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Black Screen after Disk Cleanup: 5 Ways to Fix it
Performing a system restore is the easiest fix
4 min. read
Published onJuly 1, 2024
published onJuly 1, 2024
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Resolve multiple Windows PC issues and speed up your PC effortlessly with specialized software.
While it’s considered safe to runDisk Cleanupto clear storage space on the drive, some users have reported encountering a black screen either mid-way or after completion of the process!
A black screen afterDisk Cleanupappears when critical system files or files responsible for booting Windows inadvertently get deleted during the process.
When you are stuck on a black screen, the first option is to wait and verify whether the cleanup utility is still running. For some,Disk Cleanuptook 8-10 hours to run completely. Also, disconnect all non-critical peripherals, leaving just the mouse and keyboard, and then restart the computer.
What can I do if Disk Cleanup causes a black screen?
1. Run the SFC scan and DISM
Running theDISM commandsand SFC scan will replace all missing system files, which is most likely the reason you are getting a black screen after runningDisk Cleanup. However, if the problem is more deep-rooted, the two may fail!
2. Perform a system restore
3. Reset the PC
Asystem resetis an effective fix against all sorts of complex issues when you can’t boot Windows. It’s the same as reinstalling Windows, except that you won’t have to do so manually. Instead, Windows will automatically reinstall from the PC itself!
4. Manually reinstall Windows
If you can’t access theRecovery Modeand all other solutions fail to work,reinstall Windows 11. To do that, you will have to download theMedia Creation Tool/Installation MediafromMicrosoft’s official website, and then create abootable USB drive. All this will be done on another working PC.
Next, you simply need to connect the USB drive to the affected PC, boot through it, run theWindows Setup, and follow the on-screen instructions to complete the process.
Although it may sound tricky,installing Windows from a bootable USBis quite straightforward, given you go with the default configuration!
5. Reflash the BIOS
In a few cases I checked, a BIOS update was installed while theDisk Cleanuputility was running, leading to BIOS corruption, which subsequently triggered a black screen on boot.
If that’s the situation with you, the only option is toreflash the BIOS. Again, it would require an external USB drive loaded with the BIOS (usually available for download on the manufacturer’s official website).
Since the process is different for each PC, I recommend you check the official sources for the exact steps. Even a small mistake here can render your PC unusable!
One of these fixes should have got the PC up and running from the black screen afterDisk Cleanup. I would like to reiterate thatDisk Cleanupis a safe built-in utility, and even though it triggered a black screen once, future occurrences are highly unlikely.
Besides, if you want a safer tool, discover ourtop picks for hard drive cleanersthat will help you clear a significant amount of disk space in no time!
Which fix worked for you? Share with our readers in the comments section.
More about the topics:Black screen issues,Disk Cleanup,Windows 11
Kazim Ali Alvi
Windows Hardware Expert
Kazim has always been fond of technology, be it scrolling through the settings on his iPhone, Android device, or Windows PC. He’s specialized in hardware devices, always ready to remove a screw or two to find out the real cause of a problem.
Long-time Windows user, Kazim is ready to provide a solution for your every software & hardware error on Windows 11, Windows 10 and any previous iteration. He’s also one of our experts in Networking & Security.
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Kazim Ali Alvi
Windows Hardware Expert
Kazim is specialized in hardware devices, always ready to remove a screw or two to find out the real cause of a problem.
