Did you know that shutting down Windows 10 or 11 doesn't really shut down your PC?This is because of the quick start. Read on to learn more about Fast Startup and how to disable it in Microsoft Windows.
As the name suggests, Fast Boot is a built-in Windows feature that allows your computer to boot up faster after a cold shutdown. That sounds like a good thing, right?This is not always the case. We'll explain what Fast Startup is and why you might want to disable it in Windows 10 or 11.
Before we understand how Fast Startup works, it's a good idea to understand what the "kernel" in Windows is.
Basically, the kernel is the core of the operating system and the basis for the work of software and hardware. It's always in memory and it's what the computer's firmware (BIOS or UEFI) loads first.
When you shut down your PC, Windows closes all open applications, logs out your user account, and shuts down the operating system. At least, that's what you think, right?
However, when you boot Windows 8, shutting down does not turn off all devices in the traditional sense. Instead, it caches the kernel to hiberfilsys (also known as hibernation files).
Since the kernel is what keeps everything working, leaving it in a boot-ready state can help your computer boot up faster when it starts a cold start.
If Windows is loaded from a fast SSD (solid state drive), or if you usually have a strong PC setup, then fast boot doesn't significantly reduce boot time. However, it does save a few seconds when booting the operating system from an old hard drive.
Despite the advantages that a quick boot brings, it tends to be the source of multiple problems on a computer running Windows 10 or 11.
For starters, repeatedly loading the same kernel session increases the likelihood of a mismatch between the actual software component and the cached software component, especially after a system or driver update.
This can lead to BSOD (Blue Screen of Death) and other boot errors, or prevent hardware peripherals from working properly. Fast startup can also cause problems when it comes to completing a Windows update.
Additionally, if your computer is in a dual-boot or multi-boot configuration (for example, Windows and Linux), Fast Boot is known to lock down access to Windows drives when booting into a non-Windows operating system.
To make matters worse, changing partitions from one operating system can lead to corruption issues while switching to another.
Let's say you think that fast startup is the reason behind a particular problem (or you want to avoid potential conflicts);You can temporarily stop the Windows cache kernel during shutdown.
Here are a few ways to help you do just that:
Hold down the shift key during a normal shutdown.
Select Reboot instead of Shutdown to prompt the operating system to automatically shut down and restart. This may come as a surprise, but auto-restart skips "fast startup" and "full shutdown" doesn't.
Although it's easy to bypass Fast Boot and clear the kernel cache, you may want to consider disabling Fast Boot altogether if your computer is constantly having problems or has multiple operating systems installed.
Disable Quick Boot through the Control Panel
1. Open the Start menu, type "Control Panel", and then select "Open".
2. Select the hardware and sound category.
3. Under the Power Options section, select Select Change the function of the power button.
4. Select Change settings that are currently unavailable.
5. Uncheck the box next to the "Turn on Quick Startup (Recommended) Startup" option.
6. Select Save Changes.
If you don't see the Fast Startup option, the Hibernation Power setting on your computer might be disabled. Run the following command in an elevated Windows PowerShell or Command Prompt console to activate it:
1. Right-click the Start button and select Windows PowerShell Terminal (Administrator). Alternatively, type cmd in the Start menu and select Run as administrator.
2. Type the following command:
powercfg /hibernate on3. Press Enter.
You can now disable Fast Startup through the Control Panel.
Disable Fast Launch through the Registry Editor
Another (albeit less convenient) way to disable Fast Startup is to make the following adjustments through the Registry Editor. It's a good idea to back up your system registry before you start.
1. Press Windows+R, type regedit, and then select OK.
2. Copy the following path to the address bar at the top of the registry editor window and press enter:
hkey_local_machine\system\currentcontrolset\control\session manager\power3. Double-click the Hiberbootenabled registry value on the right pane.
4. Enter 0 in the Value Data field, and then select OK.
5. Exit the registry editor.
6. Shut down and restart the computer.
Disable Fast Start through the Local Group Policy Editor
If your PC is running Windows 10 or 11 Professional, Enterprise, or Education, you can disable Fast Startup using the local Group Policy Editor.
1. Open the "Run" box and type gpeditmsc, and then select OK.
2. Navigate to the following location on the sidebar of the Local Group Policy Editor:
computer configuration > administrative templates > system > shutdown3. Double-click the "Require Quick Start Policy" setting on the right pane.
4. Select the radio button next to disabled.
5. Select the application and confirm.
Unless you're using a fairly old PC, with an HDD, or only the minimum CPU or RAM required to run Windows 11 or 10, you probably won't see a significant performance improvement in boot time when Fast Boot is enabled.
However, unless you're experiencing persistent issues, having trouble installing updates, or using multiple operating systems, there's little reason to permanently disable Fast Startup. Don't forget that you can easily bypass the feature at any time.