Troubleshoot and Fix Windows 10 Startup and Shutdown Errors

As a seasoned IT professional, I’ve seen my fair share of Windows 10 startup and shutdown issues over the years. From getting stuck in an automatic repair loop to experiencing bizarre shutdown behaviors, these frustrating problems can severely impact productivity and user experience. However, with the right troubleshooting strategies and practical solutions, you can often resolve these errors and optimize your Windows 10 system for reliable performance.

Understanding Fast Startup and Hibernation

One of the root causes behind many Windows 10 startup and shutdown problems is the “Fast Startup” feature. This setting is designed to help your computer start up more quickly by hibernating the kernel session and device drivers instead of fully shutting down the system.

Here’s how it works: When you choose to “Shut down” your Windows 10 computer, it doesn’t actually turn off completely. Instead, it enters a hibernation state, saving the kernel session and device drivers to the hiberfil.sys file on your hard drive. This allows your system to “wake up” from hibernation much faster than performing a full cold boot.

However, this convenience can come at a cost. The hibernation process introduced by Fast Startup can sometimes lead to various issues, such as:

• Incomplete Windows Updates: Updates may not install properly if the system is in a hibernated state during the update process.
• Shutdown and Restart Problems: Fast Startup can cause your computer to become stuck in an “Attempting Repair” loop or fail to shut down completely.
• Driver and Kernel Instability: Keeping the kernel session and drivers hibernated indefinitely can lead to reliability and performance problems over time.

Disabling Fast Startup and Hibernation

To address these potential issues, I recommend disabling both Fast Startup and hibernation altogether. This will ensure your Windows 10 system performs a full, clean shutdown and boot-up process, which can help resolve startup and shutdown errors.

Method 1: Disable Hibernation and Fast Startup

1. Open the Start menu, type “cmd” in the search bar, right-click on “Command Prompt,” and select “Run as administrator.”
2. In the elevated Command Prompt, type the following command and press Enter:
   powercfg -h off
3. This will disable hibernation and, in turn, disable the Fast Startup feature.
4. Restart your computer immediately after running the command.

Note: Disabling hibernation will free up 4-12GB of storage space on your system drive, as the hiberfil.sys file will be removed.

Method 2: Disable Fast Startup Only

If you prefer to keep hibernation enabled for other purposes, you can disable Fast Startup without disabling hibernation entirely:

1. Open the Control Panel and navigate to “Power Options.”
2. Click on “Choose what the power buttons do.”
3. Uncheck the “Turn on fast startup (recommended)” option.
4. Click “Save changes” to apply the setting.

Optimizing Windows 10 for Performance and Reliability

In addition to disabling Fast Startup, there are several other steps you can take to improve the overall performance and reliability of your Windows 10 system:

Enable the High-Performance Power Plan

The default “Balanced” power plan in Windows 10 can sometimes lead to unexpected behavior, such as reduced monitor brightness or inconsistent CPU performance. By enabling the “High-Performance” power plan, you can ensure your system is running at its full potential:

1. Right-click the Start button and select “Run.”
2. Type “powercfg.cpl” and press Enter.
3. Click on the “High Performance” power plan and then click “Change plan settings.”
4. (Optional) Adjust the “Minimum Processor State” setting to your preferred level, such as 1% for better battery life or 100% for maximum performance.

Optimize Windows Update Settings

Ensuring your Windows 10 system is up-to-date with the latest security patches and feature updates is essential. However, you can tweak a few settings to improve the update process:

1. Open the Settings app and navigate to “Update & Security” > “Windows Update” > “Advanced options.”
2. Enable the “Receive updates for other Microsoft products when you update Windows” option.
3. Also, enable the “Download updates over metered connections” option if you’re not on a cellular data plan.

Manage Startup and Background Apps

Startup and background applications can significantly impact your Windows 10 system’s performance and stability. Review the list of startup programs and disable any unnecessary ones:

1. Open the Settings app and go to “Apps” > “Startup.”
2. Disable any startup programs you don’t need running automatically upon boot.

Additionally, you can limit the number of background apps that are allowed to run in the background:

1. Go to “Privacy” > “Background apps” and turn off the “Let apps run in the background” setting.

Note: This may impact some applications’ functionality, so you may need to customize the settings for specific programs you rely on.

Dealing with Windows Updates

Keeping your Windows 10 system up-to-date is crucial, but updates can sometimes cause their own set of problems. If you encounter issues with a major Windows 10 update (such as 1909, 2004, or 20H2), try the following:

1. Download and run the Windows 10 Update Assistant before attempting the update again.
2. Check for any optional driver updates that may be causing conflicts and avoid installing them.
3. Ensure you’re checking for updates at least once per day, either in the morning or before bed, to stay on top of the latest fixes and improvements.

Maintaining Drivers and Hardware

While Microsoft has made significant strides in improving Windows 10’s driver compatibility, it’s still essential to ensure you have the latest, most optimized drivers for your system’s hardware. Here are some recommendations for keeping your drivers up-to-date:

• Intel Devices: Install the Intel® Driver & Support Assistant (Intel® DSA) to ensure you have the latest Intel-supplied drivers.
• AMD Devices: Use the AMD Radeon Software – Adrenalin to manage your AMD graphics drivers.
• NVIDIA Devices: Utilize the NVIDIA GeForce Experience to keep your NVIDIA graphics drivers up-to-date.
• Samsung SSD Devices: Download and use the Samsung Magician software to manage your Samsung SSD drivers and settings.

For pre-built systems from manufacturers like Dell or Lenovo, you can use their proprietary driver update utilities to ensure your system’s hardware is running the latest, most compatible drivers.

If you have a custom-built PC with a motherboard from a manufacturer like ASUS, you may need to visit their download center to manually download and install the latest drivers for your specific model.

By following these comprehensive troubleshooting steps and optimization techniques, you can help ensure your Windows 10 system starts up and shuts down reliably, while also maintaining optimal performance and stability. Remember, every system is unique, so don’t hesitate to experiment and find the solutions that work best for your specific hardware and usage needs.

For more IT-related tips, insights, and troubleshooting guides, be sure to visit the IT Fix blog regularly. Happy troubleshooting!