Slow shut down

[JustSia]

My pc takes ages to shut down. It normally gets stuck on Saving Settings for at least 5min. I have done all the usual: 'cleaned' my pc, ran defragmentation and disk check. It seems from previous posts that the only thing left to do is to manually change the registry. Now, I am very unsure about it and would really appreciate some advice on the steps I should take, bearing in mind I know next to nothing about computers.

I have XPpro, and I don't know whether this might help but whenever I turn pc off the Device Detector has on occasions refused to switch off and I suspect this might be the reason for slow shut down. Also as in my previous post I lose my Internet Connection if I remove any external hardware, like ICYBOX. Oh, and someone mentioned before about the Sounds and Audio directory for shutting down windows, it seems to be missing all together.

I would really appreciate all the help I can get.

Thanks. S.

[kwicky]

As an alternative have you tried pressing 'Ctrl'','Alt, and 'Delete' keys all together and pressing Applications. This will show any non system programs currently running. If there are any stop them running.'

[JustSia]

Thanks Kwicky, but I wouldn't even dream about stopping any of them without knowing what it is I am stopping. There are loads under User and obviously some under Local and Network Service. Besides that still wouldn't explain the slow shut down or prevent it from happening next time. Between manually stopping the processes and waiting 5 minutes I'd rather wait in case I stop something important.

[lhendri479]

Do you have Norton's by any chance? I also have XP Pro and have been told to turn off Norton's before I shut down. It helps

[HAHA..]

is youre computer by any chance a dell because mine takes ages to shut down