Windows XP doesn't want to shut down

[Sophy]

Again, thanks to everyone. I've been sharing your advice with her.

[Sophy]

Just wanted to add a final note to this. After the guy worked on her computer, she was able to shut it down ... sometimes. The way it sounds, sometimes she has to let it set for a little bit and then it will restart. He did manage to do a repair install, but then afterwards the second she would click on Windows Update she'd get some spiel about not being able to dowload Windows Updates.

Strange thing, but exactly at that time I got a newsletter about a winfixtool by Anvisoft that will often cure problems with Windows Update so I told her about it. What could it hurt? She used it and was able to download and install over 100 updates. After that she went ahead and reinstalled her Malwarebytes, but instead of using Avast (which this guy who worked on her computer had warned her off of) she installed Microsoft Security Essentials and enabled her Windows Firewall.

Her husband thinks she needs a new hard drive and I'm still no so sure some of her problems aren't coming from her power supply. She says when she is able to shut down and then tries to start up again, at times she can see by the orange light on her tower that connection is not being made, but her fans will run real loud.

In any event, she is still planning on getting a new laptop, but is thinking about going forth with trying to fix this computer for her 6-year-old son to use to play his games on because she really doesn't want him messing with her new one. She wonders if there is a possibility that he did something to this computer which caused things to go haywire.

Anyway, thank you all for your time and expertise. I truly appreciate it.

[submix8c]

First, there was probably an "unrepairable" (by AV software) problem in the Registry. Some "trojans" intentionally change many things (autoupdate/firewall/antivirus). Malwarebytes should have found that and corrected it. This was the case with a FAKE Antivirus that many folks inadvertently "click" on (cleaned two of those before).

Second, an "over-the-top" Reinstall (aka "Repair Install") won't cure many Registry problems nor will it "remove" the "baddies". If the CD is a FULL OEM-supplied CD (as I had described the difference between the two "types") and it was used (as an "over-the-top" which I suspect to be the case) then I might recommend that WHEN the new laptop is obtained that a CLEAN INSTALL be done to it, thus "curing the magic" (i.e. REFORMAT the partition and boot to the CD).

I would be willing to bet this is the case. IOW, why "toss" a (potentially) perfectly good PC. Suggest a FULL SCAN with MalwareBytes in Safe Mode without Internet (after MBAM Update of course).

(p.s. the "Shutdown" MAY have been "altered" somehow to "Restart")