Question Laptop does not shut down properly or restart ?

[GVM2014]

Hi, I am having a problem with my Asus ROG G513Q laptop.

Out of the blue, it no longer shuts down properly from Windows. When I use the shut down command available in Windows, the OS stops, the screen goes black, but the laptop does not shut down completely: meaning, the keyboard is still illuminated and the light on the power button is still active. I need to press the power button for like 5 seconds in order for the laptop to shut down. When this issue manifests itself, the Restart function from Windows also does not work, because the laptop does not actually shut down in order for it to restart. I am using Windows 10.

It happened for the first time several days ago: I forced it to shut down, then powered it on again to check and the second time it shut down properly. Several days, everything was fine. This evening, the issue reappeared and it occurred several times: meaning, I had to force the laptop to shut down by pressing the power button, then powered it on again to see if the problem repeats itself. It did repeat itself 5 or 6 times, then, one hour later, the shut down command worked fine again. Then, 30 minutes again, Windows shutdown failed again.

Any idea what is going on?

 

[Ralston18]

Look in Reliability History/Monitor and Event Viewer for any error codes, warnings, or even informational events being captured when the shutdown attempts fail.

Start with Reliability History/Monitor. Much more end user friendly and the timeline format may reveal some pattern of events.

Event Viewer requires more time and effort to navigate and understand. To help:

How To - How to use Windows 10 Event Viewer | Tom's Hardware Forum (tomshardware.com)

Failing that then the next step will be to use Task Manager, Resource Monitor, and Process Explorer to determine what the system is doing or trying to do during the shutdown process.

Bear in mind that previous shutdowns may have corrupted some files. You may need to run "dism" and "sfc /scannow" to find and repair any corrupted files.

Or perhaps reinstall the files as applicable.

 

[GVM2014]

Look in Reliability History/Monitor and Event Viewer for any error codes, warnings, or even informational events being captured when the shutdown attempts fail.

Start with Reliability History/Monitor. Much more end user friendly and the timeline format may reveal some pattern of events.

Event Viewer requires more time and effort to navigate and understand. To help:

How To - How to use Windows 10 Event Viewer | Tom's Hardware Forum (tomshardware.com)

Failing that then the next step will be to use Task Manager, Resource Monitor, and Process Explorer to determine what the system is doing or trying to do during the shutdown process.

Bear in mind that previous shutdowns may have corrupted some files. You may need to run "dism" and "sfc /scannow" to find and repair any corrupted files.

Or perhaps reinstall the files as applicable.

I think you misunderstood something. It is not possible "to use Task Manager, Resource Monitor, and Process Explorer to determine what the system is doing or trying to do during the shutdown process" because Windows does shut down, and therefore tools like "Task Manager, Resource Monitor, and Process Explorer" are no longer available.
I said in my first message that the OS shuts down, but the laptops remains in a state similar to that when it powers on, but before booting up: the screen is black, all software has shut down, but the motherboard itself has not, because the keyboard and the power button are still lighted.
I'm not sure even that Event Viewer is going to be of much help, because the OS shuts down properly, it's the motherboard itself which does not.
I am not referring to the classic situation when the shut down screen appears, but Windows freezes in place.

 

[Ralston18]

Will the laptop boot into Safe Mode?

 

[GVM2014]

Will the laptop boot into Safe Mode?

With all due respect, I feel we're running in circles. The laptop fails to shut down physically from Windows and has to be shut down from the power button. Basically, the OS shuts down, but the hardware does not.

I don't see what booting into safe mode has to do with this, because you boot into safe mode when you start a PC, not when you shut it down. After I shut it down from the power button, when powered on again, the laptop will boot and start the OS normally. Unless you mean to start the laptop in safe mode and see if it shuts down properly this time when the OS is operating in Safe Mode?

 

[Ralston18]

Yes with respect to the OS and Safe Mode.

Plus safe mode will allow you to look for any error codes via Reliabiity History/Monitor etc..

And provide an opportunity to run "dism" and "sfc /scannow".

Looking in the other tools may discover something.

Objective being to check as much as possible whenever possible.

If the laptop continues to run when it should not be running then there could be a switch or other hardware problem. Maybe a short somewhere.

In that case the laptop will need professional repair.

Another benefit of doing what ever testing you can (and posting accordingly) is that someone else may identify the problem.

Or spot some error of omission or commission on my part.

 

[GVM2014]

Yes with respect to the OS and Safe Mode.

Plus safe mode will allow you to look for any error codes via Reliabiity History/Monitor etc..

And provide an opportunity to run "dism" and "sfc /scannow".

Looking in the other tools may discover something.

Objective being to check as much as possible whenever possible.

If the laptop continues to run when it should not be running then there could be a switch or other hardware problem. Maybe a short somewhere.

In that case the laptop will need professional repair.

Another benefit of doing what ever testing you can (and posting accordingly) is that someone else may identify the problem.

Or spot some error of omission or commission on my part.

Well, as I mentioned in my first post, the problem does not happen all the time, but erratically. Since I posted this message on Thursday, the problem did not occur again.
The only thing I can think of is that, when this problem occurred, I had an USB-C hub with additional USB slots, to which two external drives (1 external SSD + 1 external HDD) were connected (to the hub I mean).
From searching on Google (since it seems this issue is not particularly rare and happens from time to time), I've read that such issues can be driver-related or caused by peripherals, although the messages I've found were not very specific.
Anyway, I'll keep it under observation for a while to see if the problem reappears.

 

[Ralston18]

Intermittent problems (", the problem does not happen all the time") are difficult to diagnose.

Some problems may result from some series of events or coinciding events ("perfect storm").

Or a loose connection that intermittently disconnects or shorts out.

Also - you mentioned a hub: meaning a USB hub? Is that hub independently powered or does it relay solely on laptop USB power?

Something else to keep an eye on....

 

[GVM2014]

Intermittent problems (", the problem does not happen all the time") are difficult to diagnose.

Yeah, you don't have to tell me... 😉

Also - you mentioned a hub: meaning a USB hub? Is that hub independently powered or does it relay solely on laptop USB power?

This: https://ro.hama.com/i/00200108/hama...x-usb-a-usb-c-lan-ethernet?bySuggest=00200108

Or a loose connection that intermittently disconnects or shorts out.

What loose conenction?

 

[Ralston18]

That Hama hub does not have its' own independent power source. So it draws on laptop power and if, for whatever reasons, power is insufficient the laptop and peripherals will suffer.

= = = =

Loose connection: In the switch, in a connector plug, in a connector port, weakened/cracked solder joint.

Likely due to heat related expansion and contraction or vibrations.

Which can cause wires to rub and wear leading to a short circuit.

Maybe some component flaw or assembly error where a wire is too tight, pinched, kinked and leads to problems.

Works fine at first, then "makes and breaks" (intermittment), and finally goes poof.