If your built-in troubleshooters fail to run or stop partway, the most likely cause is a disabled system service, corrupted system files, or interference from security software. The Troubleshooter doesn’t work in Windows 10 can be caused by several different configuration, service, or corruption issues — this article explains seven common reasons and gives step‑by‑step fixes so you can get troubleshooters running again.
You’ll learn how to check required services, repair system files, reset Windows Update components, work around third‑party security interference, restore the Settings/troubleshooter components, test user profiles, and undo Group Policy or registry blocks.
Key Takeaway
The quickest reliable fix is to ensure the Diagnostic Policy Service and related services are running, then repair system files with sfc /scannow and DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth; together these steps resolve the majority of problems that make the Troubleshooter fail in Windows 10.
Quick Fix Guide
Quick Fix Guide
| Reason for the Problem | Quick Solution |
|---|---|
| Diagnostic or related services are stopped or disabled | Open services.msc, set Diagnostic Policy Service (and RPC, Windows Event Log) to Automatic and start them. |
| Corrupted system files | Run Command Prompt (Admin) and execute sfc /scannow then DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth. |
| Pending or broken Windows Update components | Check Settings > Update & Security, install updates, or reset update components (stop services, rename SoftwareDistribution). |
| Third‑party antivirus or firewall blocking troubleshooting | Temporarily disable or uninstall security software and test; use Safe Mode if needed. |
| Broken Settings app or msdt (troubleshooter engine) | Run troubleshooters via msdt.exe or re-register system apps with PowerShell; reset or repair Settings/store cache. |
| Corrupted user profile or insufficient permissions | Create and test a new local administrator account to isolate profile problems. |
| Group Policy or registry settings block troubleshooters | Use gpedit.msc or check relevant policy/registry keys and set them to Not Configured / remove the disable key. |
Detailed Fixes for “Troubleshooter doesn’t work in Windows 10”
Why this causes the problem
- Windows troubleshooters depend on services such as the Diagnostic Policy Service to run diagnostics and collect information. If these services are stopped or disabled, troubleshooters will fail to start or will stop early.
Step-by-step solution
- Press Win + R, type services.msc, and press Enter.
- In Services, find Diagnostic Policy Service.
- Double‑click it, set Startup type to Automatic, then click Start (or Restart if running).
- Also verify these services are running and set sensibly:
- Windows Event Log — Startup type: Automatic
- Remote Procedure Call (RPC) — Startup type: Automatic
- Background Intelligent Transfer Service (BITS) — Startup type: Manual or Automatic (used by updates)
- Close Services, reboot, and try a troubleshooter from Settings > Update & Security > Troubleshoot.
Notes/tips
- If a service fails to start and shows an error, make a note of the error code and check Event Viewer (Event Viewer > Windows Logs > System) for related entries.
2) Corrupted system files
Why this causes the problem
- Corrupt system files can break the components the Windows Troubleshooter uses (msdt, DLLs, system resources), so the tools either crash or report a failure.
Step-by-step solution
- Open Command Prompt (Admin): press Win, type cmd, right‑click Command Prompt, choose Run as administrator.
- Run the System File Checker:
- Type sfc /scannow and press Enter.
- Wait for the scan to complete. If it reports and repairs problems, reboot and test.
- If issues remain, run DISM to repair the Windows image:
- Type DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth and press Enter.
- This can take 10–30 minutes depending on your system and internet connection.
- After DISM finishes, run sfc /scannow again to ensure all issues are fixed.
- Reboot and test the troubleshooter.
Notes/tips
- If DISM reports it could not download files, ensure Windows Update is working or provide a source with the /Source option (advanced).
3) Pending or broken Windows Update components
Why this causes the problem
- Some troubleshooters rely on updated system components or online diagnostics. If Windows Update is broken or has pending operations, troubleshooters can fail.
Step-by-step solution (basic)
- Open Settings > Update & Security > Windows Update and click Check for updates. Install everything suggested and reboot.
- If update fails or troubleshooters still fail, reset update components manually:
Reset Windows Update components (commands)
- Open Command Prompt (Admin).
- Stop related services:
- net stop wuauserv
- net stop bits
- net stop cryptsvc
- Rename the cache folders:
- ren C:\Windows\SoftwareDistribution SoftwareDistribution.old
- ren C:\Windows\System32\catroot2 catroot2.old
- Restart services:
- net start wuauserv
- net start bits
- net start cryptsvc
- Reboot and check Settings > Update & Security again.
Notes/tips
- Renaming SoftwareDistribution preserves the old folder in case you need to restore it, while forcing Windows to recreate fresh update caches.
4) Third‑party antivirus or firewall blocking Troubleshooter
Why this causes the problem
- Security suites sometimes intercept system diagnostic tasks or block scripts (.diagcab/.msdt) used by the Troubleshooter, causing them to time out or be killed.
Step-by-step solution
- Temporarily disable the third‑party antivirus/firewall (use the vendor’s control panel or icon in the system tray).
- Try running a troubleshooter from Settings > Update & Security > Troubleshoot or run a specific diagnostic by pressing Win + R and entering a troubleshooter command, e.g., msdt.exe /id NetworkDiagnosticsWeb.
- If the troubleshooter works when security software is disabled, uninstall the security product (use the vendor’s official uninstaller when possible), then reinstall the latest version or switch to Windows Defender.
- If you cannot uninstall, boot into Safe Mode with Networking to test whether the Troubleshooter runs there:
- Settings > Update & Security > Recovery > Advanced startup > Restart now; choose Troubleshoot > Advanced options > Startup Settings > Restart, then choose Safe Mode with Networking.
Notes/tips
- Don’t forget to re-enable your antivirus after testing. If the vendor causes conflicts, check their support site for exclusion lists or compatibility notes.
5) Broken Settings app or msdt (troubleshooter engine)
Why this causes the problem
- The troubleshooter integrates with the Settings app and the Microsoft Support Diagnostic Tool (msdt.exe). If these components are damaged, built‑in troubleshooters may fail.
Step-by-step solution
- Try running built-in troubleshooting packages directly:
- Press Win + R, type msdt.exe -id MaintenanceDiagnostic, press Enter.
- Or run msdt.exe /? to list options and run specific troubleshooters like NetworkDiagnosticsWeb.
- Repair the Settings app and Store cache:
- Run wsreset.exe (press Win + R, type wsreset.exe, press Enter) to clear the Store cache.
- Re-register system apps (PowerShell):
- Open Windows PowerShell (Admin) and run:
- Get-AppxPackage -AllUsers | Foreach {Add-AppxPackage -DisableDevelopmentMode -Register “$($_.InstallLocation)\AppXManifest.xml”}
- Reboot after running the command.
- Open Windows PowerShell (Admin) and run:
- If the Settings app itself is missing or broken, consider creating a new user (see next section) or using an in‑place repair upgrade (Advanced — see “Additional resources” below).
Notes/tips
- Re-registering all apps is a broad operation — it repairs many app registrations but is not a guaranteed fix for system file corruption (use SFC/DISM first).
6) Corrupted user profile or insufficient permissions
Why this causes the problem
- If the current user profile is corrupted or lacks required privileges, Troubleshooter may not have permission to read settings or create temporary diagnostic files.
Step-by-step solution
- Create and test a new local administrator account:
- Settings > Accounts > Family & other users > Add someone else to this PC.
- Choose I don’t have this person’s sign‑in information, then Add a user without a Microsoft account.
- Create a username and password, then select the new account and click Change account type to Administrator.
- Sign out and sign in with the new account, then try the troubleshooter.
- If it works in the new account, migrate your data to the new profile or repair the original profile using Microsoft’s profile repair steps.
Notes/tips
- Use this method to isolate profile problems from systemwide issues.
7) Group Policy or registry settings block troubleshooters
Why this causes the problem
- On managed PCs (or after using registry tweaks), policies can disable diagnostics or the ability to run troubleshooters. This is common in corporate or heavily tweaked systems.
Step-by-step solution (Group Policy Editor)
- If you have Windows 10 Pro/Enterprise, press Win + R, type gpedit.msc, press Enter.
- Navigate to Computer Configuration > Administrative Templates > System > Troubleshooting and Diagnostics and ensure policies are set to Not Configured or Disabled if they explicitly prevent diagnostics.
- Also check User Configuration equivalents if present.
- Run gpupdate /force in an elevated Command Prompt and reboot.
Step-by-step solution (Registry)
- Open Registry Editor: Win + R, type regedit, press Enter.
- Carefully check for blocking keys under:
- HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\ScriptedDiagnostics
- HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\Diagnostics
- If you find values like DisableScriptedDiagnostics or keys explicitly disabling troubleshooting features, back up the key (File > Export) and then delete the blocking value.
- Reboot and test the troubleshooter.
Notes/tips
- Editing Group Policy and the registry can affect system behavior; back up entries before making changes. If your PC is managed by IT, contact them before changing policies.
Additional section: When to use an in-place repair or contact support
If you’ve tried the steps above and the Troubleshooter still won’t run, consider these next steps:
- Run a Windows 10 in‑place upgrade/repair using the latest Windows 10 ISO to repair core system files without losing data (download the Media Creation Tool from Microsoft and choose Upgrade this PC now).
- If your PC is managed by a workplace or school, contact your IT department — group policies or management tools may intentionally disable troubleshooters.
- Collect diagnostic logs: check Event Viewer for Troubleshooter (msdt) errors and save the System and Application logs to provide to support.
Notes/tips
- An in‑place repair is a safe way to restore system files when SFC/DISM don’t help; it preserves apps and settings while repairing Windows.
FAQ
How can I run a specific troubleshooter manually?
Run msdt.exe with the troubleshooter ID: press Win + R and enter msdt.exe /id
Will resetting Windows fix troubleshooter problems?
A full Windows reset or reinstall will usually fix it, but try SFC/DISM, services, and app re‑registration first; use reset/reinstall as a last resort or after backing up data.
Does the troubleshooter need an internet connection?
Some troubleshooters use online resources or downloads; if you’re offline, network‑related troubleshooters may not work fully. Try with an active internet connection.
Are there logs for troubleshooters I can examine?
Yes — check Event Viewer > Applications and Services Logs > Microsoft > Windows > Troubleshooting‑Classic/Diagnostic‑Execution or general System logs for related errors. Save logs to provide to support.
Can group policies permanently prevent troubleshooters from running?
Yes — Managed environments often disable diagnostics for security or compliance. If you’re on a corporate PC, contact your administrator to change policies.
Conclusion
Most failures of the Windows Troubleshooter are caused by stopped services, corrupted system files, or software/policy interference. Start by enabling the Diagnostic Policy Service, run sfc /scannow and DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth, and follow the other targeted fixes above to resolve the Troubleshooter doesn’t work in Windows 10 issue.
