A computer that is running Windows 7 does not start after you force the computer to shut down

Consider the following scenario. You have a computer that is running a 32-bit version of Windows 7. You force the computer to shut down. For example, you hold down the power button for four seconds. However, after the computer shuts down, it does not start again. When you try to restart the computer, the startup process stops at a black screen.

This problem occurs if the following conditions are true:

• Data Execution Prevention (DEP) is disabled either in the BIOS or in the operating system.
• The system is configured to enter hibernation or to enter hybrid sleep mode when the power button is pressed.
• The language version of the operating system that you are running is a double-byte character set (DBCS) language. For example, you are running a Chinese, Korean, or Japanese version of Windows 7.

Notes

• This problem may also occur in a rare scenario in which the power goes off while the computer is entering hibernation.
• By default, hybrid sleep is enabled on desktop computers. Therefore, if a desktop computer is configured to enter sleep mode when the power button is pressed, the computer actually enters hybrid sleep mode.

To resolve this problem, start the computer by using a Windows Preinstallation Environment (Windows PE) disc for Windows 7. Then, start the computer in normal mode.

If you do not have a Windows PE disc, start the computer by using a Windows 7, Windows Vista, or Windows Server 2008 installation DVD, and then start the computer in normal mode.

To prevent this problem from reccurring, apply update 974431. For more information, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

Microsoft has confirmed that this is a problem in the Microsoft products that are listed in the "Applies to" section.

For more information about software update terminology, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base: