Power Off button vs. Shut Down button on screen.

Hi PeteCursi

this depends on how you use the power button

a long press (about 5 seconds) on the power button will cut the power, without ending processes or closing apps properly - this should only be used when the system is completely unresponsive.

there are options for the action of a quick press and release.

if it is set to shutdown, then there is no difference between pressing and releasing the power button or using the shutdown option in the power menu

it can also be set to sleep or hibernate.

settings -> system -> power & sleep

click "additional power settings"

click "choose what the power buttons do"

set "when i press the power button" to shutdown

a press and release of the power button will then shutdown the pc.

Is there any problems  using the 'power-button' on the tower vs. using the 'Shut Down' button on screen.

Yes - and it's a big problem.

The Shutdown button on your screen closes open processes and exits Windows in an orderly manner. The power button on your computer simply shuts off the power.

It's like the difference between being allowed to finish your sentence and being abruptly cut off.

Hi Martmcd, 

You wrote this : "if it is set to shutdown, then there is no difference between pressing and releasing the power button or using the shutdown option in the power menu", but I should contradict. 

I've an HP c8200 machine with a newly installed Windows 10 , using it as HTPC (Earlier it was installed with Windows 7, this information will be important later). Sometimes I would need to switch on this machine remotely, using Wake-on-LAN, which had been worked when I used Windows 7 on the machine. 

The current situation, which is strange for me and contradict what you wrote about the power button shutdown and the Start menu shutdown, that if I shut down the machine using the Start menu->Shut down, then I cann't switch it on with WOL through LAN, but if I shut it down, using the power button (short press, I've configured the Control Panel/Power Options/Advanced Power Setting/Power button action to Shut down) on the machine, then I can switch it on with WOL. I've checked and diagnosed, that using the power button, one of the LEDs above the LAN connector remains blinking, but if I use the Start menu->Shut down, then the LED is off, but currently I don't know the reason and the difference. 

I guess I should set something within Windows 10 to be identical the power button shut down and the Start menu->Shut down. 

Do you have any idea ? 

Thanks, 

kopizoli