By default on Windows 10 the quick start feature is enabled which doesn't allow us to actually shut down the PC, here's how to disable it
How do we shut down our PC running Windows 10 operating system? Simple answer, most people will think, just go to the Start menu click on the shutdown icon of the device and then press on Shut down the system. But in reality, this operation is not correct.
To facilitate the Quick Start feature, all computers running Windows 10 operating system do not really shut down if we click on Shut down the system. We simply hibernate the kernel. This way, the next time you turn on your PC, it will take very little time for it to be operational again. The Fast Boot feature, also known as Fast Boot and Hybrid Boot, is active on Microsoft operating systems from Windows 8 onwards, only with Windows 10 it has been set as the default. Unbeknownst to most users. Luckily, performing a complete shutdown of the device is a fairly simple operation and anyone can do it.
Shutdown or Hibernation, differences
Before understanding how to perform a complete shutdown, it's good to clarify that, in the traditional shutdown process, Windows deactivates every program, deletes the state of the running system and starts from scratch the next time the PC is turned on.When Windows hibernates, or suspends, it saves the entire system state, including all open programs and files, to disk so that you can quickly resume work where you left off. With the Fast Boot feature we are convinced that we are effectively shutting down the PC but it is a bit like hibernating it. Because, as mentioned, the function deactivates running programs but saves the state of the Windows kernel on the disk.
How to perform a full PC shutdown
If we have a PC with Windows 10 operating system and we want to shut it down for all intents and purposes, which is important especially if we have problems and bugs with some applications, then first we need to restart the PC and not shut it down. To achieve this we go to the Start menu and then click on the Restart PC entry. Windows at this point restarts the computer, but first performs a complete shutdown and discards the state of the kernel that it had previously saved. Microsoft took this decision because usually people who experience frequent problems with the PC, as a first action reboot it. Another way to perform a full shutdown is to hold down the Shift key on the keyboard while you are about to click on the Shutdown PC item. Even more straightforward is the full shutdown via command prompt. Here we just need to enter by hand the command shutdown / s /f /t 0 and that's it.
How to disable Windows 10 Quick Start
Alternatively, we can always disable Windows 10 Quick Start. In this way, the PC will take a few more seconds to turn on but every time we turn it off it will be stopped completely. To do this just go to Control Panel> System and Security> Power Options> Specify what happens when you press the power button. And in the tab that pops up we uncheck the Enable Quick Launch item.