Vista Tutorial - Shutdown Options - Start Menu

**Brink** · **METHOD ONE:**

How to Remove or Show the Start Menu Shutdown Options in Vista

Information

These are the Shut Down , Restart , Sleep , and Hibernate options from the Start menu and the red power button in the Windows Security screen when you press Ctrl+Alt+Delete.

NOTE

This will also enable or disable the Shut Down Windows screen when you press ALT+F4. For more on this, see: How to Shutdown, Restart, Switch User, Log Off, Sleep, or Lock Vista from the Keyboard

RELATED LINKS:

EXAMPLE: Start Menu Shutdown Options Before and After

EXAMPLE: Ctrl+Alt+Del Shutdown Options Before and After
NOTE: Notice the red shutdown options box is gone when this is enabled.

METHOD ONE:
Through the Local Group Policy Editor

NOTE

This methos is only available for the Vista Business, Ultimate, and Enterprise editions. See Method Two below for the Vista Home Basic and Home Premium editions.

1. Open the Local Group Policy Editor.

2. In the left pane, click on User Configuration, Administrative Templates, and Start Menu and Taskbar. (See screenshot below)

3. In the right pane, right click on Remove and prevent access to the Shutdown, Restart,Sleep, and Hibernate commands and click on Properties. (See screenshot above)

4. To Show Shutdown Options -
A) Select (dot) Disabled or Not Configured and click on OK. (See screenshot below step 5A)

B) Go to step 6.

5. To Remove Shutdown Options -
A) Select (dot) Enabled and click on OK.
NOTE: You can still access the Restart, Sleep, and Shutdown options when you click on Switch User or Log Off from the Start menu. They will be in the red power button options in the bottom right corner of the logon screen.

6. Close the Local Group Policy Editor window. Your done.

METHOD TWO:
Through the Registry

NOTE

This method will work for all Vista versions.

Through a Download:
1. To Remove Shutdown Options -
A) Click on the download button below to download the
Remove_Shutdown_Options.reg file.

B) Go to step 3.

2. To Show Shutdown Options -
A) Click on the download button below to download the
Show_Shutdown_Options.reg file.

3. Click on Save, and save the .reg file to the Desktop.

4. Right click on the .reg file (on Desktop) and click on Merge.

5. Click on the Run button in the Security Warning pop-up.

6. Click on Continue (UAC), Yes, and then OK when prompted.

7. Logoff and logon, or restart the computer to apply the changes.

8. When done, you can delete the .reg file (on Desktop).

The Manual Way:
1. Open the Start Menu.

2. In the white line (Start Search) area, type regedit and press Enter.

3. Click on the Continue button in the UAC prompt.

4. In regedit, go to: (See screenshot below step 5B)
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\Explorer
NOTE: If you do not have Explorer, then right click on Polices and click on New and Key. Type Explorer and press Enter.

5. To Remove Shutdown Options -
A) In the right pane, right click on a empty area and click on New and DWORD (32-bit) Value, then type NoClose and press Enter.

B) Right click on NoClose and click on Modify.

C) Type 1 and click on OK. (See screenshot below)

6. To Show Shutdown Options -
A) In the right pane, right click on NoClose and click on Delete. (See screenshot below step 5B)

B) Click on Yes to confirm deletion.

C) In regedit, go to: (See screenshot below)
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\Explorer

D) In the right pane, repeat steps 6A and 6B if NoClose is there to.

7. Close regedit.

8. Logoff and logon, or restart the computer to apply the changes.

That's it,
Shawn

Fugly · 04-07-2008

Hi there,

Firstly I'd like to say thanks for all your guides... They are all so easy to follow and very well written.

Secondly - Can this policy be applied to a specific user (like my childs account) or a group of users(all standard accounts) or must it apply to all? I would also lick to remove the "lock" button on specific accounts if that's possible too?

**Brink** · 04-07-2008

You welcome Fugly, and welcome to Vista Forums.

Sorry, these policies get applied to all user accounts on the computer.

It would be nice to be able to apply them to a specific user account instead.

Shawn

wvit · 06-13-2008

This method won't work for me. I'm not sure why. My situation is, when I press Ctrl+Alt+Del the shutdown option from the power button (lower right corner of the screen) display everything (shutdown, restart, hibernate, etc).

However, when it come to the start menu. Those option (after click the little right icon) are gone.

**Brink** · 06-13-2008

Hi Wvit,

Did you use Method One or Two?

Method One with the Group Policy should work immediately.

Shawn

uniqst3r · 06-21-2008

i followed the directions with vista home premium. MEthod 2. I used your reg file and tried doing it manually neither works..

**Brink** · 06-21-2008

Hello Uniqst3r,

Welcome to Vista Forums.

What exactly is the problem that you are having with the shutdown options?

Did you want them to be removed or shown?

Have you restarted the computer afterwards?

Shawn

uniqst3r · 06-23-2008

I would like the options to show. I did everything in this thread for vista home premium and restarted but to no avail. I'm still stuck w/o shutdown restart or even hibernate option (yes I tried powercfg / hibernate on)

**Brink** · 06-23-2008

Ok Uniqstr3r,

For Hibernate, check to make sure that your Power Plan Options are set like step 8 in STEP TWO of this tutorial to see if it will come back afterwards. If you did, then do a System Restore using a restore point dated before they vanished to restore them.

Power Options and Sleep Mode Problems

For Shutdown and Restart, did you check both the HKCU and HKLM locations in the registry for NoClose?

Hope this helps,
Shawn

uniqst3r · 06-23-2008

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\Explorer
I've been here and there isn't a no close option there..
also went to hkey current user and then all the way to explorer. there is not any no close option anywhere.

I still do not see sleep/shutdown/restart/hibernate.
I did follow powercfg /hibernate on and enable hibernate in advanced power settings. But it still refuses to show