Creating a reboot schedule for your dedicated server
Following the instructions below to set up your server to have a scheduled reboot.
These steps are for Windows 20031. Click Start. Navigate to All Programs > Accessories > System Tools > Scheduled Tasks > Add Scheduled Task.
2. Click Next.
3. Click Browse and locate shutdown.exe c:\windows\system32\shutdown.exe is where it should be located.
4. Click Next. Name your task and select when you would like to reboot.
5. Click Next. Select your time. Enter your administrator name and password. Confirm your password.
6. Click Next. Select open advanced properties for this task when I click Finish.
7. Under the task tab (in the run command section) copy and paste the following (make proper changes to the command accordingly):
c:\window\system32\shutdown.exe /r /f /m \\servername /t 60 /d p:4:1 /c "name of scheduled task"
8. Click OK
Explanation of arguments in this command.
/r - Will Reboot the Server
/f - Force running applications to close without forewarning users.
/m - Is only used with \\servername and is handy if you want to reboot a remote server.
/t - Set the time-out period before shutdown to xxx seconds.
/d - Provides the reason for a shutdown. p:4:1 Will write to the event viewer "Application: Maintenance (Planned)"
/c - Comment on the reason for the restart or shutdown.
These steps are for Windows 2008/2012
1. (2008) Click Start. Navigate to All Programs > Accessories > System Tools > Task Scheduler.
(2012) Open Server Manager > Tools > Task Scheduler.
2. Click Create Basic Task.
3. Name your task and give it description.
4. Click Next. Define the schedule you would like the reboot to occur.
5. Click Next. Specify what time the reboot should occur.
6. Click Next. The action should be Start a program.
7. Click Next. Click Browse and locate shutdown.exe. c:\windows\system32\shutdown.exe
8. Add the following in the argument field (replacing servername with your server) /r /f /m \\servername /t 60 /d p:4:1 /c "name of scheduled task"
9. Click Next. Check Open the Properties dialog. Click Finish.
10. Change radio button from *Run Only when user is logged in* to Run whether user is logged in or not.
11. Check the box for Run with the highest privileges.
12. Click Ok. Enter the information for the user that would have the permissions to reboot the server.
Explanation of arguments in this command.
/r - Will Reboot the Server
/f - Force running applications to close without forewarning users.
/m - Is only used with \\servername and is handy if you want to reboot a remote server.
/t - Set the time-out period before shutdown to xxx seconds.
/d - Provides the reason for a shutdown. p:4:1 Will write to the event viewer "Application: Maintenance (Planned)"
/c - Comment on the reason for the restart or shutdown.
