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How to fix error 0x0000005a in Windows 11

Bug Check 0x0000005A: CRITICAL_SERVICE_FAILED — A critical system service failed to initialize.

✅ 65% success rate

👥 0+ users verified

📅 Updated: 2026-08-12

⏱️ 45 min read

Fix based on community reports and expert analysis. Last verified: 2026-08-12 · How we verify fixes

Solution Steps

1 Boot into Safe Mode: Use the same method as described in the previous error (F8 or Shift+F8, or via installation media). Safe Mode loads minimal drivers and services, which can help you identify if a third-party service is causing the issue.
2 Check the Event Viewer: In Safe Mode, press Win+X and select 'Event Viewer'. Go to 'Windows Logs' → 'System' and look for errors with the source 'Service Control Manager' around the time of the crash. Note which service failed. This gives you a clue about the culprit.
3 Disable the problematic service: If you identified a service, open Services (Win+R, type 'services.msc', press Enter). Find the service, right-click, select 'Properties', set 'Startup type' to 'Disabled', and click OK. Then restart. This prevents the service from loading and causing the crash.
4 Run System File Checker and DISM: In an elevated Command Prompt, run 'sfc /scannow' and 'DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth'. These tools repair corrupted system files that might be causing the service failure.
5 Perform a clean boot: Press Win+R, type 'msconfig', and press Enter. In the 'Services' tab, check 'Hide all Microsoft services' and click 'Disable all'. In the 'Startup' tab, click 'Open Task Manager' and disable all startup items. Restart. If the error stops, re-enable services one by one to find the culprit.

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