Sometimes having trouble shutting down

Sometimes, lately, when I shut my computer down, it freezes on the last blue screen. After I choose "Shut down..." from the apple menu and choose "OK" the computer starts shutting down. Then my desktop icons go away, and USUALLY, I get a blue screen for a moment and then the computer shuts off. Sometimes, I get a little revolving icon similar to the one that shows on startup.
But on occasion, that's where the process stops. I come into the room some time later, and the blue screen is still there, with a frozen revolving icon.
The only thing that "corrects" it is holding down the power button.
Any thoughts as to what is happening?
(I shut down all my applications prior to shutting down)

Hi Brian
Reset the iMac's SMC (System Management Controller)
http://support.apple.com/kb/HT1543
Dennis

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Macbook Pro having trouble shutting down/waking up

Okay, just to clarify, yes my Macbook Pro is 4 years old, but I don't think I've done anything to it that would really cause this.
My problem: First, when I boot up, sometimes I get a "Please restart your computer" message as the screen turns from blue to gray. It often takes at least 2 times before I can actually log in without a problem. And recently, I've been getting that message while I'm booted up... but only a couple of times.
Then my mac has also been having trouble shutting down and waking up. When I click "shut down" it takes a good, long while for it to shut down, if it does it at all. Again, recently I've had to just hold down the power button to get it to shut off, which I'm sure isn't good for the computer. And if I shut my Macbook, as in putting down the screen, it makes that noise that happens right before the "DING" (that little shifty noise... I can't really describe it) several times while still shut. And when I go to open it up to get back to what I was doing, it won't wake up unless I press the power button, but sometimes I have to restart.
Is there something horribly wrong with my Mac or is this normal for an aged computer? And is it fixable without having to Archive and Repair (I really don't want to have to go through that again, especially now that I really need this computer)?
Thanks for your help and I'm sorry if this has been asked before or is a completely noobish question.

First question, how much free space do you have on the Hard Drive?
If less than 10 GB you're asking for trouble.
Have you booted off the Install Disk by holding the *d key* down at boot-up, (not the c key), and run the extended Apple HW Test? Some Install disks require holding the Option key at bootup to select the AHT. Some Macs came with separate AHT CDs.
"Try Disk Utility
1. Insert the Tiger Mac OS X Install disc that came with your computer, then restart the computer while holding the C key.
2. When your computer finishes starting up from the disc, choose Disk Utility from the Installer menu. (In Mac OS X 10.4 or later, you must select your language first.)
Important: Do not click Continue in the first screen of the Installer. If you do, you must restart from the disc again to access Disk Utility.
3. Click the First Aid tab.
4. Click the disclosure triangle to the left of the hard drive icon to display the names of your hard disk volumes and partitions.
5. Select your Mac OS X volume.
6. Click Repair. Disk Utility checks and repairs the disk."
http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?artnum=106214
Then Safe Boot , (holding Shift key down at bootup), run Disk Utility in Applications>Utilities, then highlight your drive, click on Repair Permissions, reboot when it finishes.

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hi
i've got similar set up so i do suggest the next things:
1)before you shut down your external hard disc always eject it
2)if u got both ff400 and lacie hd connected via firewire try to connect one (i suggest the hd) via express card 34 (i bought one that is not so expensive and it works perfect)
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m

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Hey guys- My comp doesn't seem to want to shut down (or restart). i.e. If I follow Apple>Shut Down>"OK", it will close out all my apps and act like its going to shut down, then just sits on the Finder. I checked out the activity monitor and can't find anything that would cause this (I'm not sure I'm allowed to post pictures or I'd get some screen shots up).
So I'm forced to manually shut down, which i cringe every time i do it. When I power back up it seems fine and shuts down normally, but if I were to wait a few days and then try to shut down I would have no such luck.
Anyone know what this could be?
Note: I used to experience the same thing on my macbook pro before i sold it. Could it be something I put on there?

Try doing some repairs and maintenance and setup a clone for emergency and backups.
Manual shutdown may corrupt most anything, not just the directory. "Seems" isn't a good indicator. Running FSCK immediately (single user mode) and Disk Warrior immediately (or TechTool Pro 4.6.x if running Leopard).
Clean out cache folders (Leopard Cache Cleaner)
Something you installed or do on both systems?
Start using CCC, SuperDuper, Disk Warrior etc on regular basis.

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As of a few days ago, my mac mini is not shutting down properly. it spools endlessly, until I hold the button down, or un-plug. This problem has coincided with the addition of a Seagate Free agent GoFlex external hard drive. The external hard drive backed up files, then was unplugged. Don't know if the problem is coincidental or not.

Be a good idea now to make a backup. Or do this:
Reinstall OS X without erasing the drive
Do the following:
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Boot from your Snow Leopard Installer disc. After the installer loads select your language and click on the Continue button. When the menu bar appears select Disk Utility from the Utilities menu. After DU loads select your hard drive entry (mfgr.'s ID and drive size) from the the left side list. In the DU status area you will see an entry for the S.M.A.R.T. status of the hard drive. If it does not say "Verified" then the hard drive is failing or failed. (SMART status is not reported on external Firewire or USB drives.) If the drive is "Verified" then select your OS X volume from the list on the left (sub-entry below the drive entry,) click on the First Aid tab, then click on the Repair Disk button. If DU reports any errors that have been fixed, then re-run Repair Disk until no errors are reported. If no errors are reported click on the Repair Permissions button. Wait until the operation completes, then quit DU and return to the installer.
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Download and install the Combo Updater for the version you prefer from support.apple.com/downloads/.
If you are using an earlier version of OS X then do this instead:
How to Perform an Archive and Install
An Archive and Install will NOT erase your hard drive, but you must have sufficient free space for a second OS X installation which could be from 3-9 GBs depending upon the version of OS X and selected installation options. The free space requirement is over and above normal free space requirements which should be at least 6-10 GBs. Read all the linked references carefully before proceeding.
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You have 14 calendar days from the time your items are delivered to initiate a return as noted here.
Even though you are past the 14 day limit, if it were me, I'd take the Mac back and explain what's going on. Your Mac should work out of the box.
message edited by: cs

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A windows error message appears saying iTunes has encountered a problem and needs to shut down.
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Generate the crash, collect the crash log, and and send it as an attachment to this email address.
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Intel-based Macs: Resetting the System Management Controller (SMC)

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The past week or so, my iBook has been freezing up and the screen goes black. A box comes up saying "your computer needs to be shut down" in several languages. It seems to happen most often when I'm running iTunes. Safari has also been freezing up often and I have to force quit it because it is "not responding." My iBook also seems to be making the louder "whirring" noises more often than it has ever done before, even when I'm not running a lot of programs at once or doing anything that requires a lot of power.
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Duane,
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Ever since I have had my new sound card and the software that come with it (which I think is the problem) I have had a hard time shutting down my computer.When I hit "shut down" or "restart" I get some of those "program is not responding" windows where I can hit "end now" or just let it end itself. If I end it or let it end itself, it'sdoes the same thing by just going back to my regular desktop and freezing up. I can move my mouse but I cannot click on anything and I end up turning off my comp from the back. The weird thing is, the windows that are forcing themselves to quit don't have anything to do with CL or my card. I would think it was something else but I have run multiple AV scans and have come up with nothing.Does anyone else have this problem or know of it's

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