fast startup Archives

Winsage

May 13, 2025

I replaced my laptop with Microsoft’s 12-inch Surface Pro – here’s my buying advice a week later

The 12-inch Microsoft Surface Pro is available for preorder, starting at 9 for the Platinum color and ,099 for the Violet and Ocean colors. It features a thin and lightweight design, a fast-charging battery, and a Snapdragon X Plus processor. The base model includes 16GB of RAM and 256GB of storage, with a maximum storage option of 512GB. Essential accessories like the keyboard, mouse, and power adapter are sold separately. The device has a resolution of 2196 x 1464 and offers up to 16 hours of battery life, achieving over 15 hours during video playback. It can charge to 50% in 30 minutes and 80% in an hour. The Surface Pro is designed for everyday users and supports AI-driven applications.

Winsage

May 11, 2025

Fast Startup might actually be slowing your PC down

Fast Startup on Windows enhances boot times by placing the computer in a hibernation-like state, saving the system state to disk for quicker startups, but does not preserve open programs and processes. Disabling Fast Startup is advisable for users with modern SSDs unless they experience noticeable slowdowns. Fast Startup circumvents traditional shutdowns, which are necessary for proper power cycling of components, potentially leading to system issues over time. It can disrupt Windows updates, causing instability and missing features, making it wise to keep it disabled for regular updaters. For dual-boot systems with Windows and Linux, Fast Startup should be disabled to avoid boot issues and potential data corruption. It can also exacerbate wake-from-sleep problems, leading to slower wake times and peripheral malfunctions. Users with modern NVMe SSDs may find that Fast Startup offers minimal advantages and could even result in longer boot times.

Winsage

April 5, 2025

I hope these 3 long-lost Microsoft Windows 8 features stay gone forever

Windows 8 introduced a new interface that replaced the traditional Start Menu with a full-screen tile layout, leading to negative user feedback due to its touchscreen optimization and disruption of productivity for desktop users. The tile interface featured constantly updating tiles that distracted users, while Metro apps had a restrictive design that complicated tasks like image editing. The Charms bar was criticized for unintentionally activating and interrupting workflows. Despite some improvements like Fast Startup, the overall reception was poor, prompting Microsoft to release Windows 8.1, which reintroduced the Start Button. The subsequent launch of Windows 10 received a much more favorable response, indicating a shift in Microsoft's strategy away from the controversial elements of Windows 8.

Winsage

April 4, 2025

4 reasons you should embrace virtual machines instead of jumping straight to dual-booting

Operating multiple systems on a single machine, particularly Windows and Linux, can be achieved through dual-booting or using a virtual machine (VM). Dual-booting can lead to complications, such as Windows obstructing access to Linux and overwriting Linux's boot manager. In contrast, VMs allow users to run multiple operating systems concurrently without rebooting, making them more flexible and user-friendly. VMs facilitate the management of separate environments for different tasks and can be easily deleted and recreated if needed. They also provide enhanced security by operating in a sandboxed environment, reducing the risk of damage to the primary system. VMs are portable, encapsulated in a single file for easy transfer between computers, and support snapshots for quick rollbacks.

Winsage

December 25, 2024

5 ways to make Windows 11 boot faster without new hardware

Windows can exhibit sluggishness during boot times, which can be improved without hardware upgrades or reinstallation. 1. Disable unnecessary startup programs using Task Manager to enhance boot times. 2. Adjust the Fast Startup feature in Control Panel, as it can sometimes hinder performance. 3. Reduce the operating system selection timeout in System Properties to streamline booting for users with multiple operating systems. 4. Uninstall unneeded applications to free up resources. 5. Ensure sufficient free space on your SSD, as full SSDs can degrade performance.

Winsage

December 20, 2024

Windows 11 24H2 is the unwanted holiday gift that keeps on giving thanks to Auto HDR game crashes, audio device woes, odd bouts of stuttering and more

Microsoft's 24H2 update for Windows 11 has caused various issues for users, including game stuttering, unexpected crashes, and disappearing audio devices. The update has led to problems with Auto HDR, resulting in incorrect game colors and crashes, particularly affecting certain display configurations. Audio issues have been reported with devices using Dirac Audio, but others have experienced similar problems without it. Users have also faced driver disruptions, notification glitches, animation issues, and browser freezing. The update has been withheld from machines with certain Ubisoft games installed to prevent crashes, and previous issues included an audio bug and a BSOD bug related to Western Digital SSDs.

Winsage

August 27, 2024

How To Enable Or Disable Fast Startup On Windows 10 Or 11 – SlashGear

To manage the fast startup feature on Windows 10 or 11, access the "Power Options" menu in the Control Panel with administrative rights. Steps include opening the search menu, typing "Control Panel," selecting "Large icons," navigating to "Power Options," and adjusting the "Turn on fast startup" setting. Fast startup can also be toggled via Command Prompt using "powercfg /h on" to enable or "powercfg /h off" to disable it. The fast startup option requires the Hibernate feature to be enabled. If it is not available, enable Hibernate by running "powercfg /hibernate on" in an elevated Command Prompt after checking hibernation support with "powercfg /availablesleepstates." Fast startup improves boot times but may interfere with Windows updates, complicate dual boot setups, and restrict access to BIOS/UEFI settings. Its benefits may be less significant for systems with SSDs. The decision to enable or disable fast startup depends on individual preferences and computing habits.