Microsoft Warns of Windows Slow Startup Due to Persistent Memory

[javajolt]

Microsoft acknowledged a new known issue impacting several Windows versions and leading to unexpectedly slow startups on computers configured to use persistent memory.

"After you configure a Windows-based computer to use large amounts of memory, including persistent memory, the computer takes longer than expected to start up," says Microsoft in a newly published support document that was re-published after being removed yesterday.

"Additionally, increased CPU usage occurs for a short time after startup. Increased CPU usage occurs when an application frees and reallocates large ranges of memory in rapid succession."

Several client and server Windows version affected

This bug impacts both server and client Windows versions according to Microsoft but home users don't have to worry since they don't use the persistent memory feature.

The following Windows platforms are currently known to be affected by slow startups due to this newly acknowledged issue:

• Windows Server IoT 2019 Standard

• Windows Server IoT 2019 Datacenter

• Windows Server 2019 Standard

• Windows Server 2019 Datacenter

• Windows Server 2016 Standard

• Windows Server 2016 Datacenter

• Windows 10 Pro for Workstations

Window slow startup bug details

Startup performance for the impacted Windows platforms is only affected if the persistent memory is used in memory mode since using it as a storage device will not influence system startup times.

Persistent Memory (or PMem) is a new memory technology known as non-volatile RAM (NVDIMM) and designed to deliver a novel blend of persistence (retaining its content between power cycles) and affordable large capacity.

"Persistent memory is used for both Windows clients and Windows servers. If you configure a system to use large amounts of memory, including persistent memory, additional startup time is required," says Microsoft.

"During restarts and during freeing memory at runtime, the system must clear all physical memory before that memory can be used."

Redmond provides more info on how to use persistent memory as a storage device on the 'Understand and deploy persistent memory' support document.

The company is also working on a resolution for this new known issue that will be addressed in future Windows releases, as part of updates that will also come with supplementary optimizations in the startup path.

source