Pc locks up on restart or shut down

[Mdawire]

Hey everyone, I posted here once before and got lots of help. Im hoping you can help me again. I built a new pc and fixed my other problem thanks to your help. I am having another problem, ever since I put the machine together 50% of the time when I shut down or restart it will hang up at the windows is hutting down screen. I am running windows xp home edition. I have reformatted and the problem still occurs. I appreciate any help and have more specs if needed thanks.

[ski]

See if the following provides any help:
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;308029&Product=winxp

[Variable]

If you have reinstalled the OS and still have the problem then most of the MS fix's won't help you. Heres the thing, when you reinstalled the OS what other applications did you install? I'll bet that if you install the OS fresh and add no apps, it shuts down fine. Norton System works used to do this but, Im not sure they have the problem with XP versions. Try this, before you shut down, close half the apps that are running, including any service they use by CTR-ALT-DLT, Task Manager - then look in both application and processes. Then shut down. If it doesn't shut down, try the other half of the apps the next time. Then if it works, you have narrowed it down, now half the remaining apps again and repeat. IF you don't have a lot of apps running this could be a very short diagnoses.
Also, right click my computer, click manage, then expand Event Viewer. Look at the application log and see if you notice an error at the time when you are trying to shut down. If you narrow down which app is causing the hang you can google the problem more effectively.

Variable

[Quantax]

Norton System works used to do this but, Im not sure they have the problem with XP versions.

Well, this certainly appears to be the case with Win98 as I've discovered.
Disabling the anti-virus application at the systray does indeed expedite the shutdown time.

[Paleo Pete]

Norton causes the shut down problem because the default setting is to check the floppy drive "on exit", which means when Windows shuts down. Disable that setting and it should behave...should...and that's assuming Norton is even installed on this machine, which I don't see anywhere.

The other thing that was a cause of shutdown problems with win98 was the Windows Exit sound. Turn that off and it would stop the problem. I haven't seen this to be a problem on any XP machine I've worked on, but I suppose it could be a possibility. You might try cutting graphics acceleration back a notch, but I don't think that's it.

The only other thing I can think of is the same as Variable pointed out. An appplication that has been installed is not acting right. I would troubleshoot it by going to msconfig and disabling all non-essential applications from the start up tab, then add one back at a time until the problem reappears. The last one you enabled is the program that caused it. You need to leave Explorer, Systray, Scan Registry and Load Power Profile running. Start\Run\msconfig will open the msconfig utility. (type in msconfig, click OK or use the [Enter] key.)

Turn your antivirus on manually for a couple of boots then re-enable it in msconfig. Do the same for everything else listed. Some of the ones I listed above might not be there, I don't (and won't) have an XP machine to check out what's listed and can't remember it all.

[Donn]

Originally posted by Paleo Pete
Some of the ones I listed above might not be there, I don't (and won't) have an XP machine to check out what's listed and can't remember it all.


Pete: is that about not having Windows, or the XP OS in particular? If XP in particular...why?

[Paleo Pete]

XP in particular, because I don't like it. Never did, never will. I work on it fairly regularly, know how to deal with it for the most part, but don't like it. Usually I don't post my opinion, what OS each person chooses to use is his/her choice, it's not up to me to either influence or deride them, but you asked...

[Rick]

Another place to look
If you have all the chipset drivers installed and XP has the mother board listed correctly as supporting “ACPI “
In device manager the first item listed “Computer “ should have it
If it doesn’t then that is part of the problem

Also Check the dump file for messages ..

Normally XP will display a message about a program not closing correctly during shutdown/restart and ask permission to close it
But not always and it ends up ion the dump file