Solved Windows 7 "Shutdown Box" Problem

[ESL]

Here is a screenshot I found online of what I have encountered lately with my Windows 7 Home Premium system. When I close certain programs, I sometimes get a box very similar to the attached one pop up, asking me what shutdown options I would like to perform in Windows 7.

The problem is, when this box pops up, it eliminates all of my icons to the left of my PC's clock, almost leaving my system in between a state of shutdown and not. After this happens, if I try to run Windows Live Mail, I always get an error saying something about corrupted calendar entries in Windows Live Mail, so it cannot open. Upon restart, and upon opening Windows Live Mail again, emails that I have moved from the inbox to a personalized folder are not only in the personalized folder, but they are AGAIN in the inbox, and if I try to delete them from the inbox, it says "an unknown error has occurred."

I recently did a clean install of Windows 7, and this is the first time I have ever encountered this shutdown box. I've used Windows 7 since late 2009. Could this box be a result of a Windows Update I blindly installed? I would like it to be gone from my system. It's frustrating that it only comes up occasionally when I close a program. I would like to identify the cause so I can eliminate it permanently.

 

[Britton30]

What specific programs cause this odd window?

 

[ESL]

Three so far, but it's strange, because it isn't all the time. WM Recorder, Malware Bytes, and Daemon Tools Lite.

 

[Britton30]

I don't think that is a Windows 7 function, but was present in XP. Do a full scan with your Malwarebytes after doing an update. The same with Super AntiSpyware, there's a link below my sig.
You can also try sfc /scannow.

 

[ESL]

Thanks. I'll let you know the results of the scans. In the meantime, I'd like to tell you I was able to reproduce the problem just now by closing down WM Recorder. As you'll see from the screenshots, the whole color scheme of Windows 7 changed, my icons to the left of the clock were reduced from nine down to two, and the shutdown box appeared.

 

[ESL]

All scans came back normal, except Super AntiSpyware, which found and removed 184 tracking cookies.

 

[ESL]

I recreated the problem again by closing WM Recorder, and this time when I did, in addition to the Windows 7 shutdown box, it asked about MalwareBytes, and if I wanted to exit the MalwareBytes protection module. See the attached screenshot.

 

[Britton30]

You're welcome. I do see you have some updates waiting too.

 

[ESL]

Yes. Just IE9 and Silverlight.

 

[Brink]

Hello ESL,

What method are you using to close these windows/programs?

If you are pressing the ALT+F4 keys to close them, then you may have also pressed the ALT+F4 keys when the desktop just happened to be active. That would open the "Shut Down Windows" dialog box.

Hope this helps,
Shawn

 

[ESL]

I'm closing the program with the X in the corner of the program window.

 

[Britton30]

The sfc /scannow found no corruptions? Right click an empty place on the taskbar/Start Task Manager/Services tab. See if there is anything that looks out of place. Post a snip of the TM window if you need help.
http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/9733-screenshots-files-upload-post-seven-forums.html#post93869

 

[ESL]

Perhaps sfc /scannow would have found some corruptions, but I was unable to get the elevated command prompt even after trying to run the program as administrator, so I had to run it from a regular command prompt.

 

[cossyo]

WM Recorder 14 bug

This is definitely a WM Recorder 14 bug! It also happens on XP and Vista!

 

[ESL]

A couple of days after I posted this, I contacted the company who makes WM Recorder. They directed me to download the newest release, and the problem went away.