Various Options for Turning Off (Or Not) the Laptop
Turning on a computer is easy. Once you find the switch, it’s click (or press),
and the thing fires up and is ever so happy to please you. But turning the
computer off? That ain’t so easy. That’s because there are many options for
turning a laptop off, leaving it on, putting it to sleep, or even sending it off
to the electronic cave for some well-earned hibernation.
There is also the option of hurling the laptop discus-like out the window and
the satisfaction of seeing it land and splinter into a zillion pieces. But that
technique isn’t really necessary to teach.
The following sections unravel the mysterious answer to the question, “How
do I turn my laptop computer off?”
Properly shutting down your laptop
Here are the not-so-obvious steps you need to take to properly shut down
Windows and turn off your laptop when you’re done for the day:
1. Save your work and close all your programs.
The generic Save command is Ctrl+S, though you’ll be alerted whenever
you close a program’s window and the information has not been saved.
Always save your stuff!
 2. Click the Start button.
Up pops the Start menu thing.
 3. In the lower-right corner, click the Turn Off Computer button.
The Turn Off Computer box thing appears (see Figure 4-6). Don’t be startled
as the rest of the screen slowly fades to grayscale. (Yes, you’re back
in Kansas.)
Figure 4-6:
Things that
turn off your
laptop.
4. Click the Turn Off button.
The laptop turns itself off.
Yes, that’s correct: The laptop turns itself off. When the screen goes dark, and
the power lamp is dimmed, you can shut the laptop’s lid and put it away.
But — honestly! — merely shutting down a laptop is so trite. There are far
more interesting ways to end your laptop session, as covered in the sections
that follow.
The “powerful” keyboard shortcuts for turning off the laptop are to press the
Windows key (or Ctrl+Esc) to bring up the Start menu. Then press U for Turn
Off Computer. Press U again to choose the Turn Off button.
If you change your mind, click the Cancel button, or press the Esc key, in
Step 4. You’ll be returned to Windows in its full, Technicolor, Oz-like glory.
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