whoops!
That should have been Additonal instead of "Asstional", Although one never knows for sure do they?

marf

About twice this year I have had "windows stuck" and cannot get any software turn-off to work. I get an error message to the affect [something]32 will/won't do something. All combinations of keystrokes and mouse clicks that I can find wont turn the bugger off.

I unplug the power. I know people say don't do this but thunderstorms turn the power off, sometimes in some places, frequently.

This also happens to me, but only intermittently, which makes it difficult to pinpoint the problem. It occurs maybe every 6th or 7th shutdown. I pull the plug when it happens.

Must be an update then. ...Unless everyone is playing Morrowind with a Merc Board? No? Well...hmmm.
marf

If it's only an occasional happening, I wouldn't lose any sleep. If it's regular, I'd be more concerned to try some troubleshooting. Freezeups can be caused by a number of things. Usually a conflict that confuses Windows. Often a disk check and a defrag can help.

A while back MS updated UPHclean and since that new version I have had a slight hang in normal shutdowns.
\\
You might fiddle with the Shutdown command ,, you could try something like the following in the run line and if it works for you make a shutdown shortcut for quickLaunch or desktop.

shutdown -s -f -t 00
(-s for shutdown, -f for forceClose programs, -t is timeWait & ending in zero zero for timeAmount)

you can Open a cmd window and see
shutdown /?
for other options.

Oh yeah, forgot what maybe the important part.... if it hangs on that command you might be able to look in event viewer and see what is causing the hang.

Unfortunately my sudden refusal to shutdown, seems to be quite regular. I click "Turn Off From the Start Menu" We get to the windows is now (closing)shutting down screen, the jingle plays...and we are not on nor off. Its Microsoft limbo hell. Mouse control has shut down. Can I delete .Net Framework 2.2 without hell to pay?

My gut feeling is my problems are stemming from .net or the Merc board.

The Merc board once shut down my Morrowind game and cancelled the tilde key assignment. Even Bethesda Softworks said there was nothing I could do. Ideazon support told me to upgrade my all keyboard drivers to hid, and that (unknowingly) knocked out the PS2 keyboard drivers used by the laser mouse assignments...it wasn't until I redownloaded the laser mouse drivers, did everything start to work. I can now cheat on my game to my hearts' content. (The tilde key brings up a game console where dirty little cheaters, like me, can enter codes to cheat.)
This driver install and uninstall freeze with this crappy keyboard, that I'm stuck with to save money, is going to break me. It might have caused some problems. I had to reboot my computer from the default settings in bios.

Although there was a warning on the Microsoft update site about one of .net updates rendering some computers unresponsive? Well! gee.

I CANNOT DO A SYSTEM RESTORE!

I tried a few different restore points...and honest to Pete!...I got this message saying the system hadn't changed so they weren't going to bother, there wasn't any point!? I mean, I never!!!

What the????

mikie...I looked in the event viewer and the messages are all benign "no action to be taken by user" etc and yet there were all these horrible crashes and freezes...there's nothing. I'm surprised I didn't get a smiley face with "have a good day".

I've been looking for malware, viruses, and rootkits...I've been scanning and searching all day.

So, I type your script on the run line from the start menu and it will shut down?

uh huh, might go with the -F orce.

nuff said.

If you have your computer set up for auto updates from MS, chances are you now have IE7 which has been the cause of freezeups on a lot of peoples computers. If you do have IE7 amd the freezeups coincide with its download time frame, I suggest going to Control Panel and deleting IE7. This will revert you back to a newer version of IE6.

A lot of people get help at kelly's corner.

Kelly's Corner A to Z
Click on S and look for Shutdown.

Things discussed. At this location =
Power Off or Reboot After Shutdown (Line 76)
http://www.kellys-korner-xp.com/xp_tweaks.htm

This edit automatically ends tasks and timeouts that prevent programs from shutting down and clears the Paging File on Exit.

Auto End Tasks and Wait to Kill Timeout for Shutdown (Line 76)
http://www.kellys-korner-xp.com/xp_tweaks.htm

This edit allows you to configure Windows so that you receive verbose startup, shutdown, logon, and logoff status messages. This may be helpful to in troubleshooting slow startup, shutdown, logon, or logoff behavior.

Startup/Shutdown/Logon/Logoff Status Messages (Line 69)
http://www.kellys-korner-xp.com/xp_tweaks.htm

View Log Events by Code or List or Clear (Line 126)
http://www.kellys-korner-xp.com/xp_tweaks.htm

Windows XP Restarts Unexpectedly or Restarts When You Shut Down

At this location go to number 76 in the right column =
Kelly's Corner
Look for - to enable a proper Shutdown.
Kelly mostly deals in downloads to correct your problems.
It would be good to get rid of the install that started your problem.
Try Safe Mode.

I have all the above problems, and more. I can't roll back IE, my roll back IE 6 is damaged, which is why I went back to IE 7. Even after after I removed every bit of the roll back IE 6, and my computer told me I had no IE, Microsoft would still not let me download IE 6 for repair or install. They have a nice hidden IE 6 folder somewhere That nobody can find.

I have to reformat. The big problem came when my cat jumped on my keyboard and jammed a play key which mirrored the "C" key. Not noticing the jam on the far end of the "game pad" keyboard. I thought I needed Ideazon drivers, and tried to download them ignorant of the "C" jam and its been hell to pay since. If I have time tomorrow, everything is going to go...and we are going to start over. I can't delete the drivers or roll them back, and i can't do a system restore ... because my computer won't turn off, I'm screwed. Its keeps telling me its not necessary. I have tried to delete the Ideazon junk and it won't let me. I have tried all these different programs...like CCleaner and spybot and reg seeker and I just have to start over.

(Of all the letters in the alphabet...why did it have to be the letter "C"?)

Thanks, marf.

That is horrible and my heart goes out to you. These computers are more trouble than they are worth! I hope someone has a 'trick up their sleeve' before you go through all this.

Don't get mad at kitty....
Jane