'Restart' causes crash

[squeakmail]

Didn't notice at what point it started happening...but...whenever loading software...and getting the "You must restart your computer to make the changes" (or words to that effect)....or when pressing "Reset" button on front of computer....everything hangs up.

Screen goes to black - and stays there. No sound of any kind.

Only way out is to switch off...then when switching back on again, I get a b********g from Windows for not having closed it down properly.

If, however, I first select "Shut down", then switch off, then switch on again...all is well.

Ok, gurus...any thoughts?

------------------
LIVE in peace...or REST in it!

[ExSimGuy]

May be a silly question, but when your program does a restart, or you hit the restart button, and the screen goes black, is the "power on" light on the system unit still on?

[InFinRetirement]

Squeakmail, your last sentence is the very point.

Two ways to re-start your computer! One: Click Start then select Shut Down click OK, after it has shut down you can press the power button again. Two: Click Start and select Re-start click OK and just sit back for it start again. in BOTH cases it re-boots which is what you want.

Using RE-SET will NOT RE-BOOT your machine and should only be used in other circumstances of your choice.

[squeakmail]

EXSim...yep, all is normal with the power.

InFin...even Start/Shut Down/Restart causes the same problem...only way to stop a "hang" is to select Shut Down and go through the switches.

Worst case is software loading..."You may ned to reboot for settings to take place". Cannot recover from accepting Restart without closing down fully.

Hmmmmm.

------------------
LIVE in peace...or REST in it!

[stickyb]

There is a very useful bit of software you can download from Microsft which tracks just such things and produces a diagnostic log. Will try and find it for you.

[spannersatcx]

If it's W98 there is a patch from microsoft to sort out shut down problems. You'll haveto find it as I can't remember whhere it is. There is also a very comprehensive troubleshooter at the same place.
Ok so I had a look this is for w98SE http://support.microsoft.com/support/kb/articles/Q238/0/96.ASP?LNG=ENG&SA=ALLKB&FR=0

[This message has been edited by spannersatcx (edited 12 April 2000).]

[ExSimGuy]

Stickyb,

Do you mean DrWatson? I think this comes "out of the box" with Windows, but it's a while since I used it. Trouble is that you have to install it if you haven't already - which may be a problem with the snag noted above!

Re-reading the original post - and subsequent, nothing else I can offer at the moment but the download sounds a good idea worth trying.

InFin, the "reset" on the front panel WILL usually reboot the computer (if it doesn't I'd suspect a hardware fault as it goes pretty much straight to the cpu chip input pin) but should only be used "when all else fails", as should the "power off button", as it leaves files open and you have to go through the nausia of the "scandisk" (Win 98 or later) when you start up again.

[This message has been edited by ExSimGuy (edited 13 April 2000).]

[Cornish Jack]

Not sure whether this will make you happy or sad, but I have exactly the same thing with one of my desktops. The answer? I don't have a clue!! I just keep going along the reboot trail, Scandisk and all. BTW are you using a CYRIX chip? I am but that may have nothing to do with it. http://www.pprune.org/ubb/NonCGI/confused.gif http://www.pprune.org/ubb/NonCGI/confused.gif

[spannersatcx]

You can try turning fast shutdown off, click srat>run>type msconfig click ok and turn off fast shutdown. Also turn off all power management in windows and the BIOS.

[InFinRetirement]

As usual Spanners has the right idea.

What you need to do is click start and on the pop-up at the top you should have "Windows Updates" click that and it will take you right to the place Spanners was talking about. Just look down the list and you will see the update that stops the shutdown problem.

Sorry my suggestions didn't work!