I can't shut down my computer!

[DODO]

I used to use software to directly turn off my computer after I select shun down. But tody after the message "it is now safe to turn off your computer" showed up. My computer freezed. It seems that the hard disk has already been shut down while the power light is still on. Even if I use reset it still doesn't work(can't go into win98 again). The only think I can do is shut down the power manully. Here manully I mean I can only unplug the power ware to turn off the power. The power button on my computer is not work too. When I push that button to turn off the power nothing happened.The interesting thing is after I plug it in again and turn on my computer everything is fine. I just can't shut it down! I have checked the connection of all the wire. It seems they all been plugged properly. Any advice? Thanks a lot in advance! /forum/frown.gif

[Joel Kleppinger]

WARNING: Do NOT make a habit of turning off an ATX system by pulling the power cable IF AT ALL POSSIBLE.

For some reason I haven't quite determined, the motherboard wants to be in control of the power and likes to be the one to turn it on and off. I have personally had several motherboards fry on me because of my pulling the power cord, and I know of many others who have experienced the same thing. Keep pulling the power cord, and it won't be too long before you have a toasted motherboard.

That said, what works 99% of the time when all else fails is to just hold in the power button until the system turns off. This should happen after 4 or 5 seconds. If it doesn't, don't hold it in for hours - just give up, pray, and yank the power cord. /forum/smile.gif But you'll find that pretty much all the time, holding in the power button turns off the box.

--edit - heh, forgot UBB doesn't support underlining. /forum/smile.gif

[This message has been edited by Joel Kleppinger (edited 09-11-99).]

[CMonster]

DODO - it sounds like you had better check out all the settings in BIOS and Windows for power management - something must be a mismatch.

Joel - You are so right! On some power supplies there is a surge when you pull the plug, it seems like the capacitors bleed down - it shouldn't happen like this, but it often does. In fact, you can see evidence of this if you attach a 12v case fan to the +5v of the power supply and then watch it when you power down - the fan will usually speed up for an instant. Anyway, this is why "soft" power-off is so much better, isn't it?

[welsh wizard]

first you need to find what software is causing the problem, as even if you hold power of switch for 4 to 5 seconds to shut down thats going to be a pain. try holding ctrl+alt+del from there you can only shut down one at a time, but this may allow you to isolate problem app, DO NOT SHUT DOWN EXPLORER OR SYSTRAY! if you can't find problem here check bios, if all is well with both above it may already be to late and M/B may already be breaking down.

[DODO]

Thanks for all of your helpful advices, while I have to say,

1. My computer works perfectly before yesterday and I have this computer for about 6 months. And I do no change to the BIOS and some setting in the wondows.

2. Suddenly this problem happened, I find it after I select shut down. It freezed after the message "it is safe to turn off your computer" showed up.

3. And then I find what more serious is I can't restart my computer. Here I mean it seems that the computer has already closed all the program and begin to restart. After the first screen of the restart(something like checking the hard drive etc) it freezed at the second screen. Nothing showed up and a light mark.

4. But after I hold the power button for about 4-5 seconds and turn off the power, I turn on my computer again. Everything is fine. I can go into the win98 without any problem.

I have norton antivirus in my system, but it works well from the begining of my getting this computer. I have not installed the norton utilities yet. And I am using win98, not win98 SE. Thanks a lot.

[Nathan G]

I believe you may want to try ethier re-loading your display adapter drivers or set it to Standard VGA adapter( in control panel) and see if troubles go away....
I had your symptoms before with wrong display adapter configured in windows..... seems odd ,but, give it a try..
/forum/smile.gif


[This message has been edited by Nathan G (edited 09-12-99).]

[bringspeed]

yes, anything mismatched in anything to do with the monitor, video card, drivers, ect, ect, can cause some very odd, and often non display related problems. anything to do with your display messing up can be a pain to track down. and then there's the easy to figure out ones, like the odd graphical glich i experience in Sys Shock 2. but, in general, whenever you have an odd prob, check all your display related stuff.

[Glytzhkof]

DODO - many things can conspire to cause shutdown problems. I've had most problems with network related issues (800XL where are you?). Try these links:

http://support.microsoft.com/support/kb/articles/Q189/8/80.ASP
http://support.microsoft.com/support/kb/articles/Q196/0/08.ASP .