Takes two tries to shutdown/restart

I hope I haven't overlooked an answer to this problem, but I didn't see one.

Recently my Win/XP computer is requiring that I click "shut down" or "restart" more than once in order to get it to actually shutdown/restart. The first time I click the icon, it looks like something is happening, but it never actually shuts down or restarts. When I click the icon again, it shuts down/restarts just fine. Where should I begin to look?
Thanks,
steve

 

Look under -The computer stops responding when you try to shut down or restart the computer: http://support.microsoft.com/kb/308029

 

Thanks, Jake, but that's not the problem I'm experiencing. The computer doesn't stop responding, it just doesn't shut down. After I click shutdown or restart, I can fire up a program, bring programs down, etc. I just have to click the shutdown/restart icon AGAIN in order to get the computer to either shutdown or restart. I'm sure that something's preventing the first shutdown, but I don't know how to track down the culprit.

 

You probably have something running in the background that takes a minute to completely close. I would start by disabling any "security software", things like adwatch with adaware, etc. Instant messenging programs also take a little longer to shutdown, if you have any of those running.

Steve

 

Many times running a RAM optimizer will prevent the PC from shutting down correctly... I run FreeRAM XP and it has to be shut down first before the PC will shut down/restart (most of the time anyway). So..... if you have any memory type of utility runnning, exit it, then try shutting down...

hopperdave2000

 

Thanks for the suggestions, guys - both of those sound like they might be affecting my shutdown/restart process - I'm using WinMem and AVG Anti-spam, both were installed about the time that this problem started. So I'll try disabling them one at a time and see what heppens - thanks very much!

 

Well, neither of the suggested actions fixed the problem. However, I have a copy of System Mechanic 5 (yeah, I know, it's really old, but I just don't want to 'upgrade' every year!) and I ran it - found a ton of registry errors, fixed those and now everything works again! I have no idea what was causing the problem, but apparently it was somewhere in the registry. Just wanted you to know my "solution." Thanks again -
steve

 

Glad you got it working. Good job.

Steve

 

Just a contra view, hopperdave2000.
I run FreeRam XP Pro from bootup, daily, and have never had to shut it down first, that I can remember.

I'm pointing it out in case others are put off installing FreeRam XP Pro (a great RAM optimiser program for those who may not know). Bazza

PS: For FreeRam XP Pro (suits all Windows OS's:

http://www.majorgeeks.com/download.php?det=1670 Baz

===

 

It's a strange situation... when I first installed FreeRAM XP, it worked great and didn't interfere with my shutdown/restart at all. After about 2 or 3 weeks, I started having the shutdwon problem where the PC wouldn't shutdown with FreeRAM running. Who knows? PC's.... the fact that they even work still blows my mind!! Uninstalling/reinstalling FreeRAM fixed the annoyance. I just mentioned it above 'cuz of my experience with it and another MG member had a shutdown problem 2-3 months ago; I told him about the FreeRAM deal, and it fixed his problem....

hopperdave2000

BTW- FreeRAM XP is, indeed, a GREAT program! I still use it and hope I didn't discourage anyone from trying it out....

 

Thanks for the heads-up. hopperdave2000. Bazza

 

Well, I was wrong about the problem going away - it seems that about 95% of the time, it takes two tries to shutdown or restart, but for some odd reason, once in a while it will work the first time. The only clue I have is that when I start the pc in 'safe mode' everything works as it should - it will shutdown or restart the first try. But I have so many drivers and programs running, I don't know where to begin looking for the culprit. I've run System Mechanic's registry cleanup a dozen times, as well as Symantec's Systemworks - still have the problem. Note that almost every time, I tell the system to shutdown and some (but not all) of the icons in the systray disappear - the icons remaining are the volume control, the LAN activity icon and the 'safely remove hardware' icon. I'm sorry to be such a pain, but can someone point me in the right direction? Is there any log or something that might help diagnose the problem?
Thanks,
steve

 

Try a clean boot.

http://www.freebits.co.uk/cleanboot.html