Some very good suggestions, I'm sure, but.....I take a little different tack...
First off, I've never understood why MS insisted on making a simple thing like "Shutdown" such a complicated process. ???
How about just a One Click Shutdown? Simple! You can make your own.
Right click on an open space on your desktop, and on the contest menu click on NEW, then click on Shortcut in the open text box, type in:
%windir%\System32\shutdown.exe /s /t 0
Enter. This will become your new Shutdown shortcut. It's designed to use the Windows Shutdown.exe command, with the
/t 0 switch, to tell the command to "Terminate" all running programs in Zero seconds.
It is also good practice to just CLOSE any programs that you have opened, before you shut down your PC.
Note the spaces toward the end of the command.....they are REQUIRED!
I've been setting up this Quick Shutdown shortcut for all my customers for years, since Windows 98, and they all loved it.
If you leave the shortcut on your desktop, it will take two clicks of the mouse to run it, BUT, if you just copy it to the Taskbar, it will only require ONE Click to perform your Quick Shutdown. I've seen some people put the shortcut icon up in a corner of their desktop so they won't click it by mistake. I like mine right nest to the START button. Yes, I run the "Classic Shell" so I DO have a START button.
That shuts down Windows and hopefully the PC, but there are still certain conditions that may cause your PC to re-start. Arggg!
To prevent that, plug your PC and everything attached to it, like External Speakers, into a Power Strip with an ON/OFF switch, and after you see and hear your PC shut down, turn off the Power Strip. Now, nothing can turn on your PC till YOU turn it ON via the switch on the Power Strip.
If your bios is set up right, your computer will come ON as soon as you turn ON the Power Strip. And, you won't wear out the ON button on your PC.
After you think you've turned OFF your PC, the internal Power Supply is still ON and supplying power to the motherboard and the ON button.
Using a Power Strip, prevents that.
Good luck to you, and Happy Trails Mate!
TM
