How to Disable Fast Startup via Regedit

Windows Fast Startup is designed to reduce boot times by saving the operating system state to a hibernation file during shutdown. However, this hybrid state can interfere with updates, dual-boot setups, and low-level hardware diagnostics. This guide provides a direct, step-by-step walkthrough on how to modify the Windows Registry to disable Fast Startup and enforce full system shutdowns.

Step 1: Open the Registry Editor

  1. Press the Windows Key + R to open the Run dialog box.
  2. Type regedit into the field and press Enter (or click OK).
  3. If prompted by User Account Control (UAC), click Yes to grant administrative privileges.

Step 2: Navigate to the Power Settings Key

In the Registry Editor address bar at the top, paste the following path and press Enter:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\Session Manager\Power

Alternatively, you can manually expand the folders in the left sidebar to reach the Power key.

Step 3: Modify the HiberbootEnabled Value

  1. With the Power folder selected on the left, locate the value named HiberbootEnabled in the right pane.
  2. Double-click HiberbootEnabled to open its properties.
  3. In the Value data field:
    • Change the value from 1 (Enabled) to 0 (Disabled).
  4. Ensure the Base is set to Hexadecimal.
  5. Click OK to save the changes.

(Note: If HiberbootEnabled does not exist, right-click on an empty space in the right pane, select New > DWORD (32-bit) Value, name it HiberbootEnabled, and set its value to 0.)

Step 4: Close and Restart

  1. Close the Registry Editor.
  2. Restart your computer for the changes to take full effect.

From this point forward, every standard shutdown command will perform a complete power-down rather than entering a hybrid hibernation state. To reverse this change in the future, return to the same registry location and set the HiberbootEnabled value back to 1.