Windows 8 Apps not shuting down...?

Saltgrass

Excellent Member
Microsoft Community Contributor
Joined
Oct 16, 2009
Since I have been using Windows 8.1, I have been getting messages when I try to change the multi-monitor configuration. which states I need to close down some programs before doing so.

I have also had a refusal to restart because some program was still running and needed to be shut down.

I did not get these messages in Windows 8, but I am not sure about the following. When you close an app by dragging it to the bottom or right clicking the window in the upper left, I thought it actually shut the app down. In Windows 8.1, I am noticing the Hosting process does not shut down with the app and that is what is causing the messages I have been receiving... I have to use Task Manager to actually shut them down.

Is this behavior different in Windows 8.1 from 8 or is something else going on?
 
Hey Clark:
If it's any consolation I am observing the same thing here.
Opened the Store, Mail and Weather apps and closed them so there is no obvious indication of them running.
Checked TaskManager and there they all three still were.
My install in within a Hyper-V virtual machine so someone with a dedicated discreet installation may see something different.
 
I'm seeing this too. It also does it for things like pc settings too... A possible bug?
 
Hi Clark,

to fully close an app pull it down to the bottom of the screen and hold it there. You'll then see it flip round which means it's actually closed. If you check Task manager after you'll see it disappear.
 
I can confirm that Ross' method above does work perfectly, although it is a shame that you can't do a right click and close from the switcher bar..... so I'm guessing that, that must be a glitch in the release preview.
I should also note that even though those three apps were still running (according to Task Manager) my machine did not balk at shutting down with any error referencing open apps as yours did.
 
Yes, I see now if you hold it at the bottom for a few seconds it will spin around. The Process will fully close in a couple of more seconds. If you do not hold it, the process stays open with about one half the memory it was using previously.

Since I do not have the normal Windows 8 to check, did it do this also? I probably never held it for some seconds at the bottom so I never observed this activity.

Maybe my messages are just a coincidence I never encountered in Windows 8. I will see if I can restore a Windows 8 image and test it.

I suppose I had better use the images as I can, since they removed the capability in 8.1 ...

Thanks for the responses.
 
I checked Windows 8 and it does shut down the app when dragging to the bottom, the entire process disappears in Task Manager.

Dragging the app to the bottom and holding it there does not seem to do anything, it never flips over. I suppose this must be some change Microsoft made... If it is, not really sure how the messages about open programs is going to work out for them, or us. I can't really think of a logical reason they would want 8.1 set up the way it seems to be, but maybe someone else can.

Again, thanks for the help.
 
It may well be an intentional change. I had inquired about this on the Microsoft Community Forums and was directed to a post from one of their support engineers that states the following: In Windows 8.1 Preview, to close an app you have to drag the app down the screen and hold it for some time. You will see the app rotates and this will close the app completely.

There was a question posed as to whether or not if this was a permanent change or just temporary until a later release comes out. So far, there has been no response. Here’s the link to the post: Microsoft Community Forums
 
Thanks for the info.

But if it is an intentional change, based on my experience, some more needs to be done to complete that process. If nothing is done, Microsoft will have to include some type of disclaimer stating the process and the necessity to shutdown the app, using the mentioned process, prior to restarting or shutting down.

Since a very small portion of the Windows 8.1 users are in these forums, they will not get the word as to the procedural change. In the attachment, Sudoku has been closed without the mentioned process, while I am attempting to set my display to span multiple monitors.

The program needs to be closed type message will also appear during restarts and shutdowns.
 

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Just out of curiosity, when trying to shutdown or restart, has there ever been a force program close message similar to Windows 7, when programs were still running? Usually the screen would dim and force you to choose that option or to cancel unless windows was eventually able to resolve it internally. That would be a nice feature to add as well.
 
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I have been trying to recreate the shutdown message, but have been unable today. What I remember is a message about open programs and then the system just set there until I forced it down.

There have been several updates for 8.1, so possibly it has been addressed. But why would Microsoft want to allow a process to stay open while making the user to think it is shutdown....

I suppose we will just have to wait and see the final release.
 
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