Ctrl-Alt-Del not working?

[Mynewmoniker]

Hi anyone geeky and kind

What should I do or what's wrong if the good old ctrl-alt-del won't turn my computer off safely?

[Mynewmoniker]

Anyone?

[Naoko]

Do you mean that your system has frozen and even ctrl-alt-del won't get it to reboot? If that's the case, hold down the power button till it switches off. Not recommended unless you have to, but often the only way to get a full frozen system to comply, and better than pulling the plug.

[Mynewmoniker]

Thanks Naoko. I have to keep doing that. Do you reckon my laptops broken?

[Naoko]

Well I wouldn't go as far as broken, but there's clearly something not quite right. What are you usually doing when it happens? Do you get any error messages, or does it freeze completely randomly?

[BertieBotts]

Can you not just shut down via the start menu?

Have you done a virus scan recently? I had a virus on my old laptop which disabled Ctrl-Alt-Del, whenever I tried it it would come up saying "Task manager is disabled due to restrictions by your administrator" I was the administrator!

[Mynewmoniker]

It seems to not want to shut down normaly..even from start menu...It goes on gor aaaaaaages sometimes, saying it's shutting down but it doesn't. Does that make sense? C-A-D wont shut it down either.

[BertieBotts]

Hmm, that's weird.

How long has it been doing this and have you done anything new, for example downloaded anything or installed a new programme which might have triggered it?

[BertieBotts]

And how old is the laptop? :)

[widowerbutok]

Have a look at his link to Microsoft Supportsupport.microsoft.com/kb/308226
Its about a fix for the problem. Copy and paste the above. Hope it helps

[Mynewmoniker]

Thanks all. Sorry I haven't been here for a while but been up to my neck...

I'll have a look at the above advise and let you know what happens.

[Mynewmoniker]

Right...I've been on the microsoft support and got rid of a couple of things such as Skype on startup menu.

It has slowed since I put Skype on and then I couldn't seem to get rid of it! It said file not found and I couldn't delete it until I found the file.

There was a lot on the start up menu that I didn't recognise so I didn't want to delete it in case I needed it for my laptop to work.

[BertieBotts]

How old is your laptop?

[Alwayscheerful]

Its not an apple Mac is it?

[BertieBotts]

There isn't even a Ctrl key on an apple so I imagine not. :)

[widowerbutok]

Looking at my MacBookPro and ..there is my ctrl key...lol

[YoniBottsBumgina]

Don't they have command instead any more then?

[Mynewmoniker]

OMG! you are a patient bunch; thanks for sticking around.

Latest is it didn't switch off at all last night and opened in hibernation today

It wasn't plugged in and I've removed the battery to preserve it!.

It's an Acer Aspire 5741Z of about 3 years old.

[TooYappy]

download this

and run it on a full system scan through your laptop, it picks up any unwanted virals etc.

[Mynewmoniker]

Thanks but I've got AVAST cover, TooYappy.

Wouldn't AVAST do the same? Or might it conflict?

[Chanatan]

Malwarebytes will not conflict with Avast.Malwarebytes is for malware and Avast is for viruses,in an ideal set up both should be installed on a pc and scans run weekly.

[ItsYoniYappy]

Yes, I do exactly as Chanatan said

Oh you might want to download a defragmenter too, every PC/laptop needs a good defrag every week. I have no idea why people are not told this when they buy products tbh

[Mynewmoniker]

Thanks Chanatan and ItsYoniYappy I'll give it a go and let you know.

[Mynewmoniker]

Done a malware scan...one called 'bundle' something picked up and deleted so ta for that.

Can't remember how to defrag now...

[ItsYoniYappy]

I was advised to use this one

Malaware is great for picking up the nasties, so hopefully the laptop should be better now

[Mynewmoniker]

Awwww it's not free this one. I'm sure I used to defrag without paying for it