Chapter 1: The Basics of Windows XP
Shutting Down and Restarting Windows When you need to turn off the computer, you must shut down Windows first to allow Windows to close all its files and do other housekeeping tasks before terminating. To shut down Windows, choose Start | Turn Off Computer, click anywhere on the desktop and press ALT-F4, or press CTRL-ESC and choose Shut Down. You see the Turn Off Computer dialog box:
![[image]](basics.turnoff.png)
Your options are
- Stand By Stores the programs and data that are currently open, and then shuts down Windows so you can turn the computer off. The next time you turn your computer on, you can pick up just where you left off.
- Turn Off Shuts down Windows. Windows displays a message when you can safely turn off the computer. Don't turn off the computer until you see this message. Computers with advanced power management shut off automatically.
- Restart Shuts down Windows, and then reloads it (useful if your computer starts acting funny).
If programs are running, Windows closes them before shutting down, switching to standby, or restarting. If a program has unsaved files open, the program should ask you whether you want to save your work before the program exits.
With previous versions of Windows, restarting Windows every day or so was important. Windows' housekeeping wasn't perfect, and previous versions lost track of system resources over time. Windows XP is much better at remaining stable over long periods of time. However, to ensure that the maximum system resources are available for your use, restart Windows.
When Can You Turn Off the Computer? We recommend you do not turn off the computer when you have finished using it. Windows likes to perform housekeeping tasks when you aren't using the computer, so leaving it on, even when you're not working, is a good idea. You can schedule programs to run at specified times--for example, you can schedule Windows to collect your e-mail at 7:00 every morning.
Many computers power down the screen, hard disk, and fan after a set time of inactivity. The computer itself, however, is still running. If your screen doesn't power off automatically, you should turn off your screen when you aren't using the computer. Computer screens use the lion's share of the electricity consumed by the computer.
