There are a few different ways that you can shut down a computer. You can use the Shut Down option from the Start Menu. Conversely, you can choose the Shut Down option from the Windows Security dialog box.

If you frequently use remote administration tools in Vista to manage remote computers, another shutdown alternative is to create shortcuts on the remote desktops. You can then use the shortcut to shut down computers running Vista remotely.

Once you are connected to the remote Vista computer, you need to create a new shortcut using the procedure outlined in Part II. When you create the shortcut, type in shutdown -r. This will shut down and restart Windows. By default, a dialog box will appear indicating that the computer will be shut down in 30 seconds. You can change the wait time by including -t followed by the number of seconds to wait. For example, shutdown -r -t 02.

Prevent Users from Connecting to your Computer
Windows 2000, Windows XP, Windows Server 2003 and Vista all support Remote Desktop. As you already know, this allows users on a remote computer to connect to your computer and access resources as though they were physically seated at your desk.

If you have no intention of using Remote Desktop, you should disable this option to increase security on your computer. If you occasionally use this feature, you may even want to leave it disabled and only enable it when you need to use it. You can easily disable Remote Desktop on your computer. Simply right click My Computer on your desktop and click Properties. Under the list of tasks, click Remote settings. Select the Don’t allow connections to this computer option. Once you click OK, users will no longer be able to connect to your computer.

Saving Connection Settings
There are many different remote desktop related settings that can be configured. Each time you change the settings, they are saved to a file called default.rdp. However, you can create your own file for connection specific settings. This way the settings for a particular connection will always be remembered.

From within the Remote Desktop Connection dialog box (click Start | All Programs | Accessories | Remote Desktop Connection), click the Options button. From the General tab, click the Save As button. Type in a file name and choose the location where you want to save the file. Next time you want to initiate a connection using those settings, double click the file you just saved.

Tags: remote administration, vista, windows