Dell Mini running Win. XP freeze on shutdown

[JCTech35]

Hello,
I have a Dell Inspiron Mini laptop in which is owned by a client
of mine. She has lately complained that when she goes to shutdown the
computer using a standard shutdown process, the "Windows is shutting down..."
screen will hang and will not shutdown. I have received the laptop from her
and confirm this issue. I have researched this issue and have been unable to
find a worthy solution. The only way I am able to shutdown the computer is
with a force shutdown. Though she has said once and a while the laptop would
shutdown normally. Any help with this issue or suggestions would be much
appreciated!

Thanks,
JCTech35

 

[Mark Adams]

Hello,
I have a Dell Inspiron Mini laptop in which is owned by a client
of mine. She has lately complained that when she goes to shutdown the
computer using a standard shutdown process, the "Windows is shutting down..."
screen will hang and will not shutdown. I have received the laptop from her
and confirm this issue. I have researched this issue and have been unable to
find a worthy solution. The only way I am able to shutdown the computer is
with a force shutdown. Though she has said once and a while the laptop would
shutdown normally. Any help with this issue or suggestions would be much
appreciated!

Thanks,
JCTech35

You might start here:
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/308029

 

[JCTech35]

You might start here:
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/308029

Hello Mark,
Thank you for the suggestion, but I browsed the page you directed me to and
none of the articles seemed to fit the needs of my question. We have a few
other Dell Mini's in my workplace and none of them have had this problem,
this is what makes me so curious about the problem. I will continue to
research and see if I can find out what is causing the laptop to do this, but
any other suggestions or comments would be appreciative.

Thanks,
JCTech35

 

[Mark Adams]

Hello Mark,
Thank you for the suggestion, but I browsed the page you directed me to and
none of the articles seemed to fit the needs of my question. We have a few
other Dell Mini's in my workplace and none of them have had this problem,
this is what makes me so curious about the problem. I will continue to
research and see if I can find out what is causing the laptop to do this, but
any other suggestions or comments would be appreciative.

Thanks,
JCTech35

You probably have an application or service running that is not shutting
down and causes the hang. Try restarting it in safe mode. If it shuts down in
safe mode, restart in normal, type msconfig in the "run" box to open the
diagnostic utility. Click the "selective startup" button and uncheck the
application boxes one at a time and shut the computer down each time until
you find the application that causes the hang. Then troubleshoot that
application. A lot of work, but you have to start somewhere.

 

[JCTech35]

You probably have an application or service running that is not shutting
down and causes the hang. Try restarting it in safe mode. If it shuts down in
safe mode, restart in normal, type msconfig in the "run" box to open the
diagnostic utility. Click the "selective startup" button and uncheck the
application boxes one at a time and shut the computer down each time until
you find the application that causes the hang. Then troubleshoot that
application. A lot of work, but you have to start somewhere.

Mark,
First of, thanks for the suggestion. I tried unchecking and restarting with
each of the applications. I figured the "Load Startup Items" was going to do
the trick, but unfortunately it did not. I had been suspicious of the Windows
Live Messenger running because it was a program that was set up to run on
startup and when you exit it its stays running. I changed the properties of
it to not run on startup and thought that this would make a difference. But I
am still getting the same problemwith the lag. It is just interesting in how
every once in a while the laptop will shutdown like normal, tricking me a few
times thinking I did something to change it. Then to try it again and realize
I did not. I am still left lost with why it wont shutdown normally
consistently. Any other suggestions or comments will be appreciated.

Thanks,
Jared

 

[Mark Adams]

Mark,
First of, thanks for the suggestion. I tried unchecking and restarting with
each of the applications. I figured the "Load Startup Items" was going to do
the trick, but unfortunately it did not. I had been suspicious of the Windows
Live Messenger running because it was a program that was set up to run on
startup and when you exit it its stays running. I changed the properties of
it to not run on startup and thought that this would make a difference. But I
am still getting the same problemwith the lag. It is just interesting in how
every once in a while the laptop will shutdown like normal, tricking me a few
times thinking I did something to change it. Then to try it again and realize
I did not. I am still left lost with why it wont shutdown normally
consistently. Any other suggestions or comments will be appreciated.

Thanks,
Jared

Does it shut down and start up normally and consistently from safe mode? Try
numerous times.

 

[JCTech35]

The time that I started up and shutdown in safemode the laptop did shutdown
normally. I will try it a few more times to get a better statistic. I will be
updating.

Thanks,
JCTech35

 

[JCTech35]

Alright,
I have successfully shutdown in safe mode multiple times now and not one of
them did not shutdown regularly. Where will this lead me to now?

Thanks,
JCTech35

 

[Mark Adams]

Alright,
I have successfully shutdown in safe mode multiple times now and not one of
them did not shutdown regularly. Where will this lead me to now?

Thanks,
JCTech35

Back to "msconfig". Go to the "Startup" tab and uncheck all of the boxes and
reboot the machine. One of those applications is hanging the machine on shut
down. Shut it down and restart a couple times with all of those boxes
unchecked to test the shutdown. Then one at a time, check the boxes until the
machine hangs on shut down. That will be the application that is causing the
hang.