Shutting PCs Down from Windows 2003

[enjay]

BeyondExec has never really been happy since we upgraded our FRDC to Server 2003 - what other products are out there to handle scheduled shutdowns of PCs, preferably with cancel options?

[elsiegee40]

Have you looked at Shutdownertron? http://www.edugeek.net/forums/edugeek-shutdownertron/

[DaveP]

I am currently using PSTools [PSShutdown] to shutdown workstations but I have been meaning to start trialling Shutdownertron since getting the hang of deploying software through Group Policy.

Perhaps tomorrow?

Shutdownertron sounds great.

[mattx]

PSShutdown Classroom

PsShutdown Classroom

[meastaugh1]

Of BeyondExec, PSShutdown and Shutdownertron, I've found BeyondExec to be the best for our needs, as it allows the most centralised control.

I did have problems with it crashing while trying to shutdown hundreds of machines when running it from my workstation, but since moving it to a virtual server in isolation I haven't had problems with it.

[sted]

if you just want to shut it all off at the end of the day you can even batch script it

[albertwt]

Hi All,

i usually issue a command line

shutdown.exe -r -m \\targetNAME -f -t 1

or use DShutdown from

http://dimio.altervista.org/eng/

HTH

[enjay]

Since we're CC3, PSTools looks like my friend here. I've looked at it before, way back when, and opted against it as the users couldn't cancel it, although it seems it has been improved since.

Thanks guys.

[enjay]

I'm having trouble getting the syntax right with PSTools - could someone post a valid command line for me please?

[Cache]

This is the command that's in a batch file being run here, was setup before I started though so not looked 100% at the syntax, because it just works!

ping -n 1 -w 1000 (machinename) && psshutdown \\(machinename) -c -f -k -t 60 -n 60 -m "This computer is about to shut down to save power. To continue working press the Cancel button. Please shut down this computer when you finish." >>d:\misc\pingshut.txt

At a guess though and looking at the command and syntax, it pings the machine first, if it responds it then sends the shutdown command and writes a line to the pingshut.txt file saying that the computer is scheduled to shutdown, if it doesn't respond it just moves onto the next machine.

[enjay]

Thanks, I've got there now. I was having a senior moment with misreading how the instructions had written the commands - all sorted now.

[rh91uk]

Another vote here for Shutdownertron - works a treat here.

[gshaw]

Another one for Shutdownertron here... central deployment, central configuration... good enough for me