Automatic Shut Down

[talksr]

Hi there,

Has anyone come up with a way of auto-shutting down stations at the end of a day?

With Ranger or RM CC4, you could set a task to do it for this for you. This was really hand particularly during holidays or night time as you could disable it so the computers would remain on, so you could do update work or testing on them.

 

We use vanilla now and I am struggling to find a suitable way to auto shut them down other than a task. But the problem with a task is that it would be on each individual machine.

If you wanted to leave an entire ICT suite on over night to do updates, you would need to manually disable the task on every station which would be far too time intensive.

 

Does anyone have any clever ways to deal with this problem?

[Rob_D]

In the past I've used shutdown scripts running scheduled tasks from a sever.

Script would be:

shutdown -f -m \\MachineName -t 10

With a new line for each PC. You could do some fun scripting to make the batch file read a list of computer names from a text document:

 

for /F "usebackq tokens=1" %%i in (computernames.txt) do call :process %%i %%jgoto thenextstep:processshutodwn -f -m "\\%1\ -t 10goto :EOF

 

Or you use GPO to create a scheduled task on each PC https://www.faqforge.com/windows-server-2016/configure-scheduled-task-item-using-group-policy/

The task initiates a shutdown command like the one above only with out the -m \\MachineName modifier.

Or even have the task kick off something cool like this:

https://www.itsupportguides.com/knowledge-base/windows-7/windows-7-shutdown-message-with-countdown-and-cancel/

[psydii]

@Rob_D has answered your question.

 

 

As an alternative, here is how we do it: We don't. Computers want to do housekeeping overnight (AV updates, defrag, other updates etc etc). Using default power settings computers will drop to a very low power state when left idle. By letting them do their housekeeping, and remaining to some extent powered on, the users get a much better experience at the beginning of the next day.

[free780]

With Windows 10 it's better to never shutdown. Just wake for updates/applications out of hours.

[strawberry]

A shutdown task and WOL. Or SCCM with maintance windows. one before they close and one when you WOL them first thing in the morning.

[howartp]

Psshutdown run from server on scheduled tasks.

 

6pm, 8pm, 10pm or never, depending on location/user.

 

Run via a batch file with “if exist noshutdown.txt....” at the top, to prevent it running on open evenings etc.

[Norphy]

Emco Remote Shutdown.

 

It’s very, very good.

[DrBeaker]

This is one of the great things I've come to like about the CC4 console. This makes this task so much easier.

 

Vanilla Network - Used Impero, various WoL tools. All very hit and miss. Very spotty and ultimately unreliable, we never got it to work properly.

 

RM CC4 Network - CC4 console, has yet to fail me yet. Only when the machine was switched off at the socket or some little darling had unplugged the network cable, or the WoL settings not set on the device - has it failed to work.

 

I'd only experienced the WoL stuff really working as it should in the CC4 network.

[Wubbalubbadub]

This is one of the great things I've come to like about the CC4 console. This makes this task so much easier.

 

Vanilla Network - Used Impero, various WoL tools. All very hit and miss. Very spotty and ultimately unreliable, we never got it to work properly.

 

RM CC4 Network - CC4 console, has yet to fail me yet. Only when the machine was switched off at the socket or some little darling had unplugged the network cable, or the WoL settings not set on the device - has it failed to work.

 

I'd only experienced the WoL stuff really working as it should in the CC4 network.

Rm CC4.. probably the most expensive shutdown button known to the world of IT! ha!

 

Like the above, we used Impero, however after moving to Senso, it does the same. Hasn't skipped a beat.

[DrBeaker]

Rm CC4.. probably the most expensive shutdown button known to the world of IT! ha!

 

Like the above, we used Impero, however after moving to Senso, it does the same. Hasn't skipped a beat.

 

 

I don't quite understand ALL of the hate towards RM. They're not perfect by any means but some large teams I've worked with have done a far worse job. I've heard of one school pulling out of RM support, getting in an MSP and then going BACK to RM as the MSP let them down big-time.

 

I used shutdown /i other times but not for scheduling etc.

 

What was your reason for leaving Impero out of interest? We found it was great at first and became worse as the years went by.

[bushby]

a product i use is call taskforce co2 used them for years and very simple managment interface also can put in the cost per unit and all that stuff to produce money saved and stuff

also has an idle setting so can force machines off in the day if they arent used eg sixth form studie as they dont know how to turn any thing off or cleaning

 

https://taskforceco2.com/ there is also education pricing with them. i cant remember how much it cost for a lifetime license

Edited August 5, 2019 by bushby
addition

[Wubbalubbadub]

I don't quite understand ALL of the hate towards RM. They're not perfect by any means but some large teams I've worked with have done a far worse job. I've heard of one school pulling out of RM support, getting in an MSP and then going BACK to RM as the MSP let them down big-time.

 

I used shutdown /i other times but not for scheduling etc.

 

What was your reason for leaving Impero out of interest? We found it was great at first and became worse as the years went by.

 

I don't necessary hate them, i just don't feel they are best value for the tax payers money. I feel it is a company that encourages lazy. They get 3 quotes for you, wack on the RM stamp duty and present it to the school. Something a quick 3 emails could be done internally.

 

They make these consoles and new GUI's, which in my opinion, actually deskill people in the actual tools, like AD, DHCP, DNS, Group policy. Any tech is better learning windows tools, as they are what majority of the IT world use.

 

On top of that, they charge licence fees, for the sake of having the programme.

 

That is the reason in a nut-shell. I could spend a few pages going into more depth... But i feel this isn't the place for it!

 

As for Impero, i felt that the updates were a bit slow. Fixes took weeks. Also i didn't like the direction they were taking in terms of cloud. It was more of a Hybrid model, as it took an on-site server still. Which they used the mask of "GDPR" as the reason for not taking it off-site completely.. Oh and cost..

[southhamster]

Spice works has a shutdown add-on which I've used successfully at several places.