In this article we are going to talk a little about why my computer shut down time is so slow We have a lot of questions about computers that run good but the shutdown process takes way longer then it is supposed to. Once the shut down command is initiated, some systems will spin the hard drive seemingly forever until the shutdown finally occurs. Computer shut down issues can be caused by many reasons from software to hardware. By far one of the most common is a program that is using too many resources. In order to determine this, open up your Task Manager while the computer is running. Click on the Process tab. Take a close look at some of the programs that are running and how many CPU cycles they are using. If you spot a program that is using a high percentage, simply close the program. If you cannot close the program stop the process from running by highlighting the process and clicking on the end process tab of your Task Manager. You will get a complaint window but close it anyway. Now try to do your computer shut down. If the system shuts down normally you have found your problem. You will either have to shut the program down before shutting down or if it is something you can live without, just uninstall it. If you still have issues, repeat the process again. In addition, be sure to unplug all your USB devices as a test. Sometimes these devices will stop your computer from shutting down and in some cases from starting. If your system now shuts down normally, you are done. Some computers have their virtual memory set to delete when the computer shuts down. This will add up to a few minutes for the shut down process to occur. Unless you have a specific security need for this to happen, I recommend you turn this option off. In Windows XP, go to Start>Control Panel>Administrator Tools>Local Security Policy>Local Policies>Security Options. Look at the options and find the “Clear virtual memory page file when system shuts down “ entry. Be sure the setting is Disabled. If it is Enabled click on the line and change...
Read MoreHi everybody. When was the last time you checked your computer for hard drive errors and bad sectors? If it has been a while, now might be a good time to be sure your disk is in proper condition. The check could take a long time but it just like housework it needs to be done. In this column we are going to guide you through some of the steps that are needed to accomplish this task. The first place you need to go is to your start menu. From here you will want to go to My Computer. Find the drive you want to check and right click on the drive and select the properties button. Once the drive properties window is open you will want to go to the tab that says Tools. You will see at the top the verbiage “This option will check the drive for errors” Go ahead and click on the “Check Now” button you see. A new window will open with 2 check boxes. Be sure to check both the “Automatically fix file system errors” and “Scan for and attempt recovery of bad sectors”. Click the “Start” button. You will now get a dialog box that says that Windows cannot check the drive because it is in use message. Click the ”Schedule disk check” button. The next time you start the computer the check disk utility will run. Be advised that it could take hours depending on how much is on the drive. The reason the utility cannot perform the operation without restarting the computer is because many of the Windows files are in use and when these files are being accessed by Windows, they cannot be checked or modified. When you start the computer, the utility begins before the operating system loads and this allows the check disk utility to do its job. Windows has another neat safety net for keeping your computer in shape. It is called System File Checker. To do this operation you will need your original Windows Disk. Simply place the disk in your drawer. If the disk tries to open or play simply cancel the operation. You will now need to open a command prompt. In...
Read MoreA computer crash is one of the last things you would want to experience in the middle of an important business you are doing on your PC. It also would ruin an otherwise enjoyable and relaxing web surfing or research experience. The hardest part, of course, is dealing with a computer crash problem, which is a very tedious task. It may also cost you a fortune. The most common causes of a computer crash are (1) a damaged registry; (2) spyware programs; (3) an overcrowded hard disk; and (4) too much startup programs installed. A computer’s registry contains important configuration information that supports all hardware and software operations. It is one of the most vulnerable components of your Windows operating system. The prolonged use of your PC system opens it up to malicious, incorrect, and harmful information carried by malicious spyware. These unwanted data fills up your PC memory, causing the whole system to slow down, read errors, and eventually, crash. A slow registry slows the computer down because it would take longer to read requests sent by your software and hardware programs. A reliable registry cleaning tool is the best option you have to solve your problem. Such tools dispose of unwanted and malicious files in your registry. Use registry cleaner tools to defrag your registry and create registry backups. This way your registry could be restored in case it fails because of malware. Registry problems do not develop overnight. However, one virus could send your computer crashing within a matter of minutes. It is the responsibility of computer owners to install anti-spyware and anti-virus on their computers. If you plan on buying a new PC, make sure such programs are already installed. Update your anti-virus programs regularly. New viruses and malware programs are developed every passing minute, ready to invade your system if you make the wrong move. Choose tools that have a real-time protection system to be able to combat incoming malware and viruses as they make their first move. Anti-virus and anti-spyware tools can usually be set to hold full system scans at regular intervals. Take advantage of this function. Once your disk space has been cleaned, it is advisable to activate your Disk Defragmenter,...
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