Windows Xp Won't Log Off Or Shut Down

I am wondering why it won't shut down or log off. I have to do a forced shut down.
Anything I can do to make it log off or shut down without me forcing it to?

 

Did you install anything prior to this problem appearing? If you did, try using System Restore to a point prior to the installation.

 

if there is a lot of startup programs that will slow down the shut down process in any windows versions. Especially 3rd party anti virus software and 3rd party firewalls.

 

I haven't installed anything, as this is a backup computer given to me by a neighbor about 3 weeks ago. I have had wireless connection issues that was resolved by the technical people @ EASEUS TODO BACKUP. They had to remote access the computer. That's all I can tell you.

 

Which Windows and which Service Pack is installed?
Do you have access to the same Windows XP disc?

 

While a lot of unneeded start ups will cause some systems to boot, run and shutdown slow, I have never seen them cause an inability to shut down without a forced one and I have never experienced 3rd party AV or FW programs even remotely cause that - on any system from XP onwards.
I suspect something different is causing the OP's current problem.

 

Don't have access to XP discs.
Service Pack 3

 

That's unfortunate.

If you don't get help fixing this problem, you can download a Windows XP iso, burn it to CD, and repair Windows.
Let's first wait...

 

Right now the computer is 'checking for the latest updates for your computer'

 

Still checking - 2 hours later.

 

Can't help you there. I run WinXP offline and have no post SP3 updates installed.

 

You could wait for ever. AFAIK you can no longer download XP updates from Microsoft.

 

That's what I realized after I waited for a while.

 

You posted this is a 'backup' computer. Do you need to use it online?

 

Yes

 

Whatever it is causing this inability to shut down it will show in XP's Event Viewer. However reading and understanding event viewer reports isn't that easy unless you know your way around it. I don't have an XP system with the help of which I could guide you but if you type eventvwr.msc into Start > Run and start looking at events at the time you last tried to shut down you may be able to identify a recurring problem. I believe it's possible to double click an event and get some detail which you could post here. It's the only realistic way to get more info.

 

Thinking on, at an educated guess maybe it's Windows Update that is preventing a shutdown. Before going into event viewer try setting WU never to check for updates.

 

OK, then how about disabling the Windows Update service, whatever it's called?

 

Not true.
Here are the options.

 

RUN services .msc, I believe windows updates can be disabled there. This site also has an SP4 for XP that I haven't got around to trying on the old laptop. Don't use Internet Explorer, 8 I believe it is, on line, and try to stay away from unknown sites. Using Tor browser couldn't hurt. As for shut down from the command line try "shutdown.exe -s -t 00" to restart from command line try "shutdown.exe -r -t 00". Just copy and paste without the quotation marks.

 

Yes every OS up to 8.1 had a user GUI option to not update. There was not even a need to go into services. Windows 10 Home requires the use of a 3rd party program or a registry edit.
In XP I always ran updates when I chose to.

 

That's exactly what I did last night, it took about 1.6 minutes to shut down, so that looks like what the problem was.
Thanks

 

Mine looks like Eldon's

 

It's just Control Panel > Automatic Updates plodr. I resurrected an old XP VM to answer that.