Windows 10 version 1511 triggers long “Getting Windows ready” message with no patches installed

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Reader AM tweeted me about this over the weekend: Running Windows 10 build version 1511 build 10586.679, the latest version. I rebooted. There was no
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Hey Woody,I went into Windows Services and disabled windows update. I turn it back on if there is a good patch. So far the last real update I received was dated 10-23-2016..

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It looks very much like the same issues encountered by the 1607 users in relation to Windows Update.
In one case I noticed that a lot of the services which were on Automatic were stopped. I don’t know the cause for that behaviour and the only ways that I know of working around it is to either install the latest CU manually or to use a third-party tool.

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I brought my 1511 system fully up-to-date, as I thought, on Saturday (including a restart to complete). Sunday ran normally to begin with (from a cold boot), but a reboot during the day said “Getting Windows ready. Do not turn off your computer” for the best part of two hours (more than 1 1/2). I have no idea why.

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You, too. Very strange. No idea what’s causing it. And man, it’s frustrating!

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Perhaps it’s just a ploy to condition us to accept that running Windows is, well, about running Windows, and most certainly NOT about what WE need to do. After all, there hasn’t been a legitimate Windows Update for Win 10 in – gasp – days!

I’ve just turned on the Windows Update service to see what my recently up-to-date Win 10 test VM would do…

WUShowHide took only about 15 seconds to show only a Windows Defender (KB2267602) update available.

A manually initiated check for updates via the Settings App loaded new 1.233.345.0 Defender definitions, then went quiet. Didn’t even request a reboot.

Conclusion? This must be activity outside the normal Windows Update processes. Something to do with App updates maybe (no Apps here)? A pre-load of the next major in-place upgrade? A full scan of your disk for valuable private info?

-Noel

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Got a tweet from Jason Freeman:

I have 1511 but an older cumulative update and having the exact same issue on literally hundreds of machines.

I asked @johnwinkmsft and he looked at the logs and said that an older CU [cumulative update] was trying to clean up. Still got issue.

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I encountered the same problem two days ago when I attempted to shut down a computer which was running Windows 10 1511 Education for testing purposes. I have set Windows Update to not download automatically so I was quite certain no updates were being installed.

I was going to go to sleep but the “Getting Windows Ready” message (in Traditional Chinese) stayed on the screen for several minutes without any sign of shutting down. Very annoying.

I then forced a shutdown by pressing the power button and go to sleep. The next day when I turned on that computer I was greeted with CHKDSK messages on all 3 disks when I attempted to boot Windows 7 (located on another partition on the SSD). All went through with no problems but very annoying nonetheless.

So I thought it must be because I forced a shutdown on that Windows 10 crap that trigger these CHKDSK messages. I have no idea what cause Windows 10 1511 to refuse to shutdown and decide to “Get Ready”. I decided that I don’t want to face the same issue again at this time so I erased the Windows 10 partition and replaced it with a Windows 7 image.

Such an issue is just totally unacceptable. What on earth was Windows 10 doing that it could not shut down for possibly hours? If I did not force a shutdown I am certain it would have lasted for at least 1 to 2 hours like the others mentioned and wasting a large amount of power. This issue is just another reminder why Windows 10 at this time is rubbish for me.

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thats exactly what happen with me

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I’m on Windows 10 Pro 1511 10586.633 with everything locked down and have not seen this problem (yet).

I ran across this post regarding this problem happening on Enterprise edition with updates disabled.
https://community.spiceworks.com/topic/1895938-1511-says-it-s-getting-windows-ready-even-with-auto-updates-disabled

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Hm… What’s that hidden root directory Windows uses to in-place-upgrade itself?

C:~WINDOWS.$BT

Start a CMD window, cd , then DIR /AH to see if you have that folder.

Maybe the older Windows 10 system is preparing to push you up to a current version, regardless of your needs/desires?

-Noel

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It’s likely due the same famous long/stuck WU issue
the issue now affects all Windows versions staring Vista up through Windows 10 ver 1511

Win 7-8.1 got permanent fixes, Vista have temporarly monthly fix
Win 10 don’t have any so far, except installing whole each month cumulative manually, or long waiting for WU to install it

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