Forum Discussion
Slow shutdown on Windows Devices, Fixed by Re-installing Windows
Devices for the last few months (started around 3-4 months ago) have become slower to shutdown. These devices have fast boot disabled. The slowness appears on the "Restarting..." screen after the user has been logged out. We have done significant testing and tried the following to improve the boot speed.
- Removal of vendor specific bloatware (HP).
- SFC /Scannow
- Chkdsk /f
- DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /ScanHealth
- Ran vendor specific firmware updates.
- Ran windows updates.
None of the above improved the shutdown speed. We then tested enabling safe-mode with networking and the problem device shut down in 9 seconds compared to 5m30s. What we have found though is a fresh install of windows 11 pro does fix the issue. The windows version we are using is "Windows 11 Pro (Version 23H" OS Build 22631.3007)". To give you a comparison, a fresh install of windows 11 vs a windows 11 device with the problem, both on same build version with same firmware, and same windows updates applied. The fresh install shuts down in 30 seconds and the problem device shuts down in 5m30s. I then performed a Windows 11 re-install using removable media while keeping custom apps and files and this resolved the issue on the problem device and the shutdown speed is now 30 seconds. This is affecting nearly all of our devices, that are of similar models from HP. We have clients of ours in other tenants experiencing the same problem as well. Currently to workaround the issue we have enabled fast shutdown and this has reduced the shutdown speed to between 10-15seconds however we would like to get to the bottom of the cause of the slow shutdowns when fast shutdown is not enabled as currently it feels as though it is a windows feature or update causing the issue. Especially since the issue was resolved by re-installing windows 11 while keeping all custom software exactly the same and all settings exactly the same.
Following the above we have used Windows Performance Recorder and Analyzer and cannot see anything other than Windows process working during the slow shutdown process. We then also compared services between the fresh w11 re-install device and a w11 device with the problem. We disabled all services that were different and the problem was the same. I have then raised a ticket through the 365 admin centre but unfortunately they do not assist with any Windows problems.
Anyone got any ideas on where to go from here to figure out how we can fix the slow shutdown without re-installing Windows 11? What we hope to achieve is devices shutting down in 30seconds without fast boot enabled.
4 Replies
- Run System File Checker:
Open Command Prompt as an administrator and run: sfc /scannow
This will scan for and fix corrupted system files.
Check for Malware:
Use Windows Defender or another trusted antivirus program to perform a full system scan.
Disable Startup Programs:
Open Task Manager (Ctrl + Shift + Esc), go to the Startup tab, and disable unnecessary programs.I am convinced that for any long term Windows computer user, the very concept of "Re-installing Windows" is not a solution that one would want to go through more than once. May be you are not using your computer like the masses I represent, but kindly understand that "Re-installing Windows" is the very last thing I ever want to go through again. Because it destroys or makes unusable ANY OTHER PROGRAM OR SOFTWARE EVER INSTALLED. Even if someone is diligent enough to save a copy of every file onto a cloud or other back-up solution, the problem of having to re-install every piece of software that was on there originally is enough to cause anyone to put all sorts of curses on the person who came up with the "Windows Registry". Because, it takes a week out of anyone's life to re-install every
program!
Luckily, like Andy Kaufmann ("Here I am to save the day"), I am available to provide a solution to this problem: "Each and every Windows application you install and use, should be asked, pushed, caused to retain a backup of every piece of info it ever recorded onto the Windows Registry. Then, when stuff happens to the Windows OS, and it indeed needs to be re-installed, each previously installed Windows compatible software could be programmed to put all the required Windows Registry info back into the Windows Registry, where it resided before.
This WOULD WORK, except that MSFT does not want to do anything smart.
If for unknown software reasons, it does not work for one or the other software,
then only those FEW programs needed to be re-installed.
I say: EASY, PEASY, EVERYONE UNDERSTANDS THIS, except Microsoft.
Now, the question of whether I am genius or idiot has not been resolved, but I
just throw out ideas to improve stuff, for any other genius to try it.
You are free to tell me why it could not possibly work. I hear you! Microsoft does
not hear me, but I hear you! Prove me to be the idiot I sometimes have an inkling to be, and I shut up and stand corrected.
- I am sorry to bother you, but for many people reinstalling Windows ruins all installed software, and requires from three to seven days time to re-install everything. Even if data is backed up regularly, for regular people "Re installing Windows" is a like a major disaster, like being stuck on an island, like missing the last flight out of Kiew or Tel Aviv, like a fire or a flood.
Even if one trusts Microsoft OneDrive, in an actual event of an OS reinstall, reconnecting and downloading data back to where you want it is a problem I do not wish on anyone..
I am still waiting for Microsoft seeing the error of their ways. I would require that all installed software on a Windows computer should have the following system: Whatever software you use, it should make a second copy of all data it ever writes to the Windows Registry, and it should have an either manual or automated plan of restoring that data to the Windows Registry. Likewise, a copy of all system details, like permissions, accounts, etc should be made and be constantly updated, just so that the user can restore all these items quickly. Being back in business in two hours, instead of in a week, that to me would be a worthy goal for MSFT to present to its paying customers. Whatever they have now, is in my opinion astonishingly inadequate. Restore points do not do what I would like them to do, and whatever backup & restore system really big businesses have, is not affordable for the homeuser. - Roll back to the previous edition and see if the performance is optimized.
