Nope, no new hardware. It exits windows, Just before you expect if to shut off, it just hangs there. So its out of windows I think? All programs seem to be shut down as well as far as I know

Could be something else though...have you added any new hardware or made any other changes?

Thanks Volcano......

I actually did what you said first, removed stuff i didn't use........ didn't restart though, as it asked me too. Shortly after i saw sharansnakaran's post and did try what he said, and it worked. I was wondering why just completely turning off all my start up programs made it work (shut down completely), and then when i turned them all back on the STILL worked? I thought that was odd, just turning them off and back on made it work.......but I forgot I unchecked those ones i didn't use from start up before lol I'm still not awake yet

So anyway, Volcano your advice worked, even though I figured it out first, without really knowing Idid LOL

Thanks everyone for your help

Hi , go to start+run+type "MSCONFIG" click on "OK", it will open the "System Configuration Utility". Check the box which says "Selective Startup" in the "General Tab" and then uncheck the tab "Load all startup group items". Clik on apply and then ok and then restart the system.

merry Xmas

Cipher_5000,

If you blindly follow sharansnakaran's misdirected advice you may solve the problem, but you will also disable some useful and necessary things that you may need to have running.  For example, doing this will disable your antivirus software, and prevent System Restore from running, among other things.  Instead, if you want to eliminate things running from startup, take a more surgical approach.  Go into msconfig and click on the Startup tab.  Remove the checkmarks from in front of the items you do not want or do not need to be running from startup.  To help you figure out what you might or might not need, see the following web sites:

http://www2.whidbey.net/djdenham/ 

http://www.pacs-portal.co.uk/startup_index.htm

Steve

http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;320008

This problem was resolved in Windows XP SP1

I'm still having this problem......its been a few months since i first posted this...... it says "12-24-02" but I think I originally posted this in Sept......

I've tryed msconfig and eliminated start up programs, and only left the ones i thought I had to have running.......ScanRegistry, OEMCleanup,SystemTray, Norton, AudioHQ (soundblaster). I left eveything else unchecked...... its still doing it. it doesn't lock up all the time, but it does it enough.... what else can i try?