How to shut down, sign out, restart or put the computer to sleep.

Follow these steps to either shut down, sign out, restart or put the computer to sleep.

• Shut down: This option will remove power from the computer components in a controlled way. After the computer is shut down, components such as the CPU, RAM modules and hard disk drives are turned off. It is very important that you shut down the computer properly.
• Sleep: This option will place the computer into a power-saving state that allows it to quickly resume to full power operation (typically within several seconds) when you want to start working again.
• Restart: This option will restart the computer and reload the operating system.
• Sign out: This option will allow the user to exit the operating system while leaving the computer on. This process is also be known as log out, log off or sign off.

Follow one of these methods to either shut down, sign out, restart or put the computer to sleep.

NOTE: If you wish to Sign out of the operating system, use Method 2. Method 1 does not provide that option.

Method 1:

1. Click the Start button, and on the Start Menu, click the Power icon.
2. On the Power menu, click to select the desired action (Sleep, Shutdown or Restart).

   

Method 2:

1. Right-click the Start button.
2. From the menu, point to Shut down or sign out, and then click to select the desired action (Sign out, Sleep, Shut down or Restart).