shutting down procedures

[GRamirez]

Why is it so important to shut down the computer through the shut down command. I know about the damage that can happen when the computer loses power when the operating system is writing to the hard drive. But does the hard drive itself have a "shutting down" procedure apart from the operating system preparing to shut itself down? And if so what is it?

 

[GRamirez]

shuttind down procedures

also do other pieces of hardware have shutting down procedures like the graphics cards of the CPU?

 

[ekÆsine]

today's modern windows machines can be shut down by simply pressing the power button on the computer case instead of going through windows shutdown procedure. this is handled by the advanced power management interface, isn't technology wonderful

 

[ThirtySixBelow]

You can do it, but I still feel more comfortable clicking shutdown and watching it do its thing before it shuts down. Feels a little hard on the system to just cut it off even though it waits 5 seconds and makes sure everything is good before it cuts off.