Shut down your computer safely

It’s important to get the hang of the various ways to shut down your Windows computer. It might seem laborious but letting Windows handle the shutdown process allows it to perform various housekeeping operations before switching off, such as ensuring all programs close properly.

Also, simply pulling the plug on a computer can result in lost work or damage to programs and Windows itself.

Follow the correct process and you will be prompted to save your work before shutting down.

Click Start, then the Shutdown button in Windows XP. In Windows Vista you will need to click the little arrow just to the right of what appears to be the shutdown button, then choose Shut Down from the list that appears.

Thankfully, Microsoft made these options clearer in Windows 7.

Windows also uses the shutdown process as an opportunity to install important security updates. If you never shut down your PC properly, these updates may not be installed, which could leave it at risk.

An alternative to shutting down a PC is to use the Sleep mode. Instead of closing all programs, in Sleep mode Windows will suspend them.

In this state the programs and documents will remain open, so you will not lose any data. The monitor will then switch off and all non-essential hardware inside the PC will power down.

The advantage of using Sleep mode as opposed to shutting down a computer is that it only takes a few seconds for it to power up again. And everything will be exactly as you left it so there is no need to re-open all your programs again.

Unlike a PC that is switched off, one in Sleep mode will still consume some power. However, this will typically be less than five watts, which is considerably less than the 50 watts most PCs draw when switched on.

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