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WinXP sp-2 reboots when tell it to "shutdown". 1

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mattshirk

mattshirk

Technical User
Mar 30, 2005
31
US
I have a WinXP sp-2 that reboots instead of shutting down. I can't find any setting for this in the BIOS and I am SURE that we are not mis-clicking.

I read that it may be a hardware setting but I'm hoping someone here knows where to start looking for this one.

PC specs:
AMD Sempron 2200+
1.5 Ghz
512 RAM

Thanks for any help,
 
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This is the best Shutdown troubleshooter.



To get further information about any error look in your Event viewer.

Look in the System or Application folder. You can get to the Event Viewer via right click My Computer icon and select Manage.

Any errors logged in the Event Viewer can be expanded by double clicking on the error line.

Take any event error I.D. number and search for it on these sites.




Also check any "Information" line that mentions "savedump" and you should find reference to "recovered from a bug check". This is the Stop Error that caused your problem.

You can also turn off "automatically restart after an error" so it will just halt at the fault and display the full Stop Error and blue screen.

Right-click My Computer, and then click Properties .
On the Advanced tab, click Settings under Startup and Recovery .
Click to clear the Automatically restart check box under System failure , and then click OK . The error message on a blue screen should remain on the screen so you can record the error information.

 
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I think linney is correct, that a fatal error is being thrown during shutdown which leads to the reboot.

If you post the blue screen error code back here it is likely some help will be forthcoming.


 
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Thanks. I never actually see a stop error on a blue screen. It appears to shutdown normally until you see the XP splash screen again and it comes up with the login box.

Event log didn't show any errors related to shutdown when I checked yesterday.

I'll not sure where to find the memory dump. Searching form "Small Dump File" or "Dump File" don't produce any matches.
 
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Start your machine in Safe Mode and see if you can shutdown correctly from there?

You could also try the command Shutdown /s from the Start Run box and see if that works.

You don't say how long you have been having shutdown problems, is it a recent thing that you can trace back to some action or event?


Have you turned off the Automatic Restarts?

Are there any "Wake On" events that could be causing this?

Have a look at the various "Wake On" events included in the computer setup.


System Turns Itself On - Win XP
Thread779-665592

Cpu starts up when phone rings
Thread779-282001

Computer Starts On Its Own.



Sorry to harp on about "Save Dump" but I feel you might be missing out on the helpful information it may be able to provide.

Just make sure that in Control Panel/ System/ Advanced/ Startup and Recovery/ Settings/ System Failure, that you have ticked "Write an event to the System Log" If you don't have this checked a lot of helpful information will be missing from the Event Viewer.

"Save Dump" is not a red error message it is an "Information" line which you must locate and click on to get to the extra information. See if you can use the Filter option in the Event Viewer under the View menu (while the System folder is highlighted) to search for the "Save Dump" events. All you have to do then is use the down arrow (in the resulting window) to select "Save Dump" in the "Event Source" box. Click Apply and OK, then you will have all the "Save Dump" Information lines in one place in the Event Viewer.

Now you can click on them and get those "Bug Check" details.
 
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More info:

"Write an event to the System log" is checked.
Looked for "Save Dump" in the filter but it didn't have search feature and didn't see anything that referenced any kind of Memory dump.

Searched C: for "*.dmp" and "dump" but didn't find anything but the user had to get back on that PC so I'll look somemore when it is free.

What is the exact file name I am searching for?
Hidden and system files are set to be shown
By the way, this PC finds the event log under "C:/Windows/System32/config/SysEvent.evt"


 
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I can only assume you are referring to this location?

C:\WINDOWS\Minidump

Do you have any Minidump files in Windows/Minidump that correspond with the times of the error?
If so (which I doubt), see if you can locate a BugCheckCode (The Stop Error) in the dump file. Your Search parameters should have found any files as they have a .dmp extension and if I remember correctly a date name.

315263 - Reading the Small Memory Dump Files That Windows Can Create for Debugging

254649 - Windows Memory Dump File Options Overview

307973 - HOW TO: Configure System Failure and Recovery Options in Windows

How to Use Dumpchk.exe to Check a Memory Dump File


Then you can go up to the next complicated level.

Windows Debugger, part of Never-Ending-Problem
thread779-1064535

Without a .dmp file, without any clues in the Event Viewer, this is going to be hard. Can you go through the earlier posts in this thread and supply some information on questions asked which might help a bit, otherwise we are as much in the dark as you?

Some general things to try.

See if System Restore will get you back to a restore point before your problem with Explorer.

Try Safe Mode (Do you have this problem in Safe Mode?).

Try running ChkDsk to check your drive for errors. Right click your Drive icon/ Properties/ Tools/ Error Checking.

Run the System File Checker program from the Run Box by typing.....Sfc /Scannow in it and have your XP CD handy.

HOW TO: Verify Unsigned Device Drivers in Windows XP

If they don't work you could try repairing windows by running it over itself. You will lose all your windows updates but your files will be untouched.

How to Perform an In-Place Upgrade (Reinstallation) of Windows XP (Q315341)
 
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I forgot to tell you that I tried a "Shutdown" from safe mode... and get the same problem. It just reboots again.

I find no file called "minidump" or "dump" or "*.dmp" after searching the whole drive.

Can't find any "Wake on" events other than the network cards "Auto wake" feature which I disabled.

Disabled all of the "auto Standby" and powersave options as well.

I did find a file: C:\Windows\system32\config\SysEvent.evt but can't open it with Notepad, Wordpad, or MS Word. Just get jibberish.

I did find a "restart on system failure" as part of the Safe Mode menu and disabled it, but it didn't help.

She has an HP all-in-one printer/fax/scanner which I powered off before shutting down the PC but that didn't make any difference either. You don't think it would have to be disconnected from the PC as well do you?

 
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to answer your earlier question... the issue started about 2 months ago. The PC has been up and running for a little over 1 year. No hardware has been installed in near 1 year, also.

thanks



 
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C:\Windows\system32\config\SysEvent.evt is the file which is read by the Event Viewer program.

Installing this service "User Profile Hive Cleanup Service" may help shutdown issues:
Try running ChkDsk /r from the Recovery Console to check your drive for errors.

How to install and use the Recovery Console in Windows XP


Have you tried setting your Bios to use the Safe Default settings, or even checking to see if the is any Bios update available?

Resources to help troubleshoot shutdown problems in Windows XP

"Windows XP Restarts When You Try to Shut Down Your Computer (Q311806)"

Windows XP won't shut down properly
thread779-206510

HOW TO: Verify Unsigned Device Drivers in Windows XP
 
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Like Linney suggested
Just make sure that in Control Panel/ System/ Advanced/ Startup and Recovery/ Settings/ System Failure, that you have ticked "Write an event to the System Log" If you don't have this checked a lot of helpful information will be missing from the Event Viewer.
Click to expand...
the past 2 days I hav been having periodically reboot instad of shutdown or on restart I need to check different HD's.. This only started since Adobe updated to 7.02..(every error in the even viewer log also says adobe is having problems...)minor glitch but doable.


Frank Smith irc.dhcnetwork.com
gunslinger.gif

SomeWhere in Kansas Near Dodge City
 
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Yes the "Write an event to the System Log" is checked, yet I'm not finding anything regarding shutdown problems logged in the Event log.

I'll try installing the User profile hive cleanup service Lenny mentioned.

I have already run a "check disk" from windows but I'll run it again using the DOS command you gave me.

Lenny, do you have any DOS command shortcuts for turning on the "Write event to system log"?

I just don't get why there are no errors getting logged. (there are other usual entries in Event Log) It is like Windows is expecting a restart but it still should log the restart process shouldn't it?
 
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It also have been noted.. all over.. possible that EZCD or Direct CD, any portion of Roxio has been known to create this problem. Uninstall Roxio & see if this takes care of the problem. other programs which have been known to do the same. Dr. Divx, Adobe Reader, EZCD, Roxio Products, & some Plextor Programs. There are workaround for all products. Some involve REGEDIT, some involve other methods.

Frank Smith irc.dhcnetwork.com
gunslinger.gif

SomeWhere in Kansas Near Dodge City
 
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