Task Host Window

Hello,Dale Webb

Welcome to the Microsoft Community.

Thank you very much for your feedback. I have carefully read the information and problem description you provided.

I understand the trouble this problem has caused you, please don't worry, it is not a serious problem.

Specifically, there are three main reasons why the Task Host window blocks shutdown.

1. Background tasks are not completed: Windows will wait for certain background tasks to complete when shutting down, such as system updates, file synchronization, or automatic saving of applications. If these tasks are not completed, the Task Host window will block shutdown.
2. Scheduled task conflicts: If scheduled tasks (such as backup or system maintenance tasks) are configured in the system, and these tasks are still running when shutting down, the Task Host window may block shutdown.
3. Applications are not closed correctly: Some applications may not respond correctly to the system's shutdown request, causing the Task Host window to continue running.

If this problem does not occur every time you shut down, I think you can ignore this problem and just wait for the system to close all programs, and you can shut down normally.

If this problem occurs every time you shut down your computer, I suggest you try the following methods to troubleshoot the error step by step.

1. Check background tasks: Open the Task Scheduler, check if there are any tasks running, and try to stop them manually.

Press the Win + R key combination, which will open the "Run" dialog box. Type taskschd.msc in the dialog box and press Enter.

2. Update the system and drivers: Make sure the Windows system and all drivers are up to date.
3. Check third-party software: Please disable or uninstall recently installed third-party software to see if the problem is solved.

Best regards

Brian - Microsoft Community Support Specialist

Ran through Method 3 and everything seemed to go OK. Last step (DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth) appeared to hang at about 62%, but I waited and it finally completed.

Although I liked what it did, I uninstalled Windhawk as I suspected it was at fault.

I'll see what happens and repost if necessary.

Thank you.

Thank you for your reply

According to your description of the problem, it seems that your system files are damaged, and based on the currently known information, I cannot determine what caused these abnormalities, so I suggest that you need to repair the system. Specifically, you can try a clean boot, use a command to repair the system, or perform an in-place upgrade. The specific steps are as follows.

Method 1. Perform a clean boot

Please follow the guide in the following link.

How to perform a clean boot in Windows - Microsoft Support

Disclaimer: "Clean boot" starts Windows with a minimal set of drivers and startup programs. It helps to determine whether background services are interfering with your game or program and isolate the cause of the problem.

If the problem does not recur after trying a clean boot, it means that some third-party software is interfering with your current problem, so follow the instructions in the link "How to determine the cause of the problem after performing a clean boot" to find the third-party software that caused the problem and uninstall it.

Method 2. I suggest that you can enter safe mode, which enables Windows to start in a basic state by using a limited set of files and drivers. Observing Windows in safe mode enables you to narrow down the source of the problem and help you solve the problem on your computer. How to enter safe mode, you can refer to the link below.

Windows startup settings - Microsoft Support

Method 3. Run SFC and DISM commands to repair system files

Press Win + X or right-click the "Start" button and select "Command Prompt (Admin)" or "Windows PowerShell (Admin)".

Enter and run the SFC command:

sfc /scannow

This command will scan all protected system files and replace damaged files. This process may take some time, please be patient.

Continue to use the command prompt with administrator privileges.

Enter and run the following commands:

DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /CheckHealth

DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /ScanHealth

DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth

Method 4. In-place upgrade is a method of reinstalling Windows. The principle of in-place upgrade is to upgrade the system from the old version to the latest version while retaining the original system and user data, and only overwrite the system files, so as to restore the normal use of the system. The detailed steps are as follows.

Visit the official Microsoft website, Download Windows 11

Download the ISO file using the installation tool.

Find the location of the ISO file and run setup.exe.

Select the "Upgrade this PC" option and click "Next".

Make sure to select the "Keep personal files and apps" option and click "Install".

The process may take some time, please be patient.

Disclaimer: Let's try to perform an in-place upgrade, which will refresh your Windows files and operating system without deleting files or applications. But if there is important data in the computer, we still recommend backing it up in advance.

Best regards

Brian - Microsoft Community Support Specialist

Some more information:

WHOLE error message is:

    Task Host Window

    Task Host Stopping Background Tasks

    \Microsoft\Windows\developerdirectoryclient\registeruserdev

Kinda started when I installed Windhawk. 

If I let my computer go to sleep by itself, it wakes up with a solid orange screen background rather than the beautiful Hubble photograph I have as background.

If I try to SHUT DOWN, I get the "Task Host Window" error message.

If I try to RESTART, the little restart circle just spins and spins until I force the computer off with the switch.

Any other help?