Windows 8.1 Pro x64 UEFI very slow boot and shutdown

I was able to reduce my boot time from 7 minutes to 25 seconds (I have a 5400 rpm hd).

Disabling the bluetooth + wireless devices did not work. I had to format my computer.

Now it's running hyper fast =)

Another recommendation: Do not install Intel Rapid Storage software. It reduced my boot time to 2 minutes+. After uninstalling it, te booting time got back to 25 seconds.

So my solution was: A clean install of WIndows 8.1 Pro x64 + Do not install Intell Rapid Storage.

Personally I only disabled the Bluetooth and Wi-Fi devices in the Device Manager so that I could uninstall the related Dell software from Programs and Features.

After that I rebooted and then re-enabled the devices.. and then everything was back to normal.

http://en.community.dell.com/support-forums/desktop/f/3514/t/19537674.aspx

My "latest news" (ronaldwilley52).  I have not tried reinstalling the software.  My particular computer, Gateway FX6840, does not have a Bluetooth device based on my review in Device Manager.  I went to the Gateway home site and they offered some simple programs to check for device drivers and if updates exist.  Best I can tell, BIOS and device drivers are all up-to-date. I timed my start up this morning.  Still at 15 minutes and 30 seconds.  Sorry to have no better news right now.   HP might have a similar website for your specific computer, and may offer ways to check it.  I wonder if I have another "device" that is causing the slow boot-up?  I do not want to start a guessing game, but I will try a few devices (on and off) to see what happens.

I spent two days using procexp.exe and autoruns.exe disabling running processes and start up items until I finally found the offending driver. A tedious process but for me was successful. Good luck finding the source on your computer.

I hope that Atheros releases a new driver fixing this terrible issue soon.

I'll try the bluetooh solution as well, hope it fixes the problem.

My "latest news" (ronaldwilley52).  I have not tried reinstalling the software.  My particular computer, Gateway FX6840, does not have a Bluetooth device based on my review in Device Manager.  I went to the Gateway home site and they offered some simple programs to check for device drivers and if updates exist.  Best I can tell, BIOS and device drivers are all up-to-date. I timed my start up this morning.  Still at 15 minutes and 30 seconds.  Sorry to have no better news right now.   HP might have a similar website for your specific computer, and may offer ways to check it.  I wonder if I have another "device" that is causing the slow boot-up?  I do not want to start a guessing game, but I will try a few devices (on and off) to see what happens.

I spent two days using procexp.exe and autoruns.exe disabling running processes and start up items until I finally found the offending driver. A tedious process but for me was successful. Good luck finding the source on your computer.

I purchased Windows 8.1 Pro from Best Buy on Dec 26, 2013 and made the upgrade from Windows 7.  My boot-up time from "off" to "sign-in" message is 15 minutes and 30 seconds.   My shut down time is about 10 minutes.  I installed the software on a Gateway FX6840.  I have read the full string of suggestions.  In my case using the "Charms" shutdown option turned the monitors off quickly, but the disk light and computer button light remained lit for 15 minutes or better.  Using the "start" button (if that is correct name of the left hand lower icon) by right clicking and selecting shut down,  the monitors (I have two monitors) remain lit with the "shutting down" message for 9 minutes and 35 seconds.   I'll keep working at it; however, from what I can tell no one has identified the solution yet.  I'll try other suggestions over the coming week and write another report.  Once the system is booted up, the machine now flies.  Hoping for a Microsoft update soon.

Counting myself and others on this forum, some of us have found solutions that are due to Bluetooth drivers. Before waiting for MS to provide a solution suggest you try disabling Bluetooth to see if that resolves the problem. Hoping for a quick resolution from MS is unrealistic.

This is not a fundamental Win 8.1 problem. I have two other Win 8.1 systems running with Bluetooth enabled and these have no problems. It is most likely specific Bluetooth drivers.

I have the same problem on my DELL Latitude 3540 running Windoes 8.1 Pro x64.

To fix the problem, did you disable only the bluetooth device?

Did you try to just uninstall it and let the windows use the default driver?

I don't want to completely disable it...

I disabled only the Bluetooth driver. I did not uninstall it because on that laptop Bluetooth was not necessary.