HELP, ...No shut-down option!!!!

[skfm]

Hi, recently some of my pc are having some weird problems. My users have been complaining that they could not shutdown the PC. Normally what we do to shut down is to go to start>shutdown and a window will pop out to let us confirm the action, there were a few options, either to shutdown, log-off,standby or restart. However this time around, users only have the option to log off.Because of this user have to always log off first before they can shutdown.

I notice when I log in as an administrator or when I assign the user as an administrator, there would be no problems.This is only a short term solution.

By the way, all my PCs are winXP Pro, and they log in to the domain.

I have tried looking for a solution on the net, but no help. Any help is very much appreciated.

Thanks
Lawrence

 

[IllogicallyLogical]

Have you checked the group policy settings and made sure that the "Remove and prevent access to the Shut Down command" has not been enabled?

Joey
A+, MCP

 

[skfm]

Thanks Joey,however this problem only happen to a few users not all domain controller. No, the option is not enabled in the group policy.
Initially i though it was because of the group policy problem, i updated the policy by using gpupdate and checking the policy used through gpresult. No go... still the same.
Any solution, i can't possibly give everyone an administrative right.

Thanks.
Lawrence

 

[IllogicallyLogical]

Check this out and see if it helps....

http://www.tech-recipes.com/windows_security_tips740.html

Joey
A+, MCP

 

[skfm]

Well, tried that. It removes the log off and shutdown button only.
What my problems is, users could not be able to shutdown accept for the log off option.
Probably let me clarify,Normally to off the pc, I would go to start button,than follow by the shutdown button and a window will pop out to ask for confirmation, and there would be a few options, either to shutdown, log-off,standby or restart.But, only the log-off option exist.

Any advice.Thanks

Lawrence

 

[IllogicallyLogical]

Have you tried doing a system restore to a point before when this happened on these PCs? Do you know if any new installations (drivers or software) may have effected this?

Joey
A+, MCP

 

[skfm]

Sorry, was out of town.Anyway, i did a system restore but still not working. No drivers or software added or remove. I got a feeling it is got to do with the Domain controller. But its weird, only a few PC is affected. The rest Ok.
Just like I mention earlier, when i uses a user with administrator rights, no problem....

Any solution.

Thanks.

 

[SuperAmit]

For the users who are having problems not being able to shut down, add them as a local Administrator on their PC.

Right Click My Computer
Click on Manage
Click on Local Users and Groups
Click on Groups
Double Click on Administrators
Click Add

Now add the user account, you will need an Adminstrative account to do so as it will ask you for that.

Then restart the PC so the changes will take effect. Since you don't see the Shutdown option yet you can remotely reboot the PC from a known working PC.

Right Click My Computer
Click on Manage
At the top click on Action and click on Connect to another computer
Type in the computer name or the PC's IP address
Once connected click on Action and click on Properties
Click the Advanced Tab and then click on the Settings Button under Startup and Recovery
Click the Shutdown Button
Click on Restart and then click ok.

The effected PC should restart and then once you log back in to the PC you should now have the option to shutdown and restart.

Hope this helps.

 

[SPV]

No offence meant SuperAmit, but giving the users admin rights is a pretty dangerous workaround. It gives them the ability to do all manner of damage to the system, which is why it's generally advisable (IMHO) to keep them at user level.

skfm, the first thing I thought of was Group Policy. But you say you've checked that.

At my work, we have the ability to Shut Down our XP Pro desktop PCs, but when we use Remote Desktop onto virtual PCs (also XP Pro) we only have the Log Off option. I'm certain that this is controlled by Group Policy.

However I did have another thought. Do the PCs have fast user switching enabled? I haven't used that for a while but I wonder if that could disable the shutdown option when another user's session is still loaded in the background. My logic is that a local admin has the rights to terminate that session, but a non-admin doesn't.

 

[cpjust]

Fast User Switching is only for XP Home.

 

[SPV]

My fireworks are duly dampened ;-)

 

[IllogicallyLogical]

A couple of questions so maybe we can narrow this down to the root of the problem. You say only a couple of PCs are experiencing this. Are all of the users having this problem in the same OU in Active Directory? Also, are these users able to shut down a PC if they move to a different workstation or does the problem follow them as they move?

Joey
A+, MCP

 

[skfm]

Thanks guys for all the response.
SPV, let me check on the fast user switching thingy???
and Joey, yes they are all in the same OU in active directory,and yes they could shut down on a different PC. I tried to log in my ID on this affected PC, same thing no go. But when I log in on another PC, no problem. So it onlys follow the PC.

Rgds

 

[cmeagan656]

Fast User Switching is only for XP Home.

Fast User Switching if for stand alone computers and computers that are members of workgroups regardless of what version you are using (Home, MCE, or Pro). It can not be used on a domain.

Cheers.

 

[SPV]

Yeah, sorry I mislead you with the fast user switching. My mistake.

 

[IllogicallyLogical]

Since the problem only seems to be associated with the computer accounts, maybe you could try removing the computer objects from AD and then rejoin them to the domain. This should generate a new SID for the computer accounts and hopefully forget whatever permissions it was inheriting that were causing this.

Joey
A+, MCP

 

[skfm]

Joey, by removing the computer object from AD, would it affect the users profiles. Which is to say ineed to rejoin the domain. Please verify. As this will affect the users...

Lawrence

 

[IllogicallyLogical]

The user profiles stored on the computers should be unaffected, but if it is of concern you could always backup files stored on the local drive to a network drive or other medium.

Joey
A+, MCP

 

[emperio]

try to rename the user's profile using admin rights then let the user re-login again with new profile and check it out and if the problem exist check the group policy..

 

[skfm]

Thanks to all,
Will try out all the options.

lawrence