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The actual question is really about "How can I debug" this (see below), but for background a bit more story:

I'm running Windows 7 64-bit (fully updated) on a new Dell Precision M3800 SSD, and I constantly run into the following situation:

  • All fine with the system. Can shut-down without problem
  • I install Sonic NetExtender for VPN (needed for the next step): All fine still. (Can shut down.)
  • I add a new user account for a domain-login (for which I need the VPN at least once) reboot and get it running. I can now use the domain-account even without being VPN-connected. (credentials are locally cached) So far, all exactly as planned.
  • I want to regularly shut-down or log-off from windows7 and then I run into the issue....

The issue

Situation: Windows 7 (no problem) with either local or domain account.

Trigger: Restart system (any way), select shutdown or log-off:

Issue: Instead of seeing the "log-off" or "shutting-down" message I get to the same blue screen without any text. (The log-off sound is played though.) The mouse is still visible and moveable (standard cursor) but nothing can be clicked on. Ctrl+Alt+DelL does no longer work. In this situation, the laptop hangs forever (Tested for at least 90min) and only a hard-power-shutdown is possible.

After that, Windows 7 can still regularly boot, but the problem on shut-down remains. I can system-restore to some earlier setting to "fix" this, but what I really want is to find out what is causing the issue.

To clarify: Normally on shut-down one first hears the shut-down sound while just seeing the desktop-background, then the screen goes black very shortly and then the shutdown screen is shown with the text and the waiting mouse-cursor on the side.

In my case, I hear the sound but before the screen goes black. The computer freezes in the "show clear desktop" phase, never showing the "shut-down" text at all.

What options do I have to debug the shut-down process and find the culprit?

Attempted things:

Following the answer in this question here on superuser:

  1. Switching on verbose-mode: While it works when I can shut-down it does not give any text message in my troubled case. So, no help.

  2. Perform a clean boot with no (non-ms) services or start-up programs: Shut down still freezes.

  3. Look into the event log for the shut-down performance: No error are useful information found.

Following suggestions here in the thread:

Running 'chkdsk': No problem found. Would not have expected any. (New laptop, hardly used) *Other attempts:

Booted in BIOS to check if any shadowing/caching is enabled. Could not see any such option. (DELL BIOS Version A10)

Note: I once had a very similar situation (textless shutdown screen with freeze) under completely different circumstances. However, at that time, I simply got lucky and found the culprit by Googling the net (The software tool MagicDisc does not work together with the Intel IRST drivers).

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BmyGuest
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  • If you haven't already, run a `chkdsk` and ensure there's no file-system corruption. After the problem shows up (and before you do a system restore), if you log back in as your non-domain user, does it still always shut down as expected? If you make another new, local user, does shutting down work as expected? – Ƭᴇcʜιᴇ007 Jan 13 '16 at 19:50
  • @Ƭᴇcʜιᴇ007 Thx. Done (no problem found.) No, in the "bad" state neither user-account can shut down correctly. I have not tried a third one (yet). – BmyGuest Jan 13 '16 at 20:01
  • @LMFAO_A_JOKE Thx. I had 7-Zip but removing it did not make any difference. None of the other apply. I also think there is a difference: Most reports I googled seem to freeze *while shutting down is written on the screen*. I get the freeze and *no text at all* but a mouse-cursor. – BmyGuest Jan 13 '16 at 20:09
  • @LMFAO_A_JOKE Thanks. Very nice link with good summary of options, but nothing which I haven't tried at that point already. :c( – BmyGuest Jan 13 '16 at 20:31
  • @LMFAO_A_JOKE This might fix it (and cost 1-3 working days), but my actual question is a bit different: I not only want it 'fixed' but want to learn where the problem sits. I.e. I want to know which debugging tools or diagnose options on has in such a situation. Is there no way for a step-by-step shutdown with logged information? – BmyGuest Jan 13 '16 at 21:00
  • @LMFAO_A_JOKE Verbose messages was the #1 thing the op says he tried already. :) – Ƭᴇcʜιᴇ007 Jan 13 '16 at 21:23
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    I'd say strip it down to just your CPU, HDD, MB, CPU, PSU and a keyboard, and then try again. That way you can eliminate any peripherals. Also, have you tried disabling Hibernation (if you have it enabled)? – Ƭᴇcʜιᴇ007 Jan 13 '16 at 21:25
  • you should take a pic with your phone and add it – barlop Jan 13 '16 at 21:30
  • @Ƭᴇcʜιᴇ007 I Will check hibernation, but why should removing any HW make a difference when there is no HW change between 'working' and 'not working' condition? Besides: plain laptop without any peripheral HW except the inbuilt stuff (cam, audio, touchpad, etc.) – BmyGuest Jan 13 '16 at 21:31
  • I was mainly suggesting stripping it down because it's an easy way to eliminate peripherals as the potential hang-up (drivers may not like something that's been enforced on the domain you joined, perhaps). If it's a laptop, then yeah, that's not so easy. ;) Does the domain you joined employ group policies? And is the computer itself actually joined to the domain? – Ƭᴇcʜιᴇ007 Jan 13 '16 at 21:41
  • @Ƭᴇcʜιᴇ007 Yes to both of your questions. The thing is, a colleague (also working remotely) has the same laptop and situation, but no issues. *sigh* – BmyGuest Jan 14 '16 at 07:49

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