Schedule PC reboot via group policy with user interactoins

Annissa Boyce 1 Reputation point
2021-02-03T06:39:22.68+00:00

Good day everyone,I have been asked to schedule a reboot of all PCs on a network once a week. I implemented the standard Group Policy which deploys a scheduled task pointing to shutdown.exe, but the client isn't happy that the users don't receive warnings etc...So the parameters which they have set out are as follows:

"What we looking for is 

  1. Warning to the user that the system will reboot ..eg 15min
  2. Count down showing when the system will reboot
  3. snooze option that will reschedule the reboot for another day or so
  4. if the user didn’t reboot during the snooze period then he will be forced to reboot

"

So... basically everything that the Windows Updates group policies do, but without the Windows Updates.Does anyone know if this is possible?

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2 answers

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  1. Daisy Zhou 18,626 Reputation points Microsoft Vendor
    2021-02-03T09:51:07.17+00:00

    Hello @Annissa Boyce ,

    Thank you for posting here.

    For your request "Warning to the user that the system will reboot ..eg 15min".

    I have done a test in my lab.

    If I configure User Configuration\Preferences\Control Panel Settings\Scheduled Tasks\right click Scheduled Tasks\New\Scheduled Tasks(at least Windows 7), it will prompt user.

    1.Create an OU and put domain user accounts into this OU.
    2.Create a GPO and link this GPO to OU above.
    3.Edit the GPO as below.
    63472-s1.png

    63405-s2.png

    In my case, it it 20 seconds (you can set 900 seconds).

    63419-s3.png

    4.Logon one domain client using one account in the OU above.

    5.When the machine update the GPO and it will prompt the user in 20 seconds when the machine will restart.

    63420-s4.png

    Hope the information above is helpful.

    Should you have any question or concern, please feel free to let us know.

    Best Regards,
    Daisy Zhou

    2 people found this answer helpful.
  2. DonPick 1,256 Reputation points
    2021-02-03T10:15:43.6+00:00
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