Windows 11 keeps crashing randomly on multiple machines

M

MartinW16

Bit poster
Since a few weeks ago we have multiple Windows 11 installations randomly crashing and rebooting.
All Macs are older iMac models with Intel CPU. We're running v26.1.2 (57293) on Tahoe.

I attempted to do a repair install of Windows, but that throws an error during the last step (something went wrong...) and aborts.

What can we do to find the cause of the problem and hopefully fix this?
 
MartinW16 said:
Since a few weeks ago we have multiple Windows 11 installations randomly crashing and rebooting.
All Macs are older iMac models with Intel CPU. We're running v26.1.2 (57293) on Tahoe.

I attempted to do a repair install of Windows, but that throws an error during the last step (something went wrong...) and aborts.

What can we do to find the cause of the problem and hopefully fix this?
Click to expand...
Hello @MartinW16
We have created a support ticket to assist you.
Please check your email for future communication.
Regards,
 
Same with me - New behavior over the past 3-4 weeks. Very troubling!
Running Parallels Desktop Version 26.2.2 (57373) on a 2019 MacBook Pro w/ plenty of disk space fully updated Windows OS (Pro, 25H2, OS Build 26200.7840)
Will sometimes crash & reboot a couple times a day - no warning.
Also have noticed the small Parallels icon with the double diagonal arrows that I use to switch views, suspend, etc. at the top of the mac desktop is intermittent - mostly gone. Have to right-click the Windows icon in the Dock to get the same menu choices.
 
Support told us to switch from Parallels hypervisor to Apple's. I can't tell yet if that helps.

1. Shutdown any running virtual machine (Click on the "Actions" menu on top of the Mac menu bar > "Shutdown" OR if the virtual machine is suspended > Resume it first then shut it down)
2. Right-click on the Parallels icon in the Dock > Control Center > Right-click on your Windows 11 virtual machine > Configure
3. Select the "Hardware" tab > CPU & Memory > Advanced > Click on "Parallels" Hypervisor and change it to "Apple" > Close the Configuration Window
 
MartinW16 said:
Support told us to switch from Parallels hypervisor to Apple's. I can't tell yet if that helps.

1. Shutdown any running virtual machine (Click on the "Actions" menu on top of the Mac menu bar > "Shutdown" OR if the virtual machine is suspended > Resume it first then shut it down)
2. Right-click on the Parallels icon in the Dock > Control Center > Right-click on your Windows 11 virtual machine > Configure
3. Select the "Hardware" tab > CPU & Memory > Advanced > Click on "Parallels" Hypervisor and change it to "Apple" > Close the Configuration Window
Click to expand...
= = =
After I seconded the issue above, I was looking around my settings and noticed for some reason my Win 11 virtual machine was set up to use 8 GB of RAM. That seemed too low for that OS, so I bumped it up to 16 GB. I'll ride that for a few days to see if it helps. If not, I'll try making the hypervisor change.
 
We've seen similar behavior when Windows 11 is running in Parallels with tight resource allocation.
A few things you can check:

  • Make sure the VM has at least 8GB RAM (more if possible)

  • Allocate 4 CPU cores minimum

  • Disable "Automatic resource optimization" in Parallels settings

  • Update Parallels Tools inside Windows

  • Check Windows Event Viewer → System logs to see if it's a driver or memory-related crash
If you're on Apple Silicon, also confirm you're running the ARM version of Windows 11, since mismatched builds can cause random instability.
In most cases we've debugged, it turned out to be allocation or tools-related rather than a core Windows issue.
 
I'm also seeing this issue, on a 2019 MacBook Pro (Intel). Was anyone able to resolve it, and if so, what was the fix? Thx!
 
Thor99 said:
I'm also seeing this issue, on a 2019 MacBook Pro (Intel). Was anyone able to resolve it, and if so, what was the fix? Thx!
Click to expand...
I followed the directions posted by MartinW16 on 2/18/26 (changing the Hypervisor to Apple) and haven't had any problems since. (I also bumped up the RAM assigned to 16 GB, but I don't think that made any difference.)
 
MartinW16 said:
Support told us to switch from Parallels hypervisor to Apple's. I can't tell yet if that helps.

1. Shutdown any running virtual machine (Click on the "Actions" menu on top of the Mac menu bar > "Shutdown" OR if the virtual machine is suspended > Resume it first then shut it down)
2. Right-click on the Parallels icon in the Dock > Control Center > Right-click on your Windows 11 virtual machine > Configure
3. Select the "Hardware" tab > CPU & Memory > Advanced > Click on "Parallels" Hypervisor and change it to "Apple" > Close the Configuration Window
Click to expand...
Configuration > CPU & Memory > Advanced > only have one option to select or deselect "Adaptive Hypervisor". Does deselecting mean changing it to "Apple"? I have been experiencing sudden shutdowns frequently. Posted the following on forum: Sudden shut down of windows 11 but no resolution;
Started around 3/26/2026, may be after windows or parallels update, windows 11 shuts down suddenly.
I saved the minidump file and analyzed with WinDbg;
DRIVER_POWER_STATE_FAILURE (9f)
A driver has failed to complete a power IRP within a specific time.
Arguments:
Arg1: 0000000000000003, A device object has been blocking an IRP for too long a time
Arg2: ffffd10ad2fb8360, Physical Device Object of the stack
Arg3: fffff800667288b0, nt!TRIAGE_9F_POWER on Win7 and higher, otherwise the Functional Device Object of the stack
Arg4: ffffd10ad630dbf0, The blocked IRP
I have experienced this type of shutting down of W11 at least 10 times for the last 3 weeks, all in the middle of light load with windows side using excel, outlook, pdf exchange. Mac side is clear of any open apps.
Based on my research (thanks to ChatGPT), latest Windows update is causing the problem. Anyone experiencing the same?
Please let me know what I can do to stop these sudden shutdowns?
Above was with Parallels 26.2
Today, updated to 26.3.1 and now praying not to have a shutdown
 
Thanks for all of the suggestions (and link to other thread).

My problems began, coincidental or otherwise, a few weeks ago when I started getting regular warnings on the Mac side about insufficient resources, and the system generally would slow down and sometimes gradually freeze. (I have an M2).

Although I was running (the usual) large Windows Excel files, in the Mac warning window Firefox (Mac) and Chrome (Windows) featured highly, so I went through and closed a lot of tabs I always had kept open.

Following other advice I deleted a lot of old files, such that my hard drive now uses 760GB out of 1TB.

The warnings continued even with very few apps running so eventually I updated to Tahoe 26.4.1 and that seemed to resolve the Mac warnings problem.

Then, and this may be unrelated, about a week ago I started getting random instant reboots of Windows, like you all describe, typically several times a day and with no warning.

At first I thought Windows was trying to update without asking, so I changed that setting to ask me in future, but the random reboots continue.

I've tried as much as I can of suggestions above including increasing Parallels to 6 CPUs and 8GB RAM. I've updated Parallels (Pro) to 26.3.1 (57396).

Like others I only have one option to select or deselect "Adaptive Hypervisor" so cannot change to "Apple".

In Windows Event Viewer I see multiple lines (I don't know if that is normal) but particularly there are three 'Critical' reports all matching the times of my last three crashes - they are: kernel power event id 41.

I considered a System Restore and noted the last Windows Update was on 19 April which I think coincides with these problems starting.

I am tempted to do a system restore to roll back that update but it gives me the (probably usual) warnings that Office blah blah may not work properly afterwards.

This is very disruptive so I would welcome any suggestions please.

Thanks :-)
 
Just to clarify, System Restore says the last Windows Update was on 19 April, however Windows Update History says 15 April.
I've been on the computer most days in between, so I don't know why the difference.
 
TolgaT1 said:
...
Today, updated to 26.3.1 and now praying not to have a shutdown
Click to expand...
It's unlikely. There is nothing in release notes about fixing this bug. Also I had as always BSOD after install this update and boot to Windows 11.
Often BSODs after any update (Windows 11 or Parallels Desktop). Maybe it just happens randomly after cold boot.
Coz I usually do not reboot this VM - only sleep, then resume next day. When it doesn't BSOD it can work for days this way.
 
sutepanushikind said:
It's unlikely. There is nothing in release notes about fixing this bug. Also I had as always BSOD after install this update and boot to Windows 11.
Often BSODs after any update (Windows 11 or Parallels Desktop). Maybe it just happens randomly after cold boot.
Coz I usually do not reboot this VM - only sleep, then resume next day. When it doesn't BSOD it can work for days this way.
Click to expand...
I don't get the BSOD, in fact I don't see anything, no shut down screen, each crash just flicks me straight back to the Control Centre on the Mac side.
 
Same for me, no BSOD, sudden shutdown and back to MacOS; there is the control center (app still on). Restarting Windows11 works fine but slower response inside windows. So, I quit the parallels app, restart Mac, restart parallels app and reinstall parallels tools; then I am good for 5-6 hours of work. Unfortunately, sudden shutdown occurs eventually before the day is over. I made a habit of saving everything or setting auto save in windows programs frequently. Hoping for Parallels Support to see the posts and replies... First time in 12 years of Parallels usage I started to search for alternatives and considering a switch back to Windows.
 
I logged a support ticket explaining my situation and the Chat Bot gave me this instant reply:

I am the Parallels Support Chat Bot, here to help you resolve your issue quickly.

If I am unable to resolve it immediately, our Support Team will follow up with you through the Support Ticket that has just been created.

Please, hold on a second....

Below is a list of troubleshooting steps you can try to narrow down the cause of these sudden shutdowns:

  1. 
Review the timing of the issue
     • Since the crashes started just after a Windows update (the April 15 security update KB5083769), it's possible that this update is triggering an instability in the Windows 11 VM.
     • In Event Viewer, the "kernel power event id 41" usually appears when the system "loses power" unexpectedly even though the VM is being closed by Parallels.

  2. 
Test by rolling back the Windows update
     • Although the Windows system restore warns of potential issues (like Office needing reactivation), you might consider rolling back or uninstalling the April security update as a test.
     • In Windows 11, open Settings > Windows Update > Update History > Uninstall updates, and remove KB5083769.
     • If the issue stops, this would point to that update causing the problem.

  3. 
Check Parallels Desktop configuration
     • You mentioned you're using 6 CPUs and 8 GB RAM. While these settings can be fine for many workloads, try reducing these values slightly as a test (for example, 4 CPUs/6 GB RAM) to see if a lower resource allocation helps stabilize the VM.
     • Since the only hypervisor option is "Adaptive Hypervisor" (and you can't switch it to "Apple"), confirm that the setting has been saved and that no other settings (like snapshot intervals or shared devices) might be interfering.

  4. 
Look at Parallels Tools and VM drivers
     • Ensure that Parallels Tools is fully updated within the VM. Outdated or partially installed Parallels Tools can sometimes cause "ghost" crashes.
     • In the Parallels Desktop menu, choose Actions > Reinstall Parallels Tools and follow the instructions. Then restart the Windows 11 VM.

  5. 
Monitor Windows power settings
     • Although the shutdowns appear instantaneous, check Windows power options (Control Panel > Power Options) to be sure there aren't any aggressive sleep or shutdown triggers configured.

  6. 
Document any additional error messages
     • Even if you do not see a blue screen, any error logs or messages displayed in Windows might offer more clues if you adjust Windows logging settings (for example, disable automatic restart on system failure to see if an error message appears).
Since others have reported similar behavior on the forums (as you noted at the provided URLs), testing the uninstall of the April update or adjusting resource allocation is a logical starting point. If these adjustments lead to a more stable session, you can decide if you want to keep the previous Windows version or work on a permanent fix once a revised Windows update is available.

Good luck with your troubleshooting.
 
RichardA23 said:
Ho seguito le istruzioni pubblicate da MartinW16 il 18/02/2026 (cambiando l'hypervisor in Apple) e da allora non ho avuto problemi. (Ho anche aumentato la RAM assegnata a 16 GB, ma non credo che abbia fatto alcuna differenza.)
Click to expand...
Can you specify the version of your parallel? I have the Version: 26.3.2 (57398). I have a immediate abort of win11 only using excel 2024. If you have some good news please send a message to pbronx#gmail.com thanks
 
PAOLOD3 said:
Can you specify the version of your parallel? I have the Version: 26.3.2 (57398). I have a immediate abort of win11 only using excel 2024. If you have some good news please send a message to pbronx#gmail.com thanks
Click to expand...

Since updating to Version 26.3.2 (57398) I haven't noticed this issue recurring, however I have only been working part days on my machine and not using Excel much.

I have not yet done any long days using big Excel files, so I cannot say for sure the issue is resolved for me.
 
Just further to the above, today I was working for 5 hours on fairly simple Excel files and Parallels crashed again. Very disappointing!
I suppose the next thing to try is winding back the latest Windows update?
 
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