What causes a Virtual PC "virtual machine" to be locked?

windows-7 virtual-machine microsoft-virtual-pc shutdown

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Solution 1

Possible solution: (This Google result was ...loading... for a minute or two and I'd given up on it... then it loaded after I posted. Haven't had the "locked virtual machine" again yet.

Found on: http://natmac.org/9am/tfeed?id=910E53194CF1A4D546DE4A5E3D870812630459B9

Recent Edits : Tags: a or solution virtual shutdown cannot machine restart locked I ran into this problem after installing and updating versions of .net 1 - 3.5 under Windows XP pro SP3. I found the problem to be caused by the 'On resume, Display Welcome Screen' option in the virtual machine. You may have to use taskmgr to kill logon.scr. Once logon.scr is no longer active in the virtual machine you won't get the message stating ' You can not shutdown a locked virtual machine.' when you try to shut it down. Di....

Solution 2

Just to clarify what needs to be done here:

My problem was caused by the 'logon.scr' screensaver in the virtual machine (in the Control panel, it was set to 'none').

I went into task manager and killed logon.scr. I could then shutdown successfully.

Changing the following registry setting will prevent recurrence:

[HKEY_USERS\.DEFAULT\Control Panel\Desktop]

"ScreenSaveActive"="1"

Change to:

"ScreenSaveActive"="0"

This will disable the logon.scr screensaver, which is the screensaver used before the user logs in and it is run as a system process.

See the comments to this entry:

http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ee449454%28v=ws.10%29.aspx

Solution 3

What you can also do is execute the command line:

shutdown -r -f

Remove -r if you don't want it to restart.
Use /? to find out more about the shutdown command.

Solution 4

You may also have to open Task Manager and manually end the logon.scr process after editing the registry value, for that shutdown. Or do it like yoann/8088 said and run shutdown via the command prompt.

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Daimon

I started programming in high school, making my own versions of popular games (Lunar Lander). I wrote some parts in Assembly Language. I eventually bootstrapped a healthcare startup to $3M revenue. I began my professional career working for consulting firms, then started my own software company and created 17 programs providing speech therapy to stroke survivors . I marketed and sold it worldwide. A few years ago, I fully automated my company so it wouldn’t need my involvement, freeing me for new challenges. I’ve spent my career helping technical and non-technical stakeholders understand each other’s needs. A few years ago, I returned to consulting, sharpening my skills in areas that I most enjoyed as a business owner. As I took classes and read a wide range of books, what particularly resonated was the importance of listening. For example, each sale happens in the prospect’s mind. They know what they want. They’ll tell us if we ask and listen with genuine curiosity. I first learned this selling our software. After I explained what a patient needed, caregivers often asked “how did you know exactly what we need?”. I just smiled, never revealing my secret: I asked curious questions. You told me. I listened. It turns out, that’s helpful in all sales, and all communication. I’ve loved consulting with a variety of businesses, but I miss learning & growing with a team working toward a common purpose. My Resume Portfolio

Updated on September 17, 2022

Comments

Daimon over 1 year

I'm using Virtual PC on Windows 7 and have periodically gotten this error when trying to shut down:

Cannot shutdown a locked virtual machine.

Google search on "locked virtual machine" Virtual PC revealed no solution for Virtual PC.
Matt 'Trouble' Esse over 13 years

I just changed the LOGIN.SCR in the virtual PC - go here for instructions on how to: support.microsoft.com/kb/314493