Why Is My HP Laptop Taking Forever To Restart? | Fix It Fast

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HP laptop restart delays usually stem from Fast Startup, pending updates, startup apps, or disk and system file errors in Windows.

What’s Really Happening During A Restart

On a restart, Windows closes services, writes logs, unloads drivers, and reloads the kernel. If a device driver hangs or updates need extra steps, the cycle drags. HP utilities and vendor drivers sit in that chain too. The hold-up is usually a driver or update.

HP Laptop Restart Takes Too Long: Quick Checks

Start with the fast wins below. You’ll rule out the common culprits first, then move to deeper fixes if the lag sticks around.

  1. Give Windows a full shutdown once. Hold Shift while clicking Shut down, wait 30 seconds, then power on and try a normal restart. This bypasses hybrid shutdown.
  2. Unplug extras. Pull USB drives, dongles, SD cards, and external monitors. Bad media or drivers can stall the cycle.
  3. Charge up. Keep the laptop on AC power. Firmware updates and checks may pause on low battery.

Core Fixes That Solve Slow Restarts

1) Turn Off Fast Startup For Testing

Hybrid shutdown can speed power-off but sometimes causes long restarts or shutdown loops. Temporarily disable it: open powercfg.cpl → Choose what the power buttons do → Change settings that are currently unavailable → uncheck Turn on fast startup, save, then try a restart. See Microsoft’s note on Fast Startup issues.

2) Clear Stuck Updates

Pending Windows updates or a driver package can hold the system in a “configuring” state. Go to Settings → Windows Update, install everything, and run a restart from there. If an update keeps failing, run the troubleshooter from Settings → System → Troubleshoot and retry.

3) Repair System Files With DISM And SFC

Corrupted system files can block a clean restart. Run these from an elevated Command Prompt. Copy the block and paste it in one go. Microsoft explains both tools here: System File Checker.

DISM.exe /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth
sfc /scannow

Let both finish. If SFC reports repairs, restart twice.

4) Trim Startup Apps And Services

Apps that inject shell extensions or background services can slow the logoff and logon phases. Open Task Manager → Startup apps and disable anything you don’t need. For deeper testing, perform a Clean Boot using msconfig to hide Microsoft services, disable the rest, and restart.

5) Check Disk Health And Free Space

Low free space and disk errors hurt every phase of a restart. Keep at least 15% of the system drive free. Then run a quick file system check:

chkdsk C: /scan

If errors appear, schedule a repair and reboot when prompted:

chkdsk C: /f

6) Update BIOS And Drivers

Firmware fixes timing issues, power management quirks, and device hangs. Open HP Support Assistant or the HP support site for your model and apply recommended BIOS, chipset, storage, and graphics updates. During a BIOS flash, keep AC power connected and don’t interrupt the process. HP’s guide to updating the BIOS covers the steps.

7) Scan For Malware And Security Conflicts

Run a Microsoft Defender Offline scan. If you use a third-party antivirus, check if uninstalling it (temporarily) changes restart times.

8) Reset Power Plans And Hibernate File

Damaged power profiles or a bloated hibernation file can slow the handoff during restart. Reset the plan and recreate the hiberfile:

powercfg -restoredefaultschemes
powercfg /h off
powercfg /h on

Why These Steps Work

Fast Startup keeps parts of the kernel and drivers in a hibernation file. That helps cold boots, but it can misbehave with certain drivers and lead to drawn-out restarts or shutdown loops. Repairing the Windows image and protected files removes corruption that blocks services from closing. Disk checks fix metadata problems that can stall writes during logoff. BIOS and driver updates resolve firmware-level hangs.

Model-Specific Tips For HP Laptops

Use HP Support Assistant

Open the HP tool from search and run a checkup. Install recommended driver and BIOS updates. It also surfaces device-specific advisories and softpaq packages.

Run HP Hardware Diagnostics

Turn the laptop off. Tap Esc on power-on, then press F2 for HP PC Hardware Diagnostics UEFI. Run a quick test on memory and storage.

Recover Or Update The BIOS Safely

If a prior flash was interrupted or a beta image caused quirks, use HP’s BIOS recovery flow. Some models can roll back or reload from a recovery image using a key combo at power-on.

Settings And Logs That Reveal The Bottleneck

Event Viewer

Open eventvwr.msc and check Windows Logs → System for Event ID 6006 and shutdown performance diagnostics. Note timestamps around the slow restart.

Reliability Monitor

Search for Reliability Monitor. Look for red X entries around the time of the slow restart. Device driver crashes, update failures, or application hangs will stand out.

Task Manager Startup Impact

In the Startup tab, sort by Startup impact. Disable high-impact items from vendors you don’t need at boot. That trims logon time right after the restart.

When Storage Type And Space Matter

On HDD-based systems, shutdown and startup phases take longer. If space is tight, Windows has less room to write the hibernation and page files. Free space by clearing temp folders, uninstalling big apps you don’t use, and moving media to external storage. If the machine still feels slow beyond restarts, an SSD upgrade helps the most.

Safe Mode Proves Whether Drivers Are The Cause

Boot into Safe Mode with Shift + Restart → Troubleshoot → Advanced options → Startup Settings. If restarts are normal there, a third-party driver or service is likely at fault. Use a clean boot and enable items in chunks until restart time spikes again.

Quick Decision Tree

Use this guide to pick the next move based on the symptom you see.

Symptom-Based Fixes

  • Stuck at “Restarting.” Turn off Fast Startup, then run DISM and SFC.
  • “Working on updates” forever. Use the Windows Update troubleshooter and clear pending updates; then restart from Windows Update.
  • Black screen, lit keyboard. Update graphics and chipset drivers; apply the latest BIOS.
  • Restarts fine on Safe Mode. Clean boot and test batches of startup items to catch the slow one.
  • Drive light solid for minutes. Run CHKDSK and check free space; consider SSD if on HDD.

What To Do Before A Service Call

Create a restore point, back up files, and capture a screenshot of long restart timers from your phone. If the laptop is under warranty, collect the product number, current BIOS version, and a list of recent changes.

Table: Common Causes And Fixes

Cause How To Confirm Fix
Fast Startup conflict Restart speeds up when disabled Leave it off or update drivers
Pending or failed update Windows Update shows retries Install updates; use troubleshooter
Corrupted system files SFC finds and repairs files Run DISM then SFC, restart twice
Disk errors or low space CHKDSK output, drive near full Repair disk; free 15% space
Old BIOS or drivers Device Manager warnings; old BIOS date Update via HP tools or support site
Problem startup app Clean boot speeds restart Re-enable items to isolate culprit

Keep Restart Times Fast

Once restarts are back to normal, keep them that way. Leave 20–30 GB free on the system drive, apply updates monthly, and keep HP Support Assistant handy. Avoid stacking multiple security suites, and trim auto-start apps after installing new software. Set a reminder for a quarterly DISM and SFC health pass.

Sources And Extra Help

Microsoft details Fast Startup issues and shows the exact commands for DISM and SFC. HP offers step-by-step BIOS update and recovery guides for most models.