Hi! Ed,   
      
   On 09 Dec 16 21:05, you wrote to All:   
      
    EV> Does anyone know where XP stores the file it makes when either   
    EV> choosing the Turn Off or Hibernate options and it says "Savings   
    EV> Settings....."?   
      
   I don't know about Hibernate, Ed.  I've never used it, ever.  But I had some   
   fun this afternoon & evening, playing with a couple of XP toys out of   
   VirtualBox...   
      
    EV> I would like to Delete that file using a Ubuntu Live CD so hopefully   
    EV> the next time I turn the XP pc Off it will make a new file without any   
    EV> settings in it that was held over from times when I was having   
    EV> troubles when XP wasn't behaving as it should.   
      
   Mmm... I'd recommend having access to an older backup, first...   
      
   My tests involved attaching the C: drive of each of the /other/ vBox as the D:   
   drive of each XP, in turn.  That way each of the other's C: drive could be   
   explored without any messy booting of the drives, thereby causing additional   
   file writes.  Then I used Total Commander on each XP to _search_ for files   
   updated just on or after the shutdown command's time (up to 5 minutes later,   
   which is ridiculous of course as a shutdown typically only takes less than a   
   minute).   
      
   The first XP vBox PC is your basic out of the box thing (from 2003?) without   
   any updates (that I know of), or, service packs applied (none, nil, nada).   
   It's been a test PC in that state since I got my hands on the CD.  Its   
   shutdown resulted in 12 files being updated.   
      
   The second XP vBox has been updated to death (nearly, I think), up to SP2.    
   Its shutdown updated 41 files.  A lot of those were in the Avast tree, and   
   other general software packages.   
      
   From a rough eyeball inspection, the most likely culprit common to both PCs is   
   the NTUSER.DAT file.  BTW, on each PC there were multiple versions of   
   NTUSER.DAT doo-hickeys updated, in different directories.  That's why I   
   commented on your needing a good backup.  (And, from a time before you were   
   having your troubles.)   
      
   Complete file lists and a couple of happy snaps (screen window captures) are   
   available in email, if you want.  Just tell me.   
      
   Cheers,   
   Paul.   
      
   ... All stressed out and no one to choke.   
   --- Paul's Win98SE VirtualBox   
    * Origin: Quinn's Post - Maryborough, Queensland, OZ (3:640/384)