A system shutdown rarely implies turning off the power to the computer hardware. Instead, system shutdown means stopping the computer's operating system, which is the software that controls computer activity. Stopping all, or almost all, system activity makes the computer inaccessible to users. From their perspective, it is immaterial whether you also turn off the SPU, disk drives, tape drives, and console.
Many computers are used 24 hours per day. As a result, you may perform all but the last step in a system shutdown to force users to save the most current versions of their files, then perform the procedure known as a system backup. (System backup is explained in chapter 8.) You also shut down the computer to change its configuration, or how all the pieces fit, and work, together. To do this, you will probably work with your system manager.
In this chapter, you will find the procedures to perform the following tasks:
Giving computer users advance notice
