mode.
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[Errors Troubleshooting Expert]
Arsalan Shakil (aka GuyThatDoesEverything on YouTube) is a PC Tech Enthusiast and Electronic Geek. With over 10+ years of experience in Electronics, he then decided to explore Software Engineering to design embedded products and automate existing hardware solutions.
When he started tearing down old cameras to understand how they worked, he was shocked (literally, when he got zapped by a flash discharge capacitor), giving him the power (debatable) to fall in love with videography/photography. He also started making some fun videos that later became YouTube tech reviews.
Skills:
- 10+ years of experience in Electronics design, embedded solutions, and prototyping
- Majored in Software Engineering
- Research paper publication in IEEE for Embedded Military Uniform & LoRa WAN wireless technology
- Specialized in IoT Solutions
- PC Enthusiast & PC Modder
In his local region, he’s known to expose cheap PSU brands, often claiming fake certification or false claims on the box. He’s a true nerd and needed some friends in his life. Then he met some guys who work at Tech4Gamers, and they also came out to be equal nerds who suggested he join Tech4Gamers as a Hardware Expert.