Laptop Won't Shut Down

[Mr.Bottomtooth]

I have an HP laptop that runs Windows 7, and it doesn't allow me to shut down. Or even log off, for that matter. I can only put it on standby by closing it, but it doesn't allow me to do anything else. And usually when I re-open it, it would ask for my password, but now it just goes back to whatever I was doing before. Help please?

[ElNono]

Push the power button on it? It should shut down...

[Mr.Bottomtooth]

Well yeah, but it doesn't shut down properly on the Start Menu.

[lefty]

Damn, usually, it's "I can't start my CPU"

[resistanze]

What do you exactly mean by it won't allow you? When you click the windows button, the only option you get is 'Standby'? Or are the option options there (Switch user/lock/log off/sleep/hibernate/shut down), but still leads to standby?

I would try going to control panel --> hardware and sound --> power options and mess around with something there.

[koriwhat]

install ubuntu.

[Mr.Bottomtooth]

What do you exactly mean by it won't allow you? When you click the windows button, the only option you get is 'Standby'? Or are the option options there (Switch user/lock/log off/sleep/hibernate/shut down), but still leads to standby?

I would try going to control panel --> hardware and sound --> power options and mess around with something there.

I click shut down, or any of the other options, but nothing happens.

[koriwhat]

you have norton on that computer? if it doesn't resolve your issue by uninstalling norton at least you'll be better off without it. haha

[phyzik]

This is most likely due to a process or program thats not closing properly. Do you get to the "logging off" or "shutting down" screen and it just hangs there or it simply does nothing at all and you stay at your desktop?

If your computer is up to date, I hear Windows 7 has issues with the microsoft update KB976098: Time zone update.... try uninstalling that update and see if it works.

[CuckingFunt]

You might want to try googling the problem if you haven't already. My laptop, running Vista, was doing something similar (couldn't actually get to the shut down options, so I could only put it in Sleep mode) a few months ago and it turned out to have just been an improperly installed update. I think. Now that I've typed this I can't remember exactly what the issue was, but in any case it was an easy fix to a problem lots of people were having.

[mouse]

Shutdown issues are (IMO) mostly due to hanging apps that won't close gracefully.
To figure out which one, open Task Manager to the Processes tab and attempt to shut down.
Look for any unusual activity just before the system hangs.