Windows 7 Won’t Shut Down: Fixes
Several users have experienced an issue in which Windows 7 hangs at shutdown, either with or without an error message.
Fixes
Uninstall drivers Try uninstalling any recently installed third-party drivers then restarting. To do this, click the Start button then navigate to Control Panel > System and Security > Device Manager. Right-click any recently installed third-party items and select “Uninstall” then restart.
End processes Processes spawned by some third-party drivers can also hang the shutdown process. Try opening the task manager (control-alt-delete) and ending any processes related to third-party devices or other hardware connected to your computer, then re-attempt the shutdown.
M-Audio audiophile Delta 249 conflict Joepsz, a poster to Microsoft’s TechNet forums, has discovered a fix that involves stopping the “Audiosrv” and “AudioEndpointBuilder” processes associated with the M-Audio audiophile Delta 249, which exhibits a conflict with Windows 7. The fix is as follows:
- Create a .bat file (create txt file and change extention to .bat)
- Right Click on file > “edit” and enter following info:
- net stop “Audiosrv”
- net stop “AudioEndpointBuilder”
- Save file as “Audio stop”(or whatever you want) to your main drive ie: C:\Audio stop
- Open “run” from start menu and enter “gpedit.msc” (without quotes) and hit “OK”
- Now navigate from right pain of window “User Configuration” > “Windows Settings” > “scripts (Logon/Logoff)” > “Logoff”
- From window that opens from clicking “Logoff” Click “Add” then browse to where you saved “Audio Stop.bat” earlier and double click on it.
- Hit “Apply” and close.
Filed under Windows 7 by on May 14th, 2009. Comment. 
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Thanks so much!!!
Worked perfectly! i have the m-audio 2496.
I installed my anti-virus at the same time and had convinced myself it was that which was causing the problem. Reading this post had the “lightbulb hovering above the head” effect.
It worked for me too. Many thanks!
I found this article by random. I had VSS errors in event viewer and thought this was related to a fresh install of Mozy online backup. It turned out that it wouldn’t shutdown after I had installed the soundcard driver! This tip worked!
I am unsure why I am not seeing this issue pointing to Nvidia drivers for GFX cards, but anyone frustrated with a computer that hangs on shutdown; it seemingly completes the shutdown thoroughly and then refuses to power off – IT IS NVIDIA’s drivers. None of them have worked yet. Install them, boot hang; uninstall them none…
I am headed to the developers on this issue now. If we find a solution, I will write something up for others affected until Nvidia solves the issue permanently…
Both W7 and Windows Server 2008 R2 (as you would expect…) are affected… WS08x64 ENT. there is no issue.
I have Windows 7 Home Premium and gpedit.msc is not available in this version. Does anyone know a workaround for the m-audio driver not stopping at shutdown without using a logoff script?
They aren’t really fixes tho are they? If you either have to not use the 3rd party drivers and therefore your hardware, or install and uninstall them everytime you use your computer.
This OS has been a massive pile of turd so far. Rubbish
Hi Joepsz, I have the m-audio 2496 soundcard and after installing windows 7 my computer won’t shut down. I’m not a techie guy how in simple terms can I correct the problem?
I too have the same problem with Win7 Ultimate 64bit on a Lenovo T400 7417-CTO model. I have a Conexant audio driver and the event viewer has a critical Kernel power 41 error.
Any help would be much appreciated.
Windows 7 is a crok ‘o shite
let me chk but overall seems to be good enough
Windows 7 is an over-blown over-hyped pile of rubbish. It only ever looked good because Vista was so abysmally bad (!)
worked just fine, thanks for recieving the gift of education!
Windows 7 is a massive motherfuckin fail dudes. get xp
I’m having the same problem.
M-Audio 2496 PCI card is not letting my PC to shut down.
Here are my specs:
CPU: Intel Core i7 Quad 930 2.80GHz 8MB Cache
Motherboard: Asus P6T SE Intel X58/ICH10 Core i7 LGA1366 DDR3
Optical Drive: Sony/NEC AD-7260S-OB 24X
Video: SAPPHIRE Radeon HD5450 512MB DDR2
RAM: C626-9X Corsair CMX6GX3M3A1600C9 6GB(3x2GB) DDR3-1
OS: Microsoft Windows 7 Home Premium 64-bit
HDD: Seagate ST3250318AS 7200.12 250GB SATA2 8MB 7200RPM
HDD: Seagate Barracuda 7200.12 ST31000528AS SATA 1TB 7200RPM
Power Supply: Cooler Master Extreme 500W