Fixing the Win98 never finishes shutting down bug?

Factual Questions
1

How do you fix the Windows 98 bug that leaves the “Microsoft Windows98 Windows is shutting down.” screen on forever, without shutting down?

I know I’ve done this on other machines before but can’t remember how. This is a clean ThinkPad laptop, new Win98 reinstall, all the critical updates as of today, no applications installed on it yet.

2

Windows 98 Second Edition Shutdown Supplement

3

I find that the power switch usually clears it up.

4

If that doesn’t work, or you wanna try something different, go into msconfig -> General Tab -> Advanced button, and turn off “Fast Shutdown”.

If it fixes it, leave it that way.