Vista - is using ctrl-alt-del to shut down computer harmful?

My mom-in-law recently got a new e-machine running Vista Premium. She was
just getting accustomed to XP, so some of the new Vista details can be
troubling for her. I try to teach her whenever I can. (She's 76 and never
used a computer before. She's taking to it verrrry slowly.)
ANYWAY, she told me the other day she couldn't find the start button to shut
down, so she just unplugged the power. (geesh.)
I told her never do that, showed her the new Windows symbol where the START
should be, went through the shut down process a few times. Then I showed her
how to use the Ctrl-alt-del and choose shutdown, just in case she got
confused again. About a week later she told me proudly that she's been
shutting down the computer properly now every time with the ctrl-alt-del.
I always thought that was a worst case scenario kind of shut down, but is
it? Is it harmful to let her use that as the normal shutdown? Now that she;s
learned it, it may be hard to un-learn.
--
Amanda B

Using the shutdown command from within the Task Manager (ctrl/alt/del) is
the same as going through the Start menu. No problems there!

--
Dustin Harper
dharper@vistarip.com
http://www.vistarip.com

--
"Amanda" <Amanda@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
news:4C76C44A-6B34-4BD0-8586-256768A8F085@microsoft.com...
> My mom-in-law recently got a new e-machine running Vista Premium. She was
> just getting accustomed to XP, so some of the new Vista details can be
> troubling for her. I try to teach her whenever I can. (She's 76 and never
> used a computer before. She's taking to it verrrry slowly.)
> ANYWAY, she told me the other day she couldn't find the start button to
> shut
> down, so she just unplugged the power. (geesh.)
> I told her never do that, showed her the new Windows symbol where the
> START
> should be, went through the shut down process a few times. Then I showed
> her
> how to use the Ctrl-alt-del and choose shutdown, just in case she got
> confused again. About a week later she told me proudly that she's been
> shutting down the computer properly now every time with the ctrl-alt-del.
> I always thought that was a worst case scenario kind of shut down, but is
> it? Is it harmful to let her use that as the normal shutdown? Now that
> she;s
> learned it, it may be hard to un-learn.
> --
> Amanda B

Amanda, why you don't want to show her the Power button on the front of
case? She can use it freely. There is no any harm for OS or PC itself, if
you and she will shut it down with this big button, which you and she use to
start machine.

"Amanda" <Amanda@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
news:4C76C44A-6B34-4BD0-8586-256768A8F085@microsoft.com...
> My mom-in-law recently got a new e-machine running Vista Premium. She was
> just getting accustomed to XP, so some of the new Vista details can be
> troubling for her. I try to teach her whenever I can. (She's 76 and never
> used a computer before. She's taking to it verrrry slowly.)
> ANYWAY, she told me the other day she couldn't find the start button to
> shut
> down, so she just unplugged the power. (geesh.)
> I told her never do that, showed her the new Windows symbol where the
> START
> should be, went through the shut down process a few times. Then I showed
> her
> how to use the Ctrl-alt-del and choose shutdown, just in case she got
> confused again. About a week later she told me proudly that she's been
> shutting down the computer properly now every time with the ctrl-alt-del.
> I always thought that was a worst case scenario kind of shut down, but is
> it? Is it harmful to let her use that as the normal shutdown? Now that
> she;s
> learned it, it may be hard to un-learn.
> --
> Amanda B

Andy I always thought that shutting down with the power button was harmful to
the computer. Doesn't windows need to have that few moments to stop processes
& put away files? I've always used the shut down command instead.
--
Amanda B


"Andy" wrote:

> Amanda, why you don't want to show her the Power button on the front of
> case? She can use it freely. There is no any harm for OS or PC itself, if
> you and she will shut it down with this big button, which you and she use to
> start machine.
>
> "Amanda" <Amanda@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
> news:4C76C44A-6B34-4BD0-8586-256768A8F085@microsoft.com...
> > My mom-in-law recently got a new e-machine running Vista Premium. She was
> > just getting accustomed to XP, so some of the new Vista details can be
> > troubling for her. I try to teach her whenever I can. (She's 76 and never
> > used a computer before. She's taking to it verrrry slowly.)
> > ANYWAY, she told me the other day she couldn't find the start button to
> > shut
> > down, so she just unplugged the power. (geesh.)
> > I told her never do that, showed her the new Windows symbol where the
> > START
> > should be, went through the shut down process a few times. Then I showed
> > her
> > how to use the Ctrl-alt-del and choose shutdown, just in case she got
> > confused again. About a week later she told me proudly that she's been
> > shutting down the computer properly now every time with the ctrl-alt-del.
> > I always thought that was a worst case scenario kind of shut down, but is
> > it? Is it harmful to let her use that as the normal shutdown? Now that
> > she;s
> > learned it, it may be hard to un-learn.
> > --
> > Amanda B
>
>

"Amanda" <Amanda@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
news:F2E29C95-BAE6-4504-A0A9-601613AD7322@microsoft.com...
> Andy I always thought that shutting down with the power button was harmful
> to
> the computer. Doesn't windows need to have that few moments to stop
> processes
> & put away files? I've always used the shut down command instead.
> --
> Amanda B

When I press the power button, Windows automatically goes into its shutdown
procedure.
If I hold it in for more than four seconds, however, power is cut.

Tom Lake

On Tue, 12 Jun 2007 08:02:50 -0400, "Tom Lake" <tlake@twcny.rr.com>
wrote:

>
>"Amanda" <Amanda@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
>news:F2E29C95-BAE6-4504-A0A9-601613AD7322@microsoft.com...
>> Andy I always thought that shutting down with the power button was harmful
>> to
>> the computer. Doesn't windows need to have that few moments to stop
>> processes
>> & put away files? I've always used the shut down command instead.
>> --
>> Amanda B
>
This lets any open files be saved and processes be shutdown the way
the computer thinks they should be.

>When I press the power button, Windows automatically goes into its shutdown
>procedure.
>If I hold it in for more than four seconds, however, power is cut.
>
>Tom Lake
>
This can create issues for the pc. If a program is open and you do
this it could cause issues the next time it is opened. Also any
unsaved work is lost.

A quick press and release of the power button simply initiates Window's
proper shutdown procedure. It does no harm at all and in fact is exactly
the same as using the Start button or the Ctrl Alt Del procedure.

If you press and hold the button in for several seconds, you will force the
computer to shut down immediately, without doing the proper procedure. In
other words, press-and-hold is for those rare occasions when your computer
has crashed so hard it won't respond to anything.

Steve

well, this is what I thought, that the power button was not the way to go. I
did not know though, that the windows shut down would come on.....I do feel I
should use the shut down sequence though. I just wanted to be sure the
ctrl-alt-del was not harmful. Once my mother in law learns something, it's
tough to unlearn. Thanks!@
--
Amanda B


"f/fgeorge" wrote:

> On Tue, 12 Jun 2007 08:02:50 -0400, "Tom Lake" <tlake@twcny.rr.com>
> wrote:
>
> >
> >"Amanda" <Amanda@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
> >news:F2E29C95-BAE6-4504-A0A9-601613AD7322@microsoft.com...
> >> Andy I always thought that shutting down with the power button was harmful
> >> to
> >> the computer. Doesn't windows need to have that few moments to stop
> >> processes
> >> & put away files? I've always used the shut down command instead.
> >> --
> >> Amanda B
> >
> This lets any open files be saved and processes be shutdown the way
> the computer thinks they should be.
>
> >When I press the power button, Windows automatically goes into its shutdown
> >procedure.
> >If I hold it in for more than four seconds, however, power is cut.
> >
> >Tom Lake
> >
> This can create issues for the pc. If a program is open and you do
> this it could cause issues the next time it is opened. Also any
> unsaved work is lost.
>

On Tue, 12 Jun 2007 15:40:44 +0100, "Steve Thackery"
<thack@nowhere.net> wrote:

>A quick press and release of the power button simply initiates Window's
>proper shutdown procedure.


No, not necessarily. It *may* do that or it may do something else. The
setting that controls it is in Control Panel | Power Options.

--
Ken Blake, Microsoft MVP Windows - Shell/User
Please Reply to the Newsgroup

Hi, Amanda.

Good for mom-in-law!

> I always thought that was a worst case scenario kind of shut down, but is
> it? Is it harmful to let her use that as the normal shutdown?

No harm, no foul. ;^}

While it's not the best way to shut down, it sure beats pulling the plug!

On the Ctrl+Alt+Del screen, the Shut Down icon has a small triangular arrow
just to the right. Clicking this gets a smaller version of the Start
button's menu, with Shut Down still at the bottom. It might be easier for
her to select this option, which produces the same graceful shut down as
using the Start button.

(I accidentally Shut Down my computer 3 times by testing while typing this
Reply. :>( So maybe I'm not the best guy to be answering this question.)

RC
--
R. C. White, CPA
San Marcos, TX
rc@grandecom.net
Microsoft Windows MVP
(Running Windows Live Mail beta in Vista Ultimate x64)

"Amanda" <Amanda@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
news:4C76C44A-6B34-4BD0-8586-256768A8F085@microsoft.com...
> My mom-in-law recently got a new e-machine running Vista Premium. She was
> just getting accustomed to XP, so some of the new Vista details can be
> troubling for her. I try to teach her whenever I can. (She's 76 and never
> used a computer before. She's taking to it verrrry slowly.)
> ANYWAY, she told me the other day she couldn't find the start button to
> shut
> down, so she just unplugged the power. (geesh.)
> I told her never do that, showed her the new Windows symbol where the
> START
> should be, went through the shut down process a few times. Then I showed
> her
> how to use the Ctrl-alt-del and choose shutdown, just in case she got
> confused again. About a week later she told me proudly that she's been
> shutting down the computer properly now every time with the ctrl-alt-del.
> I always thought that was a worst case scenario kind of shut down, but is
> it? Is it harmful to let her use that as the normal shutdown? Now that
> she;s
> learned it, it may be hard to un-learn.
> --
> Amanda B