Why does the Windows 7 computer take a long time to turn off? Why does the computer take a long time to turn off?

Shutting down your computer for a long time does not fall into the category of emergency problems. This usually happens very rarely when a user forgets to disable a running application. In other cases, this can happen regularly and then such a malfunction begins to greatly interfere with work. In the “natural” state, a Windows computer turns off in no more than thirty seconds, and if it takes you longer, then it’s time to check the device.

Reasons for taking a long time to complete a PC shutdown

Before you start looking for the cause in the registry and other system folders, remember your last actions on the computer. It is possible that the installation of new software or drivers could cause the “disease”. This can also happen in cases where owners of personal computers upgrade their machines and install new components. Most often, such malfunctions are the result of an emergency or incorrect shutdown of the PC. All this can cause an internal conflict to arise in the operation of the system, and its elimination will take some time.

Disconnecting the computer from the power supply while it is running or long pressing the power button on the system unit are also types of emergency shutdown of the device.

Malicious software can also cause such troubles. Typically, applications of this kind are loaded into the computer's RAM, consume it for their needs, and do not really want to be unloaded from there. Thus, they block the procedure of turning off the device.

Remember that viruses can penetrate regular applications that you previously used without problems. In this case, they usually begin to work incorrectly and cause a conflict not only with other installed programs. But also system components of the operating system.

The cause of the malfunction may be the installation of system drivers. Updating system data and installing updated, latest versions of drivers for system components does not always end well due to the fact that the developers themselves can make mistakes. A very clear example of this was related to Windows Defender, which caused significant harm to many users. Developers quickly identify errors and fix them, but in any case, installing an updated version of a software product can already have a negative impact on your personal device. There may be several other problems associated with drivers: when copying installation files, failures and errors may occur, the user may specify incorrect parameters, etc. As a result, one or more of these problems may lead to conflicts within the system itself.

Conflicts can occur when the user wants to turn off the computer, but some active application remains on it. In some cases, developers, when creating their own software products, add to them by blocking forced termination. As a result, when a person turns off the PC, he does not receive a notification to close the program in forced mode and the computer continues to work. Most often, this happens when some conscious action is required from the user in a running application, for example, a notification appears about saving various changes.

A frozen program has the status “Not responding”

It is not uncommon that the problem may be frozen programs. Although the status of such programs is displayed as “Not responding,” the system still recognizes them as active. In such cases, the device will also not turn off until the computer owner himself disables the frozen program.

Lack of free space on your hard drive can also lead to similar consequences. The Windows 7 operating system uses the found available space on the hard drive to store intermediate files there, which are subsequently used during interaction between the user and the PC. If the amount of free space is minimal, then the system will have to access this space much more often to save and replace files there, which also affects the performance of the device.

The page file represents the device's virtual memory. The “closest” analogue is operational. Here, just as in the case of RAM, certain data is stored, and besides, it is regularly updated when the device is turned off. Incorrect user settings, small size or even damage to this file can significantly reduce the speed of computer shutdown.

A small or incorrectly configured page file can cause PC problems

The operating system you are using can itself cause your computer to shut down for a long time. While the user is working with the computer, various information about errors, settings and other manipulations is stored in separate system files. Thus, multiple errors, installation and removal of programs damaging important files cause slow shutdown of the personal computer.

Debugg

To begin with, it is advisable to use simple “treatment” methods that do not require any significant intervention in the system.

Close unnecessary processes and applications

The reason why your computer shuts down slowly may be because some application or program on the device remains active.

A frozen program that needs to be closed

If here you see the inscription: “Not responding,” then select it and click on the “Cancel task” button and confirm the operation.

A personal computer, or more precisely, the operating system itself, during significant changes, creates so-called restore points. Users can use them to return the computer to its previous working state before the changes were made.

In the window that opens, specify the date for system recovery and confirm the action.

Immediately after the procedure is completed, your system will be returned to the same state as it was during the period you specified.

Removing malware

Wait for the scan to complete and delete or disinfect the found files using the appropriate buttons.

Remember that sometimes malware can even infect your antivirus. In such cases, it turns out to be useless, then you should use anti-virus applications installed on removable media.

If your computer still shuts down for a long time even after you have completely cleaned your PC of viruses, this may be due to damage to the healed files. Reinstalling programs where malicious code was found will help here.

The time that is given to a frozen program to respond to the system is determined by special parameters in the system registry.

You have to find the Control Panel and Desktop directory in the list, where the treasured files will be located.

AutoEndTasks - 1.

Restart your computer and the changes will take effect.

Shortcut for application crashes

Specify the special command in the field and save

Click on the "Done" button.

Laptops have an additional feature that allows them to significantly save energy consumption and control battery consumption for efficient operation of the device. Often this function is unstable and causes problems associated with slow shutdown of the device.

Change properties and save changes

If you have additional root hubs, you will need to repeat the same procedure for them.

How cleaning your computer can help you shut down faster

Repeat the same with the Applications section.

Regularly monitor the free space on your hard drive. If it becomes very low, then remove unnecessary applications and programs, otherwise you are greatly risking the performance of your PC.

In addition to cleaning the hard drive from old files and unnecessary programs, it is recommended to regularly do the same with the system unit. Accumulated dust negatively affects the operation of system components, including errors, freezes, and unstable operation.

Therefore, clean the components from dust from time to time.

Working with virtual memory

Switch the checkbox to "Disabled" and save everything.

“Undoing changes in progress, do not turn off the computer”, but the computer cannot be turned off, what should I do?

Changing the Update Center settings

Select the "Don't check for updates" option in the drop-down menu.

The next thing you have to do is uninstall the latest system updates. This can be done in the C:/windows/SoftwareDistribution/Download directory. Change the display by date and remove the most recent files. Save the changes and restart your personal computer.

Video on the topic

The problem appears to users more and more often the longer they use the computer. So, usually, the computer turns off for a long time after six months or more of using the system, sometimes earlier. It's obvious that Windows just can't handle applications. There is a certain pattern in the number of applications and the speed of turning on/off the computer.

If the system takes longer to shut down than in previous uses, then the culprit is most likely a program that is running in the background. Also common reasons are: failures in the operating system itself, system clogging, too little memory left, and other similar situations.

Now let’s take a look at why the computer takes a long time to turn off and how to deal with it. Common causes of the problem will be presented, and only those that do not require risky action.

Why does my computer take a long time to turn off?

Usually the computer takes a long time to shut down in Windows xp or other versions due to the presence of unnecessary and heavily loading programs, less often the cause is crashes. In fact, the topic is extensive, but it’s really easy to speed up your computer in ways that boil down to freeing up resources.

Why does my computer take a long time to turn off? – The reason is that there are many programs that operate without the user’s knowledge, perhaps a broken application. Less often, the root of the problem lies in faulty drivers or system infection.

To speed up shutdown, you can clean up programs by pressing Win + R and typing msconfig. Now go to Startup. Uncheck any apps that you don't use regularly. Ideally, only working applications, antivirus and drivers should remain.

At the end of the procedure, you should further clean the debris from the system. To avoid doing this manually, run a scan in the popular CCleaner utility.

Cleaning the system of unnecessary programs

You can simply delete applications that are not in demand or you no longer need, or disable their autorun. These actions will be equivalent in effectiveness (except for heavy programs), but the last option will help you save the application in case it comes in handy. So first of all check:

1. Windows + R and msconfig;
2. Now uncheck the box next to unnecessary applications.

Be sure to leave the drivers for sound and video, which are called Realtek and Nvidia (for Geforce), respectively. You can safely remove all other applications from autorun, since even if it turns out that you need the program, you can always return it.

Cleaning the system of debris

Quite often, a Windows 7 computer and other versions of the system shut down for a long time due to the presence of pieces of programs or applications. In other words, when you install a program, it places a lot of information on the system that is necessary for its work, and during the uninstallation process, not everything is erased. This leaves auto-updaters and their services, DirectX components, Visual C++, etc. Up to a certain point, this is not a problem, but when many such tasks accumulate, lags and similar to our situation may be noticed.

First, let's clean the system of temporary files, cache, etc. For this we will use CCleaner.

• Download the program from the link https://files.totalsoft.org/C/CCleaner/ccsetup522.zip;
• You don’t have to change the position of the checkboxes, just click “Analyze”;

• Now the search will start, when it is finished, click “Run Cleaner”.

This will help clean up the system, but the problem is not fixed yet. Now you just need to remove all unnecessary applications, then start working on services until you see an improvement.

You can remove applications:

1. "Control Panel" from Start;
2. Find the Programs and Features tile;
3. Move the selection to the desired position and click "Delete".

You can stop services:

1. On the “Control Panel”, select the “Administration” link;
2. Now the “Services” item;
3. Right-click on the desired element and “Stop”.

To kill processes, you can use the regular Task Manager, but it does not have the function of displaying the path to the executable file. Therefore, you need to use a third-party program AnVir Task Manager.

1. Download the utility here https://www.anvir.net/downloads/anvirrus.exe;
2. Launch it and you will see the same dispatcher, only more advanced. Select unnecessary processes, find executable files and delete them first in the application, then from the computer.

First of all, we are interested in programs, components and services that take up a lot of system resources and are not useful. Also, a likely problem why the computer takes a long time to turn off could be useful programs that simply freeze during any action, in our case closing.

Removing frozen programs

Usually, it is quite simple to determine that an application has frozen; before shutting down, the window says “Waiting to close programs” and a list of them. Sometimes, the problem is more complex because a process or service is hanging, then you should first identify the cause. You can do this by viewing the logs:

1.Click the Start button and select “Control Panel”;

2.Now click on the “Administration” tile;

3.Select “Event Viewer”;

4.Open the “Custom Views” folder;

5.Click on “Management Events”.

You need to look for errors that precede situations when your Windows 10 or other versions turn off for a long time. After identifying the culprit, uninstall/reinstall/update the application and the problem should disappear, as described in the last chapter.

Video driver problems

With some lags in video drivers, there is a problem when the computer turns off for a long time (Windows 7,8,8.1,10). To get rid of the problem, you just need to update and sometimes roll back the drivers.

• Right click on “My Computer” and select “Properties”;
• Now click on “Device Manager”;
• Expand the “Video adapters” drop-down list;
• If there is a yellow exclamation mark next to the line with the name of your video card, then you definitely have problems with the driver, but there may not be one. Right click and “Properties”;

• Then go to the "Driver" tab;
• Click the "Update" button.

If the problem occurred immediately after installing the new driver, then click “Roll Back”. Also, if these steps do not help, simply uninstall and install it again.

Too little free space

The system logical disk must contain at least 5GB of free space for normal system operation. If this requirement is not met, situations may arise with the computer shutting down for a long time.

The solution is clear, you just need to clean the disk, if you install games on it, just move them to another partition, the same with “heavy” programs. This free space is used for the paging file under heavy load, and it is also necessary for disk defragmentation.

System infection with viruses

More often than we would like, computers become infected with viruses, including those that take up a lot of computer power, making it difficult to turn it off. The easiest way to get rid of them is to simply run an antivirus scanner. Be careful when deleting infected files, as they may be important to applications.

The other side of the coin will be a decrease in the speed of system shutdown precisely because of the antivirus program, because it requires a lot of resources. Perhaps the problem arose after installing such an application; usually the speed decreases by 2-10 seconds.

Lowering the program waiting threshold

By default, 12 seconds will pass before the computer displays a message that the program is not responding. If this number is changed to, for example, 5 seconds, then even a frozen application will close faster, which will help with our problem. It’s better to understand the program itself, but this method also works.

1. Win + R and type regedit;
2. Follow the path HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE - SYSTEM - CurrentControlSet - Control – WaitToKillServiceTimeout;
3. You need to find the WaitToKillServiceTimeout parameter and set it to 5000, or 4000.

Cancel Memory Clear

It was originally intended that when shutting down the virtual memory should be cleared, this function can be disabled, which will lead to faster system shutdown. You can do it like this:

1. Win + R and enter gpedit.msc;
2. Proceed to “Computer Configuration”;
3. Now open Windows Configuration;
4. Then “Security Settings”;
5. Open "Local Policies";
6. Finally, “Security Settings” on the right side of the window there will be an option appropriately named “shutdown: clear virtual memory file”, select it with a right click and “Properties”;
7. Check the box next to "Disabled".

There are several other ways to speed up the shutdown of your computer, but the risk they involve does not justify the result, plus by using these functions you will get a significant increase in speed. If this does not happen, then the problem is in the files of the operating system itself; you can scan it using the sfc /scannow command by entering it into the console. You may need to reinstall the system.

If you still have questions on the topic “What to do if the computer turns off for a long time?”, you can ask them in the comments

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After installing a “clean” version of Windows on a formatted hard drive, the user begins to get used to the fact that his computer works quickly and without failures. It turns on and off almost instantly almost immediately after pressing the “Shutdown” button. But the more loaded the system becomes, the more problems of various kinds arise with it. One of the troubles that a Windows user may encounter is a long system shutdown. In this article, we’ll look at what to do if your Windows computer takes a long time to shut down.

Please note: The tips below apply to computers running Windows 10, as well as earlier versions of the operating system. In particular, they will help solve the problem if the computer on Windows 7 turns off for a long time.

Why does the computer take a long time to turn off?

Before moving directly to tips that will help solve the problem, you need to understand what it is connected with. There are several main reasons why a computer takes a long time to turn off:

• The presence of constantly active “heavy” applications that require time to complete. At the same time, the user is not always aware that such programs are running in the background. Accordingly, this may generally slow down the speed of the computer;
• “Broken” applications do not allow the computer to turn off quickly, and in some cases even prevent it from turning off;
• Driver problems;
• The presence of viruses on the computer.

The above are only the most common reasons that may be associated with a long computer shutdown.

What to do if the computer turns off for a long time

Let's look at a number of actions that should speed up the process of shutting down a computer running Windows. We recommend performing them sequentially, after each step restarting the computer and checking whether the problem was resolved.

Remove unnecessary programs from startup

The main reason why a computer can take a long time to turn on and off is the presence of a large number of programs in startup. However, often not all of the downloaded applications are needed by the user on a regular basis.

Many programs automatically add themselves to startup during installation. For example, this is done by various social network clients, gaming services (Steam, Uplay, Origin), instant messengers, VPN programs and many other applications. If they are not removed from the automatic boot list, they will slow down not only the startup of the computer, but also its shutdown.

To remove unnecessary applications from startup, you must perform the following steps:

Please note: There is a separate “Startup Impact” column in the Task Manager. The more influence an application has on starting the computer, the more it prevents it from shutting down.

Ideally, only the most necessary programs that are used daily should automatically load when you turn on the computer. For example, these could be applications such as: Skype, Telegram, Dropbox and antivirus.

Remove junk from the system

The second step that can help speed up your computer shutdown is removing junk from your hard drive. Often, the user does not realize that one of the programs that was installed and uninstalled a long time ago can affect the performance of the computer. But this is true, since many applications leave behind “traces” on the system, for example, various drivers, system components, and so on. When a lot of such “garbage” accumulates in the system, it must be cleaned. The CCleaner application can handle this:

It would also be a good idea to remove unnecessary programs from your computer. Despite the fact that they themselves do not affect the speed of turning on and off the computer, if they are not running, they can affect these processes indirectly, since they take up space on the hard drive, and all key processes in Windows depend on the amount of information on it . You can remove programs through the standard “Add or Remove Programs” utility in Windows, or through the CCleaner application on the “Tools” tab.

Identifying and eliminating hanging processes and services

If a program freezes before turning off the computer, the user will be informed about this with the message “Waiting to close programs” and a list of them. But almost all applications in the system that are open at the time of shutdown freeze in this way, so it is recommended to close all open applications before clicking the “Shutdown” button.

It is much worse if, when you turn off the computer, a process or executing service freezes. In this case, you need to determine what exactly is hanging, and then fix the problem. You can find out which process or service is hanging using the system event viewer application:

Here you can see what errors preceded the computer shutdown process. The bottom of the window contains information about which file stopped responding, what led to the failure, or another reason for the problem. Depending on what reason causes the error, you need to take certain actions. For example, remove the problematic application, update the driver, perform a system update, and so on.

Video card driver update

Another reason that often leads to a long shutdown of the computer is a malfunction of the video driver. To solve the problem, you will need to update the driver. You can do this as follows:

It is worth noting that if, on the contrary, problems with your computer began to arise after you updated the driver to the latest version, in the device properties you can “Roll Back” the software to previous versions.

Cleaning up hard drive space

As noted above, a large number of applications and files on the computer can negatively affect the performance of the system if there is little free space left for Windows tasks. Currently, Windows 10 requires at least 30 GB of free space on your system hard drive.

That is, if your computer has several hard drives installed, you should try to unload as much as possible the one on which the operating system is installed. Information from it can be transferred to another drive.

Please note: Installing the operating system on a solid-state drive allows you to significantly speed up booting and shutting down your computer.

Search and remove viruses

No computer is protected from viruses, even if an antivirus is installed on it. From time to time it is necessary to conduct a full system scan for infections. According to the recommendations of antivirus developers, you need to conduct a full scan of your computer at least once a month.

Please note: When scanning your computer for viruses, the antivirus application must be updated to the latest version. This is important because the database of viruses on the developer side is constantly growing.

Reducing the waiting threshold for programs

It takes 12 seconds until the computer turns off and displays a message that the program is not responding. This value is set by default in the operating system. If you set that 6 seconds should pass before this message, rather than 12, the computer shutdown speed can be increased. To reduce the program waiting threshold you will need:

After making changes, restart your computer for them to take effect.

Disabling the memory clear feature

Important: Before you perform the following steps, create a restore point because they may cause problems with your computer.

According to the operating principles of the Windows operating system, virtual memory is completely cleared when the computer is turned off, and only after this the work shuts down. You can disable this in the settings, which will significantly speed up the process of shutting down the computer, but can negatively affect the operation of the operating system as a whole, and also lead to “broken” files if the result was not saved manually before turning off the computer. To disable the memory clearing function, you need to:

By following all the steps described above, you can significantly speed up the process of shutting down your computer.

Every user has at least once experienced the consequences of problems in the operation of computer software. And it doesn’t matter whether the PC is used for work, for games, or as a multimedia center, the skills of quickly solving problems will make life easier for everyone. This article will discuss a fairly popular question: why does Windows 7 take so long to shut down?

Before we begin describing the causes and troubleshooting options, it must be said that the duration of the PC shutdown depends on its characteristics. The more powerful the hardware, the faster the presented procedure will be performed. The computer usually shuts down within 12-30 seconds. In addition to hardware components, Windows options and settings affect the duration of the shutdown. It is logical that if the PC hardware is not the most up-to-date, the shutdown time will be longer. However, if the most modern one still takes longer than 30 seconds to shutdown, troubleshooting and optimization becomes necessary.

Main reasons

Often the main reason why Windows 7 takes a long time to shut down is a large number of running programs and processes. This happens because the operating system is trying not only to close them, but also to save all their data and reports. Accordingly, a larger number of applications means a longer shutdown time.

Software conflict

The second popular reason is a software conflict. One application can interfere with the entire operating system during shutdown. And until such a conflict is resolved, the computer will not turn off, and at the same time its shutdown time will increase. This is the same problem you should look for if Windows 7 freezes when shutting down. Often, such conflicts occur if the program freezes or does not allow its process to be terminated forcibly. Very often, such programs are products that change the decoration and design of Windows.

To begin with, before trying to manually close all running programs, maybe after these actions the computer will turn off noticeably faster.

To solve this kind of problem, you need to analyze your manipulations that were performed on the computer. It is quite possible that not long ago a new driver or program was installed into the system, or a new device was installed in the expansion slot. Simply uninstalling the most recently installed programs and components is often sufficient. If that doesn't help, try rolling back to a previous restore point.

Take out the trash regularly

If the computer turns off for a long time, Windows 7 may be to blame. For example, after some time, a large amount of “garbage” accumulates in the system. This usually happens due to installing and uninstalling programs, installing updates, and a large number. Also, the OS may crash when shutting down if its system files are damaged.

To solve the problem, regularly use special utilities that clean the OS, removing remnants of previously uninstalled programs, unused drivers, and correcting registry errors. CCleaner is considered one of the best.

Malware

If your computer takes a long time to shut down, Windows 7 may be responding to a virus infection in this way. They almost always work in active mode: they block system processes, do not allow themselves to be “killed,” and if the malicious program can be terminated, it immediately starts again. Very often, such viruses inject their code into your computer, and the presence of an antivirus never guarantees absolute protection.

Perform a full scan of your PC for malware with an antivirus distribution that is loaded from a flash drive or disk. The antivirus used in the system may be infected, and therefore will only create the appearance of protection. Always download only the latest versions of such applications with the latest virus databases. The most popular and effective program of this kind is Cureit.

Try to check the processes in the task manager yourself; it is quite possible that by ending the suspicious program, the computer will turn off quickly and the problematic component will be found.

Drivers

The last non-obvious reason why Windows 7 takes a long time to shut down is problematic drivers. They may be installed with errors, damaged during Windows operation, or modified by viruses, even if the malicious programs were immediately removed.

Try downloading and running the DriveCleanup program, it is distributed free of charge and can be run on any Windows operating system. While running, the application removes all unused drivers from the system, and after finishing its work, you must restart the computer.

Obvious reasons

There is not enough free space on drive C. Accordingly, the computer takes a long time to turn off. Windows 7 simply does not have enough free space to record and save all the settings, so the system must first delete old temporary files. Try to increase the amount of free space, especially since Microsoft experts recommend leaving about five gigabytes unused.

You can remove programs or games that have not been used for a long time, leave only the latest system restore point, delete the update cache, and clear the Downloads directory of unnecessary files.

In addition to everything that was mentioned above, the overall stability of the operating system is affected by the dustiness of the system unit. If the radiators have not been purged for a long time, and the contacts on the RAM have not been serviced for a long time at the wiping level, the computer may begin to overheat, which leads to various types of failures.

This preventive measure can solve many problems, because programs work thanks to hardware capabilities. Often, solving a problem only by cleaning the operating system from garbage, the user forgets that garbage can accumulate in the system unit itself. This advice is especially relevant if you have been using Windows 7 for a long time, so it may not have anything to do with it.

Each of us has problems with our computer. Since a computer is everything to us, the ability to quickly solve any problems is very necessary in life. As you remember, we have already considered problems related to and. Due to the great popularity of these articles, we want to continue this topic, and this time we will tell you why the computer takes a long time to turn off.

Before we begin describing possible reasons, it is worth noting that The shutdown time of the computer directly depends on the technical characteristics. That is, the more powerful the computer components, in particular the processor and RAM, the faster this process will take place. On average, a computer turns off in 12 to 30 seconds; this period depends on both the settings and the operating system. Therefore, if you have a computer that does not have the most up-to-date parameters, then a long shutdown is a completely understandable process; it’s another matter when a modern computer running the latest versions of Windows shuts down for a long time, more than 30 seconds, then you need to look for the reasons for this and eliminate them.

Reasons why the computer does not turn off for a long time

Below, the site’s specialists will tell you why the computer can turn off for a long time.

These are actually all the reasons why your computer may turn off for a long time. Analyze all of the above and check each of these possible causes. Below, the site’s experts will tell you how to solve the problem of your computer turning off for a long time.

What to do if the computer turns off for a long time?

To begin with, just before turning off the computer try manually turning off all running programs, maybe after these actions the computer will turn off noticeably faster.

To solve the problem with the computer taking a long time to turn off, analyze your actions that you performed before the computer began to turn off longer. May be, you installed a program or driver or removed them, after which the computer took a long time to turn on. By recreating the full picture of the actions, it will be easier for you to look for the reason for the long shutdown of the computer. If necessary, remove the program or driver that you suspect and install it again. Roll back system and driver updates if any were made before the computer began to shut down longer.

Use special utilities that help clean your operating system, removing all unnecessary so-called “garbage” and remnants of deleted programs and drivers. In general, such programs are very useful, and we recommend using them unless such problems arise. By the way, such programs improve the performance of the system as a whole.

Your computer may take a long time to shut down in Windows 7 and Windows 8 due to presence of viruses and malware. Perform a full scan of your computer for viruses and malware. It is advisable to use not only the scanner of your installed antivirus, but also free scanner utilities, of which there are quite a lot today.

Check the list of processes and programs, maybe you will find some there suspicious processes, due to which the computer may turn off for a long time.

Well, a few more useful tips. If you have very little free space on your hard drive, especially on the system partition, then it is recommended to increase it. For normal operation of the operating system, you need at least 5 GB of free space on drive “C”. To do this, you can remove unused programs and games, reduce the program cache, or simply clean out the Downloads and Documents folder. Along with this, clean the system unit from dust; this can not only help increase the speed of computer shutdown, but also increase the speed of the computer as a whole.

If you don’t want to bother searching for the reasons why your computer takes a long time to shut down and how to eliminate them, or if all attempts to fix the problem have not been successful, you can immediately deal with the problem by reinstalling the operating system.