Is your computer’s uptime counter not resetting, and is stuck on a crazy high number, even after you shut it down?
Don’t worry, nothing is wrong. It’s just because you have “Fast Startup” enabled.
You can fix the issue quite easily by disabling this feature.
In this guide, I’ll explain why CPU uptime is not resetting, and how to get it back on track, so you know exactly how long it’s been running.
Why Is My CPU Uptime Not Resetting?
Your CPU uptime is not resetting because a feature called Fast Startup is enabled.
This is a power management setting in Windows 8, 10 and 11 that reduces boot times by using a hybrid shutdown process.
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Instead of a full system shutdown, this feature puts the operating system into a hibernation-like state when you choose the “shutdown” option.
Let me explain:
During a normal shutdown, Windows saves the current state of the system, closes all running processes, and powers off the hardware components.
But if you’ve got fast startup turned on, Windows skips some of these and just hibernates.
The kernel session and loaded drivers are preserved.
This allows your computer to boot up faster next time because it’s not starting from scratch; it’s waking up from hibernation.
So if Fast Startup is on, your computer is just going into a low-power mode. That means the CPU uptime counter keeps running, showing a longer time since your last full shutdown.
How To Reset CPU Uptime
There are 2 ways to reset CPU uptime – Restart the computer or disable Fast Startup.
Here’s how to disable Fast Startup:
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Disable Fast Startup
1. Open the Start Menu and search for “Power Options”
2. In the Power Options window, click on the “Choose what the power buttons do” link on the left.
3. Under the “Define power buttons and turn on password protection” section, click on the “Change settings that are currently unavailable” link.
4. Scroll down to the “Shutdown Settings” and find the “Turn on fast startup (recommended)” option
5. Uncheck the box to disable it.
6. Click the “Save changes” button to apply the new settings.
Do keep in mind that disabling fast startup may have a more noticeable impact on your computer’s boot times, especially if you’re using an HDD.
You won’t see a big difference on an SSD system tho.
SSDs naturally have faster read and write speeds, which can balance out the impact of the full shutdown process.
Does CPU Uptime Affect Performance?
No, CPU uptime itself does not directly affect performance.
Modern CPUs are designed to handle continuous operation. They don’t wear out in the same way older hardware might.
Plus, even when the CPU is “on,” it might not be constantly working at full capacity.
It can adjust its speed and power usage based on what you’re doing.
But as time goes on, small software conflicts, temp data, memory leaks, or other background issues could pile up in a system that’s always running.
These can gradually degrade performance.
Other Reasons
Certain big updates for Windows, like the ones that add new features or bundle several updates together, might need a full shutdown completely to install correctly.
Resetting it before these updates makes sure everything installs smoothly without any old processes or system state interfering.
Also, Reach Out To Our IT Support Desk if you are in the UK.
And it gives some users a peace of mind.
when they notice the CPU uptime resetting to zero, it’s a sure sign that their computer has been turned off completely.
This can make them feel that their system is really “off.”
Bottom Line
To sum up, a high CPU uptime isn’t necessarily a sign of trouble with your computer.
It’s probably caused by the Fast Startup feature.
While Fast Startup helps your computer boot up faster, it also keeps the computer hibernated, and uptime counter going even after shutdowns.
If you want to do a complete shutdown and have an accurate uptime counter, you can easily turn off Fast Startup by following the steps I mentioned earlier.
FAQs
Why Is My CPU Uptime So High in Windows 11?
It’s because your computer has not shut down properly. Again, this is because of the Fast Startup feature I discussed.
Does Reboot Reset Uptime?
Yes, a reboot will reset the uptime counter.
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