I can't seem to get a forced logoff or shutdown for Win9x. Logoff(1) doesn't work: the computers hang up with the screen 'Please wait while your logon script executes'. (while Break=on). Also, calling Rundll32 krnl386.exe,exitkernel doesn't work; same problem as with Logoff(1). Also tried Rundll32 shell32,SHExitWindowsEx 0, -> doesn't work. Rundll32 user,exitwindows isn't the solution either. Any ideas?

Logoff:
rundll.exe shell32.dll,SHExitWindowsEx 4

Reboot:
rundll.exe shell32.dll,SHExitWindowsEx 6

Important notes, though:

1) These are 100% case-sensitive! You must type them exactly as I typed them above.

2) Windows 9x will not let the system shut down cleanly, because KiX is still running. So the way to work around this is to execute the above command line via the HKLM\...\RunOnce registry key. This will initiate the shutdown process, after the script finishes, but before the user can really start to do anything...

To keep it clean, throw out a message box during the script that says something like "changes made... you computer will be restarted...". Then write the value, and finally, issue a QUIT command.

Here is a complete example:

code:

---

$rc=messagebox('computer will restart','notice',4112,10)
$rc=writevalue('HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\RunOnce','9xReboot','rundll.exe shell32.dll,SHExitWindowsEx 6','REG_SZ')
Quit 0

---

Hope this helps you -- those few lines were about 20 hours of work to get perfect...

Have not verified the code, but sounds like sound code. Good job.

If for example people log on to their PC while the network cable is out of the laptop, they are logged on locally. If they put the network cable in while working locally, they automatically log on and the logon script executes (if the credentials are kept the same). Same problem with RunOnce in that case.

Now I've tried a couple of shutdown, reboot, and logoff tools, and also the functions that Rundll provides, but none of them seem to be able to kill the logon script and logoff or reboot thus preventing logging on to the domain. Any ideas?

The closest I came to a solution was either using a delay program which calls Rundll after x seconds, or shutting down the kernel using a kernel386 command. The delay function isn't all that because the logon script has different forms depending on account and group membership, and the speed of the PC also plays a part in determining the number of seconds. Shuting down the kernel works OK on '98 (nice shutdown), but on '95 the computer hangs...

I'm almost out of options?...

I'll give shutdown.exe a g tomorrow, as well as the '4' and '6' parameters of the Rundll command's. I've only tried '0'... I'll let you know what happens...

[ 07 November 2001: Message edited by: Jeroen ]

No network or Wintendo at home to test.

To prevent a kix32 problem you can run them also from a batch file.
How?

code:

---

@echo off
 kix32 %0\..\your_script.kix
 if errorlevel 6 rundll.exe shell32.dll,SHExitWindowsEx 6
 if errorlevel 6 goto end
 if errorlevel 4 rundll.exe shell32.dll,SHExitWindowsEx 4
 if errorlevel 4 goto end
:end
@echo off

---

Brian, we see many times topics about same issue and the doesn't always
contain the complete answer. Your story gives a good overview about
"how to do it" and your code is very easy. Good job.

greetings.

Bstyles' rundll.exe shell32.dll,SHExitWindowsEx 6
seems to do the trick however, on both Win98 and Win95. It reboots the computer. I'll have to do some testing on a couple of additional PC's, but I think this may be it; Thanks!

Should I still encounter a problem, I will use the errorlevel method. I do have a question about that though: How do I handle exit codes if the script that generates the exit code was called by another script?
Like:

code:

---

If $Logoff=1
  Exit(4)
Else
  Exit
Endif

---

Then returning to the 'mother-script' which should also exit if the exitcode is 4, and also should leave the exitcode intact for the batch file to process the Rundll command..? Would that be something like:

code:

---

Call "Authorised.kix"
; after the script returns, check for exitcode
If %1%="4"
  Exit(4)
Endif

---

Jeroen,
My first of two suggestions, re: loop of death, could only work if break=off.

It would appear the RunDLL solution is highly dependent on which flavor of Wintendo you're running. In my shop, they are all cloned from one parent, so not an issue. Also not able to test variations.

I use shutdown.exe (from Bryce posting) to reboot the Win95 PCs after updating McAfee dat files.
It used to work well, but lately I received many complaints reporting that PCs were freezed/stuck on the screen of "Windows is shutting down".
We are using Compaq and Dell PCs.
The reboot worked for some Compaq EX (desktop type), but freezed on Dell and Compaq EN (slim type).
It only happened to Win95 clients and we are using Kix v3.63.

The specific lines I used as follows:
RUN "%WINDIR%\SHUTDOWN.EXE /REBOOT /FORCE /NOLOGO /NOCANCEL"
SLEEP 3
COOKIE1
EXIT

Appreciate any help.
Thanks.

I'll try your suggestion and will post the result.

Benny Somali

Brian, the 4 didn't do the trick; at least not on Win95. (did work on Win98), but 6 works on both so far. I still have to test a couple of extra PC's before making the script 'live' but I think this is it! Thanks!

Check out this link for more on this topic.
http://www.robvanderwoude.com/shutdown.html

Adding line Break On didn't help (in fact, there was already Break On at the start of script).
It seemed it works well on faster PCs and W2K clients.
After updating new dat, reboot was required for Windows to update its registry and reload new dat.
Is there execution timing issue?

The reason why I add Sleep 3 was to get shutdown.exe to execute.
If I removed Sleep 3, the scripts end normal without executing shutdown or likely terminated.

I used sdat*.exe with "force and silent" option.
I haven't tried to add "reboot" option.
I prefer to control the reboot requirement at the end of script.

I am going to try bstyles suggestion too.
Appreciate further inputs.

However, shutdown.exe works well with only /reboot /nocancel options. If I add /force /nologo options, the same problems occured.

Btw, I got error of missing entry SHExitWindowsEx when I used rundll.exe shell32.dll,SHExitWindowsEx 6.
I guess this works only with W98.

Thanks and regards,
Benny

Later. Good luck. Don't waste any more time. If users complain, just tell them to hold the power button in a few seconds, it will shut down. Sorry, just the facts.