I cannot close my Dell PC I have to force a close

Hello,

I bought a Dell Inspiron 620MT desktop and now I cannot close it down. It is running Windows 7 so I thought I would ask for help on this site.
I was trying to use SKYPE, there were problems so I closed it down. Then I tried to start it again and the computer said I couldn't because it was already running. I couldn't get it going again so I tried to Alt Control and Delete the task. This worked but when I tried to start SKYPE again it said that it was already running and I couldn't start it again. Then I tried to shut my computer down but it just wouldn't so I tried Alt Control & Del but that didn't work so in the end I had to press the button and force it to shut down.

I just thought that as this is a Windows 7 forum that I would ask here first in case there is a problem with Windows 7.

Thank You

Hi Taipan. It's most likely an issue with the Skype software... I use it myself and frequently experience problems with it. Unfortunately it's a problem with how the software was designed, it's not the most OS-friendly...

The next time to you need to kill a malfunctioning program open your task manager, click the Process tab, then find the name of the program. When ya do right-click and select End Process Tree, and this usually will work.

Hi Kougar,
Sorry I did do what you mentioned but the programme was still running in services.

Ah, I see. You are referring to the Services tab in Task Manager? That tab shows system services, which is not quite the same as active, running programs. Services are typically loaded during startup, most will run then "stop", while others remain active.

If Skype is no longer showing under the Application tab and Process tabs, then it is terminated. If you want to remove a "service" you see in the Services tab, you'd need to uninstall the related program or manually disable the service. To do this open the start menu, type "services", and select that to open the Service manager.

Just to make sure, are you using the latest version of Skype? They often update the program to resolve issues, so it is best to grab the latest version if you are having issues with it.

Thank You so much for this help, I will try that.

I have done everything that Kougar has recommended and I am still having problems.
I have un-installed Skype and re-installed it and still the same problem. What I have done to save my sanity is I have stopped Skype starting when my computer
starts so I only use it when I need it. What I have noticed is that when the SKYPE icon is on the taskbar, if I right click it only has 3 lines in a box, my husband
who has his own computer and which is working perfectly well with Skype etc. has 5 lines in the box. i.e.
He has:

Tasks
Sign Out
Quit Skype
----------------------
"S" Skype
pin this programme to the task bar
X Close window.

So when he has finished with skype and want to shut it down, he right clicks the icon on the taskbar and clicks Quit Skype and Skype closes down completely.
I have:

"S" Skype
pin this programme to the task bar
X Close window.
So I have to close Skype by Ctrl/Alt/Delete.

So now that I have stopped Skype coming on automatically I thought that would solve the problem But............it hasn't.....Even with Skype not running at all,
I still have the problem that when I try to Shut Down my computer it will not shut down. Just says on screen "Shutting Down" which it doesn't and I have to Force a Shut Down.
So it looks like I have 2 problems with my Dell Computer running Windows 7.

Sorry this is Very long winded but I am getting to the end of my tether.....Can anyone please help!!

That's called a "Jumplist" in programmer/technical terms, I built them using the Windows API when I develop my own applications.

They get validated depending on the state of the program, just like a right click (context menu) does. Are you sure that you're signed in, and have your application in the same "state" as he does when you compare?

For example, do you have any conversations open? If so, did he at the time you compared? Things like this will alter the categories and items in a jumplist, and you can even add to the jumplist yourself in some cases. Like with IE9.

You should only have that "Quit Skype" jumplist I believe if you're signed into an account when you have skype opened.

Application's that aren't running can still have services associated with the program running on your computer while the application isn't running. My guess is that a services associated with Skype becomes unresponsive when it has to close down on shutdown because it's corrupt or has a few errors since you last tried removing skype. Some entries from the previous skype install could have been left on your computer leaving behind all these conflicts.

Try doing this:

Press that windows logo key on your keyboard, and while holding it down, hit the "R" key.

In this Run prompt, type in "CMD" and hit Enter.

In this command prompt type in this command line and hit enter:

If you can post a screenshot of those running services and I might be able to point something out. My guess is that there's a service running on your computer associated with skype that causes this delay in shutdown, forcing you to force power off.

If you know how to copy and paste from cmd prompt then that's fine, otherwise a screenshot is fine enough. I use PowerShell, but I won't get you involved in that lol

Ace, I have done what you said but I couldn't cut and paste the running services so I have written them down and listed them here: To save space I will write them in a line

Adobe Acrobat Update Service ------ Apple Mobile Device ------ Application Experience
Audio Service ---- avast! Antivirus ----avast! Firewall ---- Background Intelligent Transfer Service ---- Base Filtering Engine ---- BB Update ---- Bonjour Service ----
CNG Key Isolation ---- COM+ Event System ---- Computer Browser ----
Cryptographic Services ---- Cyberlink Rich Video Service (CRUS) ----
DCOM Server Process Launcher ---- Desktop Window Manager Session Manager ---- DHCP Client ---- Diagnostic Policy Service ---- Diagnostic Service Host ----
Distributed Link Tracking Client ----DNS Client ----
Extensible Authentication Protocol ---- Function Discovery Provider Host ----
Function Discovery Resource Publication ----Group Policy Client ----HomeGroup Provider -
Intel (R) Matrix Storage Event Monitor ----IP Helper ---- iPod Service ----
IPsec Policy Agent ---- Kodak AiO Network Discovery Service ----
Microsoft .NET Framework NGEN v4.0.30319_X86
Multimedia Class Scheduler ---- Network Connections ---- Network List Service ----
Network Location Awareness ----Network Store Interface Service ---- Plug & Play ----
Power ---- Print Spooler ---- Program Compatibility Assistant Service ----
ProstexisLicensing ---- Rapport Management Service ---- Remote Produre Call (RPC) ----
RPC Endpoint Mapper ---- Security Accounts Manager ---- Security Center ---- Server ----
Shell Hardware Detection ---- SSDP Discovery ---- Superfetch ----
Syntek STK1150 Service ---- System Event Notification Service ---- Task Scheduler ----
TCP/IP NetBIOS Helper ---- Teamviewer5 ----Themes ----Ulead Burning Helper ----
User Profile Service ---- Windows Audio ---- Windows Audio Endpoint Builder ----
Windows Defender ---- Windows Driver Foundation-User-mode Driver Framework ----
Windows Event Log ---- Windows Firewall ---- Windows Font Cache Service ----
Windows Image Acquisition (WIA) ---- Windows Live ID Sign-in Assistant ----
Windows Management Instrumentation ----
Windows Media Player Network Sharing Service ---- Windows Search ----
Windows Update ---- WinHTTP Web Proxy Auto-Discovery Service ----
WLAN AutoConfig ----Workstation

I hope this is OK.

With reference to the compare - neither of us had any conversations open all we did was open Skype and have it on the task bar.
So how do I get the additions onto the "Jumplist"

Sorry that this is so long

Just FYI, You shouldn't run Windows Defender and Avast AV together.