Waiting for a desktop/laptop to boot up can be as frustrating as watching a loading screen. That waiting period is so annoying that many people resort to never switching off their machines. Ever. This however can slightly reduce the lifespan of your computer, but you need not worry too much if you’re in the habit of doing this.
It only hurts the longevity of your machine slightly, and the trade-off might be worth it if you tend to use your computer all the time. But for those who prefer their computers to be turned off, there is an alternative if you want faster boot-up times, as well as a turned-off machine.
How Fast Startup Works
Fast startup is a Windows 10 feature that allows your computer to boot up faster than usual. It is typically enabled by default on many laptops and desktops. Fast startup works by saving the state of the operating system onto a hibernation file which is stored in the system drive (usually the C drive)
When you shut the computer off with fast startup enabled, the computer will close all programs and log off all users, similar to what happens during a normal shutdown. Any unsaved work will be lost.
But because the operating system’s state was saved onto the hibernation file, Windows will refresh the RAM using the hibernation file, meaning it does not have to reload the kernel and drivers one at a time. This shortcut ends up being much faster than a cold boot.
Steps by Step process on how to enable fast startup
- Using your keyboard, press the Windows key and X simultaneously and click on Power Options. Alternatively, open the Settings app by clicking on Start and using the search bar to find it.
- In the Settings app, click on Power & Sleep.
- In the Power & Sleep window, scroll down and click on additional power settings. This will bring you to the Power Options window.
- Click on “Choose what the power buttons do.”
- You should see “Shutdown settings” at the bottom of the window. However, if this is missing, scroll up and click on “Change settings that are currently unavailable.” If prompted to confirm your choice, choose yes.
- Tick the checkbox stating “Turn on fast startup.”
- Click on Save changes, then exit the window. You can now shut down the computer and see how fast your machine boots up with fast startup enabled. Note, however, that restarting the machine will work as normal.
One other great way to improve boot-up times is by reducing the number of startup programs. These are the programs that automatically start each time you boot your machine. Common startup programs include antivirus software, torrent applications, Adobe reader VPNs, and Chrome.
However, some programs, like the VPN, which hide your identity online, are too important; hence you might not want not to have them running while you’re on the web. Luckily, VPNs nowadays are versatile and can be set to run when a particular application is open. When surfing the internet, this can be done by VPN for Chrome which will work as an extension within Chrome. In this way, your IP address will remain hidden from your ISP, advertisers, or even other apps you use, making it hard for your online activity to be tracked back to you. All this while still not slowing your machine down by having an extra startup program.
Why Fast Startup might not be the option for you
Unfortunately, fast startup has some drawbacks. The major one being that new system updates will not be applied because most updates require a shutdown. This means you’ll have to keep an eye on those updates as they come in and restart the machine.
Pressing Restart works because the restart process is unaffected by fast startup. The computer will still shut down and boot back up as normal, which will allow your updates to be installed.
Another issue is that a fast startup will lock the Windows hard drive rendering it inaccessible from other operating systems. If you use dual boot, then it is advised that you disable fast startup.
In addition to locking the hard drive, your BIOS/UEFI settings may be inaccessible with fast startup on, but this depends on your system.
Conclusion
Fast startup in Windows 10 is a handy option to have, and if the drawbacks stated do not apply to you, then go on ahead and enable it. Most machines come with it enabled anyway, so it should not be a huge cause of concern.
