10.13.6 update hang - Black screen with cursor - must hold power button to shutdown

After trying just about every solution I could find I was able to resolve the problem. I also noticed that Spotlight was not working as expected. Typing Disk for example did not find the Disk Utility APP - just web search links. It was my suspicion that something was cached that could not complete somehow and this held up a shutdown? I found some instructions to use Command Line instructions to clear. After running these my MBP was able to shutdown/restart. Following this (just for truing up) I installed the 10.13.6 combo update. All is well now.

Here is what I did (from How to fix a Mac that won’t shut down)

After opening terminal, type all the following commands in the window, one-by-one in execution.

1. rm -rf ~/Library/Caches/*
2. rm -rf ~/Library/Saved\ Application\ State/*
3. sudo rm -rf /Library/Caches/*
4. sudo rm -rf /System/Library/Caches/*
5. atsutil databases -removeUser
6. sudo atsutil databases -remove
7. sudo atsutil server -shutdown
8. sudo atsutil server -ping
9. sudo rm -rf /var/folders/*

Once you performed the last line, restart your Mac.

Following this the shutdown happened. The Spotlight rebuilt and now works as before. Seems like I have been able to save wiping SSD, reinstall and restore! As always your milage may vary.

OT, Thanks for the suggestions. I tried both but to no avail. Same issue happens on shutdown/restart. I tried logging in as a new user and same thing happens. I have tried issuing a shutdown via command line which yields the same results. The only time since this has started that a shutdown or restart has worked was when exiting the recovery mode - the shutdown or restart works then. Safe mode does not allow a normal shutdown or restart. Is there a way to see what may be halting the process? It is my thoughts that there is something cued up (launchd) that my be preventing? Just a thought and not an expert. I tried clearing caches and this has had no effect either. Thanks!