Shut Down, Restart, Log Off XP Using A Batch File Undocumented feature for XP

[NilsC 0]

How to shutdown a XP Pro computer when you are connected using RDC (Remote Desktop Connection) using a batch file or RPC (Remote Procedure Command) This is useful if you can't get to the computer but have remote access to the computer via a network or the internet.

First To show you what you will see at a command prompt (command.com) when you type: "shutdown /?" Without the " " on each end.

c:\>shutdown /?Usage: SHUTDOWN [-i | -l | -s | -r | -a] [-f] [-m \\computername] [-t xx] [-c "comment"] [-d up:xx:yy]        No args                 Display this message (same as -?)        -i                      Display GUI interface, must be the first option        -l                      Log off (cannot be used with -m option)        -s                      Shutdown the computer        -r                      Shutdown and restart the computer        -a                      Abort a system shutdown        -m \\computername       Remote computer to shutdown/restart/abort        -t xx                   Set timeout for shutdown to xx seconds        -c "comment"            Shutdown comment (maximum of 127 characters)        -f                      Forces running applications to close without warning        -d [u][p]:xx:yy         The reason code for the shutdown                                u is the user code                                p is a planned shutdown code                                xx is the major reason code (positive integer less than 256)                                yy is the minor reason code (positive integer less than 65536)

This is an undocumented feature in XP so I have not found any writeup about it on M$ and everything used here is from other sources. Do not use "cmd" to start the command interpreter (cmd.exe), but type "command" for (command.com. Now you can shutdown the computer by typing "shutdown -s" or to restart the computer type "shutdown -r"

To create a batch file for this you can use notepad, and save the file as .bat in c:\ (root directory) Here are the 3 most used batch files for shutdown:
1 save as down.bat

shutdown -s

2 save as restart.bat

shutdown -r

3 save as forcedown.bat

shutdown -f

4 save as logoff.bat

shutdown -l

5 save as rpcdown.bat (replace computername with the name of your computer )

shutdown -s -m \\computername

and this last one is fun in an enviroment using RPC

So that's a piece of cake, the other options are self explanatory and if you need any help creating the batch file, ask and someone will help

Nils

[vizskywalker 0]

Any idea how to force a standby NilsC. I've been searching and so far no luck. Id that what the -f command does (I haven't actually tried that one yet, it seems to be just shutdown with a force quit of apps).

[NilsC 0]

This may sound like a stupid question, it's not ment to be.What do you mean by "force a standby" can you define what this term covers?The -f forces a shutdown, the problem is it does not let programs finish and close in the normal way, it forces (terminates) them and shut the computer down. so any excel or other file you forgot to save is lost. Normal shutdown will prompt you to save a file -f bypasses all that.Nils

[vizskywalker 0]

By force a standby, I mean use a shortcut, command prompt command, batch file, whatever, something other than Start->Turn Off Computer->Standby to place the computer in standby mode. And, this is a long shot, I know, but do you know where the restart icon can be found?

[dungsport 0]

Just want to make yours batch files more accessible and convenient to use. Just right-click on each of those batch files and assign a shortcut for it. Next time use it, just press the combination of keys that you have made.Cheers

[vizskywalker 0]

for even faster access, create a shortcut file for each batch and put them in a folder. Right click on the Taskbar and go to toolbars New Toolbar... pick the folder you have the shortcuts in. Then right click the toolbar and deselct show title and showtext to save space

[dtilford 0]

Is there any way to make a batch file that will lock the computer? (Basically hit windows key+L).

[harriko 0]

cool, thanks for this! its much more faster to double click a shortcut to a batch file to shutdom the computer or something, rather than click on the start, click on the turn off computer and then finally come to the three options to shutdown.i would like to add, if you are really lazy like me you can make a shortcut and give the shortcut a global hotkey in the shortcut properties. it will be like "CTRL + ALT + (any key you like)" once you press these keys together it will shutdown, hibernate, restart, or standby the computer - simply with three buttons!

[enve19 0]

This one will certainly come in handy as we work with nearly 400 computers on our network and it is difficult keeping up with which ones have remote access enabled.Plus when we tell the staff to log out and they dont we can just chuck the batch file at them!!!Thanks

[finaldesign1405241487 0]

what priviledges must an computer connected to network have on remote computer to force that remote computer to shutdown? do that remote computer need's to have that "allow remote assistance invitations to be sent from this computer" and"allow users to connect remotely to this computer"boxes checked?

[iGuest 3]

I would like to know how to create a batch file that shuts down the computer or it can be done through regedit-vikas sinha

[lazlo 0]

Hello,I did a Google search to find some batch codes to specifically and only Save/force a shut down of a specific Excel file name and re-open the same Excel workbook.Can someone help out please ?Excel will freeeze on some occasions and I have a On Error in VBA module, so when it does error, it needs to shutodown and re-open.I can take care of the macro when the workbook opens again, but not sure how a batch file can automatically do the shutdown and re-open task.Thanks.

Edited December 4, 2007 by lazlo (see edit history)

[levimage 0]

Hey, I Got some questions for you guys cause I fix computers and I'm kinda of Lazy - but sometimes i have to do a stupid batch file for something like AIDA2/Everest, RealVNC, Norton Ghost, network logon/logoff, working with shares, backup up files, network commands, regedits, etc. I'm not the brightest guy nor am I geek - just another IT peon. Well here goes:1) Does this work on XP Home or tablet/media center edition?2) Is there something for W2k or Vista?3) Can you shutdown everybody in the network - what are the setting that have to be setup on the other PC's - services, permissions, etc.?4) I've tried created shorcuts which could be copied to clients with little success - is there a 3rd party program which can make shortcuts for different windows versions?5) Is there a way to make the key shorcuts CTRL + ALT + ?? to a file.reg that can be added when needed and removed afterwards?6) How about logoff current user, and take screenshots?6) How about has anyone tried creating the batch files, installed them remotely via .reg files, and created scheduled tasks to implement them?Well I don't know where I'm getting at - just thinking out loud. But here is some homework for you. Let me know if you have any success. If I don't have anything to do this week I'll look into it. :rolleyes:Levimage

[polarysekt 0]

what about one of the scripting engines.... like VBScript???

[lazlo 0]

what about one of the scripting engines.... like VBScript???

Yes, whatever works, but how does it work ?

Some of us are no bertter than recording a macro and some tweaks thereafter, and to be honest, that's too much !