Vista will not shut down and blue screens

Hi there,
I have just loaded Vista and this is the first time I've used this forum.

My problem is that Vista will not shut down. When I click "shut down" (from
the menu that appears from the arrow) it restarts Vista instead. Pressing the
main button on the PC base unit when the password screen is up seems to be
the only thing that can get it to shut down, and even that doesn't work every
time.

Also when I do get it to shutdown, I get a very brief blue screen for a
split second, not even long enough to read. When it restarts I then get the
"Windows has recovered..." message. I suspect the two are linked.

Any ideas how I can rectify this? Thanks.

Peter Anderson

Peter Anderson wrote:
> Hi there,
> I have just loaded Vista and this is the first time I've used this forum.
>
> My problem is that Vista will not shut down. When I click "shut down" (from
> the menu that appears from the arrow) it restarts Vista instead. Pressing the
> main button on the PC base unit when the password screen is up seems to be
> the only thing that can get it to shut down, and even that doesn't work every
> time.
>
> Also when I do get it to shutdown, I get a very brief blue screen for a
> split second, not even long enough to read. When it restarts I then get the
> "Windows has recovered..." message. I suspect the two are linked.

I'm guessing that when you say "have just loaded Vista" this means that
you installed the operating system yourself, either as an upgrade or
clean install (which?). The first thing to do is update all your
drivers. Since you didn't give any details about your computer (OEM like
Dell, home-built, etc.) here is general information about drivers:

Never get drivers from Windows Update. Get them from:

1. The device mftr.'s website; OR
2. The motherboard mftr.'s website if hardware is onboard; OR
3. The OEM's website for your specific machine if you have an OEM
computer (HP, Dell, Sony, etc.).

Read the installation instructions on the website where you get the drivers.

To find out what hardware is in your computer:

1. Read any documentation you got when you bought the computer.
2. If the computer is OEM, go to the OEM's website for your specific
model machine and look at the specs (you'll be there to get the drivers
anyway)
3. Download, install and run a free system inventory program like Belarc
Advisor or System Information for Windows.

http://www.belarc.com/free_download.html - Belarc Advisor
http://www.gtopala.com/ - System Information for Windows


Malke
--
Elephant Boy Computers
www.elephantboycomputers.com
"Don't Panic!"
MS-MVP Windows - Shell/User

> I'm guessing that when you say "have just loaded Vista" this means that
> you installed the operating system yourself, either as an upgrade or
> clean install (which?).

A clean install in a new PC

The first thing to do is update all your
> drivers. Since you didn't give any details about your computer (OEM like
> Dell, home-built, etc.) here is general information about drivers:
>
> Never get drivers from Windows Update. Get them from:
>
> 1. The device mftr.'s website; OR
> 2. The motherboard mftr.'s website if hardware is onboard; OR
> 3. The OEM's website for your specific machine if you have an OEM
> computer (HP, Dell, Sony, etc.).
>
> Read the installation instructions on the website where you get the drivers.
>
> To find out what hardware is in your computer:
>
> 1. Read any documentation you got when you bought the computer.
> 2. If the computer is OEM, go to the OEM's website for your specific
> model machine and look at the specs (you'll be there to get the drivers
> anyway)
> 3. Download, install and run a free system inventory program like Belarc
> Advisor or System Information for Windows.
>
> http://www.belarc.com/free_download.html - Belarc Advisor
> http://www.gtopala.com/ - System Information for Windows


I'll have a go at this, thanks for the reply.

Peter.

>The first thing to do is update all your
> drivers.

Can I use Device Manager in Control Panel to see what devices I have then go
to the relevant websties to update the drivers?

Peter.

If it's a new PC you should have at least got
driver CD's with you parts.



"Peter Anderson" <> wrote in message
news:24572E1F-640C-4F30-AF01-...
>>The first thing to do is update all your
>> drivers.
>
> Can I use Device Manager in Control Panel to see what devices I have then
> go
> to the relevant websties to update the drivers?
>
> Peter.

Peter Anderson wrote:
>> The first thing to do is update all your
>> drivers.
>
> Can I use Device Manager in Control Panel to see what devices I have then go
> to the relevant websties to update the drivers?
>
> Peter.

You can, but Windows may not be able to identify your hardware. That's
why I gave you the links to the system inventory tools. Once again:

Get drivers from:

1. The device mftr.'s website; OR
2. The motherboard mftr.'s website if hardware is onboard; OR
3. The OEM's website for your specific machine if you have an OEM
computer (HP, Dell, Sony, etc.).

To find out what hardware is in your computer:

1. Read any documentation you got when you bought the computer.
2. If the computer is OEM, go to the OEM's website for your specific
model machine and look at the specs (you'll be there to get the drivers
anyway)
3. Download, install and run a free system inventory program like Belarc
Advisor or System Information for Windows.

http://www.belarc.com/free_download.html - Belarc Advisor
http://www.gtopala.com/ - System Information for Windows


Malke
--
Elephant Boy Computers
www.elephantboycomputers.com
"Don't Panic!"
MS-MVP Windows - Shell/User

> You can, but Windows may not be able to identify your hardware. That's
> why I gave you the links to the system inventory tools. Once again:

Thank you. I did use Belarc and started making my way through the drivers
from each companies website and found this when I got to the driver for my
digital camcorder:

"When a customer shuts down his/her computer on which the software "Picture
Package Ver. 1.8" is installed, the computer may restart instead of shutting
down."

This apparently also causes the blue screen. A system restore is the only
solution apparently as there are no drivers for the Sony Handycam (well mine
anyway) with Vista.
Thanks for your help and when I do a system restoe I'll let you know if it
works,

Peter.