How can I tell what's causing shutdown delays? (and why do processes die?)

[tami]

Windows 7 64-bit here.

There are some issues I encounter with apps that sometimes don't open (their processes are running in the background and/or ran before and won't reopen). In some cases, I can't terminate the processes from Task Manager. In others, they do close but won't reopen after the fact.

I'd love to reboot cleanly, but sometimes that's just not an option. It hangs on Shutting Down and I have to hit the reset button.

The app culprits as of late:
* Everything (voidtools.com)
* Safari

How can I terminate those processes cleanly and get a cleaner reboot? Actually, I don't want to reboot at all. I just want these apps to open. There's obviously something they're hanging on though.

As a note, I tried some process killing 3rd party apps and they were useless to me.

Thanks!

 

[tami]

so... nobody knows?

 

[denis280]

open task manager.select the program and end the the services

 

[billyb0b]

this helps as well

http://www.windows7hacker.com/index.php/2009/06/how-to-speed-up-shutdown-time-in-windows-7/

 

[tami]

open task manager.select the program and end the the services

um, this isn't a newbie question. As I said earlier, the processes will NOT close from the Task Manager, and like I said, "I tried some process killing 3rd party apps and they were useless to me." A reboot is the only way to fix them.

 

[tami]

this helps as well

http://www.windows7hacker.com/index.php/2009/06/how-to-speed-up-shutdown-time-in-windows-7/

sorry, no it doesn't. I don't want to shut down when these processes hang. I want the processes to terminate so that I don't have to shut down at all.

 

[denis280]

Yes your right! I Just forgot that part.did you try sfc /scannow

 

[Bubbaleone]

Windows 7 64-bit here.

There are some issues I encounter with apps that sometimes don't open (their processes are running in the background and/or ran before and won't reopen). In some cases, I can't terminate the processes from Task Manager. In others, they do close but won't reopen after the fact.

I'd love to reboot cleanly, but sometimes that's just not an option. It hangs on Shutting Down and I have to hit the reset button.

The app culprits as of late:
* Everything (voidtools.com)
* Safari

How can I terminate those processes cleanly and get a cleaner reboot? Actually, I don't want to reboot at all. I just want these apps to open. There's obviously something they're hanging on though.

As a note, I tried some process killing 3rd party apps and they were useless to me.

Thanks!

You need tools to do some detective work, and TechNet's Windows Sysinternals has what you need. The Sysinternals Suite is an Administrator's dream. It contains every tool they offer, for every type of diagnostic scenario you could think of. Included in the Suite is Process Monitor.

In your situation, you need to determine what processes and threads are remaining active (hung) when you attempt to shutdown the problematic app/s. That's exactly what Process Monitor does, in real-time.

You run Process Monitor and the problem app at the same time. You'll see every process in involved with the problem app, and be able to record and save exactly what happens while it's running, when you shut it down, and when you open it.

Here's the link: Process Monitor v3.01

Process Monitor is an advanced monitoring tool for Windows that shows real-time file system, Registry and process/thread activity. It combines the features of two legacy Sysinternals utilities, Filemon and Regmon, and adds an extensive list of enhancements including rich and non-destructive filtering, comprehensive event properties such session IDs and user names, reliable process information, full thread stacks with integrated symbol support for each operation, simultaneous logging to a file, and much more. Its uniquely powerful features will make Process Monitor a core utility in your system troubleshooting and malware hunting toolkit.

On the page I linked to, checkout all the other excellent diagnostic tools in the complete Sysinternals Suite.

 

[tami]

Yes your right! I Just forgot that part.did you try sfc /scannow

Not sure how that'd help. My system integrity is not the issue here. I installed the OS not even a month ago.


Beginning system scan. This process will take some time.

Beginning verification phase of system scan.
Verification 100% complete.

Windows Resource Protection did not find any integrity violations.

 

[tami]

You need tools to do some detective work, and TechNet's Windows Sysinternals has what you need. The Sysinternals Suite is an Administrator's dream. It contains every tool they offer, for every type of diagnostic scenario you could think of. Included in the Suite is Process Monitor.

In your situation, you need to determine what processes and threads are remaining active (hung) when you attempt to shutdown the problematic app/s. That's exactly what Process Monitor does, in real-time.

You run Process Monitor and the problem app at the same time. You'll see every process in involved with the problem app, and be able to record and save exactly what happens while it's running, when you shut it down, and when you open it.

Here's the link: Process Monitor v3.01

On the page I linked to, checkout all the other excellent diagnostic tools in the complete Sysinternals Suite.

thanks! Now that I have this open, what am I looking for? This app discovers a crapload of details The problem for me is that I don't always know when it crashes - eg. I'll try to open Safari and it hangs and it's probably because of some rogue process that died a few hours earlier. This captures data in real time, yes, but not when I realize the issue exists.

On a similar note, sometimes my Logitech Quickcam seems to be in use by some rogue process as well (though I *only* use it for Skype calls). I can't figure out how to get the hook on the video process out without rebooting as well for that. How can I find out what is going on with Process Monitor?

 

[Bubbaleone]

thanks! Now that I have this open, what am I looking for? This app discovers a crapload of details The problem for me is that I don't always know when it crashes - eg. I'll try to open Safari and it hangs and it's probably because of some rogue process that died a few hours earlier. This captures data in real time, yes, but not when I realize the issue exists.

On a similar note, sometimes my Logitech Quickcam seems to be in use by some rogue process as well (though I *only* use it for Skype calls). I can't figure out how to get the hook on the video process out without rebooting as well for that. How can I find out what is going on with Process Monitor?

I know you'd like a nice simple explanation. We all do. But learning to use diagnostic and monitoring tools, like Process Monitor, is something you have to learn hands-on. You say you're not a newbie which I take to mean as you having a pretty solid knowledge of, and a fair amount of experience in, how PC hardware and software works.

This says to me that you've been willing to get on the learning curve, and do the work to get to the knowledge level you're at today. So, it just means you're going to need to get on the learning curve (again), and do the work necessary to learn how to use these tools in order to find solutions.

Now that you know where the tools are, you need to study actual case examples of how other people have used Sysinternal tools to solve their problems, apply that to your problem, then fire that puppy up, shove in the clutch, and start shiftin' gears to see what happens.

If you're serious about solving these types of problems, it's the best way to teach yourself short of going back to college and getting a degree in Computer Science.

I'm not being a smart-ass when I say Google is your friend. That's how I learned, and I'm still learning every day. Their are numerous articles on using Syinternal tools to find solutions.

Here are some links to get you started:

How to Use Process Monitor to Track Events and Generate a Log File

The Case of the Unexplained, 2010: Troubleshooting with Mark Russinovich

How to use Process Monitor to Troubleshoot

 

[VirtualLarry]

Sometimes apps hang, because they are in the middle of a kernel call, and the kernel driver that is called into by the OS kernel routines, hangs or otherwise gets stuck in a loop.

It can cause scenarios like you describe, apps that won't close, and the OS itself cannot shut itself down if it is hung in a stuck kernel driver.

This can be caused by bad/sloppy/leaky/buggy code in kernel drivers, and/or flaky hardware that does not behave how the driver expects it to behave.

Are you overclocking at all?

 

[tami]

You say you're not a newbie which I take to mean as you having a pretty solid knowledge of, and a fair amount of experience in, how PC hardware and software works.

Yeah, I know how to terminate a process via Task Manager. I'm not leaving any hidden messaging between the lines here.

If you're serious about solving these types of problems, it's the best way to teach yourself short of going back to college and getting a degree in Computer Science.

I have one already. It's useless. I honestly don't do tech support anymore. Happy to be rid of it

Thanks for the links though.

But backing up - I have to have this running when things die, do I not? So it basically has to run all the time. Otherwise, I don't know if/when they crash as I usually find out later.

 

[tami]

Are you overclocking at all?

Nope. And I have the latest drivers for my system. :/

 

[Bubbaleone]

.....I have to have this running when things die, do I not? So it basically has to run all the time. Otherwise, I don't know if/when they crash as I usually find out later.

Yes, It'd have to run continuously if you're trying to capture a random event. The link about "How to Use Process Monitor to Track Events and Generate a Log File" will get you pointed in the right direction.