Question "Getting Windows ready" loop on Windows 10 PC that isn't connected to network

[PingSpike]

We have a PC with many drive images at work which is used for testing. I've noticed that when attempting to restart the PC (to boot off a USB key) it often gives me the blue spinning screen "Getting Windows ready" and then eventually it does the "100% don't turn off your computer" for a long time. Finally, after 30-45 minutes (!) it boots into windows, seemingly ignoring the USB key installed. Perhaps because it didn't reboot at all. What is it doing? Why would it fail for so long when there isn't a network of any kind for it to connect too? This is really breaking my workflow and wasting a ton of time so I'd like to find a way around it at least.

Its possible/likely that at one point in the past this PC was connected to the network or internet, possibly to manual download updates. But it doesn't have the network cable plugged in.

Weird part is I didn't really see this at all in the past. I've seen it on 2004 images and 1703 images.

 

[deustroop]

Just a wild ass guess--Sounds like there may be too many windows boot codes available to the machine it does not know which to boot and is trying several before it gets to the C drive. Try this-take all the images off the machine--does it boot properly ?