Why does my PC take so long to shut down? How to fix it?

Victoria,

One of the first things to ask is prior to this happening, have you installed any new software? If you have, I would roll back your system to prior to that happening. If you need to use that software, re-install the software.

Also, one nice piece of 'freeware' is Auslogics regestry defrag. Go to www.auslogics.com to download the software and install. During the install, the software will inform you that you your system will restart. On bootup, the utility software will also continue to work and then your system will complete bootup. You will then also see the results of the scan.

Good Luck,

Gary

You are using Norton AV, ne?

Get used to it, or change your AV.

The answer of your question is very simple, you may not believe how simple it is. I think that the problems you have are becouse you need to defragment you registry and disks. Install TuneUp Utilities and perform for start 1-click maintenance. after that open the main application and perform all the "increase performance" tasks. I belive that this will help and will be surprised of how faster your PC may become. Also install CCleaner, and perform cleaning and registry cleanup with no backup, trust me, you will not loose any important data, just the things that are always slowing down all the Windows systems. After that you may contact me at my e-mail and i`ll give you one manual for increasing ram performance and usage...

Best of luck and regards!

This may not solve all the problems but when computers at home and work start having problems, I use ccleaner (www.ccleaner.com). It is fast and free. I thought I had lost my computer due to similar problems and ccleaner brought it back to life. It has a junk and registry cleaner as well as an uninstall feature (in case Add/Remove does not do its job).

Do a System Restore save before using but I have never had a problem.

Pete

Hi Victoria,

That's simply an issue of a computer that's been used too long without a clean format. It's just so filled with junk that it's taking forever to shut them all down (many are background applications that you won't see unless you open up the task manager and view processes). Before I get started, I'd just like to add that RAM is the quickest solution to many computer speed issues. Add more and also disabling the page file (when the computer uses the hard drive instead of the RAM to process RAM-related activities) can significantly boost performance. With Windows XP, I recommend at least 2GB before you disable the page file, and with Vista, a minimum 3GB. Adding RAM is not a solution however, it's simply a "bandage over the wound" if you may. The solution is much more complicated and it involves a few steps. First, back up all your files and settings. Second, wipe clean your computer so that everything on the harddisk is deleted. Third, re-install the operating system using either your Windows CD and serial (located on your computer on a sticker), someone else's CD and your serial OR a recovery CD if that came with your computer. Lastly, just ensure all the proper drivers for your devices are installed (drivers can be found on the manufacturer's website) and put all your backed up files back where they belong. It'll be like starting over with a brand new computer!

Hi Victoria,

Why don't you try to defragment your PC and see if it works? Cos my PC shut down time improves if I defragment it.

Try registry repair. This might work but has risks.

http://www.download.com/Glary-Utilities/3000-2094_4-10508531.html?tag=lst-1&cdlPid=10876660

Your OS maybe damaged and my need to be re-installed. Make sure you have backups ASAP.

Check here first thou before you proceed ...... Event viewer. Special note should be made within the hardware section of event viewer. This could be a bad drive.

Occasionally my PC takes too long to shut down also. Sometimes I pick up some rogue malware program from the internet, and it's reporting back to who knows where, and it's hanging on, keeping the PC from shutting down until the program is ready for it to shut down. I keep my modem on top of the desk where I can easily get to it to disconnect its power supply (as per AT&T's instructions. They claim that if I just disconnect the phone line, like I was doing, it screws up my internet connection security.) There have been a number of times when my PC was supposed to be turned off, and I've found it turned on. At first, I blamed it on my dad, who sometimes uses it to check his email, but after several rounds with him swearing that he hadn't touched it, I decided that either something online or something in the PC (like Windows Update) was turning it on without authorization. Since then, my dad, and I, have been killing the modem power whenever we shut down the PC. I've noticed that the occasional program that doesn't want to shut down will shut down as soon as the modem goes down. This may seem like a drastic measure, but its the only 100% effective, sure fire way I know of, other than disconnecting power from the PC, for preventing any one or anything on the internet from messing with the PC when it's supposed to be turned off.

There is another possible cause of slow shutdown that I just remembered. In order to speed up disk access, Windows uses extensive data cache-ing, sticking program bits and pieces in all manner of nooks and crannies in memory and on the hard disk. Somewhere in Windows (accessible in XP only by those with system administrator privileges), there is a setting such that Windows has to sort out all the bits and pieces and store them in the appropriate places on the hard disk before it shuts down (as opposed to leaving it all in one big cache file, which may or may not be screwed up at the next bootup). I can't remember what the setting was called, but I think it was in with the administrative tools. The default setting is the latter, leaving the data in the one big cache file. When I changed it to the former, the shutdown wait time was noticably longer, but within reason, maybe a couple of minutes, tops.

If you suspect malware, a very good (top rated), relatively inexpensive clean-up and security program is NetCom3 Security Suite.
It will clean out a lot of garbage that other security programs won't touch. However, at least on my PC, the automatic update doesn't work. (It says it's up to date when it isn't.) Another program that's good for keeping the bugs out is Security Task Manager and its companion, Spy Protector, from Neuber Software. Spy Protector blocks monitoring of the keyboard, mouse, program starts, etc. While surfing the net, I have had malware start suddenly, trying to coerce me into buying whatever (usually) antivirus product it's hawking, but by acting quickly, I can shut down the modem, and use Security Task Manager to shut down, quarantine, and eventually erase the offending program, before it has a chance to do any damage. (Most of these types of programs are so in-your-face that they're impossible to miss.)

I hope this helps you, Victoria.
ronaldbhurst

Once upon a time I had the same problem on my XP machine. Turned out to be a corrupted Zone Alarm security suite license key on my computer. Performed a clean uninstall and then a reinstall of the Zone Alarm program and all is well. Could also be some other program causing you grief. Good luck, DW

it looks like its asoftware issue, need to see from when it started, then take look at what software you install or donloaded

You want it to shut down in 10 seconds or less but you did not mention how long it takes down. Is it taking 20 seconds? I understand your impatience better when STARTING programs, but why such a hurry for shutdown? May we always have such unharrowing problems with our computers, eh?! Relax. That's my advice. I love XP (though my complaint is how many seconds it takes to start up).

Have you tried to defragment your drive?

Have you done a virus scan lately?
IT's possible you have an overload
of materials too. Also have you
defragged your pc lately? Check out
Cleanup3.0. or CCleaner. These work well
as does Privacy Eraser. You could also
go into Accessories,then System Tools,
and finally to Disk Cleanup.

With my experience with Windows, Both XP and Vista, They tend to take a long time to shutdown if you have alot of programs running on your computer. Programs like one or more instant messengers, one or more email retrieving software, addons that might have come with your internet browser like google toolbar, etc. If you manage your running programs, and reduce them to only the ones you need Windows won't have to do so much work to shut down. Anything that is running when you shut down your computer, has to be shutdown by windows which can sometimes dramatically increase the amount of time it takes for your computer to turn off. There is a few good ways to manage what programs start with your computer.

The first one you should check is in your start menu, it will be listed in your all programs section and is called "Startup". Some times programs will add themselves to this section so they will start with your computer. Delete any of the listed programs that you don't need. *NOTE* This will not hurt your computer. You can also simply put a shortcut to a program you want to start with your computer in the "Startup" folder by simply dragging and dropping it to this section of your start menu.

Another way to check what programs start with your computer is easily accessed in "Vista" by going to the "Control Panel" and under the "Programs" selection, click "Change Startup Programs". *NOTE* Be careful what you disable as your computer might need some of these programs to function correctly. I recommend that you only disable the program at first to make sure you don't need it, and then later you can remove it completely or just leave it in the list. Any changes made here can be undone by simply selecting the program and clicking enable.

A more technical approach is achieved by clicking "Run" in your start menu and typing "msconfig". If your running Vista and do not have "Run" in your start menu, simply type "msconfig" in your search bar at the bottom of your start menu. When the system configuration window comes up click the "Startup" tab at the top of the window. *NOTE* As mentioned before only disable programs that you know are not needed by your computer. Again these programs can be re-enabled by simply clicking the check box next to them.

One more thing to keep in mind is there are some programs that you start in windows that do not start with your computer but once started like to hide themselves on your Taskbar next to your clock. For example. Listed here are alot of the programs that are running on your computer but are running in the background. You can exit any programs by right clicking on them and selecting close or exit. *NOTE* be careful not to close your Anti-Virus or Firewall if installed.

Another way to increase the general performance of your computer is to defragment your hard drive(s). The windows built in defragmenter can be found in the Start menu in the Accessories Folder under System Tools. Also can be accessed from the Control Panel.

Another way to increase the general performance of your computer is to get a registry cleaner program. These most often can be a little pricey. There is Free Software out there, just be carefull what you get as with some free software you can get a free computer virus as well.

I hope this was able to help! I'm sure there are many other ways to make your pc shutdown faster. Please feel free to comment or reply to my post as this is my first reply of this type.

HOSS

Processes that constantly monitor the internet for updates tend to confuse the shutdown.

Before starting the shutdown, run a utility like TaskKiller or ProcessExplorer, and kill the big uglies like iTunesService.

Once they've been killed, shutdown will do its job without interference.

I had the exact same thing happen to me. In my case, through sheer accident, I discovered that it was some kind of a conflict that had developed with a little freeware program called Weatherbug, and as long as I closed Weatherbug first, my system shut down normally. Interestingly enough, at first uninstalling and reinstalling Weatherbug didn't help, but after uninstalling for a few weeks or a month and then reinstalling, the issue was gone. Maybe they upgraded versions or something.

You might have a software conflict of some kind, too. You might try manually shutting down all running individual programs first, and see if your computer shuts down normally that way. If it does, you could then pinpoint which one is causing the problem. The hard part is finding everything that's running. You can use Control-Alt-Delete to pull up a list of all processes that are running, but at least on my system, it's horrifyingly long! You can Google the individual names to figure out which ones are background programs that can be safely closed by you, and which ones will cause system issues if you close them.

At any rate, that's what worked for me.

There are a number of reasons.
1) a virus that is running in backround
2) programs running in backround take a long time to shut down but should not be running in backround so probably due to #1
3) Make sure you have shut down all programs before you "shutdown"

Hi: This is usually a problem with programs that hang as Windows close. Until you solve the problem of which program you might do this which we call a diagnostic shutdown. I don't often shut mine down, maybe once a week or so or if there is a problem and I need to do a reboot.
You push in the power button and hold it in until the unit shuts off, on notebooks or what some call laptops you also do the same. Hold the start of power button in, that is press it and hold it down until the unit shuts down completely. On the notebooks you will get an error message on start up but just enter or wait and in 30 seconds Vista or XP will resume on to the normal start, Desktops don't show this message.
This is a diagnostic shutdown and saves a lot of time especially with the lightning speed of Vista that is guaranteed to never frustrate you!
Also you could have restored, using restore points to when this hang was not there.
You can open the control panel as well and turn off all startup programs for a clean boot.
Then turn off, then if all is fine start adding them one at a time.
Again holding the button until it is totally off works for me and has saved me much frustration. Does not hurt the system.

Rohn

I work for an adult technical/vocational school where I teach and am also the IT Department. I have found that you cannot fix this within Windows easily, so the easiest thing to do is to reinstall Windows XP or if you have Windows backup switched on, go to the last setting before you experienced this problem. If that is not the case then, if you have the disks that came with your computer you can use them to reset your computer to its original settings. Back up everything of importance on your computer before you do this.

Insert the disk used to reset your computer to it's original defaults. When you do this you will use any programs and files you installed on your computer since it was new, so this will take some time, but it will solve your problem.

If there is another solution, I'd enjoy knowing it. I'm always open to any suggestions. You can also so the the Microsoft site and search for their solution. I've found the Microsoft site to be more of a problem than a help.

there can be various factors.
1.windows file missing(reinstalling windows)
2.too much programmed running on your task manger.
3.can also be cause by virus
4.too much fragmented files e.t.c
the best way to fixed your computer is,backup all your important files.format your hard disk,repartion your drive;there can be a problem on your bootsector too.hope this will work.am always willing to help you-ZOTHUG

It sounds to me like you have TOO MANY PROGRAMS RUNNING, and they must shut down before your computer can safely shut-down. My wife , kids and myself are gamers, we depend on our computers running fast, very fast. There is a program you can get at=
Iobit.com/advancedwindowscare
This program is free for personal use, and I find that it is well worth running at least once a week. My wife runs it every day. It has Spy ware removal, a Security defense, Registry fix, System optimization, Privacy sweep, it Cleans Junk files, and most importantly it allows you to Manage Start-up programs. This one is important because with just a click of your mouse you can stop a program from running. If you click on the blue link under (Startup Manage) you will see all your running programs. When you click on a program look to the left you will see a Description of what it does, you then decide if you want to run it or not. You can always come back and turn a program on if you find you need it. I hope this helps you.
Grayeagle