Something Causing VERY slow Shutdown

Question

A month or so ago, I noticed that my computer (Windows 7 Professional, 64 bit) started taking an unusually long time to shut down. When I click the "Shut down" button, my desktop icons quickly disappear and the words "Logging off" appear for about 1 or 2 seconds before switching to "Shutting down"...that's when the long shut down period begins. The startup is still very fast...the issue occurs only during the shut down process. I assume it's most likely a program I installed but I could be wrong and, if it is a program, unfortunately I had downloaded several programs by the time I realized the slow shut down so I can't isolate the possible culprit.

Before posting this, I shut down my pc and timed the process...when the words "Logging off" switched to "shutting down", I started the clock...it took 4 minutes and 5 seconds to completely shut down.

Does anyone know how I can determine what program (or other issue) is causing this? Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks!

Answer 1

Hi

Thank you for Contacting Microsoft Community

Windows update installation basically happens while system goes for shutdown

Could you please update what has been set for windows automatic update.Change the setting to ""Download the update but let me choose when to install""in by going to control panel windows update and click change setting

chances are it is something (3rd party) that you installed that is causing it.

If you re-install but add the same programs back it will return.

You might want to re-install and then re-install one thing at a time until the problem start again, that way you will know what is causing it.

Try this Also

Step 1: Disconnect all the external devices (printers, scanner, USB (universal serial bus) drives, etc...)  Except mouse and the keyboard and then boot up.

If this corrects the issue then add the devices back one at a time until you discover the piece of hardware causing the issue.  Then get any updated drivers\software for the device.

Step 2:  Put the computer in clean boot to figure out the problem causing program

Follow Step 1 in the link below,

How to troubleshoot a problem by performing a clean boot in Windows Vista or in Windows 7

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/929135 

If everything works fine after a clean boot, you can infer that some third party services are causing the problem.