Shut Down Hangs on "Windows is Shutting Down"

[lukey83]

I have a HP Vectra VL Pentium 3 Standard built dekstop computer. It has been running the same Windows XP Professional install for about 5 or 6 years now. I recently installed the latest windows updates (has had SP2 for quite some time) and now, when I shut down my computer, it hangs on the message "Windows is Shutting Down".

The power is shut of to all the hardware (I can hear the hard-drive stop) but the computer just refuses to turn off fully.

Does anyone know which of the updates may have caused this?

I have tried uninstalling ALL updates, but this did not solve the problem. I even tried a fresh install of Windows - This worked, untill I made the stupid mistake of doing an Express Install of the Windows updates again.

Is there a hotfix anyone can recommend? I'd rather not have to reload my PC again.

I thought about the Win98 problem years ago with the APM error, but alas, I do not have an APM option.

Any idea's would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks in advance.

 

[Kage]

What happens when you hit the power button?

First of all, check what the Power Options are set to.

Go to the Control Panel, and select Power Options. Go to the Advanced tab and make sure when you hit the power button, its set to shut down.

It should do the same thing as a shut down when you hit the button, and is safe to do.

Check if this makes any difference.

 

[lukey83]

What happens when you hit the power button?

Should have mentioned - It turns the computer off when you hit the power button, just like back with windows 98 (press shut down then wait-then press power button to finish)

Its just really an annoyance more than anything.

 

[Kage]

Yeah, but it switches it off properly, and doesn't shut switch off straight away right?

If so, check the power options like I stated.

Does it work if you use the power button and not the standard Start/Shutdown method. Thats what I'm wondering.

 

[lukey83]

No - if you push the power button in, it tries to do a soft shut down and then hangs, just like when I use the start button's shutdown.

The only way I can turn it off is to select shutdown, then when I hear the hard-drive click off, push the power button.

The power options are the exact same defaults as my Compact - which has no problems shutting down - (Also been reloaded with the same software and operating system/updates). It definatley has something to do with a windows update as it did not do this until I installed them. Even after the reload, it worked right up untill I did the updates.