# I can't close my Windows **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [June 2, 2001, 5:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-cant-close-my-windows/67338 "2001-06-02T17:09:25Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 6\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Diceman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/22d042/32.png) [@Diceman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diceman)\ **Post date:** [June 2, 2001, 5:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-cant-close-my-windows/67338/1 "2001-06-02T17:09:25Z")
I have Windows 98 on my computer, and for the most part it works fine. The exception is when I shut the computer down. My computer is one of those models that’s supposed to power down automatically (not dislay the “It is now safe to turn off your computer” screen, but to turn off by itself). This only works intermittently. Sometimes it works properly, but more often it will get to the “shutting down” screen (with the picture of clouds) and then hang. No amount of waiting will result in the computer shutting off. You have to press the power switch yourself. How can I get my computer to work properly? ---
**Author:** ![dantheman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dantheman/32/9421_2.png) [@dantheman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dantheman)\ **Post date:** [June 2, 2001, 5:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-cant-close-my-windows/67338/2 "2001-06-02T17:44:58Z")
What brand of computer are you using? There are some - Hewlett-Packard is one, I think - that will only get to that stage in the shutting-down process; you then (again, I think) just turn the thing off. [I am not a techie, so don’t DO that unless you’re sure that’s right.] ---
**Author:** ![kinoons](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/a698b9/32.png) [@kinoons](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kinoons)\ **Post date:** [June 2, 2001, 8:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-cant-close-my-windows/67338/3 "2001-06-02T20:10:27Z")
Windows 98SE has one hell of a time shutting down properly. If you have norton AV, you can uninstall it and see if that solves the issue (norton and 98se dont seem to play well together) Microsoft does have a 98se shutdown patch you can try as well. There is also a hard disk drive IDE cache update you can try from windows update as well. ---
**Author:** ![486](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/4/ecccb3/32.png) [@486](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/486)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2001, 2:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-cant-close-my-windows/67338/4 "2001-06-03T02:27:09Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Diceman \* > I have Windows 98 on my computer, and for the most part it works fine. The exception is when I shut the computer down. … Windows 98 has a shut-down bug, there is a patch on microsoft’s web page ---
**Author:** ![Diceman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/22d042/32.png) [@Diceman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diceman)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2001, 3:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-cant-close-my-windows/67338/5 "2001-06-03T15:47:01Z")
> [@](#): > > Windows 98 has a shut-down bug, there is a patch on > microsoft’s web page Where is this patch? I’ve looked around Microsquish’s website and I can’t find it. ---
**Author:** ![mblackwell](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/5fc32e/32.png) [@mblackwell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mblackwell)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2001, 4:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-cant-close-my-windows/67338/6 "2001-06-03T16:05:23Z")
Just run Windows Update form the Start menu and scroll down. Its called Mapped Drives shutdown or something like that. It may fix your shutdown problem even if you dont have any mapped drives. Don’t download any of that suggested update junk that will be there.