Strikingly slow powershell

[PK-TG02-2xxx]

On stock system, Windows powershell is very slow. Its window shows fast but prompt is avail after a few seconds only. Then typing help, and other ~5 seconds for answer.  No CPU load.    

I have tried Powershell 7 too, which should be lighter, but to the same slow outcome.

Any clue how to fix it, please?

  Best regards

  Petr

[VikramTheGreat]

Hi @PK-TG02-2xxx,

Welcome to the HP Support Community.
 

Thank you for posting your query. I will be glad to help you.

If your Victus by HP 15L Gaming Desktop PC TG02-2000i (8R3R1AV) is showing a slow PowerShell prompt, despite good hardware and no CPU load, it’s likely related to profile scripts, networking issues, or shell environment misconfiguration. Here’s how to troubleshoot and fix it step-by-step:

Step 1: Bypass Profile Scripts Temporarily

PowerShell loads user and system profile scripts at startup, which may cause delays.
 

Test with -noprofile flag:

1. Open Run (Win + R) → type: powershell -noprofile
2. See if it opens faster. If yes, the issue is likely in one of the profile scripts.

Step 2: Locate and Inspect Profile Scripts

Common locations:

• C:\Users\<YourName>\Documents\WindowsPowerShell\Microsoft.PowerShell_profile.ps1
• C:\Program Files\PowerShell\7\Microsoft.PowerShell_profile.ps1
• C:\Windows\System32\WindowsPowerShell\v1.0\profile.ps1

🚨 If any of these files exist, open them and check for:

• Slow-loading modules (e.g., Import-Module)
• Custom functions or scripts that call slow resources (e.g., network drives)
   

🛠️ Temporary Fix:

• Rename the profile scripts (e.g., to *.ps1.bak) and test PowerShell again.

Step 3: Disable Network Drives / Slow Mapped Paths

PowerShell may lag due to:

• Disconnected or slow-mapped network drives
• UNC paths used in the profile or $env: PATH
   

✅ Try:

• Open File Explorer → This PC → Disconnect unused network drives
• Open PowerShell and run: echo $env :PATH

Look for slow-loading paths, such as network locations (\\ or NAS), and remove them from your system

I hope this helps.

Take care and have a good day.

Please click “Accepted Solution” if you feel my post solved your issue, as it will help others find the solution. Click the “Kudos/Thumbs Up" on the bottom right to say “Thanks” for helping!

VikramTheGreat

HP Support

[PK-TG02-2xxx · Accepted solution]

Hi Vicram,

thank you for the hint. Yes -noprofile has helped to speed it up a lot.

However none of the profile files you have mentioned actually exists.

No machine reboot since reporting it, after the one -noprofile run,

Windows Powershell has normalized. 

It's not reproducible anymore. It remains a mystery for me.

  Best regards

[VikramTheGreat]

Hi @PK-TG02-2xxx,

You're very welcome — I’m glad the -noProfile switch helped and that PowerShell is now behaving normally again!
 

It’s indeed curious that none of the usual profile scripts were present, yet the issue was resolved after launching PowerShell once with -noprofile.  
 

These one-time anomalies can be tricky to trace, but the good news is, it’s no longer reproducible. 👍
 

If it ever returns, feel free to reach out with a system info snapshot or event logs, and we’ll dig deeper.

Take care and have a good day.

Please click “Accepted Solution” if you feel my post solved your issue, as it will help others find the solution. Click the “Kudos/Thumbs Up" on the bottom right to say “Thanks” for helping!

VikramTheGreat

HP Support