[SOLVED] I need a very detailed log of what my PC does as it shuts down/restarts

[krashd8]

I have an intermittent problem where Windows 10 when restarting will close everything down and then just sit on the grey "restarting" screen with the white circle spinning and I can do absolutely nothing except reset or power off the PC. About the only thing I can do is hold ALT-TAB which shows that there are two apps running still, one called "Shutdown Blocked" which I assume is the app that normally comes to the front and tells you what is obstructing a shutdown, and then another app with no name.

What turns this from an irritant to a major pain in the neck is that my C:\ drive is mirrored and whenever Windows has to be reset or forcibly shut down the next time it boots I have to endure five hours of sluggish behaviour as the mirror re-syncs the entire drive.

So does anyone have any knowledge of this "stuck on the restarting" screen bug? Or if you don't can you name a program that can log everything in detail that my PC does as it restarts so I can maybe find the culprit responsible? I've tried using the event viewer and going over the timestamp of a stuck restart and nothing at all jumps out as having halted the process.

Windows 10 Pro 1909
Ryzen 7 1700X
16GB
etc
Fully up to date OS and drivers
DISM /online /cleanup-image /scanhealth always comes back clear
SFC /scannow always comes back clear
No thirdparty antivirus
This bug also happened on the previous Windows version which I believe was 10 Pro 1803 so I'm thinking it's an installed app being a nuisance.

Any help appreciated.

Rob

 

[Ralston18]

Look in Task Manager > Startup.

What all is being launched at startup - do you recognize every app?

I also suggest downloading and running Microsoft's Process Explorer (free) via Microsoft's website.

That could help you find a potential culprit.

Likewise running "Get-Process" in Powershell may do the same.

 

[Colif]

Ralston, its at shutdown -

restarting will close everything down and then just sit on the grey "restarting" screen with the white circle spinning and I can do absolutely nothing except reset or power off the PC.

The screens he describes are what show at shutdown during a restart, If PC decides to not actually shutdown, you get this.

1. You could try a clean boot -
Try a clean boot and see if it changes anything - make sure to read instructions and make sure NOT to disable any microsoft services or windows won't load right - https://support.microsoft.com/en-au/help/929135/how-to-perform-a-clean-boot-in-windows

if clean boot fixes it, it shows its likely a startup program. You should, over a number of startups. restart the programs you stopped to isolate the one that is to blame.

2. The way fast startup works means it can actually be startup programs that cause errors at shutdown. Try turning it off to see if it helps - https://www.tenforums.com/tutorials/4189-turn-off-fast-startup-windows-10-a.html

3. This might help - https://www.tenforums.com/tutorials/78335-read-shutdown-logs-event-viewer-windows.html

The startup log doesn't actually start every startup if you have Fast startup turned on - https://superuser.com/questions/1216771/start-and-shutdown-log-windows-10