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Windows Shutdown Problems Resources

Compududes Advice, boiled down from various posts (7-14-2001):

1. Use the resource links at the bottom of this document
2. Check for Shutdown patches specific to your OS; Update to latest service pack.
3. Update any programs that you routinely run in background: Like anti-virus programs.
4. Update and run your Anti-virus program regularly.  (To stop stuff like PE-weird)
5. Clean your system up. (Delete temp files and get all the garbage off your desktop.).
6. Make sure you have the latest updates, patches, fixes, drivers, and software for your stuff.
7. Free up disk space and defrag.
8. Check in Device Manager for conflicts.
9. Check diagnostics for your version of windows to see if there are hardware conflicts.   Typically, WinMSD or MSINFO32.  Resolve IRQ conflicts in particular.
10. Have all the latest device drivers for your hardware.
11. Have the latest BIOS patch or update applied if the fact sheet on it indicates it will help.
12. If you have an AGP card for video, there should be nothing in PCI slot 1.
13. Spread your PCI cards out where possible.

You will note that, in the list above, the easy stuff comes first.  You are advised to apply the advice, above, somewhat in order, if that makes sense.  If the easy stuff fixes the problem, don't fix what ain't broke.

Some problems, that have been fixed by Service Packs, are not listed.  In general, unless you have a specific reason, you should be running the latest service pack for your OS.  Links (note that several fixes apply to more than a single OS--best to read the descriptions if it looks like something might apply to your computer.)

If you find a solution not listed, please leave a message in the discussion forums.   Thanks.

General:

Microsoft Windows Update download site (Automatic install as of download, based on local history of downloads - you should read about what you are downloading and installing - It is generally conceded that not everybody should apply all that Microsoft suggests.)

WINDOWS SHUTDOWN TROUBLESHOOTING: 15 Steps (Aumha) This website seems to maintain their shutdown page on a regular basis.  Read through this document and if you don't find something that applies to your shutdown problem or can't figure out your shutdown problem, you could try this possibility.

Tech Express Windows Shutdown Troubleshooting (PCPitStop) is another website that offers advice on figuring out what causes Shutdown Problems.

Intel I820 Chipset:

Intel reports that noise disturbances can occur in communications between motherboard components and the Memory Translator Hub (MTH) resulting in intermittant spontaneous shutdowns or reboots or system freeze-up or .  Intel provides a utility that may help stop the problem at this web site.  This utility will determine if the MTH chip is used on your motherboard.  If you discover that you have this condition, tell your vendor you want a replacement motherboard.

Weird Video Stuff (lore, not tested):

Get into the BIOS setup and see if the "Video Off Method" is set to   "DPMS".  If the answer to this is "yes", try changing it to any other mode that seems appropriate, like maybe "V/H Sync+Blank", and see if that lets the system shutdown normally.

Hardware:

The system will not shutdown and you get a dialog box that says "This application is not responding".  "This application" does not mean the shutdown routine.  The name of the offending application should be shown in the title bar of the dialog box. Usually, this is an indication that the program is hung due to either a bug in software or because the hardware that the application requires is not operating properly.  I.E., the software that must run at shutdown time is stuck in a loop.   Try re-installing the application.  Look for new updated device drivers for your hardware and install the updated drivers.  Search the Mfg.'s website to see if there is mention of you problem along with a solution.

For Windows 95:

All 95 Update Downloads

136651 - Shutdown Hangs After "Please Wait While..." Screen

143283 - Windows 98 or Windows 95 Defaults to Safe Mode Even After Successful Start

145926 - How to Troubleshoot Windows 95 Shutdown Problems

For Windows 98:

All 98 Update Downloads

187607 - How to Disable Fast Shutdown in Windows 98

202633 - How to Troubleshoot Windows 98 Shutdown Problems

260067 - Windows Stops Responding During Shutdown with Mapped Drives

276443 - Computer hangs running Scandisk with McAfee VS 5.1

Fast Shutdown: For Windows 98 (not SE), you might get the system to start shutting down properly if you disable the "Fast Shutdown" option.  Go to Start | Run and enter MSConfig. On the General tab, click the Advanced button.  Check the box next to the "Disable Fast Shutdown option." Click OK.

For Windows 98 second edition:

98-2 Shutdown Supplement Download

98-2 Mapped Drives Shutdown Update

238096 -  KB Article 238096

239887 - KB Article 239887

273017 - ScanDisk Runs Even Though Windows Shut Down Correctly and Download

276443 - Computer hangs running Scandisk with McAfee VS 5.1

Hang during suspend problem: W98SE may hang when the machine is being suspended, it may seem to hang for 30 seconds or more when the attempt is made to unsuspend it, when the system comes out of suspend mode, the protocol stack may be corrupted or unloaded and no network communications are possible.  Don't use lower case letters for the path name of the swap file if you have altered how windows uses the swap file.  Don't use suspend mode.  If you experience these problems and require suspend mode, please search on the web for solutions--this problem is not really in the scope of this document.

Fast Shutdown:  There's a before and after.  If you have applied the Windows 98 Second Edition Shutdown Supplement (You should), a software update from Microsoft which addresses W98SE shutdown issues, you will not see the "Disable Fast Shutdown" option on the Advanced tab in MSCONFIG.  If you don't see the option, you will need to look in the registry.  OK, the usual caveates: Don't mess in the registry if you don't know what you are doing.  You can mung your system is you mess with the registry.  Make sure you do a backup of the registry before making any changes.  Be careful.

Go To Start | Run, and enter REGEDIT.  In the Registry Editor, select the Edit menu, select Find, then type FastReboot. You should arrive at the registry entry for HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\System\CurrentControlSet\ControlShutdown.  If the FastReboot value data is 1, change it to 0 making what was true be false from this point forward.

For Windows ME:

187324 - Shutdown Problems when Auto-protect is enabled with Norton AV

197791 - TaskMon caused an invalid page fault in Module...

231666 - AV software cause computer to stop responding during Shutdown

276443 - Computer hangs running Scandisk with McAfee VS 5.1

290831 - SRB_FUNCTION_SHUTDOWN Requests Not Sent to SCSI Miniports During Shutdown

273017 - ScanDisk Runs Even Though Windows Shut Down Correctly (273017) and Download

273738 - How to Troubleshoot Windows Millennium Edition Startup Problems

273746 - How to Troubleshoot Windows ME Shutdown Problems (I know!)

Aumha Win ME Shutdown Troubleshooter

Windows ME does not support real mode operation (the official proclamation.)

Some Netgear NICs cause shutdown problems for WME.  Microsoft refers to the Netgear website for the fix.  Netgear has moved the document 3 times.  You need find for self.  I'd keep the Netgear NIC and trash WME if it came to a choice.

Hibernation with WME - grrr - If the laptop Mfg. doesn't support it, it ain't supported.

For Windows NT 4.0:

Windows NT mostly doesn't have too many shutdown problems.  Many shutdown problems that were experienced by NT 3.X systems were fixed for NT 4.0.  There is a long list of documented problems with shutting down server, but most of them are due to obscure combinations of actions, and some number of them have to do with UPS interaction or remote administration.  The same is somewhat true of workstation.  Portable devices cause problems for NT (e.g., zip drives, swappable hard drives).  NT does not play the plug'n'play game.  Third party services sometimes cause problems.  Most of this will not confront the everyday workstation user.

108261 - Windows NT hangs on Shutdown with Certain PCMCIA Devices

146092 - How to Increase Shutdown Time for Services to Close Properly

182086 - How to Clear the Windows Paging File at Shutdown

For Windows 2000:

146092 - How to Increase Shutdown Time for Services to Close Properly

182086 - How to Clear the Windows Paging File at Shutdown

191805 - How to Prolong Shutdown Time so that Processes Close Properly (I know!)

262575 - Computer Hangs During Shutdown or Displays a "Cannot Find Enough Free Resources" Error Message

266282 - Event 578 logged during Logoff or Shutdown

269696 - W2k Pro may hang during Shutdown w/Veritas Backup Exec DT Ed. 4.4.1

271977 - Terminal Services Session Displays Shutdown Button When Group Policy Is Enabled

288977 - Computer may hang during Shutdown with the Sysprep tool

296838 - Windows Shutdown Process Does Not Complete; Error in Devldr.

315409 - How to Troubleshoot Shutdown Problems in Windows 2000

317371 - How to use the Remote Shutdown Tool (Shutdown.exe)

For Windows XP:

283096 - Improper Shutdown May Affect System Restore

303070 - "Logoff" and "Shutdown" Are Missing From the Start Menu When You Use Remote Desktop

305788 - HOW TO: Increase Windows XP Shutdown Time So That Processes Can Quit Properly

305907 - No Warning Message Appears Before Shutdown When Battery on Portable Computer Is Low or Critical

307274 - Windows XP Stops Responding (Hangs) During Windows Shutdown

314101 - Computer Hangs During Shutdown or Displays a "Cannot Find Enough Free Resources" Error Message

314834 - How to clear the Windows Paging File at Shutdown

323009 - Internet Connection Firewall Does Not Filter During Startup and Shutdown

XP related shutdown information:

SHUTDOWN.EXE, found in C:\Windows\System32,  is provided with Windows XP.  You can create a shortcut to this and then modifiy the properties of the shortcut to add command line switches such as -s (shutdown), -r (reboot), or -l (logoff), and there are more switches.

P.S.: Considering history, more shutdown issues may come to light and the URL's included here will probably decay albeit, hopefully, with forwarding pages.  Where possible, the Microsoft Knowledge Base Article number has been included with the listing to help you find the information in the case that the URL decays.

The Fine Print: Any advice you find here is invaluable; if it doesn't work for you, ask for your money back.  You are responsible for what you do to your computer; not us.