NT4 shutdown problem

Hello all,

I have a NT4 workstation computer which doesn't shutdown. When I click on Start, Shutdown and Shutdown the computer, I used to see the well known message "It is now safe to shut down your computer" waiting for me to push the power button to switch off the PC. Instead, it reboots!
It is bizarre cause nothing has changed on that machine, no new software, no new hardware, no windows update patch, (hey it is NT4 so it is now unsupported), no recent crash also (from what I know...).
What coudl it be???
I checked the event viewer which is good, meaning logs are normal. I don't even have a yellow warning.
The research I've already done talked about a eventual corrupted driver that couldn't be unloaded during the shutdown process, but it works fine and logs are clear.
Some of you will tell me it is not really important but it is, cause this computer is installed in a store which is sometimes closed, so the PC has to be too. The staff is not really comfortable with computers and I don't want them to close this PC in a middle of a start. It could be critical for such O/S.
And the worse is the fact that this computer is far from me, only accessible by a dialup connection (yeah, yeah I know but it isn't my choice...)
Help would be appreciated.
Thanks in advance.

 

Hi,
NT4? I think I have used it...once
I have some areas to investigate though.

Get the most recent update of the chipset drivers, worked a treat for me finding a shutdown problem in Win 2K.

Quite an old machine? Replace the CMOS battery. It may be starting to lose it's memory of the BIOS settings. Check the capacitors on the motherboard while you are there.

The way the power button reacts may be controlled in the BIOS (instant power off or 4 second delay), but the change may be due to a low CMOS battery.

MS has a long list of checks for shutdown problems. Try a search for "now safe shutdown" or "shutdown reboot restart "
http://support.microsoft.com/search/?adv=1
(maybe you have already tried).

Luck
Matt

 

Cmos battery

Hi,
NT4? I think I have used it...once
I have some areas to investigate though.

Get the most recent update of the chipset drivers, worked a treat for me finding a shutdown problem in Win 2K.

Quite an old machine? Replace the CMOS battery. It may be starting to lose it's memory of the BIOS settings. Check the capacitors on the motherboard while you are there.

The way the power button reacts may be controlled in the BIOS (instant power off or 4 second delay), but the change may be due to a low CMOS battery.

MS has a long list of checks for shutdown problems. Try a search for "now safe shutdown" or "shutdown reboot restart "
http://support.microsoft.com/search/?adv=1
(maybe you have already tried).

Luck
Matt


Hello Matt,

first of all, thanks for your answer.
Cmos battery failure could be a good reason cause that workstation is really old (1998). I will look in that way, first.
If it is the reason, I should have a wrong time too.
So I will let you know soon if it is fixed.
By the way, NT4 is the grand-mother of w2k/xp, so don't laught at it...
It rocks so stable, on... a Pentium 1. Lol, Yeah I know...
The good thing is that computer won't finish in a dump. He will work for at least, another 10 years, knowing my boss. LOL!!!
have a nice weekend.

 

"NT4? I think I have used it...once ", pointing out my lack of experience with that OS. If you ask me an NT question you will get stunned silence I actually wish I had more dealings with it, it would help me understand 2K and XP a lot more.

Hope you have some success.
You have good W/E as well.

Matt

 

Fixed

Hello,
just to let you know that everything is working fine now.
I did nothing special, just checked that the Cmos battery was fine by changing one setting in the bios and shuting down the PC, to see if it was well saved.
I don't get it. I didn't even go to the Church, yesterday, praying for a fix.
So that's it!
Have a good day and thanks again for your help.

PS Is there a way to close the Thread myself, considering the problem solved?