Server 2003 Won't Shutdown Via Scheduled Task

[agreenbhm]

I need my Windows Server 2003 box to shutdown automatically at 4:00AM. Initially, I installed a shutdown program and created a scheduled task to initiate the program with a force shutdown switch. That didn't work, apparently. I ensured that it was being run as a server administrator (my admin user name), and it was.

Next, I created an autologin for my admin account so I would be logged in to the desktop when the task was run. Still, the problem remained.

Next, I uninstalled the program and created a batch shutdown file (shutdown.exe /f) and scheduled it to run at 4:00AM. Still, the next morning when I came to check the machine, it was still on.

I'm out of ideas. I checked Event Viewer, and according to it at 4:00AM my user account that was running the Scheduled Task was successfully logged off. I guess for some reason it's logging me off rather than shutting down. IDK why, since whenever I manually initiate the scheduled task the server shuts down immediately.

Does anyone have any ideas?

[Skoey]

You could try shutdown /s /f

and shutdown /r /f to reboot.

That's what I use when I run batch scripts to shutdown or reboot.

[agreenbhm]

The lack of the "/s" switch was the cause of the problem. Apparently shutdown /f without the /s causes a logoff.