How to Disable Fast Startup on Windows 10

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A bug persists on your PC, even when you turn it back on ? You can’t access the Bios ? Disable the fast startup to force Windows to stop and restart itself properly.

Contents

  • How does Windows fast startup  work ?
  • Temporarily disable Windows Fast Startup
  • Disable Windows 10 Fast Startup via the power options
  • Disable Windows 10 Fast Startup in the registry

One of the great qualities of Windows 10 is its speed at launch: after turning on the computer, it takes only a few seconds to display the splash screen, if you have an SSD, the process being a little longer from a hard drive. A very appreciable speed, which we owe by a function of Windows activated by default: Windows fast startup.

How Does Windows Fast Startup Work?

The principle of Fast Startup is very simple: when you turn off your PC normally, Windows does not stop completely: it goes into a deep sleep – a hibernation, close to the long sleep. The system does close all applications and open files and logs off users, but it automatically saves the state of the Windows kernel and device drivers in a hibernation file (hiberfil.sys). This hidden file is most often stored in the root of the main disk – the one where Windows is installed. When you restart your computer, Windows loads it instead of gradually initializing the whole system, which makes the system launch much faster than a "cold" start.

But if the fast startup allows to launch Windows faster, it also presents some disadvantages. If a peripheral does not work properly, because of a bug of its driver, for example, the problem persists when Windows restarts. This is the case when the numeric keypad is disabled on some PCs.The fast boot also regularly causes problems with dual or multi-boot PCs, when several operating systems are installed. Indeed, this function locks the disk where Windows is installed, which blocks access to this disk from another OS. In the same way, on some PCs, fast boot can prevent access to Bios or UEFI settings, which determine the "physical" settings of the computer.Finally, fast boot can also cause some problems with drives encrypted by an encryption solution like TrueCrypt.

For all these reasons, it can be useful to disable fast boot, if only temporarily. Knowing that Windows will then take a little longer to launch…

How to Temporarily Disable Windows 10 Fast Startup?

If you just want to make a complete shutdown of Windows without permanently disabling the fast startup – to solve a bug for example -, there is a simple trick to force Windows to operate a complete shutdown without saving the kernel.

  • Press the Shift key . ( Shift) key and hold it down.
  • Open the Start menu and click the Start/Stop button.
  • Then click on Shutdown.
  • Release the Shift key when closing.

By doing this, the kernel is not saved when the PC is shut down and Windows reloads completely the next time it starts. Note that the Restart option in the Start/Stop submenu also performs a complete shutdown of Windows, but immediately restarting the system.

How to Disable Windows 10 Fast Startup via the Power Options?

Disabling Quick Start is done rather easily, but the option is hidden in the Windows power options. Attention, it is imperative to have an administrator account to perform this manipulation

  • Press Windows + I simultaneously to access the Windows settings.
  • In theWindows Settingswindow, openthe System section.
  • In the left-hand column, select the Power and Sleep sub-heading.
  • Scroll down the right side of the window to theRelated Settings section, and click the Additional Power Settings link.
  • The Power Options window appears. Click on Choose Power Button(s) Action in the left-hand menu.
  • In the new window, click the Edit currently unavailable settings link at the top of the page to enter administrator mode.
  • In the Shutdown Settings section, uncheck the Enable Fast Startup box.
  • To complete the operation, click the Save Changes button.

How to Disable Windows 10 Fast Startup in the Registry?

You can also go through the registry editor to disable the fast startup. However, the manipulation is more complex. If you don’t know how the registry works, consult our practical sheet before making any changes.

  • Open the Windows Start menu, navigate to Windows Administrative Tools,and then click on the Registry Editor shortcut.
  • In the Registry Editor window, find the following key from the side menu tree: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINESYSTEMCurrentControlSetControlSession ManagerPower
  • The quick start feature is linked to a 32-bit DWORD value called HiberbootEnabled. Identify the HiberbootEnabled value in the list and double-click it.
  • In the Edit Value window, type0 in the Value Data field and click OK.
  • To re-enable fast boot from the registry, perform the same operation, but enter1 in the Value datafield in the last step.

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