"Running Shutdown Scripts" makes my PC take forever to shut down!

A little less than a week ago, when I went to shut down my computer, it did the usual "Saving Your Settings" thing, but instead of going to "Windows is Shutting Down", it went to "Running Shutdown Scripts" first, which took almost 5 minutes to complete before "Windows is shutting down". This has never happened before, and it's been happening ever since.

Here's where it gets weird: If I'm on my docking station, it runs the shutdown scripts, but only for like, 2 seconds or so. If, on the other hand, I'm out somewhere, it takes MUCH longer (It took my computer roughly 10 minutes to shut down earlier tonight). I've scanned for viruses and spyware, and AFAIK, I did not install anything recently that could have caused this issue. Nothing suspicious shows up in the Event Viewer. The computer is running very fast and well otherwise (startup, everyday tasks, etc.)

This is a *very* annoying issue, and I would like to see exactly what is causing it before I resort to system restore. Any ideas???

 

Start > Run > enter "gpedit.msc" > Windows Settings (Computer Configuration) > Scripts (Startup/Shutdown)

This tool will tell you what scripts are to be run every time Windows starts or stops. There's also similar snap-in for logging on/off.

EDIT: these exact GUI navigation instructions are for XP since I looked for it on my old IBM. For Vista, you can just lazily search for Group Policy Editor, which I think it should have. The rest of the navigation should be straightforward.

 

Your description sounds like you are connected to a workplace domain (scripts + docking station).

Inform your IT department.

To a certain degree, what you are describing sounds normal. Sometime before this began, your IT department pushed out a new script--whatever its function, the script is doing something that involves the network. Probably backing up data to a network share or something similar.

The reason it takes longer than before is that the script is timing out waiting on the network share...when you are disconnected, the script is not timing out quickly.

Without knowing what the script does, I cannot explain what exactly is going on, but the script writer may have made an error. It might be able to be written to check for a condition first (ie, does network share exist) and if you are disconnected, not run.

Simply going in and killing the script or modifying it is a bad idea. Most network admins will lock you out of useful parts of your system if you start messing with your computer.

 

I've checked that before, and I checked it again, and there are no scripts defined anywhere! So I have no idea why Windows is trying to run scripts when there are none......

Both the docking station and my PC are completely my own, independent machines. The docking station I purchased sometime after my laptop. I believe there is a domain at my school however, so I'll have to talk to them about it.

I'm not worried about that. The IT department at my school actually encouraged me to use gpedit.msc after I complained about not be able to modify the Windows Update settings!

For now, I'll just run System Restore and see if that fixes anything.....

 

UPDATE: I just ran a System Restore (went back to 10/22), and that solved the issue! I still don't really know what caused the issue in the first place, but now my computer takes 10 seconds to shut down, as opposed to nearly 10 minuets from before!

 

UPDATE 2: Well, 2 days after I fixed the problem, it came back!! If I'm out somewhere, my computer takes 10 minutes to shut down now! (Hangs at "Running Shutdown Scripts")

During that 2 day period when it worked fine, I didn't make any changes to my PC, nor did I install anything (not even updates). There are still no shutdown scripts defined anywhere. Any ideas??

 

Unlikely you kept tracked of what changes you've made since huh?

 

Actually, I was keeping track of what changes I was making during the 2 days that it worked, thank you very much. I never installed anything, and I never downloaded any executable files. In fact, IIRC, on the day that it reverted back to "running shutdown scripts", I had shut down the machine earlier that day without issues.

Seriously, does anyone have any ideas on how to fix this??? It's very annoying to have to sit and wait 10 minuets just for my PC to shut down!

 

Can you try the earliest restore point you have? Other than that, I suspect that you may have a virus. I'd suggest running multiple scans in safe mode.

 

http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/Bb457019.60209f05_big(en-us,TechNet.10).gif

is enable authentication checked under wireless network connection properties?

This souns like you

http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=311787

 

^ Nice find, that really looks promising. Good work!

 

Yes, that 10 minute between turning off and shutting down looks very applicable.

 

Well, I just shut it down tonight at a local coffee shop, and lo and behold, it didn't run any shutdown scripts!! It only took like 20 seconds to shut down!

@gerryf19: I don't have an "authentication" tab for my wireless connection, so that can't be it.... but my computer randomly decided to fix itself tonight anyway!

I'm keeping my fingers crossed.....

 

IS there anything in the event viewer at approximately the time of these random slow shutdowns?

 

My HP Compaq nx7400 laptop started to show a 10 minute hang at shutdown, after some routine HP updates. One download turned out to be an incorrect Broadcom wireless adapter driver/utility. HP web site showed the incorrect update (which is for a Broadcom 4321 AG card) as being for my machine (which has a Broadcom 440x 10-100 card). Check the update "release notes for details.

Used add/remove software to delete the incorrect update. All better now.