Windows 10 loading circle freezing on Safe Boot BIOS/overclock

Pierre Deacon 20 Reputation points
2026-08-08T19:33:11.3733333+00:00

Hi everyone,

I have a MSI Z690 series motherboard in my PC that functions very well. However, it is extremely finicky when it comes to any adjustments away from the default settings. For instance, changing to safe boot BIOS or overclocking my GPU (even by a very low voltage/MHz) causes my PC to essentially get a blue screen of death—but rather it is the Windows loading circle that abruptly freezes upon booting. Does anyone have any experience with this issue regarding MSI mobos? Thanks

Windows for home | Windows 10 | Performance and system failures
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AI answer

2026-08-08T19:33:29.2266667+00:00

The behavior points to a startup failure triggered by firmware, driver, or hardware stability changes rather than a normal Windows blue screen. In Windows 10, unexpected restart or boot failures can be caused by a hardware device, its driver, or software.

Try this in order:

  1. Return firmware settings to the last known stable defaults
    Since the system works well at default settings, undo Safe Boot BIOS changes and remove any GPU overclock. Even small stability changes can prevent Windows from loading normally.
  2. Boot into Safe Mode
    Use Settings > Update and Security > Recovery > Advanced startup. Then select Troubleshoot > Advanced Options > Startup Settings > Restart. After restart, choose option 4, 5, or 6 for Safe Mode.
    Safe Mode loads only the minimum required drivers and services, which helps confirm whether the issue is tied to a driver or startup component.
  3. Check Device Manager for driver problems
    Right-click Start and select Device Manager. Look for any device with an exclamation mark. If found, right-click it and select Update driver. If that does not help, try disabling or uninstalling that device.
  4. Check disk health
    For possible file system errors, right-click the system drive, select Properties > Tools > Check now.
  5. Repair system files
    Run SFC /scannow to check for and repair missing or corrupted Windows system files.
  6. Verify free disk space
    Keep roughly 10% to 15% free space available so Windows can create swap files and perform normal startup operations.
  7. Install the latest Windows updates
    Go to Start > Settings > Update & Security > Windows Update and select Check for Windows updates.
  8. Check for BIOS/UEFI firmware updates from the motherboard manufacturer
    Outdated BIOS or UEFI firmware is listed as a possible cause of stop code and startup issues.
  9. If the issue happens only with non-default startup/software conditions, perform a clean boot
    A clean boot starts Windows with only essential drivers and startup programs, which helps isolate background software conflicts. Note: this only applies if Windows can boot far enough to complete the clean boot steps.
  10. If none of the above helps, use recovery options
    Restore Windows using a system restore point or another recovery option.

Important: changing firmware mode after Windows is installed can affect boot behavior. After Windows is installed, the device normally boots using the same mode it was installed with.

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