Windows 10 - Occasionally after The Lock Screen Hovering Mouse on The Task Bar Shows "Loading" and Startup Items Never Load

harshbdmmaster718 on 28/08/2022 - 17:34
Last edited 28/08/2022 - 17:34

It basically stays in this stuck position forever, until I press the physical on/off button to turn the computer off (soft shutdown) then restart and on lock screen, hold shift and click the power icon->shutdown to do a hard shutdown. Then powering on and logging in works fine and everything loads, things stay working smoothly for another 3 months or so until it happens again.

It only happens once every 3 or 4 months or so and I think I now realise it is more likely to happen when the computer goes to "sleep" which is rare because I have the timer for 3 hours and I do a soft shutdown regularly.

I don't know much about specifics but I think it is "kernel" related. Something like the kernel is sometimes corrupting when computer goes to sleep.
I have already done the DISM download and SFC scannow commands a few times spread over the last 12 months but the problem keeps returning.

I would just like to get a better idea from technical folks as to what is causing this, and if I can just proceed as I have been and everything will be fine.

Computing Microsoft Operating System

Comments

  • MS Paint on 28/08/2022 - 17:38
    +1

    Upgrade to 11

    • GoldenDragon888 on 28/08/2022 - 17:50
      -5

      Upgrade to macOS.

      • bazingaa on 28/08/2022 - 22:22

        I actually downgraded my laptop from Win11 to Win10

    • harshbdmmaster718 on 28/08/2022 - 18:29

      It is not possible unless you have one of the latest PCs. Unfortunately.

      • MS Paint on 28/08/2022 - 18:30

        That's not exactly true

        • harshbdmmaster718 on 28/08/2022 - 18:35

          It's not Windows 10 I have a problem with. This is just a reoccurring experience I have once every 3 or 4 months or so.
          Just thought if I had a better understanding of it I could either fix it once and for all or just be at peace knowing it's nothing serious.

          Do you know anything about kernels? What I know is with a soft shutdown Windows writes a kernel which records all the memory/programs you had opened etc, and so next time you startup everything loads a lot faster.

          I strongly suspect this kernel is the problem, because it is solved with a hard shutdown and startup with 100% success rate.

          If I don't do a hard shutdown, each time I startup after the Lock screen it gets stuck at that same point and never progresses.

          • MS Paint on 28/08/2022 - 18:37

            @harshbdmmaster718:

            It's not Windows 10 I have a problem with

            Windows writes a kernel

            I strongly suspect this kernel is the problem

            Ok

          • terrys on 29/08/2022 - 08:28
            +1

            @harshbdmmaster718:

            It's not Windows 10 I have a problem with.

            Until and unless you can give something more than " I know sod all about this, but that is not how you solve my problem." or demonstrate minimal competance and knowledge before casting aspersions on well-established members of the fora, then I feel you may not find the assistance you are seeking.

  • harshbdmmaster718 on 28/08/2022 - 18:32

    I just realised now after coming back from cooking. That if I could not find the cause by searching google, it is probably a far cry to getting an answer here.
    I found a few others having the same problem on the internet, they basically had no conclusion or said SFC scannow fixed it.

    • randomusername2017 on 28/08/2022 - 20:03
      +2

      I just realised now after coming back from cooking

      kernel = 🍿

      Posting more specific system info and error logs might help.

      • harshbdmmaster718 on 28/08/2022 - 20:08

        So are you saying the kernel is likely the issue here? and saying kernels are volatile thing like popcorn?

        Yeah I am not really into taking screenshots are posting my system data online.

        But if you could help explain more about kernels I am happy to listen. Is it not a really a big deal if it gets corrupted? Because otherwise my system seems to be running fine.

        It's just that it needs to be "debugged" with a hard shutdown.

        • randomusername2017 on 28/08/2022 - 20:11
          +1

          Just basic system specs and a relevant lines from the log file would suffice

          • harshbdmmaster718 on 28/08/2022 - 20:24

            @randomusername2017: Sorry but being asked in a single sentence to upload things was not what I was expecting.

            I apologize if you a sincerely trying to help, but that is just not something I am willing to do.

            • randomusername2017 on 28/08/2022 - 20:48
              +3

              @harshbdmmaster718: No problem

              Maybe just go through the log file and Google specific events …might give you some more relevant info.

              • harshbdmmaster718 on 28/08/2022 - 21:55

                @randomusername2017: Thank you I will do that.

                And I should do this straight after the "issue" happens right? or at least it will make it easier to find?

                It last happened about 2 weeks ago, so when it happens in a few months I will check the log file then.

  • geekcohen on 29/08/2022 - 07:59
    +2

    I assume you have done all the latest updates for Windows 10?

    I'd recommend like MS Paint that you upgrade to Windows 11 or does your device not support Win 11 automatic upgrade?

    Is this also a laptop or a desktop machine? Do you have any other devices (webcams, keyboards, chargers etc) connected? Maybe doing a disconnect of everything and just having the basics might find that there is something else conflicting and causing an issue?

    • harshbdmmaster718 on 29/08/2022 - 17:34

      Windows 10 is updated to the latest regarding "auto pushed" updates. Clicking "Check" results in "You are up to date". But this has been happening throughout multiple updates, so it is likely not update related.

      Windows 11 not supported according to Windows 10 settings Update & Security area.

      It's a desktop. And I know some other comments are suggesting it could be just a simple issue with hardware not being plugged in properly, but the only things plugged in are mouse and keyboard. The occasional external drive temporarily, but I would have caught on by now if that was coinciding with the issue.
      I have a Monitor Light bar, but that is plugged into a separate USB power adapter plugged into the wall socket so nothing extra is being plugged into the computer.

      I could do a disconnect and test, but because the issue happens months apart that would mean attempting to test for months at a time without either the mouse or keyboard which is not exactly possible.
      Mouse and keyboard are relatively new, I see no reason that one of them would be malfunctioning.

  • terrys on 29/08/2022 - 08:33
    +1

    Does hitting <Control><alt><delete> bring up the option of "Task manager"? You can then open <performance> <resource monitor> and see if any third-party add-one or drivers for peripherals you have removed are hogging resources or failing to exit.

    • harshbdmmaster718 on 29/08/2022 - 17:42

      I admit I have not tried that. Alternately I could try "Control Alt Esc" to bring up Task manager directly if Ctrl+Alt+Delete does not work. Next time it happens I will definitely try that.

      I suspect it is not a "device" issue, because I have the absolute minimum of devices connected via USB. Only the mouse and keyboard which are both relatively new and have always worked without fault. I also keep programs installed to a minimum and I am on the paranoid side for security so I do not visit suspicous websites and do not download any files from unusual sources.

      It is just an "odd" issue where the PC literally just hangs in that state forever, completely unusable unless I initial a soft shutdown by tapping the power button. In the stuck state, the wallpaper is visible, hovering mouse over Taskbar constantly always shows loading circle, while hovering the mouse over the wallpaper it shows the normal cursor. Winkey does nothing, attempting to shutdown with Winkey hotkeys such as "Winkey+X, U, U" do not work.

      I appreciate you trying to help, I will try Task manager next time round. And then after restarting check the log file as randomusername suggested.

  • Waltervp on 29/08/2022 - 09:16
    +1

    I knew someone who had a similar issue with a desktop. He brought it back to where he got it but they couldn't replicate the issue, he tried a few friends, and eventually one came along and opened the case, looked at all the components, and then clicked an accessory card further into a slot. That was it, just one part that was not quite 100% in. Maybe reseat the RAM and HDD??? Push on every connection you see to ensure everything is fully plugged in..

    • harshbdmmaster718 on 29/08/2022 - 17:43

      Is this likely to happen on it's own inside the computer? I have never opened the computer and attempted to replace or reinsert any components.

      • Waltervp on 30/08/2022 - 09:42

        It could happen in transit but 99% more likely during assembly something wasn't pushed into place 100%. As most components are built into motherboards these days there are only a few things left for humans to do, RAM chips and harddrives in laptops but desktops could be a few more things. I had an old CRT TV that turned b&w. Technicians couldn't fix it, in the 90s, then I opened it up myself and as a total amateur just took everything I could off and on one at a time, plugged and unplugged, and any knob/dial i saw I turned fully left and right and returned to roughly its original position. And then it worked perfectly from then on! No idea what I did, but I assumed something was loose there too.

      • terrys on 30/08/2022 - 09:42
        +1

        Yes. Components heat up and cool down as they are powered on and off or are more heavily used. One of my more common 'repair' jobs on old [=> socket 7] systems was going over the board with my thumb checing chips were seated. We didn't charge for those - such tasks were paid for by repeat business.

  • skillet on 29/08/2022 - 09:57
    +3

    What do you have? A desktop or Laptop? There are a few things you could try for FREE.

    This is assuming your Windows copy is fine no corruption.

    1. Remove all USB devices, try a different set of keyboard and mouse. Remove WiFi remove GPU. Try one RAM if two sticks. Try new PSU. This eliminates hardware issue. Except for mobo and CPU.

    2. Update all drivers, gpu, NIC, WiFi, install Intel chipset driver.

    3. Disable Windows Fast Startup

    4. Disable Hibernation, run as admin open a command prompt window. Type powercfg -h off

    5. Go into your BIOS and do a load defaults. Remember to save before exit.

    6. Update BIOS to latest version. If it's latest, do the update again sometimes BIOS can get corrupted I have seen it many times with laptops.

    7. Memtest86

    8. Your problem sounds like sleep or power issue. Disable everything in BIOS related to power management, sleep and etc. If it fixes your problem then turn the settings back on, one by one.

    9. If still no good then your mobo or CPU issue. Move on to Linux.

    • harshbdmmaster718 on 29/08/2022 - 17:46

      Ok thanks for all those tips. However since it happens months apart, it's a bit harder to diagnose quickly with those methods.
      I think you would want to attempt them one at a time so you can eliminate each one as the cause, which in my case could take years.

      For now I think I will go the Task manager->resource monitor and Log file route.

  • OBEY YOUR MASTERS on 29/08/2022 - 10:09
    +2

    I've had troubles with the task bar not loading correctly usually after booting. I suspect that it's to do with Windows doing its fast boot thing. As far as I know a restart is a proper "shutdown" whereas a shut-down is caching a whole lot of stuff to help it boot faster on next boot up.

    • skillet on 29/08/2022 - 10:14
      +2

      Yes that's why you Disable Fast Startup.

      Yes shutdown-start is not a Restart. Always do a pure Restart.

      • Loopholio on 29/08/2022 - 13:18

        ^this. Fast boot is the devil. It's even worse than sleeping a PC. I spent over an hour once trying to work out why my new SSD was detected in BIOS but was no where to be found in Windows (not even in disk management). It was bloody fast boot causing Windows not to look for new hardware.

        Fast boot it the first thing I disable on any PC I work on.

      • OBEY YOUR MASTERS on 29/08/2022 - 18:00

        I seem to remember that disabling fast start up still doesn't give us a true clean boot. Can anyone confirm?

    • harshbdmmaster718 on 29/08/2022 - 17:26

      Yes here is what I know.
      Winkey -> Shutdown = Soft shutdown (quick startup next time, taskbar icons load almost instantly)
      Winkey -> Restart = Hard shutdown and restart straight after (everything loads from 0 and it takes awhile for all the taskbar icons to appear)
      Hold Shift, then click Winkey -> Shutdown = Hard shutdown (the same shutdown as restart without the restart afterwards)

      • MS Paint on 29/08/2022 - 18:28

        How much RAM do you have?
        What is the processor?
        When the problem occurs do you usually have more than normal amount of programs running or many tabs open in chrome?

  • Nickels n Dimes on 29/08/2022 - 20:19

    Disabling Sleep / Standby / Hibernate in every workstation I manage is one of the first things I do during setup.

    If there are repeated faults you should start by trying SafeMode and see if it solves the issue.

    Then Disable all Startup items in Task Manager (CTRL+SHIFT+ESC) and restart — if everything works fine, Enable the important ones, see if all applications are still working fine and leave the rest off (often software installers add items to the list for unimportant processes), don't be afraid to test this function out — it's all reversable.

    If you are still having freezing / crashing you could try sending logs to Microsoft https://support.microsoft.com/en-au/contactus/#! though it can take a few days for a response.

    You've already mentioned a few items that I would test your install with like DISM, I would try a full backup and refresh if Microsoft can't help.

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