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

A fresh install of Mac OS X 10.5 shuts down in about 4 seconds. My machine does it in about 6 seconds flat. My XP PC on the other hand can take much much longer.

I was not only having shutdown problems but startup and other problems as well. Since I have a Dell Inspiron 1501 laptop, I purchased, downloaded, and installed the Dell PC Tuneup software.

Since doing so, my free hard drive space increased by about 9 GBytes and all of the software as well as startup and shutdown work so much faster!!!

Thanks for Dell PC Tuneup!

Ron

Hi,
After exprimenting a lot I have some good technique to maintained the PC, few of them as below:
1) Ur system drive (C:), must have 30% free space
2) Keep ur paging file on seperate drive instead of "C:"
3) Start--> Run --> Enter "Services.msc" --- U will find services runing on ur pc, stop and disabled the unwanted services. (For help see google)
4) There are many programs start/load at system startup, remove them by editing registry or download "CC Cleaner", which is fully trusted and free.
5) Use Sygate Personal Firewal, for Internet
*) Defrag ur C drive
*) Clean-up ur c drive
*) Use CC Cleaner to clean-up more
6) From last 2 yrs, I am using my PC, without any anti-virus s/w
7) There are some more tricks, through which u can keep ur pc upto date.

Please work on above u will get 90% result....if you need further help let me know

Dhanraj

I usually shut my computer down and walk away - it closes eventually and to me it is better to use the shutdown time to install updates, run virus checks and do any of the things that take time.

Startup, and having it running fast when you are using it is far more important - if this is too slow then you do have problems.

Try UPH Clean from Microsoft:

http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyID=1b286e6d-8912-4e18-b570-42470e2f3582&DisplayLang=en

I have used it so long I forgot I had it installed.

hi,the problem you have mentioned must have caused by various reasons.So try the following:-

1) First of all go to add and remove list and terminate all the umwanted programes.
2)Open task manager and check performance if CPU usage is 100% then click on process besides performance tag and check the process running under image name,terminate the umnwanted processes consumning max CPU usages.
3)And the last is do the virus scan with updated anti - virus.

Aloha,
Here's what I use and it helps a lot, but requires editing some registry settings. If you're not familiar with working with the registry, back it up first and get some help from someone who's familiar with it.

"Windows stores a couple of values in its registry which are responsible for determining how long to wait before shutting down open applications and services once the shutdown http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shutdown command has been given.

By editing these two settings and changing them to lower values, you can considerably decrease the amount of time that Windows XP needs to successfully shut itself down. The first part of this tweak deals with setting the amount of time Windows will take to kill open applications on shutdown.


Open REGEDIT and navigate to ?HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Control Panel\Desktop\?
Highlight the ?WaitToKillAppTimeout? value.
Set it to ?1000′.
Now highlight the ?HungAppTimeout? value
Set it to ?1000′ also.

The second part of this tip changes the same settings, this time for all users on the system.

Open REGEDIT and navigate to ?HKEY_USERS\.DEFAULT\Control

Panel\Desktop?
Highlight the ?WaitToKillAppTimeout? value.
Set it to ?1000′.
Now highlight the ?HungAppTimeout? value.
Set it to ?1000′ also.

In the third part of this tip, we will alter a second registry setting to decrease the amount of time Windows XP will wait before shutting down active services after receiving a shut down command.

Open REGEDIT and navigate to

?HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\System\CurrentControlSet\Control\?

Highlight the value ?WaitToKillServiceTimeout?

Change this value to ?1000.?

This should help to considerably speed up the time Windows XP takes to shut itself down.

Auto kill tasks on shutdown

By default, Windows XP will prompt the user for input if there are one or more applications which have crashed or are not responding and it receives a shut down command. This halts the shutdown process entirely until the user approves the stopping of the non-responsive app.

By altering the registry slightly, Windows XP can be set to close crashed applications automatically. While this does not technically speed up the shut down process, it does streamline it, and ensure that the user will not give the shutdown command then get up and leave, only to find the PC still powered on because Windows never received input on what to do with a hung application.

To allow Windows XP to close non-responsive applications automatically upon shutdown:

Open REGEDIT and navigate to ?HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Control Panel\Desktop?

Highlight the value ?AutoEndTasks.?

Change the value to ?1′

XP will now be able to close hung applications without user input during the shutdown process. "

DRDRJAY, Hawai'i

Hai Victoria ..i am Ravi.J ...i m in chennai ..i found your doubt in cnet pages...i think ur system affected by virus heavily..so that it will take lot of time to turnoff..ur system OS maybe corrupted..so u reinstall the windows OS ...and after u install motherboard cd ..by doing this u can speedup ur system and u can releive from ur all problems...Thank You ..Bye take care...by Ravi.J

go to registry editor by pushing the windows key button + R and type regedit and then enter.Find and click on the HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control and change the value of WaitToKillServiceTimeout(with double click) to 5000.Just remember to save your work before you shutdown

Save your all work on your Computer.And move on to desktop press CLT+ALT+DELETE Task manager will display.Now hold the CLT button on KeyBoard and goto Shutdown (Holding CLT ) and click shutdown and contiune holding CLT Computer will shutdown with in 5 Sec..

Why and How...
System analysis considering how long your PC is in used since you have it, the number of program installed and un-installed, the number of time you browse in the internet and the way you maintain the unit and stated hereunder the possible reasons Why/How it takes to long your computer in shutting down.

1. Your system has a lot of remnants created during installation/un-installation of any other program you need to run the computer
2. The number of time you open programs and files that logs has created by system
3. The number of time you visit and browsing in the internet not knowing there a lot of visited/open file and folder where log created by your computer system and eventually cookies restored
4. Might be your system has a lot of program still running during windows shutting down process.
5. System registry error created during program installation and un-installation
6. Or theirs a lot of Viruses or Add-Aware in your system.

Recommendations;
1. Clean your system using recommended Unti-Virus program to eliminate existing Viruses
2. Eliminate Add-Aware/Mal-Ware in your system using Unti-Spy ware or any advisable program.
3. Clean your system registry by using registry cleaner or any advisable program that you have
4. Delete unused folder in your Program files under C:/ (Undeleted folder and sub-folder created during installation and un-install of computer programs.)
5. Be sure you have Active, Updated Unti-Virus and Unti-spyware

* In my own I presently use
a) PC Checkup 3.25 automatically monitor system error giving alarm when system error detected
b) And PC Checkup maintaining the original speed of my system with the use also of Free Ram Optimizer eliminating computer Bleu Screen and stabilized memory in speed action.
c) Install additional Hard Drive for saving personal files. Let your existing drive C:/ for Windows, Office and other program use you need to run your Computer.

* That?s all, try and enjoy!....

? Make your PC speed faster even power on/shut down than your original (be sure of sufficient RAM)

How?
a) Clean your system using recommended Unti-Virus program to eliminate existing Viruses (now I am simply using AVG unit-virus - free edition)
b) Eliminate Add-Aware/Mal-Ware in your system using Unti-Spy ware or any advisable program. ( now I am simply using AVG anti spy-ware-free edition)
c) Clean your system registry by using registry cleaner or any advisable program that you have to eliminate remnants and other un use extension created during Windows and other program installation and un-installation, and net browsing. (now I presently using Wise Registry Cleaner Pro 3.7)

Wise Registry Cleaner Pro 3.7 a lot of everything can do.
1. First install Ram Optimizer. ( now I am presently using Free Ram Optimizer XP- free ware) to eliminate unnecessary blue screen and boost memory automatically
2. Can simply clean your registry and eliminate remnants and of any program that track you computer speed to slow down.
3. Boost computer speed like your system, Internet, Rom, Ram, Hard disk, Video, Games, and Folders. More than twice speed of your new original one.
4. After installation configure everything, your Free Ram optimizer, and your Wise registry cleaner.
5. ?Optional? Use additional hard drive for your private file and other document, let you Hard Disk 1 for your Windows, Office and other programs use only.

* I hope this can help every body solving computer speed problem. I a sure everyone as I presently enjoy. For a HELP email this address! frescar_11@yahoo.com.ph

Download CCleaner by piriforn and defragler. Run them ands you will be amazed! Kim

i use w/xp home and found out that the shutdown, and for that matter the start up are directly related to the number of programs you have installed...also if any of your security programs run a sweep during the process, it adds a little time...but i remember when we thought that everything ran so slow, but with todays systems the speed is really quick compared to just 5-6-or7 years ago...as in the piece that was included in this news letter, the config switches are a way to eliminate some time, but unless you are waiting three min or more for a shutdown...it isn't all that slow, mine takes about 30 seconds to shutoff, and i have a lot of programing...keep reading these guys stuff, they know a lot...i was having a shutdown (fake) virus, and had to reboot three times, and yesterday i read an article here, describing, and explaining how to shutdown the very malware problem i was having...bty, guys thanks

Hi Victoria,
I have a solution for you, and will try to be detail to make it eaay for you to follow.

My nephews pc regular account were not working properly, launching programs created error messages for one, and for the other worked depending on the application.
The start up time and shut down time was horrible because their account were all messed up.

I have an administrative account on their pc and my was working fine so I so no need to re-install windows.

Before you follow my instructions if you wish, please copy all the contents of your personal files onto external drive or DVD's if you like.
The structure of the folder list in XP is
My Documents - under this
My Music
My Pictures
My Downloads
My Videos and so on.

These are only the files you need, unless you have created others.

Your present account must be an administrator account.

Go to Start, Click on Control panel, Click on users.

Create an new administrator account let's call it Victoria 2

Reboot the pc and log on to Victoria 2

Windows will re-create the desktop for the new account.

Wait until it finishes, the internet connection icon, the firewall the antivirus, all running processess from the all account will be re-created for you.

When Windows finishes, don't change or add or surf the net under the new account.

Go to Control Panel again, Select users, and delete the old account.
Windows will prompt you with a message, do you want to delete all associated files for this account, yes.

Let windows finish,

At this point if you use a cleaning utility such as CCleaner, is a good time to use it for cleaning junk as well as the register.

Reboot the pc again and log on to Victoria 2,

Go to control panel, users and create a new account, use your old name if you want to let's say Victoria, and make it an administrator account, please make sure you select this option.

Reboot the pc but this time log on to Victoria.
Windows will again re-create the desktop, but this time all though your preferences are gone, you are starting fresh with a clean profile/account code.

Now the re-creating process will create a new My Documents, My Music folders.
From your backup you can copy and psste your data according to the folder it pertains.
If a folder is missing from your new account that you had on the old profile, don't worry just, grab the folder from your backup (grabing means click and hold and move it up to your new My Documents folder.
It will copy the folder and contents to your new profile.

To do this easy, you should use Windows Explorer, is under start, programs, Accessories, Windows Explorer.

Windows explorer will have everything at a glance, starting with your brand new My Document folder tree.

And every drive available in yor computer including where you copy the old profile.
You just have to expand the Tree by clicking on the plus sign.

Since Windows Explorer by default opens your Brand new Folder Tree it is clearly visible.

In expanding your old profile folder Tree make sure you can easily see the new folder Tree so that you can drag and drop any folder and content that you are missing.

This will solve your problems.

The applications you had previously installed are not gone, they are still on your hard drive.

If by clicking on Start, Applications, any of the applications you use do no show.

Open Windows Explorer again,

Double click on C drive, open up / expand the tree under Program Files.
Go to the folder of your application.

Let's say as an example, Adobe,
Open the Adobe Folder and look for Adobe.exe and right click on it, send it to your desktop as shortcut.

Now lauch it, and the program will automatically create the necessary links for Adobe to work properly with your new profiles.

These steps although they appear long are a lot easier then tracking down the cause of the hang up at shut down, and also easier then re-installing windows.

Hope this helps you

Some other user met into conclusion that they have to re-install Windows or and all program that they have. "YES" it is good but just for temporary solution as it will happen the same again.

This may help everyone to solve the problem;(be sure of sufficient memory, no viruses, without or less remnants and Malwares)
1. You may use or install Virus Scanner that of Freeware to eliminate Viruses if present. AVG good simple one... but I used NOD 32
2. You may also used or install AmtiSpyware that of Freeware to do the same to eliminate Malwares and Add-Awares if present. AVG good.. but I use SperAntiSpyware
3. Use or install Ram Optimizer look for freeware like "Free Ram Optimizer XP" let active-optimize memory to avoid Blue screen
3. Use or Install Registry cleanner, I recommend "Wise Registry Cleanner 3 Pro" It has almost everything to solve your problem. Locate and fix error of your system manualy or automatically at one click. Can boost everything and make your system 2 or 3 times faster than your original.
4. Use or Install PC Checkup 3.25 Pro this is capable of monitoring system error and fixed at one click, this give alarm in the event of present error monitor as you can solve the problem emmidiately.
5. After installtion of Wise Registry Cleanner, explore and configure it as as recommended by your system. then restart your computer and theit you are, you can see and enjoy using your new computer with agreat speed.
Note: for #4 and #5 try to ask help to some of your friend to have it or Email me with the software. It is good as I am now enjoy using a high speed system. "TRY THIS IDEA AND EXPLORE MORE" Thank you!

i just want the normal procedure. my laptop is in good working condition.actually it is just 6months old.

i just build my i7 2600k pc with 16 gigs of memory and a 128 gig solid state harddrive it was fast from the shop but then i took like 5 mins to reboot well afrt cursing alot i found out what was causeing it it was my antivirous with rogers its always running in the back ground so i uninstalled it and i now have norton and i now have 40 second reboots i hope i answered all u questions its a easy fix as i have norton on **** that comes with motherboard and if its not your antivirious find out whats alwys running in back ground and stop it tyvm