Stuck in shutting down

Windows 7 64-bit, no bit locker
Choose shutdown -> all applications will close -> logging off -> shutting down.
I can see disk light busy and then stops with a clicking sound. Disk then turns quiet. Windows 7 stays at this shutting down stage with the circle keep going. At 5-min mark, my power saving setting kicks and monitor turns blank. Moving mouse will bring it back. If I give it more time, e.g. 10 min, it will no longer respond to mouse. However, pressing power button will bring screen back to the same stage. If I press and hold on the power button, it will shutdown.
During reboot, it's all normal. If I do the above press-hold shutdown when it's still responding to mouse, it will complains about improper shutdown upon restart.
I don't have bit locker and I have all update installed except the language packs. Nothing abnormal in event viewer.
How do I troubleshoot?


Thanks!

Hello cheerful. Are you saying this is an intermittent problem, and not one that you are currently experiencing?

If it is NOT intermittent try to clean boot your machine.

How to troubleshoot a problem by performing a clean boot in Windows Vista or in Windows 7

Don't go surfing around that way, no AV in that state.

If you can shut down now, try the troubleshooting steps to isolate the problem software. If not, run System Restore in Safe Mode and pick a restore point back before this started if you have one.

If the problem is intermittent, and nothing shows in the event viewer, it will be difficult.

A Guy