[SOLVED] wcifs.sys delaying Win 10 boot by 1 1/2 minutes

[12MP]

I’m running a fresh full instal of Win10 on my 2012 vintage HP Pavilion dv6 after upgrading to a SanDisk 160gb SSD. The only other software installed is Office 365. Event Manager System log shows that it takes 1 1/2 minutes for File System Filter to load “wcifs”. During the 1 1/2 minute wait (which happens between the blue Windows “window” and the desktop, the screen is dark with no messages. I have done all of the things that a reasonably competent person would (virus scans, hardware and software updates, all system devices loaded and working, etc) and even messed around with enabling and disabling Fast Boot, and various start up services. None of this makes any difference to a very annoying slow boot up.

The problem is something to do with wcifs taking forever to load and I can’t find any sensible solutions to the problem. Any help and ideas gratefully received!

 

[Ralston18]

How full is that SanDisk 160gb SSD?

Could be a corrupted Windows file:

Once booted and Windows is working try running Windows "sfc /scannow" via the Command Prompt.

 

[12MP]

How full is that SanDisk 160gb SSD?

Could be a corrupted Windows file:

Once booted and Windows is working try running Windows "sfc /scannow" via the Command Prompt.

The SSD is 75% free. The computer eventually boots and runs fine. The problem isn't the SSD, it's Win10 having trouble loading wcifs.

 

[Ralston18]

In BIOS:

Check for logs that are enabled and look there.

Or enable if necessary.

You should also be able to have POST display its' progress as the system boots.

Try using msconfig > Boot to enable the logs therein.

Key is to narrow down why wcifs is slow to load.

Likely a WIN 10 problem - corrupted or old file.

What about "sfc /scannow" ?

Reference:

https://www.lifewire.com/how-to-use-sfc-scannow-to-repair-windows-system-files-2626161

There is also "dism" that can be used.

 

[Colif]

wcifs.sys = Windows Container Isolation FS Filter
tells me so much...
https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/virtualization/windowscontainers/about/

Each container has an isolated volume that represents the system volume to that container. A container isolation filter (wcifs.sys) provides a virtual overlay of package layers onto this container volume.

https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/wi...nti-virus-optimization-for-windows-containers

Have you tried safe mode?
Did you use a new Win 10 installer? Run windows update?

SFC might help if all you have installed is windows.

Ralston, I don't think slowing down post will help, it is all in windows.

 

[12MP]

Thanks Ralston and Colif. Its a new clean instal with no other software except MS Office 365. I have tried scannow - no probelms recorded. I have even tried renaming wcifs to wcifsold in the system64/drivers folder, but the problem is still there and windows takes 1 1/2 minutes to load although event viewer doesn’t show any drivers being loaded by win file system filter. I have repeated a clean win10 instal twice, once using the UEFI environment and this too has no effect on the wcifs problem. the problem is not win file system filter loading slowly - i know this because it loads other drivers earlier in the boot sequence without delay, it just hangs when it comes to wcifs. i have two other laptops and a desktop in the house, all running win10, and event viewer shows in all of them that win file system filter loads wcifs immediately. the problem also isn’t becasue of the age of the HP Pavilion dv6 (2012). I know this because one of the other laptops is an ASUS UL20a from 2009, and it boots up Win10 and zips right along. The HP Pavilion is running a second generation i7 and the ASUS is running a cheap Celeron.

 

[Colif]

Try turning fast startup off, see if its an old driver on pc causing it - https://www.tenforums.com/tutorials/4189-turn-off-fast-startup-windows-10-a.html

go to settings/update & security/recovery
under advanced startup, click restart now button
this restarts PC in a blue menu
choose troubleshoot
choose advanced
choose startup options
click the restart button
choose a safe mode (it doesn't matter which) by using number associated with it.
Pc will restart and load safe mode

see if its as slow to load with just windows drivers running

 

[12MP]

Hi Colif and thanks again. Turning off Fast Startup was one of the first things I did (see first post) and it has no effect. In any case, my understanding is that Fast Startup only speeds up boot from standby/hibernate, and has no effect on boot from power off. The laptop is now with a family member for the next two weeks and I won't have access until I get it back.

 

[Colif]

Fast startup replaces the standard shutdown procedure with a hybrid hibernate.
If your PC has fast startup on, the only time it is actually off is during the restart process found in start menu.
If your PC has it off, it is actually off when you shut it down.
If you unplug a PC with fast startup on, there is a chance you can corrupt some files, most often related to boot.

I don't think it has anything to do with normal hibernate besides using the hiberfil.sys file to store information.