Hard Shut Down Problems-Myth or Reality?

Ive always heard that its bad for your PC or Windows to shut down using the power button on the chassis or pulling the power cable as opposed to the start menu shut down process. Is this a computer myth or is there harm in doing a hard shut down like this?
Thanx

 

HI!
Not a Myth at all. When you just turn off the power to your computer Windows doesn't get the chance to save it's 'state' and there is the possibility of losing important system and other info.
Using the Power button, and most assuredly just 'pulling the plug' should only be done if that's the only way you CAN shut the computer off. Emergency situations only...IMO

 

Can u site specific examples of system info that could be lost? Are there elements of the registry that may be damaged? Can these things be found and repaired using software like norton windoctor?

 

I had a laptop and was running Windows 2000 Pro...I thought it was ok to just turn it off by hitting the switch.
After a while I began getting error messages about missing this system file and that system file and a lot of techy friends I had said it was probably from the IMPROPER SHUTDOWN habit I was into.
Type IMPROPER SHUTDOWN into Google Search and you'll find a whole lot of info to check out.
I don't use Norton (Symantec) anything, so I can't answer any questions about them.

 

>> Ive always heard that its bad for your PC or Windows to shut down using the power button on the chassis or pulling the power cable as opposed to the start menu shut down process. Is this a computer myth or is there harm in doing a hard shut down like this? Thanx << Sleep_Walker

It's OK to do so only if you first customize your computer’s "Power Switch"

Another solution for Windows XP users involves using the power switch on your computer - but only after you’ve set it to shutdown Windows first! If you power off your computer without shutting down Windows (and letting your applications save their data and close, if necessary), you invite a whole lot of serious problems!

The correct way to do this is:
After a fresh reboot of the computer, in the Windows XP Control Panel click Power Options. Click the Advanced tab. In the Power Buttons section, under "When I press the power button on my computer," select "Shutdown." (If this is not visible on your Advanced tab, then your computer does not have the hardware capability to do this job correctly, or the capability is disabled in CMOS.) Click Apply.

This sets your computer so that when you press the hardware "Power Button" it will first do a proper shutdown of Windows, and then power off the computer.

Note: Source of above information...
Windows Shutdown & Restart Center - James A. Eshelman (MS-MVP, AumHa.org Webmaster/Proprietor)

Good Luck!