Can't shutdown or restart properly

[jessek]

When I shutdown or restart, I always get error messages, and programs like AVG won't install properly without a successful restart.

I have googled the problem and disabled my fast start in the settings, but nothing seems to get the machine to shut down successfully.

I have also checked all of my drivers and they seem to be up to date, and can't think of anything else to try.

One article suggested a forced shutdown, but the article is old, and some newer ones seem to say that the process no longer works http://www.windowsitpro.com/article/...Top+Stories%29

Can anyone here help?

[Murf]

1. If you are on new Start Screen, type power and Windows will automatically search for the term and will show you the results.
If you are on Desktop, move your cursor to top-right corner of screen to access new Charms Bar. Now click on Search option and type power in search box.

2. Now click on Settings link given in right-sidebar of search results page and then click on "Change what the power buttons do" link given in the search results.

It'll open Power Options window. You can alternatively open the same window by typing powercfg.cpl in RUN dialog box and then click on the "Choose what the power buttons do" link given in left sidebar.

Now scroll down to bottom and you'll see "Turn on fast startup (recommended)" option given in Shutdown settings section

Disable the option by unchecking the checkbox and then click on "Save Changes" button.
PS: If the option is not shown or greyed out, scroll up and click on "Change settings that are currently unavailable" link.

3. Restart your system and your reboot or shutdown problems should get fixed in Windows 8.

[jessek]

Thanks for the response, but that is what I meant in my original post about turning off that setting. It didn't help at all, and I still can't get a complete shutdown or restart without getting a message saying that it failed, or that the system is restarting of it's own accord, because "something went wrong", while what actually went wrong was me requesting a restart! It is so frustrating, and I've been trying to search for answers for a couple of days now and can 't come up with a phrase for a google search that provides anything other than what you gave me (which I had already tried), and that link above about forcing it and changing something via the "run" prompt. I really hate using my computer without the safety of AVG running in the background, but without the shutdown/restart, AVG won't work.

[Murf]

Although AVG is a good anti-virus, I am a proponent of Microsoft Security Essentials, I use it on all my systems, it's free and not as boated as AVG. You may want to uninstall AVG and try it, may solve the problem, as AVG could be causing it.

Also are you using the latest AVG HERE

[jessek]

I can't uninstall AVG though, because I tried that, wanting to reinstall it to see if it helped, but it needs a full shutdown/restart to uninstall. I imagine that Microsoft Security Essentials probably needs a full shutdown to install properly too, so we're back to fixing that first before getting any anti-virus software working.

[jessek]

Any other suggestions?

[Murf]

Does it shut down ok in SAFE MODE?

a) Press the ‘Windows + C’ key on the keyboard.
b) Click on settings, more pc settings and then general.
c) Scroll down to advanced startup, clickrestart now.
d) Click on troubleshoot, advanced options, Windows Startup Settings.
e) Click restart, select safe mode and then press enter.

If it does not do it in Safe Mode then then a clean boot will check if there are any third party applications causing the issue. To clean boot:

a) Press the ‘Windows + R’ key on the keyboard.
b) In the ‘Run’ windows type ’MSCONFIG’ and click ‘Ok’.
c) Click the ‘Boot’ tab and uncheck ‘Safe Boot’ option.
d) On the ‘General’ tab, click to select the option ‘Selective startup’, and then click to clear the option Load startup items check box.
e) On the ‘Services’ tab, click to select the ‘Hide all Microsoft services’ check box, and then click‘Disable all’.
f) On the ‘StartUp’ tab, click ‘Open Task Manager’. In the Task Manager window under startup tab, right click on each startup item which are enabled and select ‘Disable’.
g) Click ‘OK’, and then click Restart.

Step 2: Enable half of the services
a. Follow steps 1a and 1b to start the System Configuration utility.
b. Click the Services tab, and then click to select the Hide all Microsoft services check box.
c. Click to select half of the check boxes in the Service list.
d. Click OK, and then click Restart.

Step 3: Determine whether the problem returns
If the problem still occurs, repeat step 1 and step 2. In step 2, click to clear half of the check boxes that you originally selected in the Service list.
If the problem does not occur, repeat step 1 and step 2. In step 2, select only half of the remaining check boxes that are cleared in If only one service is selected in the Service list, and you still experience the problem, the selected service causes the problem. Go to step 6. If no service causes this problem, go to step 4.

Step 4: Enable half of the Startup items
If no startup item causes this problem, a Microsoft service most likely causes the problem. To determine which Microsoft service may be causing the problem, repeat step 1 and step 2 without selecting theHide all Microsoft services check box in either step.

Step 5: Determine whether the problem returns
If the problem still occurs, repeat step 1 and step 4. In step 4, click to clear half of the check boxes that you originally selected in theStartup Item list.

If the problem does not occur, repeat step 1 and step 4. In step 4, select only half of the remaining check boxes that are cleared in theStartup Item list. Repeat these steps until you have selected all the check boxes.

If only one startup item is selected in the Startup Item list, and you still experience the problem, the startup item that is selected in the list is the service that is causing the problem. Go to step 6.

If no startup item causes this problem, a Microsoft service most likely causes the problem. To determine which Microsoft service may be causing the problem, repeat step 1 and step 2 without selecting the Hide all Microsoft services check box in either step.

[jessek]

Thank you so much for that information. I will get to all of those instructions soon and let you know how it turns out!

[jessek]

I have been unwell for the past week or so, so please forgive my delay in getting back to you on this.

I tried your suggestions above, but still had a problem.

My son finally discovered (through a debug report), that our problem was a program that charges attached devices and all is well now.

Thank you so much for all of your help.

[Murf]

Glad you figured it out and thx for letting us know.