Software to lock and shutdown PC

GraemeUK · 12 Jan 2024 at 08:59

Hey guys,
Can anyone recommend free or paid software to lock and shutdown a Windows 10 pc at certain times please? I've searched around a lot and theres various ways of doing it, most have drawbacks one way or the other, so I was just wanting to get some personal recommendations if possible?
Cheers

Philtor · 12 Jan 2024 at 09:04

Why not use the built in task scheduler in Windows? It can do what you are wanting.

rumple9 · 12 Jan 2024 at 09:05

Yeh windows doh

GraemeUK · 12 Jan 2024 at 09:06

Philtor said:
Why not use the built in task scheduler in Windows? It can do what you are wanting.

I did try that and I've got no idea why but it was hit and miss. Its to log my son off his PC, but sometimes it didnt run and I dont know why.

Philtor · 12 Jan 2024 at 09:19

No reason why it shouldn’t work consistently unless AV software is stopping it occasionally or something.

Have a look at this article which mentions what can cause it to fail clicky.

I would try and get the built in task scheduler working first rather than looking at 3rd party software personally.

That will likely just use task scheduler anyway with a fancy GUI on it.

Murphy · 12 Jan 2024 at 09:26

Task scheduler can be a bit of a PITA to work with but if you enable History it should give you a better idea of why the task failed.

On the right hand you should have an actions tab with enable all task history, click on that then the tab on each task that says history should record what's happening.

e: If i had to guess it's probably something to do with the task settings like running when the user is logged in or not.

Mujja · 12 Jan 2024 at 11:35

GraemeUK said:
I did try that and I've got no idea why but it was hit and miss. Its to log my son off his PC, but sometimes it didnt run and I dont know why.

Maybe your son just turned the PC back on?

Murphy · 12 Jan 2024 at 11:53

Could be but i would've thought logon hours would be set.

Mujja · 12 Jan 2024 at 12:00

If all the scheduled task does is shutdown the PC it won't prevent anyone from powering it back on.

Do you want to block him from playing games and internet browsing. Disconnect the router if wired or just unplug from the mains.

I tried PiHole for a while to block domains on a schedule but they learned how to use a VPN or just switched off WiFi and used 4G

Murphy · 12 Jan 2024 at 12:57

Mujja said:
If all the scheduled task does is shutdown the PC it won't prevent anyone from powering it back on.

No but it will prevent him from logging back in. I'd assume the OP wanted to log the user out and then shutdown, if so you set the user account to log out at a set time and then a task triggered on the event to shutdown and/or simply shutdown after x idle time.

GraemeUK · 12 Jan 2024 at 13:01

I set up the wifi router to turn his internet off at bedtime until morning which works fine, but then he was just playing single player games lol. The task scheduler was turning the PC off sometimes I think but he was going back on it. I work a lot of nightshift so I couldn't physically check on him to make sure he was off, and because his internet goes off I couldn't use remote desktop, plus I'm working so don't get time.

I found this small app which has a password protection on the settings, seems to do what I need I will give it a go:https://www.majorgeeks.com/files/details/autooff.html