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Shut Down/Reboot Windows 10/11 Emergency (6) Procedures (Aug 2023)

Technology Tips – Published August 2023 in the Guide and Digest By Don Trauger – Kennett   Once in a while a computer will really act up. In fact it may be prevented from any normal use. Microsoft has an undocumented trick that may free up a computer that that is acting up and won’t shut down properly. First, let’s review the normal shutdown procedure with Method 1.
  • Method 1: For Windows 10 click the Start button (lower left corner of the screen). select the Power button and then select Shut down.
  • For Windows 11 click the Start icon in the lower left corner of the screen. In the pop-up window, click the icon in the lower right corner then click Shut down.
  • Method 2:Hold down “Ctrl and Alt keys together and press the Del key” and then click on the power button in the bottom right-hand corner.
  • Method 3:On the Windows desktop, hold down the Alt key then press the F4 key and then select “Reboot” from the drop-down menu.
  • Method 4: Hold down the power button until the screen is blank.
  • Method 5: Open the command prompt with admin rights, type -shutdown -r -t 00and press Enter.
  • Method 6:Go to the Windows Powershell, type “Restart-Computer” and press Enter.
  • Method 7:The hidden emergency restart option.
Note: I use Method 3 to Reboot or Shut down as a normal function. Method 7: To get to the hidden emergency restart function, first hold down Ctrl and Alt keys together then press Del on your keyboard. The usual “lock,” “switch user,” “sign off,” and “Task manager” options will appear in a full screen. To initiate the emergency restart, hold down Crtl button and in the lower right corner of the window click the power button. In the window “Click OK to immediately restart. Any unsaved data will be lost.” It then ends with this with this message: “Use this only as a last resort.” Hopefully this will correct the Shutdown/Reboot condition but be prepared for additional troubleshooting.