Problems with computer equipment manifest themselves in a variety of ways, but some “miracles” force us to scratch our heads for a long time: what could have happened to a laptop that just 5 minutes ago was working at “five plus”? It worked and worked, and then suddenly refused... to turn off. Although the problem is non-standard, in 90% of cases you can cope with it without a specialist. So, let's talk about everything in order.

How does it manifest itself?

When we say “the laptop won’t turn off,” we most often mean one of two things:

• Windows does not shut down - does not respond to the shutdown command through the Start menu. Or the shutdown process continues indefinitely until the user turns off the computer by pressing the power button.
• The system shuts down as expected, but the machine remains turned on - the screen goes blank and the processor cooling fan continues to spin. Sometimes the indicators (power, wi-fi and others) remain on. Closing the lid and pressing the power button for 4 seconds does nothing; the laptop can only be turned off by disconnecting the power supplies.

Why does this happen

There are many things that can cause a problem. More precisely:

• Software, including malware.
• Operating system errors. This, in particular, was encountered by users who were among the first to update their computer to Windows 10.
• Hardware drivers (especially from Intel, as well as any network adapters, video cards and devices connected via USB).
• Faulty equipment.
• BIOS failure.

Let's localize the problem

Software

Problems with programs and virus infections manifest themselves in the first type - the inability to shut down Windows. This option is likely in cases where the problem arose after installing new software or is accompanied by symptoms of the presence of viruses (unknown processes in the task manager, lags, pop-up advertising windows, etc.).

Drivers and system

Errors in drivers and the OS itself are manifested by both the endless shutdown of Windows and the fact that the laptop continues to work when the lid is closed and the Power button is pressed. The reason is most likely this if the problem was preceded by one of the following events:

• Reinstalling the operating system (the failure occurs only in the new OS, but the old one turned off the laptop normally).
• Updating the operating system (installing current updates, upgrading to Windows 10).
• Updating or installing new drivers.
• Change your computer's power settings.

However, operating system and driver errors can occur for no apparent reason.

Iron

Hardware failure is usually accompanied by other symptoms. For example, an endless shutdown of Windows, which occurs due to incorrect operation of the hard drive, manifests itself in slow loading, lags while using the laptop, and errors, including blue screens of death (BSoD). RAM defects also manifest themselves as BSoDs, problems when copying and moving files, errors in launching programs, etc.

The “clinic” of hardware problems is very diverse and also often does not have obvious cause-and-effect relationships.

BIOS errors can occur due to the exhaustion of the CMOS battery life (on laptops older than 4-5 years), incorrect installation of an update, or damage to the chip where the firmware is stored. They manifest themselves in the fact that the machine does not turn off completely when you press the power button, does not reboot, and does not go to sleep.

If you tried to fix the problem by reinstalling the operating system, but this did not help (provided that you installed the correct distribution and tested drivers), then the reason lies in a hardware malfunction or a BIOS failure.

We carry out step-by-step diagnostics and fix the problem

Checking and adjusting power settings

Statistically, most problems with turning off a laptop are related to power settings, so we’ll start there. So, open “Power and Sleep Options” by clicking on the battery icon in the system tray or by going to the “Power Options” section of the Control Panel. Click in the navigation menu (on the left) “Power button actions.”

Make sure that the list of instructions for pressing the buttons and closing the lid does not select “Turn off display” or “No action required.”

If Shut down, Hibernate, or Sleep is set and your laptop still won't shut down completely, try turning off Fast Startup, Sleep, and Hibernation one by one in the shutdown options list.

If there is no result, return to the beginning of the “Power Options” section and click “Power plan settings” opposite the active item.

The last operation can be done through the device manager, checking “Allow shutdown to save power” in the properties of each USB controller, but this is faster.

Test run in safe mode

Starting the computer in safe mode will help you check whether software errors, viruses, and most of the drivers are involved in the problem. It loads only the main components of the operating system. Programs that start working with the OS and viruses are inactive in this mode.

To enter safe mode:

• On Windows XP, Vista and 7: reboot, before starting the next OS startup, press the F8 key and select “Safe Mode” from the menu.

If the laptop turns off normally in safe mode, the reason lies in the components that do not work in it.

What to do

• Scan your system with an antivirus.
• Boot into normal mode, open the “Startup” tab in the task manager (in Windows XP and 7, startup is located in the Msconfig utility), disable programs one by one, restarting the computer each time and checking if the problem is resolved.

• Reinstall device drivers. Particular attention is paid to Intel drivers, as one of the most common culprits of failure, in particular, the Intel Management Engine Interface. Along with reinstalling this driver, it is recommended to uninstall the Intel Rapid Storage Technology utility (if available).

System stability assessment

If after finishing work in safe mode the laptop still does not turn off, the source of the problem is probably in the OS itself or in the hardware. The system stability monitor can give you a hint.

To launch the monitor, go to the “System and Security” section of the control panel, open “Security and Maintenance”, expand the “Maintenance” tab and click “Show stability log”.

The monitor window displays events that affect Windows stability. Click the date when the problem occurred and view the list of errors. In some cases, the system directly indicates what their source was. In my example this is equipment.

What to do

• Click “Search for a solution” next to the error message and follow the instructions to resolve it.

If the system does not offer anything specific or does not indicate the source of the problem, you will have to call on the event log to help.

Event log analysis

The Windows Event Log, among other things, collects information about the computer's performance during the shutdown process. If shutdown takes longer than expected, an error entry appears in the log indicating the cause—specific application, service, driver, etc.

The most convenient way to open the event log is by searching:

The section where the necessary data is stored is located in the list “Application and service logs” - “Microsoft” - “Windows” - “Diagnostic-Performance” - “Running”. The middle part of the window displays all events belonging to this category. We are interested in the category “Performance monitoring during shutdown” (all event codes starting from 200).

Search this list for information about errors and critical events. A single click on a line shows error information at the bottom of the list. To view it in a separate window, double-click on the line.

What to do next

The identified source of the problem should be eliminated if possible. If this is an application, remove it from the startup list or uninstall it. If the service is disabled (except for those critical for the operation of the computer). If the driver is a driver, reinstall or disable the associated hardware in Device Manager.

Other ways to resolve Windows errors

• If a failure occurs after updating the operating system, installing or uninstalling software, treating viruses, cleaning the registry and other similar operations, roll back to a restore point. Press Windows + R on your keyboard (to launch the Run utility), enter the command rsrtui in the Open field and click OK - this will launch the System Restore utility. Select a checkpoint that was created before the problem occurred and follow the program's instructions.

• A failure that occurs due to damage to system files is resolved by the sfc.exe utility utility. To run it, open a command prompt (as an administrator), enter the instruction sfc /scannow, press Enter and wait until the scan and recovery are completed.

• Problems with Windows 10 that cannot be fixed by any of the described methods are often resolved by the Microsoft MediaCreationTool utility (download by clicking on the “Download tool now” button, run it, select the “Update this PC now” option and follow further instructions). Its work lasts 40-60 minutes, it may seem to you that the system is being installed again, but after finishing all your files and settings will remain in place. However, in 2 cases MediaCreationTool will not help you: if the laptop is not connected to the Internet and if the shutdown problem is not related to the operating system.

Resetting BIOS Settings

If all attempts are exhausted and the laptop still does not turn off, this is the last thing you can do at home. But provided that:

• the car is not under warranty;
• you have the skills to disassemble and reassemble a laptop.

The essence of the method is to briefly remove the CMOS memory power supply - a small round battery on the motherboard (or several batteries in one casing). The difficulty is that the battery can be located anywhere - sometimes, to get to it, you need to completely disassemble the device. On some models the battery is soldered, but more often it is connected through a connector or installed in a socket, as in the picture.

Before the procedure, do not forget to completely disconnect the laptop. After 15-30 minutes, replace the battery, turn on the device and check if the problem is solved. If yes, I congratulate you. If not, the problem is probably more serious than it seemed and requires diagnostics at a service center. But this, fortunately, does not happen often.

And it happens like this: the laptop freezes and does not respond to the user’s attempts to reach it. Another option. The standard shutdown procedure via “Start” -> “Shutdown” does not lead to the desired result. The machine starts executing the protocol, saves the data to disk, but does not turn off, but continues to work or, again, just freezes.
It happens that the screen goes out, but the noise of the cooler and the glow of the indicator indicate that the system continues to operate.

Why won't my laptop turn off?

There may be several reasons. They are universal, that is, they can cause an Asus, Dell, Lenovo laptop, tablet or personal computer to not turn off.

Lots of applications

A laptop that takes a long time to shut down can be a result of many applications running. And you may not notice some of them if they are in startup and running in the background. The OS begins to close them, saving data; accordingly, the more programs are running, the longer the shutdown process takes.

System conflict

It can be triggered by some program that does not allow the laptop to turn off. Usually this is some process that the system does not complete due to it being blocked or frozen. A virus can cause similar problems, only in this case the program is not necessarily malware, but simply does not find a common language with the system.
With the advent of new versions of the most popular operating system, a situation quite often occurs when a laptop with Windows 8 or Windows 7 does not turn off.
In most cases, this is a consequence of updating raw versions of programs and installing drivers, which the system often performs by default. In this case, both rollbacks to previous working versions and installation of additional drivers can help. In each specific case, our laptop repair specialists will determine the optimal solution and ensure normal compatibility and operability of the system.

operating system

When a laptop does not turn off in Windows 7 or Windows 8 and newer versions, the problem may be rooted in the general state of the system. Usually this can be judged by the performance of the system as a whole. Programs and applications slow down, the system regularly freezes, and does not immediately respond to user actions. Usually a laptop with a trashy OS still turns off, but it takes a long time. If not, then those files that are responsible for performing this task could be damaged.

Malware

Bad programs are one of the most common reasons why system processes are blocked. They can be introduced into existing processes, preventing them from being terminated by the OS. This means that the computer or laptop works, but does not turn off.

Having an antivirus does not guarantee against receiving such a virus.

The drastic solution is to reinstall the system, but even this does not always save you from viral metastases that can affect disks and processes. Our specialists can win the battle with him.

Drivers

In a sense, this problem is one of the variations of a systemic conflict.
Problematic drivers interfere with the operation of devices, which is why there are problems with turning off the laptop.

Also, one of the reasons may be a problem with the cooling system; in this case, it is recommended to completely clean the laptop.

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How to turn off a laptop when it won't turn off?

The toughest option – turn off the power and remove the battery. However, this approach has an extremely negative impact on the car.

Second option. Press and hold the Power button for a few seconds. This is also not the best way for your laptop to turn off, but it is unlikely that its operation will end correctly, so it is better to save this method as a last resort.

Third way allows you to correctly do what was mentioned above. That is, turn off the power.

• Go to the device manager using the Win + R key combination, enter “devmgmt.msc” in the line that appears and press Enter.

• In Device Manager, you need to open the “USB Controllers” menu. In the open one you should find “Generic USB Hub” and/or “USB Root Hub”.
• And by right-clicking on each of them, select “Properties”, “Power Management” and uncheck the box next to “Allow the computer to turn off this device to save energy”
• Confirm by clicking “Ok”.

Fourth way. If the function
If system recovery is active in your OS, you can rollback to a working version. Go to “Start” -> “All Programs” -> “Accessories” -> “System Tools” -> “System Restore”.

Notebook Center service center specialists will conduct free diagnostics, identify the real reason why the laptop does not turn off, and get it working properly.

Brief summary

The speed of operations depends on the technical characteristics of the laptop. The more powerful it is, the less time it takes to turn off. Normally, shutdown takes from 12 to 30 seconds.
If the laptop does not turn off, or the process takes more than 30 seconds on a new machine, this is a symptom that there are problems.

The procedure for shutting down a computer takes place in several stages, each of which is very important, as it reduces the risk of damaging the file system and even the disk itself. When the user presses the shutdown button, programs and background system processes are first closed, then less critical components, and then more critical components, including RAM and processor, are sequentially disabled. But sometimes it happens that at one of the stages of the procedure, software or hardware, an error occurs.

The consequence of the error may be a fall into BSOD or a state that users call eternal termination. The computer does not turn off, the fans do not stop rotating, and the indication indicates that power is being supplied to the motherboard. The display may turn off, but it may also remain on with a characteristic animation displayed on it. What's the matter? Software conflicts, incorrect operation of drivers and peripherals, damage, problems with the hard drive and RAM, erroneous power settings, and, ultimately, the effect of viruses - any of these problems can prevent the machine from shutting down normally.

Running background processes

Background processes remaining running are the most common reason why the PC does not turn off when Windows 7/10 is shut down. Sometimes a holding process will be indicated on the screen, and the user can return to the running system and terminate it manually. Otherwise, it is recommended to examine the System and Application logs, which typically record errors from services or programs that prevent Windows from shutting down.

It doesn’t hurt to also run the command on the command line powercfg/requests to obtain a list of power requests by applications and drivers that are preventing the workstation from shutting down.

Additionally, you can run the utility, disable third-party services and see how this affects the computer shutdown. It would also be a good idea to look at the stability log; it may also contain indications of problematic processes in applications and services.

Active peripherals

The fact that the computer does not turn off after finishing work is often to blame for the peripherals connected to the host via USB. Most often, laptop owners have to deal with this problem, and it can be solved as follows. Go to Device Manager, expand the “USB Controllers” item, find in the list the items called “USB Root Hub” and uncheck “Allow the computer to turn off this device to save power” in their properties. Then reboot your computer and see if the problem is resolved.

Other devices and components

Sometimes the computer does not shut down due to devices that are active but not detected by Windows. Such devices are usually marked in the Manager with a yellow or red icon. Disable them or, better yet, find and install drivers for them. On Asus and Dell laptops, a similar malfunction is sometimes caused by the Intel Rapid Storage Technology application. Uninstall the application and reinstall the Intel Management Engine Interface device in Device Manager after downloading the official driver for it.

Lost registry settings

A less likely reason for a Windows computer refusing to shut down is a failure in the registry settings that control the timeout when closing applications. In Windows 10, the default is 5000 milliseconds, but you can reduce it to 3000 milliseconds with a simple registry tweak. Download the REG file and merge it to restore the default timeout. If you want to shorten it, first edit the registry file in Notepad by changing the values ​​of the WaitToKillServiceTimeout, HungAppTimeout and WaitToKillAppTimeout parameters.

The case when the computer does not turn off through the Windows 7/10 Start menu requires special consideration. This type of problem is often caused by a parameter being damaged or deleted. BootExecute located in the registry key HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE/SYSTEM/CurrentControlSet/Control/Session Manager. The string should be used as this parameter autocheck autochk * and nothing more. The parameter type must be REG_MULTI_SZ, that is, multi-string.

Hibernation and quick start

Incorrect power settings, as well as damage to related system files, in particular the hiberfil.sys file, is another reason why the PC sometimes does not turn off. Check this moment. Go to the power settings and do everything as shown in the screenshots below. First you should try to deactivate fast start, and if this is not enough, then you should also disable hibernation.

Problems with RAM or disk

The situation when the computer does not turn off after Windows 7/10 shuts down may also indicate failure of memory cells and damage to hard drive sectors. This is perhaps the most unpleasant thing that can happen. In the case of a problem disk, the system, for example, tries to read or write the necessary data when turning it off, but it is unable to do this due to the presence of “bads,” resulting in a freeze. Therefore, it would not be amiss to perform memory checks, especially if freezes and crashes were observed in a running system.

BIOS Settings

If nothing, even reinstalling and rolling back to , doesn’t help, try resetting the BIOS to factory settings. This can be done using the Load Defaults BIOS option, usually located in the BIOS Setup section, or by removing the battery powering the CMOS memory for 10-15 minutes.

Bottom line

These were the main reasons preventing the computer from being turned off through the Start menu or in another programmatic way. There is no point in delaying the solution to the problem, since soon malfunctions in the Windows 7/10 system may occur not only during the shutdown phase, but also when performing standard tasks.

One of the most common problems when using a computer running Windows OS is that even after shutting down the computer continues to work. The only option to turn off the computer in this case is to force it to shut down by holding the power button for a long time. But this cannot be used on an ongoing basis, which means it is necessary to look for a solution to the problem.

It turns out that a large number of users face the problem of the inability to turn off the computer in the standard way, but there can be many reasons for this problem: installed drivers, software that blocks the computer from turning off, incorrect power settings, etc.

Ways to solve the problem

Method 1: Setting up the USB hub

This method can help laptop users; desktop computer users can skip it. The fact is that the system can block the operation of some USB devices to save battery power, but sometimes laptops may not work correctly with this function, which makes it impossible to turn off the computer.

In this case, you will need to call up the menu "Control Panel" , set viewing mode for convenience "Small Icons" , and then navigate to the section "System" .

In the left area of ​​the window that pops up, go to the section "Device Manager" .

The window we need will appear on the screen, in which you will need to expand the item "USB Controllers" , right click on "USB Root Hub" and in the context menu that appears, select "Properties" .

In the new window, go to the tab "Power Management" and remove the bird from the point "Allow this device to turn off to save power" . Save your changes. Perform similar actions for all “USB Root Hub” items.

After completing these steps, try turning off the computer through the Start menu.

Method 2: System Restore

If the problem with shutting down the computer appeared suddenly and recently, for example, after installing some program or drivers for a connected device, then the system restore function will help solve the problem, which will allow you to roll back the computer to the moment when there were no problems with shutdown.

To do this, go to the menu "Control Panel" , and then go to the section "Recovery" .

In the new window, select "Run System Restore" .

After a few moments, a window will appear on the screen showing the available restore points. Select the rollback point that dates back to the period when the computer, in your opinion, was working normally. Start the recovery procedure.

Please note that the system restore procedure may take quite a long time - everything will depend on how many changes have been made to the operating system since the date of the rollback point you selected.

Method 3: Disable incorrect services and applications

Most often, the cause of problems with turning off the computer is an incorrectly working service, which, as a result of a failure, cannot complete its work, which means the computer cannot turn off.

First of all, you need to look at the Windows log for errors. To do this, open the menu "Control Panel" and go to the section "Administration" .

In the window that appears, open the shortcut twice "Event View" .

In the left area of ​​the window that opens, expand the item "Windows Logs". In it you will need to open two magazines: "Application" and "System" .

Check out these two magazines. You are interested in events marked with "Error" . If the same service or application is flagged in these events each time, then it or it needs to be disabled.

To disable a malfunctioning service, return to the window "Administration" and then open the shortcut "Services" .

In the list that opens, find the service you need, and then open it by double-clicking on it. In the tab "Are common" near the column "Startup type" set value "Disabled" , and then save the changes.

If a problem is found in the operation of the application, then it is recommended to remove such incorrectly working application from the computer through the menu “Control Panel” – “Uninstall Programs” . If you cannot remove an application from your computer, you can remove it from startup. To do this, open it "Task Manager" keyboard shortcut Ctrl+Shift+Del . In the window that opens, go to the tab. Right-click on the application and select "Delete" . Save your changes.

Method 4: Reducing the duration of closing programs

In this method, you can try to reduce the time it takes for programs to close by making changes to the Windows registry. To do this, open a window "Run" key combination Win+R , in the window that appears you need to run the command regedit .

Having launched the Windows registry, you will need to make changes to the operation of three parameters that are located in the branch HKEY_CURRENT_USERControl PanelDesktop:

1. AutoEndTasks. For this parameter, you will need to set the value to 1. Activating this parameter will mean that Windows will forcefully terminate hung programs when the computer shuts down;

2. HungAppTimeout. This parameter should be set to a value from 1000 to 5000. In this case, you specify a specific time after which Windows will force the program to quit if it does not respond;

3. WailToKiliAppTimeoul. It is recommended to set this parameter to a value between 5000 and 7000. This parameter determines how many milliseconds Windows will wait for the program to respond.

If you do not find the required parameter at the specified address, you will need to create it. You can create the “AutoEndTasks” parameter by right-clicking on any free area of ​​the existing parameters and in the context menu that appears, going to the item “Create” – “String parameter” . Set the parameter to the exact name and required value. Save the change.

For the "HungAppTimeout" and "WailToKiliAppTimeoul" options, right-click on an empty area, and then navigate to “New” – “DWORD value (32 bits)” .

Once you've made the necessary changes, close the Windows registry and try shutting down your computer.

Some users sometimes encounter a situation in which they are unable to turn off their laptop using the Start panel. After going to the Start panel and clicking the Shutdown button, the computer screen goes dark, but the computer itself continues to work.

Solving this problem may require some knowledge and skills. A similar situation can occur on any operating system. This review will focus on this problem and how to fix it.

Problems in the software part

The most common cause of this situation is hardware or software failures. Problems with the operation of the hardware may occur if new drivers or updates are installed. A similar situation may also arise when connecting a new device. It is possible that it is associated with the functioning of special programs that use special services and prevent the personal computer from turning off. These are the ones we will be talking about today.

We fix the problem in the shortest possible time

If you need to turn off your laptop immediately, but you can't do it using the Start panel, you can try turning it off manually. To carry out this operation, just hold down the power button of the device until it turns off. Typically this period of time is between 5 and 10 seconds. However, it is not recommended to use this shutdown method very often. This may be dangerous for your computer. But if there are no other options, this is the only method left. There may be situations in which a personal computer is turned off through “Start”, but this takes a lot of time. This may be due to the activity of programs that slow down the laptop shutdown.

Main menu

Now let's move on to action. What can you do if you cannot turn off your laptop using the Start menu? First of all, you need to understand the issue of power supply to the device. This option is suitable not only for a portable device, but also for a personal computer that refuses to turn off via the Start menu.

This method can be used for all types of operating systems. The first thing to do is go to the device manager of your computer. It is better to use a quick method to go to the dispatcher. To do this, use the key combination “Win” + “R”. As a result, a window will appear in which you will need to enter the following: “devmgmt.msc”. After that, just press “Enter”.

Once you are in Device Manager, select the “USB Controllers” section. In this section, special attention should be paid to devices of the “Generic USB Hub” or “USB Root Hub” type. In most cases, there are several such devices on the computer. For each such device, you must perform the steps described below. Left-click on the device you selected, then right-click and select “Properties”.

Usually it is at the very bottom. As a result, a new window will appear in front of you, in which you will need to find the “Power Management” item. There will most likely be a checkmark next to “Allow the computer to turn off this device to save energy.” You will need to remove it. After you uncheck the box, save your changes.

Now you can try turning off your laptop again using the Start menu. If the laptop still does not turn off, try restarting it and try this operation again using the Start menu. This solution to the problem is effective in most cases, provided that you did everything correctly. But if you still cannot turn off your laptop using the Start menu, then perhaps you should try other options to resolve this problem.

Some services and programs that simply do not turn off automatically can prevent you from turning off your laptop through the Start menu. This problem can be solved.

Application failure

If you are unable to turn off your laptop through the Start menu, then this may be due to the shutdown of all program processes, one of which does not respond to user commands. As a result, the computer simply freezes. The most effective and simple way that can be used to solve this problem is to identify the most problematic programs and services.

In order to identify problematic programs, you need to go to the system stability monitor. This is quite easy to do. You need to go to the “Control Panel” and open the support center. In the window that opens, select the “Maintenance” tab and view the stability monitor. In this section, you can see system failures that have occurred and correct certain parameters if necessary.