why do we press start in windows when we want to shut down?
460536
Because you are starting the process of shutting down your computer.  If you never started this process, your computer would never shut down.
379716
you can't\nwhen starting your computer press F8 when windows starts to load
62950
Pressing F8 as your computer is starting up
986858
instead of shutting down try standy by
292178
There is probably an application that is not terminating when the computer is being shutdown.  Remove any programs that you do not need and try it again.  Also try closing any open applications manually and try shutting down.  If you hit Ctrl+Alt+Del, and go to processes you can see what is running.  Also make sure you don't have any adware/spyware running.  You a program like Adaware(www.lavasoftusa.com) to check.
594093
some application that is running and then refuses to close down on its own when you shut your computer shuts down, if you want it to stop happening, run msconfig.exe and then uncheck it in the start up menu, if it doesnt start up it cant be forced to close down, if its some crap you need for your comp to run well then , kill yourself and blow up your computer at the same time cuz i dunno
418901
If you are using windows xp, properly shutting down the machine is best when not using it for extended periods of time as the operating system carries out routine maintenance of your drives/files during boot up and shut down. When you shut down everthing will stop apart from the built in clock (battery powered) the machine has to be on for any processing to take place.
532831
Just part of Windows.  I dont think you can shut if off
42778
It is better to switch it off. This is to increase the efficiency and life span of the PC. \n\nIf you are using Windows XP, then you might want to try the hibernate option. When u restart the computer from hibernation, the PC gets back on the desktop much much quicker than a normal starting process, thus saving sometime.
257161
I heard that happening with some anti virus software.\nTry shutting down after deactivating the software.\n\nIf that doesnt help try finding out if its a hardware problem.\nGet a program called "end it all" which will close down all running applications and your computer should shut down, if it doesnt then its a hardware thing.
767151
it seems like some application is initializing while windows is shutting dows, try this, turn off the computer, check if u get the message, then go to control panel, administrator tools, event log and check which application is failing.\nthen go to start-run-msconfig and disable that application from the startup tab. if u dont find it then disable all the unknown applications and click ok nd reeboot. should work.
637707
To automatically start up your PC, you have to dig into the BIOS (press the [delete] or [F2] or whatever key it tells you at boot time), usually under the "power saving" tab; there should be a line named "Automaticaly start on RTC alarm" > enabled/disabled. Select enabled, then some more options will appear, for daily/fixed date & also hour. If you want it to actualy do something after starting up, drag a link in your START menu Start up line. (an MP3 list, for ex.)\nTo have it shutdown by itself, you can either pick up a utility from the link provided in an answer above, or run a program that has a built-in capability of shut-down-win. (tv tuner program, CD/DVD burning, download manager...)
1047749
It is shutting down. Your computer just takes a long time to shut down. Maybe it has many processes active or you need to cleanup your files.
385660
Start the system configuration utility by typing (windows key)->"R" and the entering "msconfig" as the program to run.  Under the "Startup" tab, you can disable programs that you don't want to start automatically when Windows boots up.
798360
Go to Start menu and click on Run - type: msconfig - and press enter. Go to Start-up tab and disable the things you don't want to run at start up.  But be careful not to disable the important things needed to start you PC.
1068047
No.  Just click that little x in the right hand  top corner, thus you should have reached the desktop.  Next, go to start.  This is located in the left hand bottom corner if your computer is anything like this one.  Next, click on start and a menu should come up.  This is a square that list things such as log off, turn off , and other unimportant items.  Click on turn off.  A template will come up and ask log off, turn off, or cancel.  Click on turn off, Caution do not click on cancel.  You will have to repeat again.  Once off, go out and play.  LOL
563670
Well there could be many reasons for this.  One is that you have so many processes running that it takes Windows a lot of time to shut them all down - and/or that one or more of them become non-responsive.  If it is this, then all you'd have to do is wait and it will either eventually shut down or give you the "End Process" screen one or more times.  \n\nIt could also be that your shutdown script got corrupted, somehow, and aborts.  This could be from the reason below.\n\nOne other possibility is that your computer has been infected with a virus that interferes with the shut down process.  \n\nMy suggestion is to try it from Safe Mode (if it shuts down that is).  If it does, get current versions of a few antivirus programs, Adaware, and Spybot Search and Destroy, reboot in Safe Mode and scan with all of those programs.  You should also invest in a good registry cleaner program and run it regularly - believe it or not, your problem could originate from a single registry problem.