MSI Laptop Keeps Restarting

• Check for Updates: Ensure your laptop's operating system and drivers are up-to-date. Go to Settings > Update & Security > Windows Update and check for updates.
• Scan for Malware: Use a reliable antivirus program to scan your laptop for malware or viruses that may cause restarting issues.
  • Malwarebytes is a safe and effective recommendation at the time of writing (2024).
• Perform a Hard Reset: Disconnect all external devices, unplug the power adapter, and remove any external batteries. Press and hold the power button for 15-20 seconds. Reconnect the power adapter and battery, then try to power on the laptop.
• Disable Automatic Restarts: Go to Control Panel > System and Security > System > Advanced system settings. Under Startup and Recovery, click Settings and uncheck "Automatically restart" under System failure.
• Safe Mode: Press the Windows key + R, type msconfig in the dialog box, and select the Boot tab. Select Safe Boot and click Apply. When the System Configuration window appears, choose Restart to apply the changes. Ensure the "Make all boot settings permanent" checkbox is unchecked.
  • If your computer stops restarting in Safe Mode, your issue is likely with the software drivers.
  • If your computer continues to restart in Safe Mode, try using a bootable USB drive to rule out problems with the OS.
• Observe the Conditions under which Restarts Occur: If your computer is under tremendous load, if specific programs are running, or if the restart occurs while performing a particular task, this information can help diagnose the root cause of the restarts.
  • Being able to reproduce the failure is valuable to fixing the problem.
  • For example, if your laptop always happens to be out of battery when you turn it on after a "restart," it could just be dying due to a faulty battery.

Default Windows settings are intended to be best for most people. However, hardware (and software) specifics vary wildly across Windows configurations. This diversity has the potential to put a wrench in setting standardization.

• Disable Fast Startup. While it accelerates boot time, it prevents the computer from shutting down completely.
  1. Press Windows and R to open a Run window.
  2. In the Run window type powercfg.cpl and press enter.
  3. On the left side of this window, select "Choose what the power button does."
  4. Click on the Change settings that are currently unavailable option. Provide an administrator password or agree to allow changes on the admin control prompt.
  5. Uncheck the Turn on fast startup (recommended) checkbox and save the changes.

A restore point can be used to revert any unwanted changes resulting in poor performance. This is especially useful if your laptop won't boot into Windows.

Any physical component of your computer needs instructions, so Windows knows how to use it. That's all a driver is, an instruction manual for Windows. If the instructions are old, they may not be compatible any longer.

• Check for errors in Device Manager. Press the Windows Key and X and select Device Manager from the menu. If an error is present, the collapsed item in the Device tree will be expanded, and a yellow caution icon will display for any devices with errors.
• Newer versions of Windows serve most driver updates through standard Windows updates. Right-click the Start Menu and select Settings > Update & Security > Windows Update. Click the Check for Update button.
  • You may need to select View Optional Updates to see some additional drivers.
• Use MSI's Online Support to download drivers directly from MSI. These are often newer than Windows-distributed versions. Microsoft will only push drivers that have been submitted through proper channels.
• The part's manufacturer may have drivers that are even more current than what MSI offers. This is especially relevant for graphics processing. Check AMD, Intel, or NVidia directly.

Avoid any program advertised as a driver updater if it doesn't come directly from an electronics manufacturer (e.g., Intel, AMD, Realtek, etc.) or MSI. These programs can install incorrect drivers at best or malware at worst.

• If updating doesn't resolve the issue, and you think you know which device is the issue, try uninstalling the driver.
  • In Device Manager, find the component you suspect is problematic and right-click it. Select Uninstall from this menu. A checkbox should appear in the confirmation window to also uninstall the driver. Be sure to check it.
  • After the uninstallation, restart your computer and reinstall the current version.
• If the device is graphics-related, DDU might help. It assists with the clean uninstall of graphics drivers from all manufacturers.

A corrupt OS means that critical files in the operating system have become invalid or messed up in some way (the computer was powered off during an update, the computer died while sleeping, etc.). Windows provides access to repair tools that correct these corruption issues.

1. Right-click the Start Menu and select Command Prompt, Powershell, or Windows Terminal (Windows 8, 10, and 11 will provide different options).
2. Type sfc /scannow and hit Enter.
3. Wait for the command to finish. If there were corrupt files to repair, it would repair them.
   1. This is just the start. For a more complete list of repair options, consult the Basic Windows Repair guide.

Reinstall Windows. A complete Windows reinstall may be necessary to restore the laptop's normal function.

1. Use a known good and "clean" computer to download the Windows operating system to create a bootable flash drive.
2. After you have run antivirus scans, back up any files, bookmarks, pictures, etc., you wish to keep onto a cloud platform like Google Drive or Dropbox. This can lessen the transfer of existing malware onto your fresh install of Windows compared to plugging in a flash drive and infecting multiple computers.
3. Boot from the Windows bootable flash drive. In the setup wizard, erase all partitions and install the fresh OS on your drive.
4. Transfer the data back onto your laptop.

If your computer runs smoothly without unprompted restarts on the bootable drive, a fresh OS install should fix your problems (it's a good thing you already backed everything up). A new SSD/HDD should be a surefire solution if that doesn't fix it.

If your computer continues to restart while running off of your bootable flash drive, the most likely cause is a hardware issue. This may be as easy as replacing a faulty memory stick or as complicated as replacing/microsoldering the motherboard, depending on the configuration and repairability of your laptop.

Random Access Memory, commonly known as RAM, is a likely hardware culprit for repeat crashes. If your laptop features removable RAM modules, you can try to address faulty RAM directly. However, most newer laptops solder the RAM onto the motherboard. If your laptop "features" soldered RAM, you can skip this section and address the motherboard instead. Otherwise:

• Reseat your RAM modules. Numerous tiny pins could be slightly out of alignment. Removing them and reinstalling them might be all it takes to fix this.
• Test your RAM by running a diagnostic through Windows Memory Diagnostics.
  • If you want a second opinion, IT Professionals have been using memtext86 for ages. It's a free tool, and their documentation is excellent! But it will require a bit more knowledge of how to use it.
• RAM tests are notoriously long, and minor failures are difficult for tests to find. Trust diagnostic failures, but not passes. Multiple diagnostic runs may be needed to find an issue.
• If you recently upgraded your RAM and are now getting random restarts, verify the compatibility of the installed RAM with your MSI laptop.
• If you have more than one module installed, ensure the specs match. At least speed and capacity should be identical.
• Replace the memory if diagnostics fail—either increasing the overall size or keeping the exact amount and speed.
• Some MSI laptops will have the RAM soldered to the board. In this case, you will need to replace the motherboard.

Be especially mindful when replacing RAM to use something that is compatible. Crucial has a compatibility checker for their products you can use to validate.

If the above tips have failed, the issue might be caused by the motherboard. Damage to the motherboard due to physical trauma, electrical surges, water/dust ingress, or other hardware-related issues can impact functionality. A faulty motherboard can lead to erratic behavior, intermittent freezing, crashing, or system instability.

• Check for diagnostic codes. After a restart or crash, you may get additional error codes. The Power LED, or CAPS Lock LED, will blink in a pattern to designate errors.
  • Referencing these codes can identify issues with hardware components already discussed (memory or hard drive), but can also point to CPU, BIOS or other motherboard failures.
• Most MSI laptops have their CPU soldered to the motherboard. If your blue screen codes point to CPU failure, you must replace the motherboard.
• Inspect the laptop's motherboard for signs of physical damage, such as burnt components, liquid residue, corrosion, or other visible issues. If you find any damage, replace the board or consult a pro.
  • Circuit boards can often be repaired by a knowledgeable technician with soldering (or microsoldering) experience. Ask your local repair shops if this isn't something you think you could do yourself.

Batteries are nefarious. They often fail due to their “consumable” nature. Although they typically die slowly and with diminishing power on time, a bunk battery might provide inconsistent power, causing unexpected shutdowns, which could be interpreted as "restarts."

• Run a power diagnostic. Use powrcfg to get a more detailed history. Check the full charge capacity from this report against the design capacity. If numbers are inconsistent, or the max capacity is lower than you'd like, install a new battery.
• Check for visual signs of battery age, swelling, or leak. Swollen batteries may manifest as difficulty using the trackpad or the keyboard. As the battery expands, it exerts upward pressure on the underside of these components.
• Disconnect your battery and run the laptop on only the charger. This way, the charger is doing the heavy lifting. If your restarts stop, replace the battery.

If you determine your battery is a likely cause, check out the iFixit MSI Laptop battery selection for your exact model and follow along with a guide.

Is your laptop only restarting while it's plugged in, or does it restart more often when the laptop or cable is moved? On older laptops, the motherboard can shut down if it receives incorrect power from the charging port, regardless of the battery charge. It could be that the laptop is shutting down due to shorts caused by wiggly connections between the charger and the charger port.

• Try a different charger if you have one to rule this out.
• Check to see if the laptop stays charging when you move it. If not, wiggle the charger input to see if you can recreate the issue.
• Perform a visual inspection of the charger and the charge port. A bent pin or worn housing can cause inconsistent connection, knocking out the power if it gets moved.
• Replace the power adapter or charging cable depending on which component seems to be faulty.

Computer viruses and other harmful software can wreak havoc on system stability. They may generate issues the computer can only correct with a restart.

• Scan your computer using an Antivirus. If you do not have dedicated security software, use Windows Defender. It can be accessed from the Windows Security App in most versions of Windows.
  • Want a second opinion about your results? Malwarebytes or ESET Online Scan are free programs providing excellent malware scanning techniques.
  • Many free malware removal tools are available, but a paid solution will be more effective. Verify legitimacy before using software from any unfamiliar developer, or you may get worse off.
• Remove anything the scan finds. It may also recommend a restart to complete the removal.
• Please keep reading through the OS Corruption section and process those fixes as well. Infection with malware can damage Windows.