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Community Newsletter: Q&A: 3/17/06 Why won't my computer shut down?
- 3/16/06 4:58 PM
Marc is right on track
by wmarr - 3/17/06 3:54 AM In reply to: 3/17/06 Why won't my computer shut down? by Marc Bennett
I have experienced this same scenario. My computer would hang on shut down. To me, what I think happens on the hardware level of the computer, is that a message to the hard drive which tells it to park the read/write head is not being delivered. It must go through a shut down proceedure before the computer will actually shut down. Changing the bios may do the trick, but if it shut down before with no problem, and now it won't. There is usually an underlying problem and it usually don't include the bios (unless your cmos battery is getting low on juice). It just may well be an installed program that has a bit of malicious code that interferres with Windows shut down proceedure. A virus can cause this problem, or like someone had mentioned. Spyware etc. But to me it is all malicious code because it won't let your computer function as it was intended. There is a program which will help with windows shut down issues. Just look for it at Tech republic.com
Why computer won't shut down
by susanscott1989 - 3/17/06 3:55 AM In reply to: 3/17/06 Why won't my computer shut down? by Marc Bennett
I love this forum. Although I don't have this particular problem I'm keeping it for future reference. I'm not a computer rooky by any means but I always learn something (or re-learn). You have some great contributers who know their stuff and can communicate articulately. Thanks to all who contribute.
Susan
Does anybody really know the solution?
by prasadp77 - 3/17/06 3:57 AM In reply to: 3/17/06 Why won't my computer shut down? by Marc Bennett
I have read almost half of the answers but none of them answer this question. I am sure original author of this question is in similar dilemma as me.
The exactly same thing happens with my HP desktop, AMD 64 3400+, 512mb RAM, WinXP home SP2. This ONLY happens when I try to restart after running it for say whole day or overnight (as sometimes I leave my FTP on overnightt) etc. Many a times I use Sweepi for my temporary file cleanup and at the end it asks to either shut down or restart and half of the times, it shuts down without any hassle but as it restarts, fan blows in full speed for a while ad then slows down to show windows icon on desktop but at unusual/weird/crazy times, this fan keeps blowing. I freak out when I hear this fan blowing as I have already lost my old Fujitsu-Siemes PIII 1GHz, 256mb RAM, WinXP Professional SP2 to the exactly same symptoms. I couldn't figure out till end what actually went wrong at the end with this Fujitsu-Siemens (FS) desktop but symptoms were exactly same, first time it happened with FS and it died.
When HP gave same symtom after I uninstalled some program. I wrote to HP for solution and HP customer support suggested to do system restore. I didn't do it as I knew that its not going to solve the problem.
This thing still happens sometimes, must have happened at least 7 times in last 4 months and all I do it unplug the power chord as everything stops responding and replug it to start. I am only afraid that in this case is because of unplugging there will be power fluctuations and that may harm computer.
IS THERE ANYONE WHO HAS FACED THIS PROBLEM AND MANAGED TO SOLVE IT?
Solutions To P.C. Not Shutting Down
by Mr. Toops - 3/17/06 4:40 AM In reply to: Does anybody really know the solution? by prasadp77I seem to remember a program called MR.TECH SYSTEM TRAY, and a setting in that program has a setting for "KILL HUNG APPS. ON SHUTDOWN". That is all your problem is, a program is not shutting down and "NOT RESPONDING" to your commands. This program also has your temp files cleaner cache cleaner prefetch folder cleaner misc. files cleaner, just to mention some of the commands MR.TECH SYSTRAY can handle.
Try it what can it hurt.
PC not Shutting down.
by xfloaterx - 3/17/06 5:08 AM In reply to: Does anybody really know the solution? by prasadp77As I am currently working as a Technician in a retail Computer store, I complete repairs on anywhere from 8-20 PC's a day. I see at least 4-8 PC's a week with this problem. So far to date the issue is almost always (99% of the time) a Virus or Spyware. The Virus corrupts the settings not allowing the PC to power down. Virus's can't spread if the PC isn't running.
My PC is usually clean
by prasadp77 - 3/17/06 6:34 AM In reply to: PC not Shutting down. by xfloaterxIf you say Spyware or the virus then usually my method is
1. Run Spybot doctor
2. Run Ad-aware SE
3. Run EZ antivirus
Now alls clean, as per the programs
4. Run Sweepi to get rid of all temporary material
and restart.
So if there is any spyware or virus, its already been detected and deleted, hoping that all programs mentioned above do their jobs!!
So you see any flaw in this method?
Hope is a flaw
by Olifrench - 3/17/06 7:17 AM In reply to: My PC is usually clean by prasadp77You said: "hoping that all programs mentioned above do their jobs!!" and you ask if there's a flaw. But you don't say if you keep your virus/spyware definitions up-to-date. Also part of the game for malware is to defeat the installed defenses, thus a virus checker may be compromised. Running a sweep with another virus checker (for instance http://housecall.trendmicro.com/) may help.
Also, are you really describing a shutdown problem? You seem to be describing a startup problem instead, unless the other half the times you have a shutdown problem? But you don't say. I have not seen many shutdown problems when the monitor output was powered off but the rest of the computer was still on. Is this what happens to you?
I don't know about the fan problem. Are you sure it's the fan? Could it be a CDROM spinning because there is a CD in the drive?
Possibly...I think he was on Jeopardy last year
by tellthetruth - 3/18/06 7:34 PM In reply to: Does anybody really know the solution? by prasadp77I have a Compaq Presario SR1030NX with the AMD 3000 2.16Ghz processor 512 MB DDR and 160 GB hard drive and have experienced the shutdown problem on several occasions. However the shutdown usually takes place after the second attempt. Anything beyond three or four failed attempts at shutdown from the start menu and I proceed to use the power button.
Although I like to think I know what I am doing, my memory cells are dying quickly and I cannot remember all the stuff I have read in the computer manuals and those "for dummies" reference books. I have spent too much time running anti-malware programs, etc, to care anymore...I have deleted more files than I can remember using CCleaner, CleanUp, SpyBot, CWShredder, HijackThis, KillBox, etc., etc. that I look forward to just running the system recovery program as a type of "final solution" and doing a full re-format of the hard drive--I just dread the thought of backing up all those various data files--well at least I was smart enough to purchase a DVD burner.
I didn't lose any data
by prasadp77 - 3/19/06 5:03 AM In reply to: Possibly...I think he was on Jeopardy last year by tellthetruthI did lose my machine but I didn't lose any data as HDD was perfectly alright but I couldn't figure out till the end what went wrong with the machine that it died, post-martem didn't really help so I sent away all working parts to my friends for their running PCs.
Dangerous to edit settings
by cdrommfg - 3/17/06 5:05 AM In reply to: 3/17/06 Why won't my computer shut down? by Marc Bennett
I am in tech support and the real disasters occur only when people start editing their settings. Most settings have a worthy purpose, of a multiple nature. Therefore, if you change one for one purpose it impacts another.
Don't do it.
Further, we get only two kinds of tech support inquiries on our CDs--beginners (very polite) and "experts" (very frustrated; usually angry). The former is understandable. The latter, the experts, come to us precisely because they have "messed around" with their system and things are out of kilter.
Obviously not all experts do that; but this plagues them too. Be cautious.
I agree
by monsterharry - 3/18/06 1:41 AM In reply to: Dangerous to edit settings by cdrommfgUnless you know what you are doing you may end up with a totally disabiled computer. It is much better to ask a real, live expert to have a look at your machine for you. You will spend some money but it will you save much more trouble and hassle.
Turn off instead of Shut down
by larrybio - 3/17/06 5:07 AM In reply to: 3/17/06 Why won't my computer shut down? by Marc Bennett
When I upgraded the harddisk in my IBM ThinkPad T41 2373 4GU running WIN XP Pro, I had use a restore disk set to get the new Hitachi harddisk operational. I started to see "Turn Off" instead of "Shut Down". Can this be corrected? I really prefer the "Shut Down". The computer does turn off, so that is not the problem, only the labels on the buttons.
Semantics?
by Olifrench - 3/17/06 7:47 AM In reply to: Turn off instead of Shut down by larrybioWell, you choose Shutdown from the Start menu (yes, that's the funny bit, you click Start to stop, get over it!) and then Turn Off is one of the options, others being Log off user, Switch User, Standby, Hibernate and Reboot (depending on you Power Management settings). This seems semantically correct to me. Better than on my W2K machine where shutdown is one of the options of... shutdown!
And it does what it says on the label 
.
Deleting Undeletable Files - Have I Got A Virus
by wayne861 - 3/17/06 5:11 AM In reply to: 3/17/06 Why won't my computer shut down? by Marc Bennett
This should solve your problem: http://ccollomb.free.fr/unlocker/
Replying to Chris S's: How to Fix Computer Not Shutting Down
by dloganbill - 3/17/06 6:02 AM In reply to: 3/17/06 Why won't my computer shut down? by Marc Bennett
Chris,
I read your solution and you dont seem to understand the problem that Scott G has. Its not that his power off button doesnt work..it works fine..What Scotts problem is, is that when he goes to the shutdown function on his computer screen and clicks the shutdown button there, even though it looks like it is shutting everything down, in fact blacking everything out, the problem is, his computer has not really done it. He CAN get it to shutdown by doing a HARD shutdown that means physcially holding down his shutdown button. But he cant get it to complete the program to shutdown using the onscreen button.
I have the same problem so if you have a solution to that it would be great. I already have my power management configuration set the way you suggest. The problem has NOTHING to do with this.
Carol B
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