Computer Hangs After You Restore the System State from a Backup (303383)


The information in this article applies to:

  • Microsoft Windows 2000 Server SP1
  • Microsoft Windows 2000 Advanced Server SP1
  • Microsoft Windows 2000 Professional SP1
This article was previously published under Q303383

SYMPTOMS

After you restore the Windows 2000 system state from a backup program, you are prompted to shutdown and restart the computer to complete the restoration. During shutdown, your computer may stop responding (hang) while the "Saving your Settings..." message is displayed. This message may be displayed for up to 45 minutes before your computer eventually the shuts down and restarts.

NOTE: This problem does not occur after you restore a domain controller's system state while in Directory Services Restore Mode, or if you restore the system state while in Safe mode.

CAUSE

Windows File Protection (WFP) is scanning the recently restored files to verify that they are correctly signed and registered. Until WFP finishes this process, the shutdown process is suspended.

RESOLUTION

To resolve this problem, obtain the latest service pack for Windows 2000. For additional information, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

260910 How to Obtain the Latest Windows 2000 Service Pack

This reduces the wait time considerably, but does not totally eliminate the additional shutdown time that is required because WFP must still complete the file scan. To work around this problem and keep your computer accessible after the restoration and minimize the reboot time:
  1. Start Task Manager, and then click the Processes tab.
  2. Click the CPU column to sort by CPU utilization. Note that Winlogon.exe is at approximately 90 percent (or more) utilization.
  3. After the restoration is completed, do not shutdown; instead, wait for the Winlogon.exe CPU utilization to return to normal (usually zero percent). After Winlogon.exe is back to normal, shutdown. The reboot should only take the normal amount of time.

STATUS

Microsoft has confirmed that this is a problem in the Microsoft products that are listed at the beginning of this article.

MORE INFORMATION

Windows File Protection is disabled while in Directory Services Restore mode (a form of Safe mode), and this is the reason why this problem does not occur when you restore a DC's system state from backup.

This problem is most prominent while you are running Windows 2000 with Service Pack 1 (SP1) installed because of a WFP performance regression problem.

Modification Type:MajorLast Reviewed:9/21/2006
Keywords:kbenv kbprb KB303383
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