The funny thing is....
The past couple of days I have tried this...
Click Start > Shut down....
The screen goes blank, and everything freezes except the Mouse pointer... :-?....
....then...
I wait for about 4 minutes...
..
NOTE: There is NO activity on my hard drive, (the light)...
Then...
The "Shut Down" option Window suddenly pops up...

...!
I click..."Shut down", and the computer then does a very quick check, the HDD light flickers, and then the computer shuts down quickly...as it should...!
What has happened very recently, is that the computer has suddenly started to take a VERY LONG TIME to shut down...(without any Hard Drive activity!)....

...!
There is a
very long delay between the time I request "Shut Down", and the "Shut Down" window appearing..!
Very strange, I'm thinking...

...!
Paul....shutting down...

...!
Win 8.1 64-bit. DX11. Advent Tower. Intel i7-3770 3.9 GHz 8-core. 8 GB System RAM. AMD Radeon HD 7700 1GB RAM. DVD ROM. 2 Terra Byte SATA Hard Drive. Philips 17" LCD Monitor. Saitek Cyborg X Fly-5 Joystick. ...and a Briggs and Stratton Petrol Lawn Mower.