problem logging off and shutting down

[jiggles]

I recently purchased a new Dell Precision system. I have the most current
version of Windows Professional XP SP2 and have applied all updates. I am
also running IE 7.0 and using Office Standard 2007. I do have Norton
software running and it is current with its virus sig. updates. I also use
Microsofts defender as well. Both run regular scans and there are no viruses
on my system.I initially contacted Dell since my computer is still under
warranty. They walked me through performing diagnostics on my comp to rule
out any hardware issues. This process did not indicate there were any. They
then stepped me through two repair procedures. One using the Windows OS CD
using repar from the setup menu and another microsoft repair tool that I ran
from my desktop. After running both of these I am still having the issue.
The problem I am having is when more than one user is logged on, when the
second user tries to log off or shut down the computer does not respond. It
does absolutely nothing. I do not get any error messages. It does not hang
freeze because I can still open programs, etc. I opened task manager and
watched it as I tried to shut down and log off. There does not appear to be
any activity in task manager other than the idle process that would indicate
another process preventing windows from shutting down. It is almost as if
the system is not recognizing that I inovked shutdown or logoff. However,
when only one user is logged on there is no issue with shut down or log off.
What I have been doing is powering off and rebooting to get around this.
This is really annoying and should not be happening. There is definitely a
connection with the fact that two users are logged on versus one. Please
help. I have been all over the Microsoft website and internet trying to
isolate my problem. Thanks.

 

[Thee Chicago Wolf]

I recently purchased a new Dell Precision system. I have the most current

version of Windows Professional XP SP2 and have applied all updates. I am
also running IE 7.0 and using Office Standard 2007. I do have Norton
software running and it is current with its virus sig. updates. I also use
Microsofts defender as well. Both run regular scans and there are no viruses
on my system.I initially contacted Dell since my computer is still under
warranty. They walked me through performing diagnostics on my comp to rule
out any hardware issues. This process did not indicate there were any. They
then stepped me through two repair procedures. One using the Windows OS CD
using repar from the setup menu and another microsoft repair tool that I ran
from my desktop. After running both of these I am still having the issue.
The problem I am having is when more than one user is logged on, when the
second user tries to log off or shut down the computer does not respond. It
does absolutely nothing. I do not get any error messages. It does not hang
freeze because I can still open programs, etc. I opened task manager and
watched it as I tried to shut down and log off. There does not appear to be
any activity in task manager other than the idle process that would indicate
another process preventing windows from shutting down. It is almost as if
the system is not recognizing that I inovked shutdown or logoff. However,
when only one user is logged on there is no issue with shut down or log off.
What I have been doing is powering off and rebooting to get around this.
This is really annoying and should not be happening. There is definitely a
connection with the fact that two users are logged on versus one. Please
help. I have been all over the Microsoft website and internet trying to
isolate my problem. Thanks.

Try the following:

Go to Start > Run and enter REGEDIT and press OK. This fires up the
registry editor.

Navigate to HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Control Panel\Desktop. Edit the
following keys:

1) AutoEndTasks: Default is 0, make it 1

You can also try the following settings under the same branch:

2) ForegroundLockTimeout: Default is 20000, make it 0

3) HungAppTimeoutefault is 5000, try 1000, if it's still slow, try
500. I don't suggest going anything lower than 250 though as it could
really make programs / services that need a momentd or two to end
act...funny.

4) WaitToKillAppTimeout: Default is 20000, try 1000, if it's still
slow, try 500. I don't suggest going anything lower than 250 though as
it could really make programs / services that need a moment or two to
end act...funny.

Navigate to HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\System\CurrentControlSet\Control

1) WaitToKillServiceTimeout: Default is 20000, try 2000. I don't use
this setting personally and it's questionable whether XP supports it
or not.

When you finish, reboot. Log into XP and then do a shutdown and see
how long it take.

If some of the keys above don't exists, just create them using the
right mouse button.

#1 is a String Value
#2 is DWORD value
#3 is a String value
#4 is a String value

Good luck.

- Thee Chicago Wolf

 

[jiggles]

Thank for your response. I am a little nervous about updating my registry.
Never done it before and based on your response you are much more
knowledgeable than I in understanding how to upate the registry. Please tell
me exactly what the autoendtask setting does. I would like to know what I am
changing before I change it. What is the risk to my system in making this
change? Thanks again for your help.

 

[jiggles]

The problem was my lexmark printer. When I disabled the service I no longer
had this problem. My printer is very old. Time for a new printer.

 

[Thee Chicago Wolf]

The problem was my lexmark printer. When I disabled the service I no longer

had this problem. My printer is very old. Time for a new printer.

Good to know. Were there ever any updates to your printer software or
drivers that might remedy your situation?

By the way, AutoEndTasks simply puts the nix on stubborn or stuck
programs that run in the background but are refusing to show down when
a system shutdown has been initiated. Enabling it ensure Windows shuts
it down no matter how stubborn.

- Thee Chicago Wolf

 

[Sam]

I also have a Lexmark printer and I recently started having the same problem
after some recent updates. When I did a system restore to a date before the
updates, the problem went away. So is it a Lexmark or Microsoft problem?