Teaching the elderly proper use of computers today

[KT 💣 KλBoƠM]

Today a major storm is coming through and I reminded my mom to shut down her computer. She told me that "you want me to do it the long way but I just do it the fast way."

I told her she has to shut down through the start menu but she insists on just pushing the button. She is adamant. She wants to be on the computer until the storm is lightning right at her door practically before shutting down and that is why she wants to do it "the fast way". I never taught her this way but when she forgot how to shut down just was just doing that as that was how she boots it up of course and everything else electronic she uses she starts and shuts down via a button.

Any advice on how to teach an old dog new tricks? I have told her the ramifications but she is very stubborn.

[One Eyed Wonderweasle]

 If she has it setup to shut down the computer in the bios and power management settings. it might be ok as long as she doesn't hold the power button till it goes off. I think the feature was called "soft power off" or something, but if you hold the power button for 4 seconds it will cause a hard shutdown were it could cause data damage.
  If "soft power off" is chosen under the power button options in power management profile, a single short press of the power button can shut down the system properly.But if the power goes off the second the power button is pressed or she holds it till it goes off it will cause problems.
 

[Sandman[SA]]

From a data standpoint, a soft off will shut the computer down like a hibernation shutdown.  What was stored in memory will get written to disk.  A forced or hard shutdown wipes everything from memory.  So if there was apps still open or work was not saved, you will lose that data.  That part is correct.

But (and this is a huge one.  No pun intended) If you're only shutting down your PC in mind to protect it from a power surge, think again.  Shutting it down only puts it to sleep effectively.  The system is still getting power even when it's fully shutdown.  Once it's shutdown, you still have to disconnect the power cord if you want to protect the hardware.

[KT 💣 KλBoƠM]

Yes you both are correct and yes she shuts it off (long hold) not restarts it that way. I told her not to do that, and she said, Why? It is easier that way and much faster!" I said because (remember she is 71 and knows little of technology and can't even program a VCR or a phone much less a PC) you risk losing your precious files, corrupting your hard drive / files on it. She says she has done it so often that she forgets how to shut it down properly. She got herself into this bad habit as she used to know how to use the Start menu.

[Sandman[SA]]

Want a faster way to shutdown?  Try right clicking on the windows start menu button.  Mouse up to "Shut down or sign out", then mouse over to "shut down".  Then left click on that. 
Or, if you are on windows 10 and don't want to use the mouse at all.  Hit the windows key on the keyboard.  Hit Tab.  Hit the down arrow key 5 times.  Hit enter.  Hit the down arrow key once more.  Hit enter.

Once the system is shut down and a threatening storm is approaching, reach around the back of the PC and pull out the power cord or flip the main power switch that is right next to it.  Only then will the PC be safe to weather a power surge.

[KT 💣 KλBoƠM]

Want a faster way to shutdown?  Try right clicking on the windows start menu button.  Mouse up to "Shut down or sign out", then mouse over to "shut down".  Then left click on that. 
Or, if you are on windows 10 and don't want to use the mouse at all.  Hit the windows key on the keyboard.  Hit Tab.  Hit the down arrow key 5 times.  Hit enter.  Hit the down arrow key once more.  Hit enter.

Once the system is shut down and a threatening storm is approaching, reach around the back of the PC and pull out the power cord or flip the main power switch that is right next to it.  Only then will the PC be safe to weather a power surge.

Ya that is what I do (and did for last week's storm including the power switch on the back of the power supply) but getting my mom to do that is a whole other story.