Shutdown -i command

DianeO · Dec 10, 2010

I learnt this command from techguys, a command you type into your start menu in vista to bring up a neat dialouge to shut down other computers in your network! :D

However I'm having problems. I'm a mother of 3, and I know that my children have been on the laptops at night etc. I sometimes am woken up from the noise and the fact that these sleeping patterns are affected so much I want to do something about it.

We first tried to configure this via our NETGEAR wireless router, by adding a schedule, yet this was bypassed by our son really easily, as he knew the password to the router page and if we changed it, the next day he'd reset the router manually.

It's not the fact that I want to ban them from the computers entirely, nor do I want to add a schedule but just shutdown their computers at tea time with a nice message and almost sarcastic message.

However, after testing the command on my own laptop it shut it down sucessfully. I have set up a 'WORKGROUP' called Workgroup (Creative, huh?) which basically when I go into the network folder I can see my other families computers! However, for example if my son's computer was PHIL-PC, when I type this in and attempt to shut it down, nothing happens.

Please help?

Regards,
Diane.

Lottiemansion · Dec 10, 2010

Hi,

I'm not sure but are you using the command correctly, does that work on another PC? Look here for examples of the correct syntax for that shutdown command.

Use the Remote Shutdown Tool to Shutdown, Restart, or Logoff a Local or Networked Computer — MAXIMUMpcguides – Windows Vista tips, tricks, help, and how-to guides

DianeO · Dec 10, 2010

Thanks for the reply, I have read through that link you provided and found that it said:

"To send these commands to other computers across your network you need to have administrative privileges on those computers. An easy way to see if you have administrative privileges on a networked computer is to try browsing to it."

I can view the PC in the network but cannot browse the PC. Is there a way of enabling this with the other PC?

Regards,
Diane.

Lorien · Dec 10, 2010

Hi DianeO,

Welcome to Vista Forums!

The basic procedure is in the following article: How to Remote Shutdown a Computer With Vista | eHow.com.

Here's perhaps a better article on the procedure with screenshots and infomation about other switch options: Use the Remote Shutdown Tool to Shutdown, Restart, or Logoff a Local or Networked Computer — MAXIMUMpcguides – Windows Vista tips, tricks, help, and how-to guides.

This is a repeat of much of the above, but if you're having trouble it may say things in a different way that will help overcome the problem: How to use the remote shutdown command in Windows.

Here's another method using the shutdown command but different switches to shutdown a remote computer (though I believe this one gives no warnings): How Can I Shutdown a Remote Computer on My Workgroup? | eHow.com.

Here's a way to install a task on each of the computers that will shut them down at a specified time every day. I believe only an administrator can change this task, so if your children have standard accounts this may work automatically without you doing anything or needing to do it remotely: How to Schedule a Computer Shutdown in Vista | eHow.com.

I hope this information helps (or perhaps shows you the one crucial step or typo that's preventing you from doing it). If it doesn't help, post back explaining the problem or errors in more detail and I'll look for further alternatives.

Go to each computer and add your username and password to the computer as an Administrator on that computer (you may need to login as an admininstrator that exists on each computer to each computer to add your account).

Good luck!

DianeO · Dec 10, 2010

Hi, thanks for the really helpful reply!!

I am now in progress of making new accounts on each of their laptops with my username and password and make sure it's an administrator, I have just two more questions, sorry!

Firstly, will this work if I try to shutdown a computer who is on XP while I am on vista?

And, secondly... Will they have to be logged in to this administrator account with my username?

Thanks a bunch,
Diane.

Lorien · Dec 10, 2010

Hi Diane,

First, I think it will work with XP - it should and I believe it will (if we can get the permissions issue resolved - and knowing now that the others are XP may complicate things a bit - but proceed for now and we'll see what happens). I guess we'll find out when you try. I'd do it on one computer first as a test case in case we need to revise things if it doesn't work. After setup and reboot, try to browse. If so, it probably worked. Try the shutdown. If it works, we've done it and now you just need to do the same with the other computers. If not, we have more work to do.

Second, no they do not have to be logged into that administrator account. In fact, I wouldn't even give them the password so they can't use it and become an administrator when you really want them to be standard users. It will shut down the machine no matter what account they are logged into.

I hope this helps and that it works. If not, post back and we'll do more research to try to resolve the problem. It may require some reconfiguration of your network setup to get this done - but I'm hoping it doesn't come to that.

Good luck!

DianeO · Dec 10, 2010

Thanks for all the support guys, at the moment I connected one of the computers (the XP one) to the workgroup & made the administrator. When trying to access it, it's saying that PHIL-PC is not a valid host name. Secondly, I'm not sure how to turn Network Discovery on one of the laptops as I can't see the name, they're connected to the workgroup yet they can only see theirself and we can't see them. No warning about network discovery has come up yet.

Thanks

DianeO · Dec 10, 2010

Okay, I have turned network discovery still can't find the PC. (This is a vista build) Also, I put Public folder sharing on too, to be safe. Still getting no luck though...

Lorien · Dec 10, 2010

Hi Diane,

I'm not sure where to go at this point. It seems that there's something wrong with how your network is setup in the first place that's preventing access or computers from seeing each other.

I suggest reviewing the following articles to see if you can find any hints that might point you in the right directions to correct the network setup:

Here's a tutorial on how to setup a home network (including a wireless one) - check out the additional links for further information that may be of great help: http://windows.microsoft.com/en-US/windows-vista/Setting-up-a-home-network.

Here's an article on troubleshooting wireless network connections (again with helpful links): http://windows.microsoft.com/en-US/windows-vista/Troubleshoot-network-connection-problems.

Here's a long guide on wireless internet connections in Vista: http://www.techwarelabs.com/guides/misc_mod/vistaconnection/.

Here's an article on how to setup wireless internet connection in Vista: http://www.clpgh.org/usingthelibrary/technology/wireless/WindowsVista.pdf.

Here's an article on networking different versions of Windows: http://windows.microsoft.com/en-us/windows7/Networking-home-computers-running-different-versions-of-Windows.

I hope this helps. If you see anything that seems like it might be the problem, then either change it or post it so we can see what you've discovered and try to figure out if it is useful or can lead to a solution. If not, the best option may be to create an entirely new network armed with the above information to see if a clean start with that new knowledge will allow you to set it up properly.

Good luck.

DianeO · Dec 10, 2010

Thank you, I've read throughly all the resources provided and nothing I have missed I don't think.

I restarted ALL laptops, one of the vista one works fine and I can browse through the files, but still not shut it down. The XP and other vista one cannot, however.

Lottiemansion · Dec 12, 2010

Hi,

Please ensure that the network setup wizzard has been run on the XP PC & the Network & sharing center, Setup a connection or Network, wizzard has been run on the Vista Pc's.

This will ensure you are all set-up on the same workgroup with the correct system settings etc.

Give it a go & try again.

Shutdown -i command

DianeO

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