Windows 98 - 98se will not shut down

I am assuming that whoever reads and trys this solution is familiar with the safety precautions one must take before working around or removing the electical parts of a computer.

Ok, we all know that Windows 98 and Windows 98se has a Shut Down and Power Down problem. And we also know that there are many fixes and patches that are documented which may, and more times not work. I am one that tried all of them.


My fix for this is as follows:

If your Operating System seems to Shut Down correctly. You can tell if the Operating System shuts down completely when the monitors screen goes black or you get the message, It is safe to shut off your computer.

Now if the computer does not Power Down (fans still running) on it's own, or with older computers, will not Power Down by using the on -off switch.

Some times using the On - Off switch will Reboot the computer instead of making the computer Power Down.

Don't waste your time trying those fixes and patches just yet.

First rule out the Power Supply. On newer computers the Operating System when it Shuts Down it triggers a switch in the Power supply that cuts off the power from it's source. (The wall socket or a UPS ) In older computers the on - off switch triggers the Power Supply to cut the power from it's source.

This triggering device may be defective and won't let the computer Power Down so the Power Supply must be replaced. Hearing a click sound from the Power Supply does not mean that it is working properly if the computer does not Power Down.

Do yourself a big favor and try this first. Change the Power Supply. I spent three days reading posts from forums like this one, and pages and pages off the internet until I found this article (complaint) this person wrote and posted on the internet. He had this promblem for six months. He gone round and round with the computer company that made the computer. They had him try all those fixs and had him down load patches. He was ready to toss out the computer. Finally thay came out and found that the Power Pupply was defective. The service tech put a new Power Supply in, no more problem.

This fix may or may not work for every circumstance but it can save a lot of time if it does.