The reason Windows 7 sometimes takes longer than it should to power off is that, by default, the operating system waits patiently for a number of services to get the shutdown signal and close themselves gracefully. To make Windows 7 shut down quicker:
- Type regedit in the Start menu search box and hit Enter. The registry editor opens.
- In the registry editor, navigate to HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE > SYSTEM > CurrentControlSet > Control.
- Double-click on WaitToKillServiceTimeOut. A dialog box appears showing a Value data field with a number that is probably higher than 10,000. This is the number of milliseconds that Windows will wait for programs to close during shutdown.
- Lower the number to 5,000 or less, then click OK. Be careful, because if you make the time too short some programs may not have a chance to finish what they are doing at shutdown. Experiment to see if you have any problems when using lower numbers.
Get more Windows 7 time-saving tips here!
