I expect many people have encountered the situation of shutting down their computers -- deliberately or accidentally -- only to realize a moment later that they needed to do something else still.

Thus, up until the last moment possible, there should be an 'Abort Shutdown' command (needs a better name), which will bring the system back up as it was left so you can get that one last thing done without waiting for a horribly slow reboot.
-- cpt kangarooski, Feb 14 2002

Welcome Wagon gift for cptkangarooski http://www.grudge-m...aink-mrrogers.shtml
Just for kicks [thumbwax, Feb 14 2002, last modified Oct 04 2004]

windowsxp.mvps.org: "Shutdown is very slow - Windows XP" http://windowsxp.mv...rg/slowshutdown.htm
Mostly about the Clear Pagefile on Shutdown setting. [bristolz, Nov 15 2005]

Windows 5 Support Center: "Shutdown and Re-start troublwshooting" http://www.aumha.org/win5/a/shtdwnxp.htm
Very thorough examination of shutdown issues. Most are correctable and involve conflicting hardware and drivers. [bristolz, Nov 15 2005]

Heh. This is a great idea.  I do exactly as you describe at least 5 times a week. A plus vote.

Maybe it could named "No! Wait!"
-- bristolz, Feb 14 2002


I've meant to post this one, too. Might have been too embarassed to.
-- phoenix, Feb 14 2002


what phoenix said
-- thumbwax, Feb 14 2002


having the end task and shut down buttons next to each other on the ctrl-alt-del menu thing doesn't help...
-- RobertKidney, Feb 14 2002


those guidelions Rods mentioned sound good, I like cats!
-- po, Feb 14 2002


Control-alt-del, end task on 'Explorer'.

StarChaser the Tech Support Tyger
-- StarChaser, Feb 14 2002


BeOS has this feature... the "shutting down..." box has a "Cancel" button on it. Of course, BeOS only takes 15 seconds or so to boot up, to, so it's not quite so necessary there... ;^)
-- Jeremi, Feb 16 2002


Windows apparently (& I only have the microsoft corp' s word for this) needs the shut-down time to do tasks, like clean temp files, check the registry, ect. I'm pretty sure it's a one-way process. If you were to interupt it, your computer would probably fug up.
-- QuadAlpha, Feb 16 2002


I've never had this problem. I'm perfect.
-- sven3012, Feb 16 2002


There is some function on laptops, i think it is hibernate, that saves an image of your apps running, then shuts down and reloads them next time.

Better yet, skip all the startup checks, and just have an option, press F6 or something to do a full startup.
-- dtstyle, Jul 31 2002


Theres a thing called hybernate mode on my computer. It saves everything as it is and shuts down. When you boot back up, all your stuff remains as it was. Of corse internet connection is lost, but not the data.
-- DarkRanger, Apr 26 2003


yeah i really want to have to stay there to wait for the machine to shut down just incase someone comes along to abort the shutdown and get into my files.

fishbone.
-- ironfroggy, Apr 27 2003


[ironfroggy] that's a pretty weak argument. The first thing shutdown does is log you out. A shutdown abort would just prevent it from continuing the shutdown. If you abort the sutdown you'd still have to log back in.
-- bristolz, Apr 27 2003


Windows XP comes with a command line tool for shutting down the PC, aptly named 'shutdown'. One of the command line arguments you can pass it is '-a' to abort a shutdown in progress. You can also create a shortcut, entering 'shutdown -a' in the program box, and place it on the desktop or your quick launch bar. This way if you change your minde, you don't have to mess about loading up a command prompt, and typing the command correctly.
-- Skinnybrown, Oct 24 2003


Actually that shutdown.exe is available for earlier versions of Windows NT as well, but you have to look in the "Resource Kit" to find it. (WTAGIPBAN)
-- krelnik, Oct 24 2003


shutdown.exe is included in winXP, and can abort shutdown. the commandline is 'shutdown -a' and if you make a bat file, then a shortcut to the bat file, you can assign a hot-key combo. very quick abort if you've been getting a 'system is shutting down in 5..4..3.' sent by some junior flunky over in IT at 5:05pm...
-- mtneagle, Apr 10 2004


the Shutdown.exe /a cannot abort a shutdown that is requested by the user through the start menu, or if the user clicks a button in a program that will reboot the computer, shutdown.exe /a only works with the prompt that tells you the computer will be shutting down in "amount of time" (like the prompt one gets after being infected with msblast worm) you can simulate this also if you force quit the svhost.exe or simply type in the "run" command "Shutdown.exe" by the way, i just found this site and am currently trying to abourt a shutdown ;) I only have one program keeping the machine from rebooting because it has the "the system cannot end this program because it is waitin for a response from you" with te End now button. although this is preventing a shutdown, I still cannot open any new programs. :(
-- davethewave, Jun 08 2004


I'll say this simply:

Once the computer has started the shutdown process, if you were to cancel, it would have to re-load all the programs, services etc. that it was running prior to your slip of the finger.

It is completely possible, but it would probably save you about 6 seconds from restarting your computer (in safe mode if needed faster).

Here's the solution: Don't shut down your computer. Use standby. Much faster. Does the same thing. Uses virtually no power. All your programs stay open. and it takes 5 seconds for the computer to turn back on.
-- hackermaster, Jun 08 2004


On my computer i can abort a shutdown if i press ctrl-alt-del many times while i am still logged on. Windows still logs me off, but instead of shutting down it displays the login dialog box, and i can log back.
-- qwr391, May 24 2005


a really nice idea. Of course it would help if Windows could just shut down and restart quickly.
-- neilp, Nov 15 2005


It's generally not Windows that's directly at fault for slow shutdown.
-- bristolz, Nov 15 2005



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