How to Troubleshoot Windows Me Shutdown Problems (273746)


The information in this article applies to:

  • Microsoft Windows Millennium Edition
This article was previously published under Q273746

SUMMARY

This article describes troubleshooting steps that may help you solve problems that occur when you shut down Windows Millennium Edition (Me). This information is also available in the Windows Me Startup and Shutdown Troubleshooting Wizard. Microsoft recommends using this wizard, but this text-based article is available for your convenience. The Windows Me Startup and Shutdown Troubleshooting Wizard is located in the Help and Support Center in Windows Me or at the following Microsoft Web site:

http://support.microsoft.com/support/windows/tshoot/

NOTE: If you are searching for troubleshooting information that is not referred to in this article, please try searching the Knowledge Base again using keywords listed in the following article:

242450 How to Query the Microsoft Knowledge Base Using Keywords

MORE INFORMATION

Shutdown problems in Windows Me can be caused by any of the following issues:
  • Incompatible, damaged, or conflicting device drivers.
  • A damaged exit sound file.
  • Incorrectly configured or damaged hardware.
To troubleshoot these issues:
  1. Determine whether a program in the StartUp folder conflicts with the startup process:
    1. Click Start, click Run, type msconfig in the Open box, and then click OK.
    2. Click Selective Startup, click to clear the Load Startup Group Items check box, click Apply, click OK, and then click Yes to restart your computer.
    3. Test to determine if the issue is resolved by restarting your computer. If your computer does not shut down correctly, skip to step 2. If your computer shuts down correctly, one of your startup programs is probably causing this issue. To determine which startup program is causing this issue, continue with the next step.
    4. Click Start, click Run, type msconfig in the Open box, and then click OK.
    5. On the Startup tab, click to select a check box, click OK, and then click Yes to restart your computer. Test to determine if the startup program you disabled caused the issue. If not, repeat steps D through E, but enable a different program step E. When your computer does not start correctly, you have determined that the last startup program you enabled is the cause of the issue.

      NOTE: If disabling startup programs does not resolve the problem, re-enable the startup programs by repeating steps A through B, and then click to select the Load Startup Group Items check box.
  2. Determine if the shutdown problem is caused by a command or driver that is loaded automatically from the Win.ini or System.ini files:
    1. Click Start, click Run, type msconfig, and then click OK.
    2. Click Selective Startup, and then click to clear the following check boxes:
      • Process Win.ini file
      • Process System.ini file

      NOTE: If any of these items is unavailable, that particular file does not contain any items to load.

    3. Click OK, and then click Yes to restart the computer. Test to determine if the issue is resolved by restarting your computer. If your computer does not shut down correctly, repeat steps A through B, but in step B, click to select the check boxes, and then continue with step 3.
  3. Disable some device drivers. Some of the most common device drivers that may cause problems are sound card drivers, video adapter drivers, and network adapter drivers. To disable device drivers:
    1. Right-click My Computer, click Properties, and then click the Device Manager tab.
    2. Double-click a device type, for example, Sound, Video, and Game Controllers, to expand it.
    3. Click one of the listed devices, and then click Properties.
    4. Click to select the Disable In This Hardware Profile check box.

      IMPORTANT: Record all of the devices you disable in this manner so that you can enable them again later.
    5. Click OK, click OK, and then restart your computer.

      Test to determine if the issue is resolved by restarting your computer. If your computer does not shut down correctly, repeat steps A through E, but disable a different item in step D. To test your video adapter, click Start, click Run, type msconfig, click OK, click Advanced, click to select the VGA 640x480x16 check box, and then click OK. If you disable your sound card, video adapter, and network adapter, but the issue is still not resolved, re-enable these devices by repeating steps A through E, but in step D, click to clear the Disable In This Hardware Profile check box, and then continue with step 4.

      NOTE: If you are unable to change the video adapter by using the preceding steps, change your video adapter driver to the Standard VGA driver by using these steps:
      1. Click Start, point to Settings, click Control Panel, and then double-click Display.
      2. Click the Settings tab, click Advanced, click the Adapter tab, and then click Change.
      3. Click Next, click Display a list of all the drivers in a specific location, so you can select the driver you want, and then click Next.
      4. Click Show All Hardware, click Standard Display Types in the Manufacturer box, click Standard Display Adapter (VGA) in the Models box, and then click Next.
      5. Click Yes, click Next, and then click Finish.
      6. Click Close, click Close, and then click Yes when you are prompted to restart your computer.

        If changing your video adapter to the Standard VGA driver resolves the issue, contact your video adapter manufacturer to inquire about the availability of an updated Windows Me video adapter driver. For additional information about how to troubleshoot display problems, click the article number below to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

        127139 Troubleshooting Video Problems in Windows

  4. Determine if the shutdown problem is caused by a damaged exit sound file:
    1. Click Start, point to Settings, click Control Panel, and then double-click Sounds and Multimedia.
    2. Record the name and location of the Exit Windows sound, click Exit Windows in the Sound Events box, and then click None in the Name box.
    3. Click OK, and then restart your computer.

      Test to determine if the issue is resolved by restarting your computer. If your computer does not shut down correctly, repeat steps A though C, but restore your original Exit Windows sound in step B, and then continue with step 5. If the issue is resolved, your Exit Windows sound file is damaged and must be replaced. To replace the sound file, restore the file from a backup, or reinstall the program that provided the sound file.
  5. Determine if Advanced Power Management (APM) is causing the shutdown problem by disabling it:

    NOTE: Not all computers have APM features. If you computer does not have APM features, skip this step. If you are not sure, follow these steps to determine if APM is listed in Device Manager, or check with your hardware manufacturer.
    1. Click Start, point to Settings, click Control Panel, double-click System, and then click the Device Manager tab.
    2. Double-click the System Devices branch to expand it.
    3. Double-click Advanced Power Management in the device list, click the Settings tab, and then click to select the Force APM 1.0 Mode and Disable Power Status Polling check boxes.
    4. Click OK until you return to Control Panel, and then restart your computer.

      Test to determine if the issue is resolved by restarting your computer. If your computer does not shut down correctly, repeat steps A through D, but click to clear the Force APM 1.0 Mode and Disable Power Status Polling check boxes, and then continue with step 6.
  6. Determine if shutdown problems are being caused by a virtual device driver (.vxd file):
    1. Click Start, click Run, type msconfig, and then click OK.
    2. Click Selective Startup, and then click to clear the Load Static VxDs check box.
    3. Click OK, and then click Yes to restart the computer. Test to determine if the issue is resolved by restarting your computer. If your computer does not shut down correctly, repeat steps A through C, but in step C, click to select the check box, and then continue with the next step. This is a partial list of Microsoft static .vxd files:
      Name of static .vxd fileProvides support for
      Vnetsup.vxdMicrosoft networking
      Ndis.vxdMicrosoft networking
      Ndis2sup.vxdMicrosoft networking
      Javasup.vxdJava support
      Vrtwd.386Clock
      Vfixd.vxdVideo Phone helper
      Vnetbios.vxdMicrosoft networking
      Vserver.vxdMicrosoft networking
      Vredir.vxdMicrosoft networking
      Dfs.vxdMicrosoft networking
      Ndiswan.vxdMicrosoft networking
      Msmouse.vxdMicrosoft Mouse
      Check the properties of the incompatible static .vxd file to determine which program it is associated with. Uninstall and then reinstall the program to replace the .vxd file with a new copy. To check the properties of a file, click Start, click Search, type the name of the file in the For Files or Folders box, and then click Search Now. After the file you are looking for is displayed in the list, right-click the file, and then click Properties.

      For additional information about System Configuration Utility, click the article number below to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

      181966 System Configuration Utility Advanced Troubleshooting

  7. Determine if the problem is listed in the startup log file. You can look in your startup log file (Bootlog.prv) to find information about problems that occur during shutdown. The Bootlog.prv file is a hidden file in the root folder of drive C. If Windows is configured to hide system files, use these steps to display hidden files:
    1. On the Windows desktop, double-click My Computer.
    2. On the Tools menu, click Folder Options.
    3. Click the View tab.
    4. Click to clear the Hide protected operating system files check box, and then click Yes when you are prompted to confirm this action.
    5. Click OK, and then look for the Bootlog.prv file again.
    If you still cannot find this file on your hard disk, you can create a new one:

    1. Click Start, click Shut Down, click Shut Down, and then click OK.
    2. If your computer does not automatically shut off, press the power button on your computer to turn it off. Leave your computer off for approximately 15 seconds, and then turn your computer back on.
    3. While your computer is starting, press and hold the CTRL key. When the Startup menu is displayed, use the UP ARROW and DOWN ARROW keys to choose Logged (\BOOTLOG.TXT), and then press ENTER.
    4. After Windows starts, click Start, click Shut Down, click Restart, and then click OK.
    To review your startup log file:

    1. Double-click My Computer, double-click drive C, and then look for the Bootlog.prv file.
    2. Double-click the Bootlog.prv file. If you are prompted to select a program to use to open the file, click WordPad, Notepad, or any text editor in the list.
    3. Look for "Terminate=" entries. These entries, located at the bottom of the file, might provide clues about the cause of the problem. If a process that is started by a "Terminate=" entry is completed successfully, the file contains a matching "EndTerminate=" entry.
    4. Check the last line in the Bootlog.prv file to see if it is one of these items:
      • Terminate=Query Drivers: This is a Memory Manager problem. Your computer might have defective memory chips or damaged files. You might need to reinstall Windows.
      • Terminate=Reset Display: Try installing an updated video adapter driver.
      • Terminate=RIT: There may be timer-related problems with the sound card or an older mouse driver. Try installing updated drivers for these devices.
      • Terminate=Win32: A program is not shutting down properly. Try quitting all programs before you shut down Windows.

Support WebCast

Support WebCasts are a product support information service offered to all Online Support customers. To view a WebCast on Troubleshooting Shutdown issues in Windows Me, visit the following Microsoft Web site:

http://support.microsoft.com/servicedesks/webcasts/wc080701/wcblurb080701.asp

Modification Type:MinorLast Reviewed:9/28/2004
Keywords:kbenv kbHardware kbhowto kbtshoot KB273746
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