Safe Shutdown Utility?

Does anyone know of a reliable utility that will safely shut down a PC in the event of a crash?

Suppose your system freezes and you can't access the Task Manager, how does you safely turn the computer off in those circumstances?

Is there a program that takes care of this kind of problem?

Can anyone recommend a usable appliance, preferably freeware, that will work if windows crashes?

Something with safe startup options would be just great.

 

I'd like a spot on the next shuttle mission but doubt that'll be happening. If you can't get ahold of tm through the standard I'm not aware of anything available besides plunking down the power button to deal with a machine lockup. I wish you the best but be hard pressed to find someone forward a utility or method that's allow's you to take back the rein's.

Steve

 

Huh?!!? The "reset" button?

 

OK, Guys, thanks. It was worth a shot!

 

Good luck

 

http://www.ehow.com/how_7324_shut-down-frozen.html

 

That's very helpful ccsito, thank you.

 

Your question does bring up my Operating System class in college.
The Operating system controls all of the basic functions of your PC which includes executing the keyboard and mouse software drivers which are loaded into core memory. When a routine aborts usually you get some kind of cryptic message that address at xxxxx cannot be executed or some kind of gibberish. I read computer dumps so I actually understand these messages. But you have to consider that when data in memory gets corrupted by either another routine or malware or anything else, the software that was loaded into a specific memory address is gone. So in the case when the memory area where the drivers for the keyboard and mouse drivers get overlaid or wiped out, you essentially have lost the connection between your peripheral device and your motherboard. The driver software keeps receiving signals from the keyboard and mouse in order for those devices to respond on your monitor screen. When that gets interrupted then you have a locked out system. What you would like to have is to have some kind of utility to step in and take control after the Operating System has frozen. The problem is that this utility is usually stored on a peripheral device (usually the hard drive) and the Operating System usually ceases to issue read/write commands to the hard drive when it freezes so you cannot load this utility in order for it to execute and shut down the system. Since I/O activity usually halts when the system freezes, you have to somehow run a program for which the Operating System has ceased to execute any activity. All activity is controlled by the Operating System so if it is "locked", then everything else is locked. The only way around it, that I can see, is for the utility to act as a SUPER Operating System which takes over when Windows freezes. For me anyway, I use the "OFF" switch instead.