Computer Shutdown Problems and Application Shutdown Problems - FAQ's

Q: My computer cannot shut down anymore. It seems to hang upon shut down and stays in "shutting down" mode forever. What can I do to prevent these computer shutdown problems?

A: Computer shutdown problems are usually caused by running programs which have not been canceled properly. There are usually some tasks running in the computer that the user has not detected before shutdown. Or, the system is trying to shut down all programs properly, but it takes much longer than necessary because the computer is running on low memory or very old hardware. Increasing RAM size and hard disk sizes are usually solutions which can significantly improve and speed up shutdown time.

If the computer restarts instead of shutting down completely, it is often a sign of system failure. Experts recommend solving this dilemma by unchecking "Automatically Restart" in My Computer> Properties> Advanced> Startup and Recovery> Settings> Failure. A temporary problem such as leaving the PC idle may have caused this, but if restart upon shutdown happens quite frequently, repair of the operating system might be necessary. Computer shutdown problems should not be left unsolved completely because it can lead to more serious hardware or software failure in the future.

Q: I cannot shutdown certain applications properly. What can be causing my application shutdown problems?

A: There are many things which can factor into application shutdown problems, from errors in the operating system, to the application itself, as well as old or not optimized hardware which cause the computer to freeze while performing application shutdown. If the application is performing a big task that uses up a lot of memory, it can cause the application to freeze abruptly. Using the task manager (pressing ctrl+alt+delete) selecting the running application, and clicking "end task" usually resolves the problem. If it does not, the computer has to be restarted. To prevent applications from failing to shut down properly, never open too many applications all at once. Check as well for updates to your application as these updates usually remove bugs or help improve performance. Be concerned if application shutdown problems start happening more frequently. This could be a sign of more serious computer problems.