Is it bad to turn off my computer with the power button?
Sometimes my computer freezes and I have to hold the power button to turn it off. Other times I'm just in a hurry. Is it harmful to shut down by pressing the power button instead of using Start menu Shut Down? What's the difference? Could it damage my files or the computer?
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3 Answers
Definitely back up your important files before trying any fixes. I learned this the hard way when I lost 3 years of photos trying to fix a simple problem. Get an external hard drive or burn DVDs of your important stuff first.
Honestly at some point a clean reinstall of Windows fixes more than any amount of tinkering. XP gets crufty after a couple years. Back up your files, find your product key, and do a fresh install. It'll feel like a brand new machine.
I'd check Device Manager for any yellow exclamation marks. That's Windows telling you a driver is missing or broken. Right-click My Computer, Properties, Hardware tab, Device Manager. Fix anything with a yellow mark and a lot of weird problems clear up.
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