Changing the Disk Timeout setting in Windows OS

Subject:

Changing the Disk Timeout setting in Windows OS

Reason:

Too low standard disk timeout value on a Windows operating system may cause disruptions during failover.
A step-by-step procedure of modifying Windows registry to increase the timeout value is presented below.

Contents:

Warning: The procedure presented below is an advanced system modification and not something to change lightly. We recommend checking with a system administrator or a professional before making such a change as it can have serious impact on your system's performance and reliability.

To increase the standard disk timeout value follow these steps:

1. Press `Win + R` to open the Run dialogue box.
    
2. Type `regedit` and press Enter - this will open the Registry Editor. If User Account Control prompts for confirmation, click Yes.
    
3. Navigate to the following registry key:
   `HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\Disk`
    
4. On the right panel find `TimeOutValue`. If it does not exist you can create it by right-clicking in the open area and selecting `New -> DWORD (32-bit) Value`, and then name it `TimeOutValue`.
    
5. Double-click `TimeOutValue`. A dialog box will appear where you can set the value data. The value should be the timeout you want, in seconds. By default, Windows sets it to 60 seconds. You can change it to a value you require, e.g., if you would like to increase the timeout value to 120, simply change it to `120` . Make sure you select `Decimal` before entering the value.
    
6. Click `OK` and close the Registry Editor.

A reboot is required for the changes to take effect.