The Shutdown Event Tracker

Computer shutdowns can be sorted into either of the following categories:

• Expected shutdowns: An expected shutdown can be defined as a computer shutdown which you predict to occur. Expected shutdowns usually occur when one of the following actions are performed:
• Clicking Start, and then the Shutdown command
• Holding down Ctrl + Alt + Del, and then clicking Shutdown

Expected shutdown can be categorized into:

• Planned shutdowns: These are shutdowns which administrators have some form of control over
• Unplanned shutdowns: These are shutdowns normally initiated by applications.

Unexpected shutdowns: Unexpected shutdowns result in the system shutting down without warning, or unexpectedly.

To enable services, programs, and files to close correctly, you should only turn off the computer when the operating system informs you that it is OK to shut down the server. This is extremely important because it ensures that all configuration settings and other important information are saved and written to disk.

Since administrators need to monitor when and why servers are restarted, Windows Server 2003 includes the following tools to control shutdown events:

• Shutdown Event Tracker
• Shutdown.exe

The Shutdown Event Tracker, a new Windows Server 2003 feature, is an uncomplicated GUI application that allows administrators to monitor shutdown events on the server. The tool is enabled on Windows Server 2003 by default. The Shutdown Event Tracker collects information on the reasons why the server was shut down, and then logs this information in Event Viewer. The command-line utility equivalent to the Shutdown Event Tracker is Shutdown.exe.

The Shutdown Event Tracker requires you to provide a reason whenever a server is shut down or restarted. When a server is expectedly shut down, a dialog box or page is displayed, requesting you to specify the reason for the server being shut down. When a server is unexpectedly shut down, the following user to log on to the server has to specify the reason for the server shutting down. Shutdown events can be viewed in Event Viewer, and can be useful when you need to improve uptime.

How to configure the Shutdown Event Tracker

• Not Configured
• Enabled
• Disabled

• Always: This option is self explanatory.
• Server Only: When selected, the Shutdown Event Tracker is displayed for only Windows Server 2003 servers.
• Workstation Only: When selected, the Shutdown Event Tracker is displayed for only Windows XP Professional workstations.

1. Click Start, Run, and then enter gpedit.msc. Click OK.
2. The Group Policy Object Editor console opens.
3. In the left pane, expand Computer Configuration, and then Administrative Templates.
4. Click System
5. In the right pane, find and double-click the Display Shutdown Event Tracker.
6. When the Display Shutdown Event Tracker Properties dialog box opens, select one of the following options:
7. If you select the Enabled option, you can choose between the following options to specify when the Shutdown Event Tracker should be displayed:
8. If you want to view help information on the Shutdown Event Tracker application, click the Explain tab.
9. Click OK, and then close the Group Policy Object Editor console.

How the Shutdown Event Tracker works

• Restart
• Shut down
• Log off the current user

1. Enable the Display Shutdown Event Tracker policy so that the Shutdown Event Tracker is displayed.
2. The Shut Down Windows dialog box is displayed when the server is shut down or restarted. The Shut Down Windows dialog box requires you to record information as to why the server was shut down.
3. Using the options in the What do you want the computer to do drop-down list box, you can choose to perform the following tasks:
4. Using the Options: drop-down list box, select the reason that best describes why the server was shut down or restarted.
5. Next, either select or clear the Planned checkbox to indicate whether the shutdown was planned or unplanned.
6. In the Comment box, enter any additional useful information.
7. Click OK to close the Shut Down Windows dialog box

How to induce the Shutdown Event Tracker functionality on a remote computer

1. To bring up the Remote Shutdown Dialog page on a remote computer, use the shutdown.exe command-line utility with /i.
2. Select the appropriate option from the What do you want the computer to do drop-down list box.
3. In the Shutdown Event Tracker group box, select an option which describes why the computer is being shut down, and click the Planned checkbox.
4. Enter a comment in the Comment box.
5. Click OK.

How to use the shutdown.exe command-line utility

The shutdown.exe command-line utility can be used to enter shutdown events using the command-line. The available options for the shutdown.exe command-line utility are listed below:

• /s ServerName: /s shuts the server down, with ServerName detailing the name of the machine which should be shut down.
• /r: Restarts the shutdown computer.
• /t nnn: Specifies, in seconds, the time period for shutdown. The default is 30 seconds, and can be a value between 0 and 600.
• /d [p:xx:yy]: /d describes the reason for the shutdown; p specifies that the shutdown is planned, xx and yy are for the major and minor reason numbers. The shutdown is regarded as being unplanned when p: is missing.
• /p: Used with the /d switch, it indicates that the power of the machine is on.
• /d[p:]xx:yy: xx (major) and yy (minor) indicate the major and minor reason numbers.
• /m computername: Specifies the name of the target computer.
• /a: Cancels the shutdown

How to use the Registry to configure registry entries for the Shutdown Event Tracker

You can use the Registry Editor to configure the Shutdown Event Tracker. Through configuring registry settings, you can enable or disable the Shutdown Event Tracker.

To configure registry settings for the Shutdown Event Tracker,

1. Click Start, Run, enter regedit, and click OK.
2. The Registry Editor console opens.
3. Navigate to HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE, Software, Microsoft, Windows, CurrentVersion, and then Reliability.
4. Select ShutdownReasonUI. If ShutdownReasonUI does not exist, create a DWORD value, and then name it ShutdownReasonUI.
5. Enter a data value of 1 in the Value data box to enable the Shutdown Event Tracker, or enter a data value of 0 in the Value data to disable the Shutdown Event Tracker.
6. Click OK.
7. Close the Registry Editor console.
8. Restart the computer.

How to add custom reasons for the Shutdown Event Tracker

• P, indicates a planned shutdown.
• C, a comment is required.
• B, a ID is required.
• S, the expected shutdown event dialog box is displayed
• D, the unexpected shutdown event dialog box is displayed

1. Click Start, Run, regedit enter, and click OK.
2. The Registry Editor console opens.
3. Navigate to HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE, Software, Microsoft, Windows, CurrentVersion, Reliability, and then UserDefined.
4. Create a new string value using the available flags:
5. You can add additional comments using the string registry value. The format for comments is:
6. Click OK and then close the Registry Editor console.
7. Restart the computer.

How to view shutdown events

Shutdown events can be viewed in Event Viewer. Event Viewer is used to monitor events that took place on a computer. Event Viewer stores events that are logged in a system log, application log, and security log. Because the system log conains events that are associated with the operating system, shutdown events are written to the system log.

To open Event Viewer,

1. Select Start, Select Administrative Tools, and then select Event Viewer.
2. Select the event log you want to view.

Event Viewer logs list five event types:

• Information events tell you when a particular activity occurs, such as starting the system.
• Warning events point out problems that could possibly occur.
• Error events indicate an actual error that occurred.
• Success Audit events indicates an event that has been audited for success
• Success Failure events indicates an event that has been audited for failure

To view shutdown events

1. Open Event Viewer
2. Open the System log.
3. Using the Event Source drop-down list, select USER32.
4. To view the System log in a form, filtered to show only shutdown events and USER32 events, click OK.
5. When the events are displayed, you can examine a detailed description of a particular shutdown event by double-clicking the particular event.
6. The Event Properties dialog box is displayed.
7. Click OK to close the dialog box.

How to disable the Shutdown Event Tracker

1. Click Start, Run, and then enter gpedit.msc. Click OK.
2. The Group Policy Object Editor console opens.
3. In the left pane, expand Computer Configuration, and then Administrative Templates.
4. Click System
5. In the right pane, find and double-click the Display Shutdown Event Tracker.
6. When the Display Shutdown Event Tracker Properties dialog box opens, click the Disabled option to disable the Shutdown Event Tracker.
7. Click OK.
8. Close the Group Policy Editor console.

Error 1603

When installing software that is packaged with the Windows Installer, users may get an error 1603. The actual error message that displays is “error 1603: A fatal error occurred during installation.” There are a few things that cause this to occur.

Windows Installer and Encrypted Folders

Users cannot install software packaged in the Windows Installer format into an encrypted folder.

• Install the software into a different folder that does not have encryption turned on.
• Remove the encryption and install the software again.

Windows Installer and Substituted Drives

Users cannot install software packaged in the Windows Installer format to a drive that is substituted for another drive.

• Try installing the package into another non-substituted drive.
• Also, try un-substituting the drive being installed to and try again with the original drive letter. NOTE: This may cause some software to stop working.

Windows Installer and the SYSTEM Account

The Windows Installer software uses the SYSTEM account for installation purposes. Because of this, it is necessary for the SYSTEM account to have full control of any folder being installed to. Ensure that the SYSTEM account has the appropriate privileges as follows:

• Double-click “My Computer.”
• Right click the drive that the software should be installed to and click “Properties.”
• Select the “Security” tab.
• For Windows 2000, verify that the “Name” box has the “SYSTEM” user account in it.
• For Windows XP, verify that the “Group or User Names” box has the “SYSTEM” user account in it.
  If the “SYSTEM” user account does not appear, add it.
• Click the “Add” button.
• When the “Select Users or Group” dialog appears, Click “SYSTEM” in the “Name” field.
• Click “Add.”
• Click “OK.”
• In the “Permissions” section, click the “Full Control” checkbox under “Allow” then click “Advanced.” A dialog box will appear.
• If using Windows XP, select the “Replace permission entries on all child objects with entries shown here that apply to child objects” checkbox next to the “SYSTEM” user account. Click “OK.”
• For other Windows systems, select the “Reset permissions on all child objects and enable propagation of inheritable permissions” checkbox next to the “SYSTEM” user account. Click “OK.”
• If a security dialog box pops up, be sure to click the “Yes” button.

Fixing Error 1603 in Windows 7

Users can still encounter error 1603 on Windows 7. Unfortunately, the fixes for the error on previous Windows OS versions will not work.

How to Fix Error 1603 in Windows 7

Step 1 – Log into the computer in administrator mode.

Step 2 – Click the “Start” menu button, enter “services.msc” in the search text field, then press the “Enter” key. Enter the administrator password for the computer if asked then click the “Continue” menu button.

Step 3 – Double-click the “Windows Installer” on the services list and select the “Automatic” option in the Windows Installer properties dialog box.

Step 4 – Select the “Start” button, then “apply” and “Ok” buttons, then restart the software installation.

Step 5 – If the error is not corrected, restart Windows to configure the computer for a “clean” startup or boot without other programs running in the background that could be causing the error to get thrown.

Step 6 – Select the “Start” menu button, enter “System Configuration” in the search text field, then press the “Enter” key.

Step 7 – Choose the “System Configuration” menu option from the programs list and enter the administrator password if the system asks.

Step 8 – Choose the “Selective Startup” menu option then clear the following check boxes: load startup items, load system services, and the use original boot configuration.

Step 9 – Select “Services,” pick the “Hide All Microsoft Services” check box, then click the “Disable All” menu option.

Step 10 – Choose the “Ok” menu button then restart the computer. Error 1603 will be cleared.

Error Number: 0x800CCC0E

Error Number: 0x800CCC0E occurs in the Microsoft Windows family of operating systems when there is a problem with Microsoft Outlook Express. A conflict with Simple Mail Transfer Protocol (SMTP) servers while using one of the Microsoft Outlook Express programs to read or browse through mail traditionally causes the error. The full text associated with the error may be: “The connection to the server has failed. Account: , Server: , Protocol: SMTP, Port: 25, Secure (SSL): No, Socket Error: 10051, Error Number: 0x800CCC0E.”

What Causes this error?

The Error Number: 0x800CCC0E is triggered because of a built in behavior with Microsoft Outlook Express. While connected to the Internet with the MSN network, Outlook Express will not allow the user to send messages to another Simple Mail Transfer Protocol (SMTP) server. Error Number: 0x800CCC0E is fairly easy to fix nonetheless.

How to Resolve this Error

In order to resolve this error, the user should set his/her email’s SMTP server to the MSN SMTP server. While it does not require computing skill to accomplish this task, be sure to read all instructions on the screen for the best results. Typing in SMTP servers can be tricky business, so always double check what is typed in, as the Microsoft Outlook Express copy may mistakenly be prevented from accessing the mail.

First, navigate to the Accounts setting under the Tools menu. Click the Mail tab and choose the account to be changed. Press the button labeled Properties.

Press the Server tab and look for the Server Information section. Delete whatever is currently populating the Outgoing Mail (SMTP) text box and type in “smtp.live.com.”

Look for the Outgoing Mail Server section. Select the check box labeled My Server Requires Authentication and press the Settings button. Look for the Login Information section and press the Log On Using button.

Type in an MSN Member ID in the Account Name text box. The MSN Member ID should be the user name before the @ portion of an MSN email address. Type in the MSN Member password in the Password box and click on the check box labeled Log On Using Secure Password Authentication.

Close the Outgoing Mail Server box by pressing the OK button. Close the Mail Account Properties box by pressing the OK button. Press Close to finish setting up the account.