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Windows 11 PCs Hanging on Restart (Infinite Spinning Circle) Multiple Systems Affected

AboveAndBeyond 20 Reputation points
2026-06-09T14:43:48.07+00:00

Hello,

I am looking to determine whether others are experiencing a similar issue

Windows 11 Version 25H2 (OS Build 26.200.8524)

Environment:

Educational computer labs

Windows 11 systems

Multiple identical PCs with a common image and software configuration

  • Primarily Dell workstations

Issue: We have observed restart failures on dozens of PCs.

The behavior is:

User selects Restart from Windows.

Windows begins the restart process normally.

The screen displays the spinning circle ("Restarting").

The system remains indefinitely at the spinning circle and never completes the restart.

A hard power cycle is required to recover the machine.

1.Has Microsoft acknowledged any known issues involving restart hangs or infinite spinning circles?

2.Are there any known interactions with DNS Client (Dnscache), endpoint security software, management agents, or common drivers that could cause this behavior?

3.Has anyone identified a workaround, hotfix, Known Issue Rollback (KIR), or configuration change that resolves the problem?

Windows for business | Windows 365 Enterprise
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Answer accepted by question author

Chen Tran 10,560 Reputation points Independent Advisor
2026-06-09T15:47:29.8933333+00:00

Hello,

Thank you for posting question on Microsoft Windows Forum!

Your described issue is widely reported for cases of systems freezing at the spinning circle after selecting Restart. The common culprits might be driver conflicts, failed updates, or interactions with endpoint security/management agents.

For the Dnscache service which is known to cause system hangs if it gets stuck in a Starting or Stopping state during the shutdown sequence. On the other hand, security applications with deep system integration are a frequent cause of restart hangs. For example, network filter drivers from Symantec Endpoint Protection are known to conflict with Realtek drivers, causing freezes. In some cases, you might see the Windows Security app show a status of "Restart required" that never completes. As a diagnostic step, try performing a Clean Boot to temporarily disable all non-Microsoft services, which can help identify if a background process is at fault.

Another suggestion here is to try disabling Fast Startup. Since this feature can sometimes cause shutdown and restart issues. Also, making sure all systems have the latest BIOS and chipset drivers from Dell’s official support page.

The following links are deemed to be useful for further reference regarding your concerns.

Hope the above information is helpful!

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  1. Chen Tran 10,560 Reputation points Independent Advisor
    2026-06-09T15:53:31.3266667+00:00

    Hello,

    Thank you for posting question on Microsoft Windows Forum!

    Your described issue is widely reported for cases of systems freezing at the spinning circle after selecting Restart. The common culprits might be driver conflicts, failed updates, or interactions with endpoint security/management agents.

    For the Dnscache service which is known to cause system hangs if it gets stuck in a Starting or Stopping state during the shutdown sequence. On the other hand, security applications with deep system integration are a frequent cause of restart hangs. For example, network filter drivers from Symantec Endpoint Protection are known to conflict with Realtek drivers, causing freezes. In some cases, you might see the Windows Security app show a status of "Restart required" that never completes. As a diagnostic step, try performing a Clean Boot to temporarily disable all non-Microsoft services, which can help identify if a background process is at fault.

    Another suggestion here is to try disabling Fast Startup. Since this feature can sometimes cause shutdown and restart issues. Also, making sure all systems have the latest BIOS and chipset drivers from Dell’s official support page.

    The following links are deemed to be useful for further reference regarding your concerns.

    Hope the above information is helpful!

    Was this answer helpful?

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