Why does it take so long for the computer to shut down? Why does my computer take so long to turn off? Why does the computer take a long time to turn off?
The problem appears to users more and more often the longer they use the computer. So, usually, the computer turns off for a long time after six months or more of using the system, sometimes earlier. It's obvious that Windows just can't handle applications. There is a certain pattern in the number of applications and the speed of turning on/off the computer.
If the system takes longer to shut down than in previous uses, then the culprit is most likely a program that is running in the background. Also common reasons are: failures in the operating system itself, system clogging, too little memory left, and other similar situations.
Now let’s take a look at why the computer takes a long time to turn off and how to deal with it. Common causes of the problem will be presented, and only those that do not require risky action.
Why does my computer take a long time to turn off?
Usually the computer takes a long time to shut down in Windows xp or other versions due to the presence of unnecessary and heavily loading programs, less often the cause is crashes. In fact, the topic is extensive, but it’s really easy to speed up your computer in ways that boil down to freeing up resources.
Why does my computer take a long time to turn off? – The reason is that there are many programs that operate without the user’s knowledge, perhaps a broken application. Less often, the root of the problem lies in faulty drivers or system infection.
To speed up shutdown, you can clean up programs by pressing Win + R and typing msconfig. Now go to Startup. Uncheck any apps that you don't use regularly. Ideally, only working applications, antivirus and drivers should remain.
At the end of the procedure, you should further clean the debris from the system. To avoid doing this manually, run a scan in the popular CCleaner utility.
Cleaning the system of unnecessary programs
You can simply delete applications that are not in demand or you no longer need, or disable their autorun. These actions will be equivalent in effectiveness (except for heavy programs), but the last option will help you save the application in case it comes in handy. So first of all check:
- Windows + R and msconfig;
- Now uncheck the box next to unnecessary applications.
Be sure to leave the drivers for sound and video, which are called Realtek and Nvidia (for Geforce), respectively. You can safely remove all other applications from autorun, since even if it turns out that you need the program, you can always return it.
Cleaning the system of debris
Quite often, a Windows 7 computer and other versions of the system shut down for a long time due to the presence of pieces of programs or applications. In other words, when you install a program, it places a lot of information on the system that is necessary for its work, and during the uninstallation process, not everything is erased. This leaves auto-updaters and their services, DirectX components, Visual C++, etc. Up to a certain point, this is not a problem, but when many such tasks accumulate, lags and similar to our situation may be noticed.
First, let's clean the system of temporary files, cache, etc. For this we will use CCleaner.
- Download the program from the link https://files.totalsoft.org/C/CCleaner/ccsetup522.zip;
- You don’t have to change the position of the checkboxes, just click “Analyze”;
- Now the search will start, when it is finished, click “Run Cleaner”.
This will help clean up the system, but the problem is not fixed yet. Now you just need to remove all unnecessary applications, then start using services until you see an improvement.
You can remove applications:
- "Control Panel" from Start;
- Find the Programs and Features tile;
- Move the selection to the desired position and click "Delete".
You can stop services:
- On the “Control Panel”, select the “Administration” link;
- Now the “Services” item;
- Right-click on the desired element and “Stop”.
To kill processes, you can use the regular Task Manager, but it does not have the function of displaying the path to the executable file. Therefore, you need to use a third-party program AnVir Task Manager.
- Download the utility here https://www.anvir.net/downloads/anvirrus.exe;
- Launch it and you will see the same dispatcher, only more advanced. Select unnecessary processes, find executable files and delete them first in the application, then from the computer.
First of all, we are interested in programs, components and services that take up a lot of system resources and are not useful. Also, a likely problem why the computer takes a long time to turn off could be useful programs that simply freeze during any action, in our case closing.
Removing frozen programs
Usually, it is quite simple to determine that an application has frozen; before shutting down, the window says “Waiting to close programs” and a list of them. Sometimes, the problem is more complex because a process or service is hanging, then you should first identify the cause. You can do this by viewing the logs:
1.Click the Start button and select “Control Panel”;
2.Now click on the “Administration” tile;
3.Select “Event Viewer”;
4.Open the “Custom Views” folder;
5.Click on “Management Events”.
You need to look for errors that precede situations when your Windows 10 or other versions turn off for a long time. After identifying the culprit, uninstall/reinstall/update the application and the problem should disappear, as described in the last chapter.
Video driver problems
With some lags in video drivers, there is a problem when the computer turns off for a long time (Windows 7,8,8.1,10). To get rid of the problem, you just need to update and sometimes roll back the drivers.
- Right click on “My Computer” and select “Properties”;
- Now click on “Device Manager”;
- Expand the “Video adapters” drop-down list;
- If there is a yellow exclamation mark next to the line with the name of your video card, then you definitely have problems with the driver, but there may not be one. Right click and “Properties”;
- Then go to the "Driver" tab;
- Click the "Update" button.
If the problem occurred immediately after installing the new driver, then click “Roll Back”. Also, if these steps do not help, simply uninstall and install it again.
Too little free space
The system logical disk must contain at least 5GB of free space for normal system operation. If this requirement is not met, situations may arise with the computer shutting down for a long time.
The solution is clear, you just need to clean the disk, if you install games on it, just move them to another partition, the same with “heavy” programs. This free space is used for the paging file under heavy load, and it is also necessary for disk defragmentation.
System infection with viruses
More often than we would like, computers become infected with viruses, including those that take up a lot of computer power, making it difficult to turn it off. The easiest way to get rid of them is to simply run an antivirus scanner. Be careful when deleting infected files, as they may be important to applications.
The other side of the coin will be a decrease in the speed of system shutdown precisely because of the antivirus program, because it requires a lot of resources. Perhaps the problem arose after installing such an application; usually the speed decreases by 2-10 seconds.
Lowering the program waiting threshold
By default, 12 seconds will pass before the computer displays a message that the program is not responding. If this number is changed to, for example, 5 seconds, then even a frozen application will close faster, which will help with our problem. It’s better to understand the program itself, but this method also works.
- Win + R and type regedit;
- Follow the path HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE - SYSTEM - CurrentControlSet - Control – WaitToKillServiceTimeout;
- You need to find the WaitToKillServiceTimeout parameter and set it to 5000, or 4000.
Cancel Memory Clear
It was originally intended that when shutting down the virtual memory should be cleared, this function can be disabled, which will lead to faster system shutdown. You can do it like this:
- Win + R and enter gpedit.msc;
- Proceed to “Computer Configuration”;
- Now open Windows Configuration;
- Then “Security Settings”;
- Open "Local Policies";
- Finally, “Security Options” on the right side of the window there will be an option appropriately named “shutdown: clear virtual memory file”, select it with a right click and “Properties”;
- Check the box next to "Disabled".
There are several other ways to speed up the shutdown of your computer, but the risk they involve does not justify the result, plus by using these functions you will get a significant increase in speed. If this does not happen, then the problem is in the files of the operating system itself; you can scan it using the sfc /scannow command by entering it into the console. You may need to reinstall the system.
If you still have questions on the topic “What to do if the computer turns off for a long time?”, you can ask them in the comments
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Smart-Tronics! Does your computer take a long time to turn off? Tired of waiting? Find out a simple solution to the problem that does not require special operating system skills. Over time, the Windows registry “collects” unnecessary information that remains from old, already deleted programs. Shutting down the computer is also hampered by installed programs, which the system must first unload from memory and terminate correctly.
As a result, the computer shutdown time increases significantly. Agree, this is very annoying, especially when you need to do other things. But this problem can be solved, and quite simply. This article will tell you how to reduce Windows shutdown time. If yours, then this is a completely different problem, which you can read about at the link. Here's what you can do to reduce Windows shutdown time.
What can you do when your computer turns off for a long time?
1. First of all, let's remove all unnecessary programs from startup. After using Windows for a long time, a large number of programs appear in startup, many of which do not belong there. Moreover, they do not ask the user’s permission whether to include them in startup or not. It's easy to remove unnecessary programs and speed up your computer when it's been turned off for a long time. This is done through the “msconfig” command. If you have Windows XP, type this command through “Start → Run”. If Windows 7, you need to enter the command in the “Search programs and files” item, also through Start. A window with bookmarks will appear. Go to the “Startup” tab and uncheck unnecessary programs. By the way, this method can be used when the computer takes a long time to turn on, but this is a topic for a separate article.
2. Let's reduce the time after which a service or program will be considered frozen. The default is 20 seconds. You can reduce it, for example, by 5 seconds. This is done in the Windows registry, which is called with the “regedit” command. This registry key for both Windows XP and Windows 7 is located in the following path:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\System\CurrentControlSet\Control\
Key WaitToKillServiceTimeout. Set it to 8000 milliseconds, which will reduce the shutdown time of a frozen program by 12 seconds.
3. Let's find another key - HungAppTimeout, which is responsible for the time it takes to determine that a program or service has frozen. The default is 5 seconds. You can reduce this time as you wish, but it is better to set it to 3000 milliseconds.
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Control Panel\Desktop
4. The last key that can be changed to get rid of long computer shutdowns is WaitToKillAppTimeout. Responsible for the time before shutting down an application that has frozen. Defaults to 20 seconds (20000 milliseconds). Can be reduced to 6 seconds. It is located in the same place as the WaitToKillServiceTimeout key.
All these simple measures should help if the computer takes a long time to turn off!
It seems that many PC users have encountered a situation where a computer or laptop takes a very long time to turn off after pressing the Power Off button. As a rule, this does not happen immediately after purchasing a PC or installing a fresh operating system on it, but after some time - several months, or even years. However, this also depends on how and for what the user uses the device. The optimal solution to the problem may be to simply reinstall the operating system, but for most people, firstly, this is an overwhelming procedure, secondly, it takes a lot of time, and thirdly, you will have to restore a lot of data and programs. Therefore, let's try to solve the problem with what is called a little bloodshed.
We are looking for a virus
First of all, install an antivirus on your computer and run a file scan. But even the presence of an antivirus does not always save you from malicious files and applications, so it also makes sense to scan your computer with free utilities such as Kaspersky Virus Removal Tool or Dr. Web CureIt, which often work much more efficiently. If the software finds a malicious file or several, delete them or quarantine them and see if your PC starts shutting down faster.
Cleaning startup
The next possible cause of the problem may be the presence of a large number of programs in startup. How do they even get there, you ask? The fact is that when installing a particular program, several processes are often added to startup at once, one of which, for example, can monitor user actions and redirect this information via the Internet channel, for example, to display more relevant ads in search engines. Alas, there is no escape from this, and by installing the program, you confirm your consent to the transfer of data. Unfortunately, it is only possible to remove some processes from startup by uninstalling the program. If you don't use it, feel free to delete it. I’ve already talked about how to remove software from startup.
Freeing up disk space
Go ahead. The next item on our list is not enough space on the system disk, that is, the one where the information necessary for work is stored. It accumulates constantly, so don’t be surprised if after a while you see some 200 MB of free disk space. In this case, the PC will slow down not only when turned off, but most likely even during operation. We clean the disk and forget about the problem once and for all. By the way, I recommend allocating more space for the system disk so that such problems do not bother you in the future.
Working with the registry
If the previous methods described above did not help you, then let's start working with the registry. I remind you in advance that you need to be extremely careful, since there is a high chance of editing the wrong parameter, as a result of which the operation of the PC may be completely disrupted!
Now to the point. After you click on the shutdown computer button, the system should turn off all running services. Since at this point the system stops for some time, it appears that one or another service has frozen, and a considerable amount of time is allocated to close the frozen service. We must edit this parameter.
I show an example based on the Windows 7 operating system. First - (just in case). Click on the “Start” button, enter the word “regedit” in the “Find” line and press Enter.
The registry is running. Open the path HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\System\CurrentControlSet\Control\ and find the WaitToKillServiceTimeout parameter. In it we change the number of 12000 milliseconds to 5000, which will allow us to forcefully close hung services not in 12 seconds, but in 5.
Repairing the hard drive
Finally, the problem may be directly related to the hard drive. It may be on its last legs and needs to be replaced. This can be determined using special utilities or a specialist.
This may mean that some programs or devices are unable to shut down.
Check if there are any safe disconnect devices left in the USB inputs.
Check - START, Control Panel, Performance Counters, in the sidebar, click the "additional tools" link, - under "Performance Issues" there is a program that is interfering with the normal operation of the system.
Check the notification area to see if there are any program icons from devices, especially a USB camera configured to track motion, that are interfering with the shutdown.
Before shutting down, unplug any USB devices that should be safely removed and open the program icon menu in the notification area that is interfering with shutdown and exit them first.
This behavior can also occur due to conflicting programs that you have installed on your computer.
Log into the system in safe mode and either restore the system to a point when there were no problems, or, by uninstalling the programs that caused this problem, check the integrity of the system files:
Use System File Checker to troubleshoot missing or corrupt Windows Vista or Windows 7 system files
This article describes how to use the System File Checker (SFC.exe) to troubleshoot missing or corrupt Windows Vista or Windows 7 system files.
If the Windows Resource Protection (WRP) file is missing or damaged, Windows may not function properly. For example, some Windows features may not work, or Windows may crash. System File Checker (SFC.exe) searches for missing or damaged system files and repairs them.
(step-by-step instructions, with screenshots, in the link)
Check the system for infection:
What is Windows Defender Offline?
Sometimes malware and other unwanted programs, including rootkits, try to install themselves on your computer. This may happen when you are connected to the Internet or when installing some programs from a CD, DVD, or other media. On your computer, this software may start immediately or unexpectedly. Offline Defender can help you remove hard-to-find malware and unwanted software by using definitions that recognize threats. Definitions are files that are an encyclopedia of potential software threats. Because new threats emerge every day, Offline Defender must keep up to date with the latest definitions. Definition files enable Defender Offline to identify malware and unwanted software and notify you of risks.
To use Defender Offline, you need to follow the four basic steps below.
After checking, be sure to use the system file integrity checker from step 2.
If you used optimizer programs downloaded from the Internet, optimizing and cleaning the system, then only restoring to factory settings will help you, if all of the above did not help you.
If there is neither a hidden partition nor a Recovery disk, then contact the laptop manufacturer’s service center to restore the system to factory settings, and do not forget to conduct hardware diagnostics of the laptop, as this may be the problem.
Don’t look for God, not in a stone, not in a temple - look for God inside yourself. Let the seeker find.
Shutting down your computer for a long time does not fall into the category of emergency problems. This usually happens very rarely when a user forgets to disable a running application. In other cases, this can happen regularly and then such a malfunction begins to greatly interfere with work. In the “natural” state, a Windows computer turns off in no more than thirty seconds, and if it takes you longer, then it’s time to check the device.
Reasons for taking a long time to complete a PC shutdown
Before you start looking for the cause in the registry and other system folders, remember your last actions on the computer. It is possible that the installation of new software or drivers could cause the “disease”. This can also happen in cases where owners of personal computers upgrade their machines and install new components. Most often, such malfunctions are the result of an emergency or incorrect shutdown of the PC. All this can cause an internal conflict to arise in the operation of the system, and its elimination will take some time.
Disconnecting the computer from the power supply while it is running or long pressing the power button on the system unit are also types of emergency shutdown of the device.
Malicious software can also cause such troubles. Typically, applications of this kind are loaded into the computer's RAM, consume it for their needs, and do not really want to be unloaded from there. Thus, they block the procedure of turning off the device.
Remember that viruses can penetrate regular applications that you previously used without problems. In this case, they usually begin to work incorrectly and cause a conflict not only with other installed programs. But also system components of the operating system.
The cause of the malfunction may be the installation of system drivers. Updating system data and installing updated, latest versions of drivers for system components does not always end well due to the fact that the developers themselves can make mistakes. A very clear example of this was related to Windows Defender, which caused significant harm to many users. Developers quickly identify errors and fix them, but in any case, installing an updated version of a software product can already have a negative impact on your personal device. There may be several other problems associated with drivers: when copying installation files, failures and errors may occur, the user may specify incorrect parameters, etc. As a result, one or more of these problems may lead to conflicts within the system itself.
Conflicts can occur when the user wants to turn off the computer, but some active application remains on it. In some cases, developers, when creating their own software products, add to them by blocking forced termination. As a result, when a person turns off the PC, he does not receive a notification to close the program in forced mode and the computer continues to work. Most often, this happens when some conscious action is required from the user in a running application, for example, a notification appears about saving various changes.
A frozen program has the status “Not responding”
It is not uncommon that the problem may be frozen programs. Although the status of such programs is displayed as “Not responding,” the system still recognizes them as active. In such cases, the device will also not turn off until the computer owner himself disables the frozen program.
Lack of free space on your hard drive can also lead to similar consequences. The Windows 7 operating system uses the found available space on the hard drive to store intermediate files there, which are subsequently used during interaction between the user and the PC. If the amount of free space is minimal, then the system will have to access this space much more often to save and replace files there, which also affects the performance of the device.
The page file represents the device's virtual memory. The “closest” analogue is operational. Here, just as in the case of RAM, certain data is stored, and besides, it is regularly updated when the device is turned off. Incorrect user settings, small size or even damage to this file can significantly reduce the speed of computer shutdown.
A small or incorrectly configured page file can cause PC problems
The operating system you are using can itself cause your computer to shut down for a long time. While the user is working with the computer, various information about errors, settings and other manipulations is stored in separate system files. Thus, multiple errors, installation and removal of programs damaging important files cause slow shutdown of the personal computer.
Debugg
To begin with, it is advisable to use simple “treatment” methods that do not require any significant intervention in the system.
Close unnecessary processes and applications
The reason why your computer shuts down slowly may be because some application or program on the device remains active. You can do everything manually, just look at the bottom panel where the Start menu is located, see the running programs and click on the cross in the corner. If your device still does not want to turn off, this means that some application is unstable. In such a situation, the “Task Manager” will help:
Launch "Task Manager"
A frozen program that needs to be closed
If here you see the inscription: “Not responding,” then select it and click on the “Cancel task” button and confirm the operation.
Rolling back recent changes
A personal computer, or more precisely, the operating system itself, during significant changes, creates so-called restore points. Users can use them to return the computer to its previous working state before the changes were made. Typically, a point is created: when installing or updating drivers, when making changes to system files and folders. Also, a recovery point can be created by the user himself. In our case, it can help us roll back to a time when there were no problems with turning off the PC. To do this you should:
Open the System Restore program
Specifying the optimal system restore point
Immediately after completing the procedure, your system will be returned to the same state as it was during the period you specified.
Removing malware
Surely you have an antivirus installed on your personal computer. It is necessary to protect your computer from threats that can be picked up while surfing the web. Use an antivirus and check your computer for viruses, Trojans and other malicious applications. You can do this in the following way:
Launch the antivirus
Use an antivirus to scan your computer and remove viruses
Remember that sometimes malware can even infect your antivirus. In such cases, it turns out to be useless, then you should use anti-virus applications installed on removable media.
If your computer still shuts down for a long time even after you have completely cleaned your PC of viruses, this may be due to damage to the healed files. Reinstalling programs where malicious code was found will help here.
Working with the system registry
The time that is given to a frozen program to respond to the system is determined by special parameters in the system registry. This way, users can reduce the amount of time it takes for the program to respond and create an “automatic” shutdown. As a result of the changes, even if some frozen process or program is detected, and you are about to shut down the device, the system will quickly remove the application and the PC will be turned off. All manipulations are carried out in the system registry, to run which you need to:
Launching the registry editor
Find the required folders and files in the editor
In our case, we will need to make changes to three files at once, these are: HungAppTimeout, WaitToKillServiceTimeout, AutoEndTasks. The first file is responsible for identifying the frozen program by the system. The measurement takes place in milliseconds. After the specified amount has elapsed, the device will understand that the application has frozen. The second file is responsible for the time delay before shutting down a frozen application. The third one gives permission to disconnect. The optimal parameters in our case will be as follows:
Restart your computer and the changes will take effect.
Shortcut for application crashes
This is a very convenient way to fix the problem with the delay in shutting down your computer. All you need to do is create a regular document on your desktop, which contains a unique command that can stop frozen windows and applications. To do this you will need:
Create a shortcut on the desktop
Specify the special command in the field and save
A new shortcut will appear on the desktop, after clicking on which all frozen programs that are not responding to you will end.
USB Hub Power Management (For Laptops)
Laptops have an additional feature that allows them to significantly save energy consumption and control battery consumption for efficient operation of the device. Often this function is unstable and causes problems associated with slow shutdown of the device. The user needs to decide what is more important to him - the battery life of the laptop or the speed of completion of work. If the second is a priority, then we can begin to manipulate, because in this case, in order to speed up the shutdown of the device, we will have to sacrifice the battery capacity. To do this you will need:
Open the “Properties” of the computer
Open "Device Manager"
In "Device Manager" we look for the hub
Change properties and save changes
If you have additional root hubs, you will need to repeat the same procedure for them.
How cleaning your computer can help you shut down faster
When working with a computer, a lot of different information accumulates on it. Data about used applications and programs, deleted ones, installed ones, and much more is saved here. Often, files may remain after uninstalling programs, so it is recommended to regularly use additional cleaning programs. For example, you can use the DriveCleanUp or CCleaner utility. Let's look at the principle of operation using the example of the second application:
We analyze the system using the program
We delete the found information using “Cleaning”
Regularly monitor the free space on your hard drive. If it becomes very low, then remove unnecessary applications and programs, otherwise you are greatly risking the performance of your PC.
Remember that for optimal computer operation there must be at least seven gigabytes of free space on the hard drive - the minimum required for the effective operation of the OS.
In addition to cleaning the hard drive from old files and unnecessary programs, it is recommended to regularly do the same with the system unit. Accumulated dust negatively affects the operation of system components, including errors, freezes, and unstable operation. Therefore, clean the components from dust from time to time.
Working with virtual memory
When a personal computer is turned off, it accesses the paging file and clears it of garbage accumulated during operation. Naturally, this procedure affects the shutdown speed of the PC, so it can be disabled. You will need:
Select the file and open its “Properties”
“Undoing changes in progress, do not turn off the computer”, but the computer cannot be turned off, what should I do?
This type of malfunction is caused by the use of a pirated copy of the operating system or regular incorrect shutdown of the personal computer. You can get rid of it if you use “Safe Mode”. To do this you will need:
The next thing you have to do is uninstall the latest system updates. This can be done in the C:/windows/SoftwareDistribution/Download directory. Change the display by date and remove the most recent files. Save the changes and restart your personal computer.
Video on the topic
Video: what to do to make your computer turn on and off faster
If you encounter a similar problem and your computer does not turn off for a long time after clicking “Shut down,” then use one of the above methods. They will help you get rid of the problem effectively and quickly.