After a recent MDK 9.0 session I did a routine shutdown, including shutdown "radio button" and OK button. I left the computer and when I came back the Gnome desktop was still on the screen.

I thought I might have forgotten [OldBob = 72 years] so I tried the shutdown routine again. The cursor moved like normal BUT the mouse buttons were INOP !

Freeze ups are common with Windows so I waited for screensaver to kick in to see if operation returned - - NOTHING. I ended up using the "Reset button" on the tower to shutdown with no adverse effects on the next bootup.

My Question - I miss Windows [Ctrl + Alt + Delete] does Linux have a "more elegant" way to force a shutdown then the Reset button ??

You can try logging in at a terminal and shutting down from there:

<CTRL><ALT><F1> gives you a terminal login (with luck!)

Login as root, give root's password when asked
Issue the command:

shutdown -h

Which will shutdown linux and turn off the computer.

Thanks tredegar,

That [shutdown -h] appears to be exactly what I'm looking for.