Shutting down machines at night

[zag]

Just found this software as well which looks pretty nice.

 

Remote Shutdown - Automatic Shutdown and WOL Software

[Norphy]

I've used that, it's very good.

[Koldov]

Hi,

 

Just had a teacher come and tell me all the computers in the suite have just shut down....

 

Well, that will serve me right for playing with GPP on Friday!

 

I presume that they were already switched off and the GP is just firing up due to the fact it couldn't apply to the machines as they were already shutdown (on the plus side at least I know now that the GP works).

 

I guess I am missing something to tell it not to re-apply (but on the other hand I want it to if it fails).

 

Looks like there are a couple of tick boxes that might do the job, but does anyone have the definitive answer?

 

Kol.

[rbh30]

Hi Koldov,

 

Can you show me your settings for this GPO?

[Koldov]

Hi Koldov,

 

Can you show me your settings for this GPO?

 

I think these are the main settings, I'm guessing untick either 'Settings > Run task as soon as possible after a scheduled start is missed' or 'Settings > If the task fails, restart every: ? minute'

 

But how do I get it to try again if it does fail (if it is already shutdown) and not retry in the morning when it is switched on again? Maybe I could use the 'Idle' setting in 'Conditions' but it will still become idle at some point during the day and then just shutdown...

 

 

Kol.

[gady]

We leave it to the kids to shut down, and give them detentions if they don't

[GuyJD]

I use the Intel power management widget in Spiceworks, nice and easy to configure and works like a charm.

 

It also gives you a nice little display of how much money you've saved, only shows in USD but it's still nice.

Edited March 14, 2016 by GuyJD

[ColinP]

We use PDQ deploy

 

Can schedule it for when ever I like, on what ever computers I like .. fast and easy

[beancole]

I use fog for image deplyment and that has something called green fog you can set times to shutdown or reboot. Really hand I set all our machines to reboot every evening a few times if still on then to shutdown a 5pm.

[sniffingmoose]

I use EMCO remote shutdown, I find it very good. Not too expensive. I use it to shutdown PCs at different times depending on which rooms they are in or who usually uses them.

 

Remote Shutdown - Automatic Shutdown and WOL Software

UK distributor is QBS Software Ltd

[zag]

We use PDQ deploy

 

Can schedule it for when ever I like, on what ever computers I like .. fast and easy

 

Do you know if the free version lets you do that?

 

I love the software but it has a huge yearly cost which is why I have not bought it.

[GAS]

How to setup Shutdown PC via PowerShell script

 

 

Create new Task Scheduler

 

Program Script:

 

C:\Windows\System32\WindowsPowerShell\v1.0\powershell.exe

 

Add Arguments:

 

-ExecutionPolicy Bypass -File "C:\Script\PowerShell\Shutdown_Comp_01.ps1"

 

 

Below script will import Active directory module, then ping all PC in specified OU if get response it will shut down.

 

Save below as Shutdown_Comp_01.ps1, Shutdown_Comp_02.ps1 Ect…

You can use root or and PC OU or each room OU

 

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

 

Import-Module active*

 

$rtn = $null

 

Get-ADComputer -Filter * -SearchBase "OU= Comp_01,OU=Desktops,OU=Workstations,OU=Curriculum,DC=internal,DC=MySchool,DC=surrey,DC=sch,DC=uk" |

 

ForEach-Object {

 

$rtn = Test-Connection -CN $_.dnshostname -Count 1 -BufferSize 16 -Quiet

 

IF($rtn -match 'True') {Stop-Computer -ComputerName $_.dnshostname -Force}

 

}

 

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

[JoeFulford]

I use Impero at my secondary school. This has a great power schedule feature. This turns all of the computers on for me 15 minutes before school starts. And then I shut them all down half an hour to an hour after school finishes. This allows time for after school clubs etc.

[mbuk70]

Ditto on scheduled task via GPO, takes 5 mins and no cost.

[Norphy]

There is one fairly large disadvantage to using scheduled tasks and shutdown.exe. The trouble with doing that is that if a user is working past the scheduled shut down time, all they see is the "Machine is shutting down in X minutes" dialogue box. They can't easily (for an average end user) cancel the shutdown. Whenever I've tried that, I've always ended up with complaints from late classes, people working late, people doing parents evenings or whatever.

 

The advantage of some third party tools is that they can be set to display a big cancel button for x amount of time before the shutdown. That way at least, if the user ignores it they can be told to go away.

[eyetea]

There is one fairly large disadvantage to using scheduled tasks and shutdown.exe. The trouble with doing that is that if a user is working past the scheduled shut down time, all they see is the "Machine is shutting down in X minutes" dialogue box. They can't easily (for an average end user) cancel the shutdown. Whenever I've tried that, I've always ended up with complaints from late classes, people working late, people doing parents evenings or whatever.

 

The advantage of some third party tools is that they can be set to display a big cancel button for x amount of time before the shutdown. That way at least, if the user ignores it they can be told to go away.

 

We've just created a GPO for the student machines around school which staff are aware of - however we're looking at doing this to staff machines too. The timings of this are being discussed at an upcoming SMT meeting and the decision will come from them on timings.

[Steve21]

Scheduled task with custom batch file. (Only shutsdown if no-one is logged on (active sessions)).

 

Then once a month etc do a forced restart for all over a weekend.

 

Steve

[jonspurs]

We've just created a GPO for the student machines around school which staff are aware of - however we're looking at doing this to staff machines too. The timings of this are being discussed at an upcoming SMT meeting and the decision will come from them on timings.

 

I found this - Windows 7 shutdown through Group Policy Preferences - Blogs - EduGeek.net

I've not tried it yet but if a PC is not 'idle' for x minutes then it shouldn't shutdown if I read that right - wouldn't that be ideal for your staff machines?

Edited April 11, 2016 by jonspurs

[simpsonj]

Always nice to see my blog getting linked

 

But yes, in theory my GPP looks to see if the computer has been idle for x minutes at 3:15, 4:15, 5:15 etc and if it has, then shuts down. I haven't put this on staff machines (our staff have laptops) so you may want to change shutdown times etc.

[ColinP]

Do you know if the free version lets you do that?

 

I love the software but it has a huge yearly cost which is why I have not bought it.

 

I would have thought so - just create a blank package as attached screenshot

[win]

The trouble with doing that is that if a user is working past the scheduled shut down time, all they see is the "Machine is shutting down in X minutes" dialogue box.

 

There is an option to "run the task only if the computer is idle for x minutes". Only time this is a problem is if they are still there but afk for a long time

[Koldov]

There is an option to "run the task only if the computer is idle for x minutes". Only time this is a problem is if they are still there but afk for a long time

 

I'm guessing it depends on how strict you want to be about the shutdown time. Could you put something like 'idle for 60 minutes'?

 

Kol.

[win]

Click on the "conditions" tab and you'll see the list of options ranging from 1 minute to 1 hour (so basically yes)

[jonspurs]

Does anyone have users moan about shutting down at night? As they're used to just "locking the PC with 20 documents open and coming back next day to refer to quickly"...?

[6Foot2]

Does anyone have users moan about shutting down at night? As they're used to just "locking the PC with 20 documents open and coming back next day to refer to quickly"...?

Yes, but as were are currently trying to improve our energy consumption profile I am allowed to shut down most of the stations overnight. I wanted to begin the classroom shutdown at 3:30, if the stations were not in use, and the staff stations shutdown at 6:30 (forced at 6:35) I have been allowed to shutdown most stations at 10:00.