i use a similar utility called Shutdown Machine all the time. not only does it force windows to shutdown like it should without having to repeatedly ask you confirmations from programs, but i almost always have it on a delay so that i can either listen to a few songs while i get ready to leave, or as a timer when i'm watching something before falling asleep, or if i'm having the pc do something while i'm gone.

it would be nice to have a couple memory buttons for 1click execution..

xlax

AMore ways to shutdown including remote shutdown, hibernate, standby, lock, WoL ... you can get with PowerOff at [users.telenet.be]

iDreamer

Its already integrated into Windows... Start > Run > cmd > shutdown

You can use parameters to tell it to shutdown (-s), restart (-r), logoff (-l), force programs to quit (-f), etc. You can also remotely shutdown other network computers (-m \\XXX). If you need a simple GUI interface, use "shutdown -i". Just couple this with a schedule/task and you don't need the extra program.

bbbco

Sounds usefull, but when clicking the link I get 'Service unavailable'....

Fullbug

Could be useful... if I ever turned my computer off ^^

wormz

@Fullbug: I got the same error and fixed it by just right clicking and selecting "Save As"

TorumSie

What's wrong with regular Power Settings?

artistpavel

Useful, but looks similar to Shutter, which I find to have more useful options. For example, Shutter has:
Events: On Event, Countdown, Winamp Stops, Low CPU usage, User Inactivity, Battery Low, Window Closes, Process Stops...

Actions: Shutdown, Reboot, Log off, Sleep, Hibernate, Hang up, Turn monitor off, Mute, Unmute...

Also, DShutdown has even more options, just not the simplicity of Shutter. What I love about DShutdown is the ability to Run a program... So I can run my sync to my USB after a condition and it will be ready to go by morning!

l337_7r4d3r

I'm always having problems remembering to shutdown my machine at night, I think this will help out with that and let me save a few bucks in electricity.

I love the ability to have it activate after xx minutes of idle.

TorumSie

What I've been looking for for many years is "suspend after x minutes of logoff. Otherwise, never suspend."

Because I have a lot of users that never want suspend while logged in with any amount of idleness, but would like it so they get to a quick C+A+D prompt.

mjm01010101

Wow... I don't think I've ever seen buttons placed on little platforms or in little troughs like this.

Rhywun

I'm looking for just the opposite - a program that keeps windows from shutting down/going into standby.
The problem is, if Firefox downloads some large file that it can pause, it won't stop windows from going to standby. I like this behavior, but sometimes I'd prefer to finish the download while I'm off.
Starting Winamp and muting the computer is a solution, although non-optimal.
Any programs you know of?

Thank you!
xeen

xeen

it's a nice idea, however i can already do pritty much everything it does using windows tools (and this is most likely just a front end for those tools

for example forced shutdown
run>shutdown -s -f -t xx
where xx = time in seconds. I have this script executable on a button built into my samurize layout.

empty recycle bin on shutdown:
I don't use recycle bin

auto shutdown
power functions on screen saver dialog

the only things i can't replicate are things i don't use lol

Zepth

By the time I'm powering it down, I want "off" to be "off" as quickly as possible ... In this case, less, to me, is better - at least on a PC.

jstahly

I wonder if I would ever use it?
Probably not.

gpzbc

@ TorumSie, thanx, that worked....

Fullbug

@l337_7r4d3r: I second Shutter, use it all the time.

ritch0s

I've been using Shutter for years now.

The best part about it to be able to set a shutdown action for events like process stops, window closes and, my favorite, Winamp stops. This lets me do stuff like start copying huge files and then go to sleep without having to worry about leaving my machine on all night unnecessarily. Or queue up songs in Winamp and then start getting ready for work and let the machine shut itself down once the playlist is done.

Hm, seems @ritch0s and @l337_7r4d3r already beat me to the Shutter reference.

no.good.at.coding

woohoo! thanks for the shout out, Gina. ;)

Posco Grubb

In another Lifehacker article about shutting down using the "run" dialog, a few people said that repeatedly using forced shut down would eventually corrupt your data. As long as I didn't check the "forced execution" pickbox, would this program be safe to use? Does it shut down programs safely before shutting down the machine?

minealone6

I would love to use a program like this, but I have one question. The situation I need this for involves an XP machine that has multiple users. Would this program (or another like it) be able to suspend the machine if no one is logged in and leaves the machine alone for a while.

I've already looked through the power settings for the machine, and they change depending on who is logged in, so it never seems to get me where I need to be.

I just want the be able to set the pc up so the users can walk up to it and push the power button to bring the pc out of sleep, use it, then log off and walk away. (they forget to put it back to sleep all the time, thus needing a solution in the first place). Then if (and when) they forget to put the machine to sleep, it'll put itself to sleep in about 30 minutes.

Ideas are welcome, invited, and appreciated.

mjrkiljoy

I have my server/desktop at home turn on daily at 12pm (through the BIOS) in case I need to get files while I am at work. This will help me save on energy costs and be nicer to the environment. I think the command prompt option would be most useful. I'd rather not use an extra piece of software that runs in the background.

I think I'll create a batch file that runs on start up, invoking the command to turn off the computer after 5 hours. I can then turn the computer back on when I get home if needed.

A3sthetix