I can confirm that happens with 15.10 too. Attached a screenshot that shows a successful shutdown process (without splash screen). The red line marks the moment where the process hangs if the shutdown fails.
The workaround with the SysRq key presented here worked for me: http://askubuntu.com/a/674209/93513 ** Attachment added: "Shutdown process (without splash screen)" https://bugs.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+source/systemd/+bug/1464917/+attachment/4512903/+files/shutdown.png -- You received this bug notification because you are a member of Ubuntu Touch seeded packages, which is subscribed to systemd in Ubuntu. https://bugs.launchpad.net/bugs/1464917 Title: reboot hangs at 'Reached target Shutdown' Status in systemd package in Ubuntu: Incomplete Bug description: I rebooted my 15.04 system, and found it hanging indefinitely at the plymouth shutdown screen. Hitting esc to reveal the console showed a normal set of shutdown messages, ending with 'Reached target Shutdown' (paraphrased from memory). The system never rebooted on its own. I had to use SysRq to finish the shutdown. ProblemType: Bug DistroRelease: Ubuntu 15.04 Package: systemd 219-7ubuntu6 ProcVersionSignature: Ubuntu 3.19.0-20.20-generic 3.19.8 Uname: Linux 3.19.0-20-generic x86_64 ApportVersion: 2.17.2-0ubuntu1.1 Architecture: amd64 CurrentDesktop: Unity Date: Sat Jun 13 11:53:10 2015 InstallationDate: Installed on 2010-09-24 (1723 days ago) InstallationMedia: Ubuntu 10.04.1 LTS "Lucid Lynx" - Release amd64 (20100816.1) MachineType: LENOVO 2306CTO ProcKernelCmdLine: BOOT_IMAGE=/vmlinuz-3.19.0-20-generic root=/dev/mapper/hostname-root ro quiet splash vt.handoff=7 SourcePackage: systemd UpgradeStatus: Upgraded to vivid on 2014-12-06 (189 days ago) dmi.bios.date: 10/25/2013 dmi.bios.vendor: LENOVO dmi.bios.version: G2ET97WW (2.57 ) dmi.board.asset.tag: Not Available dmi.board.name: 2306CTO dmi.board.vendor: LENOVO dmi.board.version: Not Defined dmi.chassis.asset.tag: No Asset Information dmi.chassis.type: 10 dmi.chassis.vendor: LENOVO dmi.chassis.version: Not Available dmi.modalias: dmi:bvnLENOVO:bvrG2ET97WW(2.57):bd10/25/2013:svnLENOVO:pn2306CTO:pvrThinkPadX230:rvnLENOVO:rn2306CTO:rvrNotDefined:cvnLENOVO:ct10:cvrNotAvailable: dmi.product.name: 2306CTO dmi.product.version: ThinkPad X230 dmi.sys.vendor: LENOVO To manage notifications about this bug go to: https://bugs.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+source/systemd/+bug/1464917/+subscriptions -- Mailing list: https://launchpad.net/~touch-packages Post to : touch-packages@lists.launchpad.net Unsubscribe : https://launchpad.net/~touch-packages More help : https://help.launchpad.net/ListHelp