Troubleshooting Slow Shut Downs

If you have a computer with a Windows operating system, you will notice that problems with the shutdown can be quite common. Many people overlook problems with the shutdown but this is a big mistake since issues with the machine shutting down can be an early indicator of other problems with your computer. One of the most common complaints among Windows users is that their computer is taking a very long time to shut down. Slow shut downs are very annoying, but they can be very easily fixed if you know what to look for. This article will explore the reasons behind why your computer is taking so long to shut down as well as what to do to manually troubleshoot the problem.

In order to troubleshoot and fix your shutdown issues, you must first understand why Windows is taking so long to shut down in the first place. The Windows operating system is not a stand-alone program, rather it is a group if interconnected services and programs. Each program must be terminated prior to shutdown. If there is a problem or glitch in any of the programs, will delay the shutdown process or keep the machine from shutting down at all. One of the most common reasons for this happening is the use of outdated drivers. If a driver is unable to properly communicate with the hardware that it controls, the hardware will experience an error that will interfere with the shutdown process. Checking for and installing drivers on a regular basis is the best way to fix shutdown delays that are caused by hardware glitches.

Another common reason for slow shut downs is that your computer may be automatically erasing all of the virtual memory at shutdown. This takes a long time to complete and will usually make your computer appear if it has frozen. This feature is usually enables by default but certain programs and software may enable it without your knowledge. In order to see if this is the cause for your computer taking a long time to shut down, enter the GPEDIT.MSC command in the run section. This will load the Group Policy Editor, where you can reconfigure your security options to disable automatic deletion of your virtual memory upon shutdown.