Windows Shutdown?

Question

PC--Dell Dim 4600 Pent 4 2.8 GZ with H/T 512 Ram Windows XP Home 1905 fp lcd   Recently when shutting pc down I get a window that says ending program 'SHELL HIDDEN WINDOW'. It takes a few seconds for the blue bar to go across and then windows continues shutting down. This started awhile back and it doesn't seem to be hurting anything, but it is something new. The only recent downloads are Norton AV and Window XP updates. These are both set for automatic updates.Norton AV shows no virus. Spy sweeper and microsoft show no spyware. Does anyone know what this is? Also should I be concerned or not let it bother me. Other than this, pc is running fine.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                               Thanks, Janet

JRosenfeld · Answer

Did you mean SHELL CON HIDDEN WINDOW?

If so, this may be relevant

http://www.mbawizards.com/windows_xp_and_system_management/shellcon_hidden_window_what_is_it_0000162160.htm

http://www.nocrash.com/ncbbs/msgs/4213.shtml

It suggests unchecking some items in msconfig. According to that, musicmatch jukebox may be implicated, though as I don't have that I don't know if that is correct.

As I understand it from a quick look around google, some apps perform some of their background tasks in a hidden window. If this task is set to run on startup, there will be no window to show it is running. In other cases, the background task is started when the main app is opened, but may fail to close when the main app is closed. On shutdown, Windows has to close it, hence the message. But I must admit my understanding is somewhat hazy, others may know better.

I'm not sure it is relevant to hidden window apps running, but you could also download and install (free) an additional MS service UPHclean to speed up shutdown; what this does on shutdown is to force stubborn apps to release their hooks into the User Profile hive.

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

Message Edited by JRosenfeld on 11-26-2005 11:45 PM

RoHe · Answer

Somebody else recently posted exact same problem about shell hidden window. I suggested installing user profile hive cleanup and that seems to have resolved it. Ron

keaps · Answer

Sorry, it is Shellcon. I just unchecked it in start menu. I had forgot that I downloaded a music match free upgrade awhile back. It kept prompting me so I downloaded it. Looking back I think about that time is when the window started showing up at shutdown.If getting it out of start menu doesn't work I will uninstall it. I don't use it much anyway.

Thanks for the help, Janet

tjw26 · Answer

I'm getting the same message at shut down. How do you go about unchecking it out of the start menu?   Thanks.

RoHe · Answer

start>run type in: msconfig click ok click startup tab uncheck that item exit and reboot put check in 'don't show this again' box that appears Ron

tjw26 · Answer

Thank you.

Windows General

Windows Shutdown?

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