Suppressing the "reason" for shutdown on Windows Server

Question

How can I suppress giving a reason for shutdown on a Windows Server host?

Specifically, on 2008 R2, but all versions back to 2003 and up to 2012 would be appreciated.

Solution 1

You will need to modify the group policy that is applied to the servers. Open up the Group Policy Management Console and navigate to Computer Configuration >> Administrative Templates >> System and select "Display Shutdown Event Tracker." Disable that option.

Solution 2

If you do not want to change via Polices you can always issue the shutdown command to avoid the question.

shutdown /s /t 0

/s = shutdown /t = time till shutdown 0 = immediely

Solution 3

Running the following as an elevated admin:

reg.exe add "HKLM\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows NT\Reliability" /v ShutDownReasonOn /t REG_DWORD /d 0 /f

and then logging off and on again should to the trick.

This is quicker than using group policies which you should use when you are in a domain and want to apply this change to many servers.

Solution 4

I'm sure the OP has found the other answers useful but future readers may be interested in a powershell version. Works out of the box in 2008 or up, and maybe in 2003 if powershell is installed.

    if ( -Not (Test-Path 'registry::HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows NT\Reliability'))
    {
    New-Item -Path 'registry::HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows NT' -Name Reliability -Force
    }
    Set-ItemProperty -Path 'registry::HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows NT\Reliability' -Name ShutdownReasonOn -Value 0
#

or a .reg file version. Install with "regedit /s Disable_Shutdown_Event_Tracker.reg"

Disable_Shutdown_Event_Tracker.reg

Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows NT\Reliability]
"ShutdownReasonOn"=dword:00000000

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Comments

[natxo asenjo]

+1, I do not get the downvotes, you answered the question perfectly.

[Ryan Ries]

+1, even though this may not be the permanent solution that OP had in mind, you are technically correct in that this does shut down without a prompt.

[natxo asenjo]

if you always shut the host down like this, then it is the permanent solution ;-)

[Wesley]

I downvoted because I wrongly interpreted the OP to have explicitly wanted a one-time change that would permanently shut down the shutdown event tracker. I realize that this, while perhaps not what most sysadmins would consider to be a permanent solution, is still valid. Downvote retracted.

[warren]

I like (and had forgotten about) @xeon's answer, but this is more inline with what I was hoping to find :)

[Sebastian Krysmanski]

The "Group Policy Management Console" can be opened via Win+R and then executing gpedit.msc.

[Koen Zomers]

Not sure if this one is for pre-Windows 2012 R2, but on 2012 R2 this registry path is invalid and should be: reg.exe add "HKLM\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows NT\Reliability" /v ShutDownReasonOn /t REG_DWORD /d 0 /f

[Peter Hahndorf]

@KoenZomers - You are correct, there was an extra 'control' in the path, 9 people up-voted and nobody noticed. I fixed the answer.