SESSION2_INITIALIZATION_FAILED is Windows bug check 0x0000006E, a startup blue screen (BSOD) that means Windows could not complete operating-system initialization. Microsoft defines parameter 1 as the NT status code that caused the failure; parameters 2, 3 and 4 are zero. The code identifies the failed phase, not one guaranteed faulty component.
Work through the repairs in order: stabilize startup, repair Windows files, update drivers, check the storage drive, test memory, and then use recovery media or professional hardware diagnosis if the fault persists. The sequence below starts with steps that normally preserve personal files and escalates only when necessary.
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What SESSION2_INITIALIZATION_FAILED means
Windows displays this stop code when initialization of the Microsoft Windows operating system fails. You may see the text SESSION2_INITIALIZATION_FAILED, a hexadecimal stop code of 0x0000006E, or both. The first bug-check parameter is an NT status value that can help a technician identify the immediate failure. The remaining three parameters are defined as zero, so they do not identify a separate device or repair.
Initialization occurs before the normal desktop is available. A damaged system component, incompatible driver, storage error, unstable memory, overheating, a troublesome peripheral or an improper Windows installation can interrupt it. Microsoft documents the meaning of the check but does not publish a ranking or frequency study for these causes, so treat the list as possibilities rather than a diagnosis.
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Before changing anything: protect your data and record symptoms
Back up files if Windows still starts
If you can reach the desktop, copy irreplaceable documents, game saves, photos and other data to an external drive or trusted cloud storage before running repairs. A disk that is deteriorating can worsen during repeated restarts. Do not format a drive or choose a clean installation until the backup is complete.
Write down the conditions of the crash
- Note whether the blue screen appears before sign-in, immediately after sign-in, or only under load.
- Record any recent driver, Windows, firmware, hardware or software change.
- Photograph the full stop-code screen if it disappears too quickly.
- Disconnect non-critical USB devices, docks, printers, external drives and adapters. Leave only the keyboard, mouse, display and network connection needed for testing.
Check heat and power
Turn the computer off, clear dust from vents, make sure fans can spin, and use the original power adapter on a laptop. Overheating or an unstable power source can make otherwise good files and drivers appear defective. Do not open a sealed device while it is under warranty unless the manufacturer permits it.
Use Windows normally or enter Safe Mode
If Windows reaches the desktop
Install pending updates first. Open Settings > Windows Update (in Windows 10, Settings > Update & Security > Windows Update), select Check for updates, install the available updates, and restart when asked. Then disable unnecessary startup programs from Settings > Apps > Startup or Task Manager > Startup apps. Leave security software and hardware utilities enabled unless their manufacturer instructs otherwise.
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If Windows will not boot normally
- Start the computer and, when Windows begins loading, hold the power button to turn it off. Repeat this interruption two or three times until Automatic Repair appears.
- Select Advanced options > Troubleshoot > Advanced options > Startup Settings > Restart.
- After the restart, press 5 or F5 for Safe Mode with Networking. Choose ordinary Safe Mode if networking itself seems involved.
Safe Mode loads a minimal set of drivers. If the crash stops there, a third-party driver, startup program or peripheral is more likely than a basic Windows file, although this is not conclusive.
Repair Windows system files with DISM and SFC
Use an elevated Command Prompt. In the desktop, open Start, type cmd, right-click Command Prompt, choose Run as administrator, and approve the prompt. In Safe Mode, use the same path. Run each command separately and wait for it to finish.
DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /CheckHealthperforms a quick check for a flagged component-store problem.DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /ScanHealthperforms a more extensive scan.DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealthrepairs the Windows component store, using Windows Update as its source when available.sfc /scannowchecks protected system files and replaces damaged copies from the repaired component store.
Keep the window open until each command reports completion. A percentage that pauses for several minutes is not, by itself, a failure. If RestoreHealth reports that source files cannot be found, confirm that networking works in Safe Mode with Networking, then run the command again. Restart after SFC completes and test a normal boot.
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How to interpret SFC results
- “did not find any integrity violations”: protected files were not detected as damaged; continue with driver, storage and memory checks.
- “found corrupt files and successfully repaired them”: restart and see whether initialization now completes.
- “found corrupt files but was unable to fix some”: run DISM again, restart, and repeat SFC once. Persistent failures justify recovery-media repair rather than repeatedly rerunning the same command.
Update or roll back drivers
A buggy or outdated driver can fail during the early boot sequence. In Windows, right-click Start and open Device Manager. Expand categories such as Display adapters, Storage controllers, Network adapters, Bluetooth and Sound, video and game controllers.
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- If the problem began immediately after an update, open Properties > Driver and select Roll Back Driver when that button is available.
- If Windows reports that the best driver is already installed, visit the computer maker’s support page or the component maker’s support page from a different working device. Match the exact model, Windows edition and system architecture, download the official package, and install it.
- Restart after each driver change so you can identify which change affected the result.
Do not install a driver intended for a different model or use an unverified download site. If the display driver is implicated, Safe Mode can let you remove the recent package before installing the manufacturer’s version.
Check the system drive with CHKDSK
File-system corruption or unreadable sectors can prevent Windows from loading. Open an elevated Command Prompt and run:
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chkdsk /r
Windows may say the volume is in use and ask whether to schedule the check for the next restart. Type Y, press Enter, and restart. The scan can take a long time, especially on a large or damaged hard disk; do not interrupt it unless the computer is clearly powered off or a technician directs you to do so.
The /r option looks for bad sectors and attempts to recover readable information, so repeated errors are significant. If CHKDSK reports numerous bad sectors, unusual noises, disappearing files or a drive that vanishes from firmware, stop intensive use and copy data while the drive is still accessible. A failing drive needs replacement, not endless software scans.
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- Press Windows key + R, type
mdsched.exe, and press Enter. - Choose Restart now and check for problems if you can close your work, or schedule the test for the next boot.
- Let the test finish and sign in afterward. Open Event Viewer, go to Windows Logs > System, choose Find, and search for
MemoryDiagnostics-Results.
Any reported errors indicate that memory, a memory slot, or a memory setting needs attention. Power off, reseat removable modules only if the device manual allows it, and test one module at a time. Return overclocked or manually tuned memory to its default firmware settings.
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Use a deeper test when the built-in test is clean
If Windows Memory Diagnostic finds nothing but crashes continue, create bootable media for MemTest86+ from its official project and let several passes run. A clean short test does not prove that memory is healthy under every temperature or workload. Replace or professionally test modules that produce repeatable errors.
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If the crash began after a driver or application change and restore points exist, open Settings > System > Recovery > Advanced startup > Restart now (Windows 10: Settings > Update & Security > Recovery). Choose Troubleshoot > Advanced options > System Restore, select a restore point dated before the failure, and review the affected programs before confirming. System Restore changes system files, drivers and registry settings but normally leaves personal files untouched.
From the same Advanced options menu, Uninstall Updates can remove a recent quality update when the timing strongly implicates it. Use this only as a diagnostic reversal; keep Windows updated once stability returns.
Create Windows installation media when repairs fail
When DISM, SFC, driver work, CHKDSK and memory testing do not restore startup, use Microsoft’s Windows 11 Media Creation Tool on a working computer. You need a pre-formatted USB flash drive for Windows installation with enough capacity for the tool’s current media requirement; the creation process erases that USB drive.
- Back up the USB drive, download the Media Creation Tool from Microsoft, and run it as administrator.
- Choose Create installation media for another PC, confirm the language and edition, and select USB flash drive.
- Insert the completed USB into the affected computer and use its one-time boot menu key (the manufacturer’s support documentation identifies the key) to boot from USB.
- At Windows Setup, choose Repair your computer > Troubleshoot > Advanced options before selecting a reinstall. Try Startup Repair or open Command Prompt for offline recovery when appropriate.
A clean installation is a last resort because it can remove applications, settings and personal files. Verify backups, product licenses and the correct Windows edition first. If the drive is failing, reinstalling onto it will not solve the underlying hardware problem.
Choose the next step based on your situation
| Situation | Best next action | Data impact | Restart needed | Outside equipment |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Windows boots and no hardware warning is present | Updates, DISM/SFC, then drivers | Normally none | Usually yes | No |
| Windows boots but CHKDSK finds errors | Complete the scheduled disk scan and back up immediately | Normally none; failing media can worsen | Yes | Backup drive recommended |
| Windows will only start in Safe Mode | Remove recent startup software or drivers, then repair files | Normally none | Yes | No |
| Memory Diagnostic reports errors | Test modules individually and replace defective memory | None from the test | Yes | Replacement RAM or service may be needed |
| No normal or Safe Mode boot | Advanced Startup, then USB recovery media | Repair options usually preserve files; reinstall may not | Yes | Second computer and USB drive |
| Repeated failures after software repair | Professional hardware diagnosis | Depends on the repair | As directed | Repair service |
When to stop troubleshooting and seek hardware service
- CHKDSK repeatedly reports bad sectors, the disk disappears, or you hear clicking or grinding.
- Memory tests produce repeatable errors after modules are reseated and default settings restored.
- The computer overheats, shuts down, or crashes before you can run diagnostics.
- The stop code returns after a clean Windows installation with current manufacturer drivers.
- You cannot create a backup or are unsure which partitions can be safely changed.
Give a technician the stop-code photograph, the NT status value from parameter 1 if shown, CHKDSK and memory-test results, the computer model, and a list of recent changes. This evidence is more useful than repeatedly reinstalling drivers at random.
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