Windows Not Shutting Down

Hi all

I recently plugged another 512MB of RAM into my system (that's 1GB now). I'm running both WindowsXP & Windows 98SE (dual boot).

Right now, I seem to have a problem with Windows 98SE. Initially, Win98SE wouldn't boot. It just hangs at the splash screen while booting up. I searched the internet for some solutions and managed to solve this by going to safe mode and limit the memory to 512MB.

Now that I have solved this issue and am able to boot into Windows98, I have another issue. While shutting down the system, it seems that windows won't allow the system to shutdown properly. The monitor will go into sleep mode (I suppose the system sent the kill signal to the monitor) but the CPU will just hang there (the power is not cut off).

Any ideas?

 

Hi, As far as I know (untried) the max RAM for W98 is 384 mega, but how to
set this limit on a multi-boot PC is a Q I cannot answer.
Good luck and regards

 

As long as the mobo can see it, Windows can run up to 1GB of ram. Architecturally, the limit is 2GB, but there are problems as you approach and exceed 1GB.

Limiting the ram to 512 is one solution. Another, if you in fact required the ram, is to limit vcache.

As for the shutdown issue, you can try this troubleshooter

 

98 Shutdown Patches

I've found several 98's with this problem. Goto Microsoft.com and search for "windows 98 shutdown ". There you will find your problem and the fix(es).

WhitPhil is correct. The ram is not an issue until you get up in the "gigs ". I do believe that Microsoft came out with a few shutdown patches. A couple deal with network shares too. So you really do need to visit the webpage and read which error is specific to yours.

Good luck.....

 

Hi all

Thanks for the input. I followed some of the recommendations and managed to solve the issue. Here's what I did:

Initially, after booting up, i shutdown the system to see if it hangs. As usual, it does. On my second attempt to shutdown the system - this time with all applications closed, the system seems to shutdown perfectly fine.

I suppose I need to close all running applications before shutting down?

 

No, (but this will take some time), you just need to find the ONE application that is causing you grief.

It "could" be a virus, so have you run a full virus scan.

And, if you wish, you can run HiJackThis and copy/paste the log that it creates back here, and allow us to give you educated guesses as to the culprit.

 

Couldn't have been a virus because the OS have totally no connection with the "outside" world. I installed the OS because of 1 particular hardware refusing to work in WinXP. Hence, Win98 is primarily used for document processing only. I only installed OfficeXP in it.

I will run hijack this when I get home and post the results here.

 

1 application

I agree with WhitPhil. There is ONE application that will not let go/shutdown properly. Also, you can get a virus without being connected to the "outside" world. Expecially being a "document processing only" pc. Documents can get corrupted/compromised.

By running the task manager and deleting one application at a time, and then shutting down, (very time consuming) you will find that one critter that is not cooperating.

Good luck..

 

I have done a virus scan and it detected nothing. (The system is clean).

Guess I'll have to take this route