Shut Down Windows XP

Creating a One click Button to Shutdown or Restart Windows XP

     
These simple instructions will create quick one click buttons to shutdown, restart, or log off Windows XP.  Repeat the directions for each button you want to create, using the appropriate command for the action you desire.

1. Right-click on your desktop, select New, then choose Shortcut.
2. The Windows Shortcut Wizard will appear.  In "location of Shortcut" box, enter one of these commands for the Shortcut you are creating:

• Shut Down:  shutdown -s
  
• Restart:  shutdown -r
• Log-Off Current User:  shutdown -l
• Force any running application to shut down:  shutdown -f
• Indicates a delay before performing the action (where nn is the delay in seconds):  shutdown -t nn
• Displays a message in the System Shutdown window (enter your message in place of message, it must be enclosed in quotation marks and be 127 characters or less):  shutdown -c "message"

For example,  shutdown -r -t 04 -c "Rebooting - Please wait."  will cause the computer to:
• Wait 4 Seconds
• Display the message: Rebooting - Please wait.
• Restart

3. Name your Shortcut accordingly: (Shutdown or Off for the Shutdown Shortcut and Restart or Reboot for the Restart Shortcut).
4. You can then change the icons to make them stand out better, drag the shortcuts to your Quicklaunch toolbar, and do anything else that you can do with normal shortcuts.

       

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I have also included a Windows Shutdown Button for Windows 95, 98 & ME.  To download that shortcut and shortcuts to empty your recycle bin and other temporary folders, visit my Windows Cleaner article.