17 Ways to Fix Dell PC Shutdown Process Broken After Windows 11 24H2 Update

Is your Dell PC not shutting down properly after the Windows 11 24H2 update? Take a breath! This issue has troubled a good many PC users who have recently updated their devices. As per various complaints, it causes the system to hang on the shutdown screen or restart instead of turning off. Thankfully, there are a few effective solutions to fix this problem and restore the shutdown process on Dell PC. Read on…

Fix the Dell PC Shutdown Process Broken After Windows 11 24H2 Update

Here are 10 possible reasons why a Dell PC may not shut down properly after the Windows 11 24H2 update:

• Fast Startup Enabled
• Corrupt System Files
• Outdated or Incompatible Drivers
• Pending Windows Updates
• BIOS Issues
• Background Processes
• Windows Power Settings
• Third-Party Software Conflicts
• Hibernation or Sleep Mode Glitches
• Corrupt User Profile

In this guide, we are going to break down each of the possible culprits and try viable ways to resolve the issue.

1. Force Shutdown and Restart

If your Dell PC isn’t shutting down properly, give a try to the “force shutdown” as it can help clear temporary glitches.

• Press and hold the power button for about 10 seconds until the system turns off.

2. Disable Fast Startup

It’s worth pointing out that Fast Startup can cause shutdown issues by keeping the system in a hybrid sleep state.

• Go to Control Panel > Power Options > Choose what the power buttons do and disable Fast Startup under “Shutdown settings.”

3. Update Windows 11

Keep in mind that a recent update may have introduced a bug, and a newer update might fix it.

• Launch Settings > Windows Update and click Check for updates.

4. Update BIOS Firmware

Your outdated BIOS may have triggered the power management issues.

• Visit Dell’s official support page, download the latest BIOS update, and install it following on-screen instructions.

5. Update Device Drivers

Be warned that incompatible drivers, especially for power management, can prevent shutdown. So, update your device drivers.

• Open Device Manager, right-click critical drivers like chipset and power drivers, and select Update driver to check for updates.

6. Run Power Troubleshooter

Windows has a built-in troubleshooter to detect and fix shutdown problems.

• On your PC, head over to Settings > Troubleshoot > Other troubleshooters.

• Then, select Power and click Run.

7. Disable Unnecessary Startup Programs

Background apps can interfere with shutdown by keeping processes active.

• To get it done, open Task Manager (Ctrl + Shift + Esc) on your PC.

• Startup Apps, right-click unnecessary programs, and select Disable.

8. Disable Hybrid Sleep Mode

Hybrid Sleep can conflict with shutdown processes.

• Navigate to Control Panel > Power Options > Change plan settings > Change advanced power settings, find Sleep > Allow hybrid sleep, and disable it.

9. Perform a Clean Boot

A third-party service may be causing the shutdown failure.

• Press Win + R, type msconfig, and hit Enter.
• In the System Configuration window, go to the Services tab.
• Check Hide all Microsoft services at the bottom.
• Click Disable all to turn off third-party services.

• After that, open Task Manager (Ctrl + Shift + Esc) > go to the Startup tab.
• Right-click on each enabled app > select Disable > close all tabs and then restart your PC.

Your Dell PC will now boot in a Clean Boot state with only essential Windows services running. If the shutdown issue is resolved, you can enable services one by one to identify the culprit.

10. Turn Off Intel Management Engine Interface (MEI)

Some Dell systems experience shutdown issues due to Intel MEI.

• Open Device Manager > System Devices > Intel Management Engine Interface, right-click, and select Disable device.

11. Scan for Malware and Viruses

Malware can interfere with system shutdown by keeping processes running in the background.

Using Windows Security:

• Press Win + S, type Windows Security, and open it.
• Click Virus & threat protection.
• Click Quick scan and wait for the process to finish.
• For a deeper scan, select Scan options → Full scan → Scan now.

Using Microsoft Defender Offline Scan (For Deep Threats):

• Launch Windows Security → Virus & threat protection.
• Click Scan options → Microsoft Defender Offline scan → Scan now.
• Your PC will restart and scan for advanced threats.

12. Disable Wake Timers

Scheduled wake timers may prevent shutdown.

• Go to Control Panel > Power Options > Advanced settings > Sleep > Allow wake timers and select Disable.

13. Modify Registry to Fix Power Issues

Corrupt power registry keys can disrupt the shutdown process.

• Open Registry Editor (regedit) > Navigate to HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\Session Manager > Create a DWORD named ‘AutoEndTasks’ and set its value to 1.

14. Check for Corrupt System Files

Corrupt system files may also cause shutdown failures.

• Open Command Prompt (Admin) and run sfc /scannow to scan and repair system files.

15. Use the Shutdown Command

If the normal shutdown doesn’t work, force shutdown using a command.

• Open Command Prompt (Admin) and type: shutdown /s /f /t 0 then press Enter.

16. Check Event Viewer for Shutdown Errors

Event Viewer logs system errors that might explain shutdown failures.

• Open Event Viewer (Win + X > Event Viewer) > Windows Logs > System, look for shutdown-related errors, and troubleshoot accordingly.

17. Reset Windows 11

If none of the fixes work, resetting Windows can eliminate software-related shutdown issues.

• To do so, open the Settings app on your PC > System > Recovery.

• After that, click Reset this PC, then choose Keep my files or Remove everything based on your preference.

Signing off…

There you go! So, that’s how you can resolve the shutdown issues on your Dell PC after the Windows 11 24H2 update. Hopefully, these tips have helped you resolve this important feature on your device. Which one of them did the trick for you?