When you turn the computer off....what are the steps that the computer follow before shutdown definitly??

Question

I would like to know about files or registers that are used...:)

Answer 1

I honestly don't know but I imagine it sends an END signal to all processes then a KILL signal (i.e. stop dead I don't care what you are doing!) to any remaining processes.

Following this I imagine that it would not bother to empty the RAM as it is volatile so will be wiped anyway. Should it do so it would most likely unload the Interupt Service Routines last so that it can handle any errors still encountered (i.e. power loss). At some stage it should check that no more data is to be written to the Hard Drive and if so write it, as interupting file writing in critical disk areas could cause major errors(potentially although I think new ish drives have hardware protection against this).

In a crude way the file shutdown.exe is used in Windows 2000 (I think) upwards is used I think. This is used by a virus (that is dying) to shutdown people's computers, this can be stopped by typing "shutdown -a" into a command prompt or run dialog. (Type "shutdown /?" at the command prompt to see other options).

In regards to the registers, being volatile (like the RAM) I imagine it is left in its last state to be wiped when it has lost power.

Answer 2

Well I don't exactly know but I 'll try:-
-User tells computer to shutdown.
-computer stops/ends all processes
-*someting here maybe; I don't know*
-shutdown.

Answer 3

Thats not really knowledge anyone cares about, but theres always one.

It basically tells all programs to stop and close, checks all are closed, saves certain settings and then powers down.

Do we care???

Answer 4

Ends all processes.

Answer 5

just says saving your setings