Can't Shutdown

Try doing a System Restore using a date before the problem started.

 

Personal files will be ok, but you will have to install any microsoft updates originally installed after the date used for the restore.

 

Ron 

Thanks Ron

 

I did try a system restore, I tried about 20 different dates, each one came back and said can't restore.  Which begs another question, why couldn't I do a system restore.  Why did it always tell me can't restore.

 

Mark

Ahhh :(

From my experience if System Restore cannot do what it should do, it won't be able to.

I usually just disable it then re-enable it to clear the restore point history.

In other words, it is corrupted and cannot be fixed :(

This is a Microsoft or problem and not yours or Dell's fault.

 

If you can't shutdown then something is still running that Windows cannot close.

It could of course, be that the logoff scripts are also corrupted, in which, a repair installation of Windows would fix this.

 

Can I ask, do you have SP3? Installing that update might help you.

 

One download you can try is called the User Hive Profile Cleanup Service from here:

http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyId=1B286E6D-8912-4E18-B570-42470E2F3582&displaylang=en

 

Install that and see if it is able to shutdown.

 

If you can, use Task Manager to end as many programs as possible that are not part of "Microsoft Coproration". (CTRL+ALT+DEL on keyboard).

 

If any of that doesn't help then please tell me :D

 

Robert

Sounds like you may have more problems then just the shutdown issue. :(

 

Have you scanned for malware lately? :smileysurprised:

 

After you thorougly scan for malware and assuming the system is clean, run a windows system file check:

click start>run

type in: sfc /scannow

(space between sfc and /)

click ok

Insert XP CD if sfc requests it and reboot when it's done.

Does that fix the shutdown issue?

 

<>If you can't do a System Restore, the database is corrupted.<> Open System control panel and click System Restore tab. Put check in "Turn off System Restore..." box. Click ok back to desktop and reboot. Now go back to that same page and uncheck the box and click ok back to desktop. Reboot again.

 

That deletes all existing restore points (they're corrupt, anyway). Now manually set a restore point and use it to restore the system. That confirms System Restore is functioning again.

 

Ron

Edit: Looks like Robert types faster than I do... 

I'm glad you got the main problem solve, thanks very much for replying back :D

 

System Restore is unreliable. There is no partiular reason why the system retore points end up corruted, it could be due to the nature of the software and the disfunctioning of the Volume Shadow Copy Service (thats how its able to backup files that you are currently working on).

 

Use System Restore for testing out installers and settings, don't rely on it to protect your files when your computer may fail. I think Microsoft rushed System Restore when they released it, hence the stretched icon on the application and obviosuly this problem which they haven't solved.

 

I hope that helps a little with your understanding - it happens to all of us.

 

Thanks again,

Robert

ok thanks guy's---- I found my shutdown culprit.  The comment above "something still running" caused me to think. I just renewed my "weatherbug" weather monitoring service, it's resident memory.  I shut if off, now I can shut down my computer.  I'll have to contact them to see why their software was screwing me up.

 

But now I've got the other problem this problem caused me to discover, why I can't restore.

 

I ran the sfc/scannow, all it did was run thru the scanning, then just went away.  No message's no nothing.  is that what its supposed to do if nothing is wrong.  I'm going to try the turn off system restore reboot thing next.  I'll let you know how that works

 

Thanks

If sfc goes away without requesting the XP CD, that can mean:

a) it didn't find any problems

b) fixed the problem(s) using backup copies of certain Windows files stored in the c:\i386 folder

c) couldn't fix something so it just ran away and hid :smileysurprised:

 

Open the Windows Event Viewer and click System. Look for Windows File Protection entries around the time you ran sfc. There should be at least 2 entries. Click the first one which should say "started"; the second one should say "successful". If there are any other Windows File Protection entries, or last one doesn't say successful, be sure to read them to see what problems may still exist on your hard drive.

 

Ron