There exist several methods in the Windows API that permit a programmer to request a reboot. One of these methods is ExitWindowsEx.  I want to implement a procedure whereby all such requests are ignored or logged with all conceivable identifying information as to who or what is requesting the reboot.  Any idea how that may be accomplished?  Note: WM_QUERYENDSESSION solutions do NO

Hi

I don't think this is possible and it's most likely not the best idea. machine get prompted for a reboot because of the system architecture and it cannot identify which one is program and which is user manually required...it needs that reboot to replace files and system parts which otherwise wouldn't get changed, even you could disable that, user still can reboot from GUI or Command line.

Regards,

D. Wu

I don't think it is possible either unless somehow one can "hook" the call to ExitWindowsEx (or one of its several equivalent methods). This isn't some weird idea in a vacuum. My client is running commercial software that operates The Dial-In Service. Blind patrons telephone in to an IVR application. They occupy one of 48 telephone lines. They read the newspaper by selecting articles with Touch-Tone entries. It is very inconvenient that the commercial software reboots the computer to resolve any and all anomalous conditions. So my client wants to prove to the software developer that the occasional reboots (that abandon blind clients and volunteer readers by the dozens) are due to bad software design. It would have been nice had the developer bothered to log his reboot requests. But he doesn't. Windows XP has a feature in which reboots are entered into the Event Log. But that feature is turned off by default and "not supported by Microsoft," and only becomes supported by Microsoft in Windows Vista and later, and the log entry attributes the reboot request erroneously to WinLogon instead of to the commercial software application. I want proof who is calling for the reboot and I want complete and accurate information. Possible? No. Impossible.  If the Department of Homeland Security were hacked they would find it convenient that the Event Log contains information that assigns blame to a particular piece of malware that is responsible for unwanted reboots.

I have a program that calls ExitWindowsEx. With the box unchecked a reboot happens. I assume that an addressing exception within Windows (or a 3rd party driver) would force the computer to halt and not reboot.

Hi

Program required reboot should need user permission, if your computer restart without warning, this could be caused by system failure. right clicking on My Computer and choosing Properties. Go to the Advanced Tab and under Startup and Recovery press the Settings button. Under the System Failure box there will be a checkbox saying Automatically Restart. Untick this box and click Ok. It will stop restart if this is caused by system failure.

Regards,

D. Wu

Hi,

This is apparently a software design or compatibility problem, if it is not a normal reboot (without permission), there is nothing we can do about it. Id suggest you replace this software or contact with program vendor on this issue.

Regards,

D. Wu

I wholeheartedly agree with you that programmatically rebooting the computer at the slight anomaly is bad design. And, yes, I have raised the issue with the program vendor. They absolutely refuse any suggestion that there is anything wrong with "fixing" problems with a reboot. Only game in town, I'm afraid.

Hi,

I am afraid there is nothing we can do if your environment keep using this program. We might be able to fide some information which is pointing to the problematic program by debugging DUMP file. But there might be no solution from us since we know nothing about this program.

Regards,

D. Wu

Windows could be changed.  It won't be, but it could be changed to properly log application program actions that cause a reboot.  Properly means the name of the application and its logon id end up in the event log.  Right now the action is logged but Winlogon is fingered as the agent of the reboot.  In Windows XP it wasn't even logged.  I have no control over what an application programmer decides his program will do.  Microsoft has control over what gets logged.  Is Program X responsible for a crash and reboot?  Or is the crash and reboot due to something else?  Dunno.  Can't know.  Redmond insists it isn't important that the raison d'etre for the computer is a misbehaving application.  Get rid of the application and may as well get rid of Windows and get rid of the computer.  Fortunately we now know the application is at fault and not the hardware.

Hi,

I am afraid there is nothing we can do if your environment keep using this program. We might be able to find some information which is pointing to the problematic program by debugging DUMP file. But there might be no solution from us since we know nothing about this program.

Regards,

 if your environment keep using this program IS AN INTERESTING WAY TO PUT IT.  The sole purpose of the computer is to keep using this program.  It doesn't run anything else.  It comes down to us from U. of Kan.  And they are loathe to make any changes.  Microsoft on the other hand refuses to log Windows exit requests properly.  I'd be happy if Windows were willing to log which program specifically is calling for a reboot.  No.  It doesn't do that at present.