This Windows 7 Bug Is Blocking Users From Shutting Down, But Here's The Fix
However, while the cause of the shutdown issue is unknown, there is a workaround that will allow users to reboot or shutdown as needed.
The workaround isn’t difficult, and any version Windows 7 user can take advantage of it. The downside is that users must follow these steps each time they want to shutdown or reboot the computer. The steps are:
- Create a new admin account
- Log into that account or another admin account already on the machine
- Log back into the default admin account
- Reboot or shutdown as needed using the standard method
A more permanent fix has turned up on Reddit and numerous users have confirmed that it works. The steps are below:
- Open the Run window
- Type gpedit.msc and hit enter
- In Group Policy editor go to Computer Configuration > Windows Settings > Security Settings > Local Policies > Security Options
- In Security Options panel search for and double click "User Account Control: Run all administrators in Admin Approval Mode."
- In the new window click on Enable
- Reopen the Run window and type "gpupdate /force" and press Enter
- Restart and shutdown should work normally
Windows 7 has had multiple issues since its end of life last month. Interestingly, Microsoft did release an update after the end of support to fix an issue with wallpaper. In addition, there are still some antivirus companies that will support Windows 7.
