Why is Windows 7 such a pussy?

[Freude am Fahren]

When I had XP for however many years (10+ probably), it only had trouble ending a program though task manager a few times.

Now on Windows 7, nearly every single program that hangs up, trying to force close through "End Task" or "End Process" does nothing.

My computer had been getting stuck on the Logging Off or Shutting Down screen like 50% of the time. I did figure out that it was Adobe Bridge was most likely the culprit, as it doesn't do it now that I've turned Bridge off.

But just a moment ago, Firefox stopped responding. Click the X? "This program is not repsonding, etc." Choose the close option? Nothing. Ctrl-Alt-Delete, end process. Nothing. Shutdown? Window is waiting for these programs to close, Force Shutdown. Stuck on Logging off screen, needs a hard shutdown.

What's up? Is my computer screwed up, or does Windows 7 really suck at forcing programs to close? Is there a workaround?

[Yw-slayer]

Firefox used to take longer to close down when it's messed up, but I thought that was due to crappy extensions within it. Otherwise it's rare that it takes that long for it to close, even with Force Close.

[thesameguy]

IMHO, if you are having to force programs closed on a regular basis, you've got issues. Next time you have a problem I'd take a look at system resources and see what's tied up where. For example, for a long time there was an issue with Firefox+Flash+AMD drivers that resulted in a big memory leak and Firefox sucking up huge amounts of memory. Left unchecked, it'd eventually cripple the OS. Win7 wouldn't stop working, but it would stop working quickly.

Win7 is incredibly robust compared to to XP in all ways. There is nothing XP does better than 7 except fail. I'd look elsewhere, personally.

[Leon]

I was having huge issues with things crashing, but it turned out to be Firefox, rather than Win7. I went to Chrome, and that cured it.

Oh boy, wait until you encounter the *joy* that is Windows 8. Then, you will truly learn to hate an OS ....

[Yw-slayer]

8 is not very good, and is perhaps below-average (it's better than Vista). 8.1 is above-average, but 7 is still generally ahead.

[Rare White Ape]

I only occasionally have problems booting up Steam because I do it so rarely and I think the update process may chug it up. Task manager fixes that easily.

Maybe format + reinstall?

[Freude am Fahren]

Reinstall everything??? Ugh, not worth it.

[Blerpa]

Win7 is incredibly robust compared to to XP in all ways. There is nothing XP does better than 7 except fail. I'd look elsewhere, personally.

This thousand times.
The XP revisionists are just full of shit. XP is downright terrible compared even to a (patched up) Vista.
Win 8 is actually architecturally better than 7... too bad it sucks arse UI wise (and I've heard about some problems with multiple wi-fi or something like that to).

[Freude am Fahren]

Don't get me wrong, in every other way, I'm all about Win7. I just don't get why individual programs (multiple with the same symptoms randomly) cannot be, in any way other than a forced power cycle, closed.

[thesameguy]

Like I said, if you're having the same problem in multiple apps you have a bigger problem. Probably a hardware problem, whether physical or driver level. The OS is only as good as the hardware. My example of Firefox+Flash+AMD back there is rooted in the AMD hardware (flash acceleration). If the hardware is freaking out, the OS can't stop it.

[Blerpa]

Don't get me wrong, in every other way, I'm all about Win7. I just don't get why individual programs (multiple with the same symptoms randomly) cannot be, in any way other than a forced power cycle, closed.

I have Win 7 Ultimate 32bit installed on this ancient single core AMD machine and I used to have Win 7 Ultimate 64bit installed on my main PC (the one that fried last summer): never had a problem doing a CTRL+ALT+DEL, clicking on Process and then clicking on the Process I wanted to terminate, when in emergency, honestly.
Just killed Chrome, Hangout, iTunes, Java Update and Kies like that.

[balki]

Have two laptops and Win7 is running slow on both.
One is slower (just starting calculator accessory is noticeably slower) and the other is almost useless
Ran MSE and Malwarebytes. MSE finds nothing and a few runs of Malwarebytes found something which seems to have made no difference.
I can never get System Restore to work

Any suggestions? At this point I usually format and re-install (just have media files and Office Starter), but I'm afraid I'll lose the laptop's drivers and end up in a safe-mode like environment

[Yw-slayer]

Super Anti-Spyware?

Up to 4 or 8GB RAM (if not there already)?

As a last resort before a reinstall - a legit Registry Cleaner (CCleaner is probably the best)?

For drivers on reinstall - you should be fine as long as you have the network card driver for Win7 on a USB drive. Then you can download and install everything else (if you can get thenm on the same USB drive first, all the better), or even rely on Windows Update (although that can understandably choke if you're trying to install 100-200 patches in one go).

[Rare White Ape]

I've got all the drivers for my laptop saved to an external HDD, along with a clean (no OEM bloatware) version of Win7 and any essential programs, all in one place.

I've only had to do a fresh install of Windows twice in the five years I've had this computer, but all I have to do is prepare a bootable USB for the installation and the whole process is smooth as silk. The thing doesn't even get a look at the internet until I have Chrome and Security Essentials installed.

My only hitch is that I never recorded my Win7 serial so I've got to "cheat" that a little bit.

[Yw-slayer]

Yeah, I do the same, although my "one place" is Google Drive, so I suppose that might not be just "one place". It also covers pretty much all of the drivers for most of my machines. Once it's up and running I update to any newer drivers that may be available.