I am using a HP computer with Win/me. Its a 933 motherboard with a pentium 3. I usually never shut down the system because I operate off a cable modem. Problem: If i attempt to shut down, the monitor turns to a black screen, but the computer keeps running. No more do I ever get the orange message on the screen telling me my computer has successfully shutdown. I called HP and they told me to go to "start" "Run" and type in msconfig, then to startup. Told me that one of the programs I have on the startup may be preventing the system from shutting down.I removed all that were not needed on startup, but the problem remains. Any suggestions? Thanks

the best advice i can give is to put all needed programs on floppies or cdr's and theb reload the sytem either using a start up disc or recovery disc.

Thanks for the suggestion, but the problem isn't big enough for me to format my hard drive. There has to be a better way. LOL. I guess I will just let it run 24/7. I have set the maintenance to scan and defrag, every evening to keep the system running smooth.

Make sure you've disabled all forms of power management via your control panel and bios. And take a gander here...might help; http://www.burzurq.com/forum/trevtweak.html

Startup items and power management are the usual suspects. The cable modem might be your problem also. I had an external dialup modem that caused the system to hang instead of shutdown. USB garbage. Ive also had some problems with USB printers so i try and steer clear of anything USB. The Your system has shutdown message. I never see this. I have seen it once when i upgraded to me and never since i clean installed me. When i choose shutdown.. my pc is off, dead, done in like 5 seconds. I usually shutdown with the power button. To do this... start / settings/ control panel / power options / advanced tab / set the drop down box under "power buttons" to Power Off. This does not cause damage and i never get a inproper shutdown message. Some people confuse this method of shutting down with a hardboot or holding the power button in until power dies. It works with all versions of windows since 98se [maybe older but i dont know] and may or may not be a motherboard specific feature. I cant find a manual to this proprietary HP mobo so i dont know. [why i hate people who say "check your mobo's manual" :)]

Thank you for that answer.I checked everything you said, and everything was already set that way. Here is exactly what happens when I attempt to shut down. Click start, go to shutdown, click OK when shutdown is highlighted in the box. The music, and the shutdown message does not appear. The screen on the monitor turns black, but the computer is still running. I have to hold the power button for 5 seconds to get the thing to shutdown. Then, when I restart, windows automatically has to do a scan disk, because of the illegal shutdown. Now, if I go to start and highlight the restart button, and restart the computer, the computer will shut down almost correctly. Windows shutdown music will come on, the computer shuts down for a second, and then restatrs correctly. (No message on shutdown) This is a strange problem, but I hear a lot about it from different people. I have been using computers for over 12 years so I am not a novice, but this has stumped me as well as the people from HP that I have called. One rep actually told me to format my HD. I think thats how the problem began in the first place. About six months ago I had to reinstall some missing items so I did format the HD. Since then the shutdown problem began. Thanks for any help.. Al