Computer shut down problems mean business downtime

You know how it is. You've put in a long, hard day at the office and can't wait to get home. Trouble is, your computer is taking ages to shut down and you don't know what to do.

You're not alone. According to Craig Cottle from PC Emergency, computer shut down problems are the bane of PC users everywhere, and getting to the bottom of them can be a tricky process of elimination.

"Finding the cause of a shutdown problem and fixing it is really a case of trial and error," he says. "It could be a simple software issue, or a combination of software and hardware issues. We'd usually have to take your computer away to get to the source of the problem."

Causes of a computer shutdown problem

Causes of computer shutdown problems are many and varied, ranging from incompatible software or faulty drivers to dodgy video cards or hard-drive failure. Solutions can seem mind-bogglingly complex to an IT novice, so if in doubt, call a professional. 

Better still, try avoiding shutdown problems altogether. According to Craig, there are several preventative measures you can take, starting with basic PC maintenance. He recommends running through the following checklist on a monthly basis: 

• Make sure antivirus software is up to date and working: According to Craig, viruses and spyware are a leading cause of computer shutdown problems. Avoid headaches down the track by remaining vigilant in this area - don't take internet security for granted.

• Keep your registry clean: Your registry needs to be clean in order for Windows to run smoothly. You can do this by using a registry-cleaner program. Also check your registry for errors. But a word of warning - don't tinker with your registry unless you've backed it up and know what you're doing.

• Get rid of unused files: You know all those files and programs you never use? Get rid of them. They are taking up memory and slowing your computer down.

• Defrag and free up disk space: Any time you view a website or create a new file, your computer saves the data in bits on your hard drive. As you add more data, these are spread all over your hard drive in tiny fragments, slowing down your computer.

• Defragmenting the hard drive will put all the bits together in one place, which allows the computer to save time with processes like shutdown.

If in doubt, call an expert

If you're doing all the right things but are still experiencing shutdown problems, it's time to call a professional. While it may be tempting to try to fix it yourself, you could cause more troubles than you started with.

A PC professional will be able to get to the source of the problem and fix it with the minimum of fuss, and you'll be back at your desktop in no time.