Server 2008: Disable "Shutdown Event Tracker"?
Hello, and thanks for reading this question. There was a way to disable Shutdown Event Tracker in Server 2003. The line for this option is gone in Group Policy Editor in Server 2008, as far as I can see. Can anyone point to the right folder path for Server 2008, or give a safe regchange to do so? I'm not using this function, and it's just getting in the way. Many many thanks, and happy weekend! a.k.a.
January 18th, 2008 3:51am

Hi a.k.a, According to your description, I have test it on Windows Server 2008 RC1 and find the "Display Shutdown Event Tracker" in Group Policy Editor. 1. Expand "Computer Configuration", expand "Administrative Templates", and then expand "System". 2. Double-click "Display Shutdown Event Tracke"r. 3. Click "Disabled", and then click OK. Don't forget to "gpupdate /force" to force refresh the GPO. Please kindly find the option in Group Policy Editor, I think the GPO of Windows Server 2008 is similiar to Windows Server 2003. Thanks for your time.
Free Windows Admin Tool Kit Click here and download it now
January 18th, 2008 4:34am

the server 2008 documentation is wrong. There is no "Display Shutdown Event Tracker" policy defined or visable.Chad
June 18th, 2008 5:16am

I cannot find it there either... It is a bit frustrating. Lubor
Free Windows Admin Tool Kit Click here and download it now
August 12th, 2008 8:24pm

start..run..gpedit.mscentercomputer configuration..Administrative Templates..System..Display Shutdown Event Trackerdouble click..check on Disabled..Apply..OK..screenshot: Shutdown Event Trackeralternately: create an empty text doc, paste the below and save and change extension to .regWindows Registry Editor Version 5.00[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows NT\Reliability]"ShutdownReasonOn"=dword:00000000
August 13th, 2008 9:04pm

Before anyone else replies with the Cut-And-Paste, straight-off TechNet answer regurgitation aboutdisabling "Display Shutdown Event Tracker" please read this:IT DOESN"T EXIST! The ONLY way I was able to get the Shutdown Event Tracker turned off was via the registry.This may have applied to RC1 or RC2, but in the retail and Action Pack releases of 2008 Standard (both 64bit and 32bit), theDisplay Shutdown Event Tracker option is not listed under System, or anywhere else that I can find, for that matter.Use Alfredo's helpful registry entry (above) and merge it in. It works like a champ.Tom
Free Windows Admin Tool Kit Click here and download it now
October 26th, 2008 10:28pm

You are incorrect. I have Server 2008 SP1, and the option is there.
October 31st, 2008 3:26am

User inadvertently selected shutdownin Server 2008. Is there any way of stopping the shutdown, once the Shutdown Event Tracker appears?
Free Windows Admin Tool Kit Click here and download it now
November 13th, 2008 7:41pm

Again, you are incorrect. I have 2008 sp1 and it's there.
February 19th, 2009 2:02am

I have two installs of Windows Server 2008 +SP1 and it's not displayed in either install. One was an upgrade from Server 2003 where it was present and disabled. It stayed disabled after the upgrade, but the policy entry vanished.Doug
Free Windows Admin Tool Kit Click here and download it now
March 14th, 2009 1:52pm

I guess it must depend on exactly which group policy templates you have on your domain. On my domain at home, I have no need for the shutdown tracker so I have it disabled in the GPO. The appropriate portions of the script, at \\Domain.name\SYSVOL\Domain.name\Policies\{6AC1786C-016F-11D2-945F-00C04FB984F9}\Adm, is as follows: #ifversion>=3 CLASSMACHINE CATEGORY!!AdministrativeServices #ifversion>=4 EXPLAIN!!AdministrativeServices_Help #endif POLICY!!ShutdownReason #ifversion>=4 SUPPORTED!!SUPPORTED_WindowsXP #endif EXPLAIN!!ShutdownReason_Help KEYNAME"Software\Policies\Microsoft\WindowsNT\Reliability" VALUENAME"ShutdownReasonOn" VALUEONNUMERIC1 VALUEOFFNUMERIC0 PART!!ShutdownReason_BoxDROPDOWNLISTREQUIRED VALUENAME"ShutdownReasonUI" ITEMLIST NAME!!ShutdownReason_AlwaysVALUENUMERIC1DEFAULT NAME!!ShutdownReason_WkstnOnlyVALUENUMERIC2 NAME!!ShutdownReason_SrvOnlyVALUENUMERIC3 ENDITEMLIST ENDPART ENDPOLICY POLICY!!ShutdownEventTrackerStateFile #ifversion>=4 SUPPORTED!!SUPPORTED_WindowsNET #endif EXPLAIN!!ShutdownEventTrackerStateFile_Help KEYNAME"Software\Policies\Microsoft\WindowsNT\Reliability" VALUENAME"SnapShot" VALUEONNUMERIC1 VALUEOFFNUMERIC0 ENDPOLICY POLICY!!EE_EnablePersistentTimeStamp #ifversion>=4 SUPPORTED!!SUPPORTED_WindowsNET #endif EXPLAIN!!EE_EnablePersistentTimeStamp_Help KEYNAME"Software\Policies\Microsoft\WindowsNT\Reliability" VALUENAME"TimeStampEnabled" VALUEOFFNUMERIC0 VALUEONNUMERIC1 PART!!EE_EnablePersistentTimeStamp_Desc1TEXT ENDPART PART!!EE_EnablePersistentTimeStamp_Desc2TEXT ENDPART PART!!EE_EnablePersistentTimeStamp_Desc3TEXT ENDPART PART!!EE_EnablePersistentTimeStamp_Desc4NUMERICREQUIRED VALUENAME"TimeStampInterval" MIN1MAX86400DEFAULT60 ENDPART ENDPOLICY ENDCATEGORY;AdministrativeServices #endif [strings] EE_EnablePersistentTimeStamp="EnablePersistentTimeStamp" EE_EnablePersistentTimeStamp_Help="ThePersistentSystemTimestampallowsthesystemtodetectthetimeofunexpectedshutdownsbywritingthecurrenttimetodiskonaschedulecontrolledbytheTimestampInterval.\n\nIfyouenablethissetting,thePersistentSystemTimestampwillberefreshedaccordingtotheTimestampInterval.\n\nIfyoudisablethissetting,thePersistentSystemTimestampwillbeturnedoffandthetimingofunexpectedshutdownswillnotbedetected.\n\nIfyoudonotconfigurethissetting,thedefaultbehaviorwilloccur.\n\nNote:Bydefault,thePersistentSystemTimestampisrefreshedevery60secondsontheWindowsServer2003family.Thisfeaturemayinterferewithpowerconfigurationsettingsthatturnoffharddisksafteraperiodofinactivity.ThesepowersettingsmaybeaccessedinthePowerOptionsControlPanel." EE_EnablePersistentTimeStamp_Desc1="Thesettingallowsyoutocustomizehowoftenthe EE_EnablePersistentTimeStamp_Desc2="PersistentSystemTimeStampiswrittentothedisk." EE_EnablePersistentTimeStamp_Desc3="Therangeis1to86400seconds(1day). EE_EnablePersistentTimeStamp_Desc4="Seconds:" ShutdownEventTrackerStateFile="ActivateShutdownEventTrackerSystemStateDatafeature" ShutdownEventTrackerStateFile_Help="DefineswhentheShutdownEventTrackerSystemStateDatafeatureisactivated.\n\nThesystemstatedatafilecontainsinformationaboutthebasicsystemstateaswellasthestateofallrunningprocesses.\n\nIfyouenablethissetting,theSystemStateDatafeatureisactivatedwhentheuserindicatesthattheshutdownorrestartisunplanned.\n\nIfyoudisablethissetting,theSystemStateDatafeatureisneveractivated.\n\nIfyoudonotconfigurethissetting,thedefaultbehaviorfortheSystemStateDatafeatureoccurs.\n\nNote:Bydefault,theSystemStateDatafeatureisalwaysenabledontheWindowsServer2003family." ShutdownReason="DisplayShutdownEventTracker" ShutdownReason_Help="TheShutdownEventTrackercanbedisplayedwhenyoushutdownaworkstationorserver.Thisisanextrasetofquestionsthatisdisplayedwhenyouinvokeashutdowntocollectinformationrelatedtowhyyouareshuttingdownthecomputer.\n\nIfyouenablethissettingandchoose"Always"fromthedrop-downmenu,theShutdownEventTrackerisdisplayedwhenyoushutdown.\n\nIfyouenablethissettingandchoose"ServerOnly"fromthedrop-downmenu,theShutdownEventTrackerisdisplayedwhenyoushutdownaWindowsServer2003familycomputer.\n\nIfyouenablethissettingandchoose"WorkstationOnly"fromthedrop-downmenu,theShutdownEventTrackerisdisplayedwhenyoushutdownaWindowsXPProfessionalworkstation.\n\nIfyoudisablethissetting,theShutdownEventTrackerisnotdisplayedwhenyoushutdown.\n\nIfyoudonotconfigurethissetting,thedefaultbehaviorfortheShutdownEventTrackeroccurs.\n\nNote:Bydefault,theShutdownEventTrackerisnotdisplayedonWindowsXPProfessionalandisdisplayedbydefaultontheWindowsServer2003family." ShutdownReason_Box="ShutdownEventTrackershouldbedisplayed:" ShutdownReason_Never="Never" ShutdownReason_Always="Always" ShutdownReason_WkstnOnly="WorkstationOnly" ShutdownReason_SrvOnly="ServerOnly"
March 15th, 2009 1:50am

Are you sure you are looking in the RIGHT hand column after clicking on SYSTEM? I found myself looking in the wrong area, until I remembered that under the main system folder there are individual policies (including the one in question) which were NOT in a folder, and hence were not visible under the tree view on the left, but only after seleting the folder, then scrolling down to the bottom on the right pane.I just confirmed it was here on my 2008 sp1 fresh install. gpupdate /force and it worked.
Free Windows Admin Tool Kit Click here and download it now
April 30th, 2009 6:42pm

Hi Guys, You can use Alfredo's registry hack, except that you may have to create the key "Reliability" and the dword value through regedit.
November 18th, 2009 10:11pm

I think you are looking in the wrong place. Select "system" from the left, then scroll down to the bottom on the right. The option is not a folder icon, it is a policy entry. I was also looking in the wrong place, as the option appears after the sub folders of system.
Free Windows Admin Tool Kit Click here and download it now
October 18th, 2010 3:44pm

Also if you're not editing the local policy you have to open "Computer Configuration" then "Policy" then "Administrative Templates" then "System" (original directions left out the Policy step)Dave Hoppel - Network Admin - Philadelphia, PA
June 9th, 2011 2:17am

Make sure you are in Group policy editor gpedit.msc and NOT Local Security Policy. It isn't in local sec pol.
Free Windows Admin Tool Kit Click here and download it now
August 30th, 2011 11:35am

Are you sure you are looking in the RIGHT hand column after clicking on SYSTEM? I found myself looking in the wrong area, until I remembered that under the main system folder there are individual policies (including the one in question) which were NOT in a folder, and hence were not visible under the tree view on the left, but only after seleting the folder, then scrolling down to the bottom on the right pane. I just confirmed it was here on my 2008 sp1 fresh install. gpupdate /force and it worked. THIS IS THE CORRECT WAY TO FIND IT.
September 13th, 2011 7:47pm

This topic is archived. No further replies will be accepted.

Other recent topics Other recent topics