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Stop-Computer

  • Reference
Module:
Microsoft.PowerShell.Management

Stops (shuts down) local and remote computers.

Syntax

Stop-Computer
    [-AsJob]
    [-DcomAuthentication <AuthenticationLevel>]
    [-WsmanAuthentication <String>]
    [-Protocol <String>]
    [[-ComputerName] <String[]>]
    [[-Credential] <PSCredential>]
    [-Impersonation <ImpersonationLevel>]
    [-ThrottleLimit <Int32>]
    [-Force]
    [-WhatIf]
    [-Confirm]
    [<CommonParameters>]

Description

The Stop-Computer cmdlet shuts down the local computer and remote computers.

You can use the parameters of Stop-Computer to run the shutdown operations as a background job, to specify the authentication levels and alternate credentials, to limit the concurrent connections that are created to run the command, and to force an immediate shut down.

This cmdlet doesn't require PowerShell remoting unless you use the AsJob parameter.

Examples

Example 1: Shut down the local computer

This example shuts down the local computer.

Stop-Computer -ComputerName localhost

Example 2: Shut down two remote computers and the local computer

This example stops two remote computers and the local computer.

Stop-Computer -ComputerName "Server01", "Server02", "localhost"

Stop-Computer uses the ComputerName parameter to specify two remote computers and the local computer. Each computer is shut down.

Example 3: Shut down remote computers as a background job

In this example, Stop-Computer runs as a background job on two remote computers.

$j = Stop-Computer -ComputerName "Server01", "Server02" -AsJob
$results = $j | Receive-Job
$results

Stop-Computer uses the ComputerName parameter to specify two remote computers. The AsJob parameter runs the command as a background job. The job objects are stored in the $j variable.

The job objects in the $j variable are sent down the pipeline to Receive-Job, which gets the job results. The objects are stored in the $results variable. The $results variable displays the job information in the PowerShell console.

Because AsJob creates the job on the local computer and automatically returns the results to the local computer, you can run Receive-Job as a local command.

Example 4: Shut down a remote computer

This example shuts down a remote computer using specified authentication.

Stop-Computer -ComputerName "Server01" -Impersonation Anonymous -DcomAuthentication PacketIntegrity

Stop-Computer uses the ComputerName parameter to specify the remote computer. The Impersonation parameter specifies a customized impersonation and the DcomAuthentication parameter specifies authentication-level settings.

Example 5: Shut down computers in a domain

In this example, the commands force an immediate shut down of all computers in a specified domain.

$s = Get-Content -Path ./Domain01.txt
$c = Get-Credential -Credential Domain01\Admin01
Stop-Computer -ComputerName $s -Force -ThrottleLimit 10 -Credential $c

Get-Content uses the Path parameter to get a file in the current directory with the list of domain computers. The objects are stored in the $s variable.

Get-Credential uses the Credential parameter to specify the credentials of a domain administrator. The credentials are stored in the $c variable.

Stop-Computer shuts down the computers specified with the ComputerName parameter's list of computers in the $s variable. The Force parameter forces an immediate shutdown. The ThrottleLimit parameter limits the command to 10 concurrent connections. The Credential parameter submits the credentials saved in the $c variable.

Parameters

-AsJob

Indicates that this cmdlet runs as a background job.

To use this parameter, the local and remote computers must be configured for remoting and, on Windows Vista and later versions of the Windows operating system, you must open PowerShell by using the Run as administrator option. For more information, see about_Remote_Requirements.

When you specify the AsJob parameter, the command immediately returns an object that represents the background job. You can continue to work in the session while the job finishes. The job is created on the local computer and the results from remote computers are automatically returned to the local computer. To get the job results, use the Receive-Job cmdlet.

For more information about PowerShell background jobs, see about_Jobs and about_Remote_Jobs.

Type:SwitchParameter
Position:Named
Default value:False
Required:False
Accept pipeline input:False
Accept wildcard characters:False

-ComputerName

Specifies the computers to stop. The default is the local computer.

Type the NETBIOS name, IP address, or fully qualified domain name of one or more computers in a comma-separated list. To specify the local computer, type the computer name or localhost.

This parameter doesn't rely on PowerShell remoting. You can use the ComputerName parameter even if your computer isn't configured to run remote commands.

Type:String[]
Aliases:CN, __SERVER, Server, IPAddress
Position:0
Default value:None
Required:False
Accept pipeline input:True
Accept wildcard characters:False

-Confirm

Prompts you for confirmation before running the cmdlet.

Type:SwitchParameter
Aliases:cf
Position:Named
Default value:False
Required:False
Accept pipeline input:False
Accept wildcard characters:False

-Credential

Specifies a user account that has permission to do this action. The default is the current user.

Type a user name, such as User01 or Domain01\User01, or enter a PSCredential object generated by the Get-Credential cmdlet. If you type a user name, you're prompted to enter the password.

Credentials are stored in a PSCredential object and the password is stored as a SecureString.

Note

For more information about SecureString data protection, see How secure is SecureString?.

Type:PSCredential
Position:1
Default value:Current user
Required:False
Accept pipeline input:False
Accept wildcard characters:False

-DcomAuthentication

Specifies the authentication level that this cmdlet uses with WMI. Stop-Computer uses WMI. The default value is Packet.

The acceptable values for this parameter are:

  • Default: Windows Authentication.
  • None: No COM authentication.
  • Connect: Connect-level COM authentication.
  • Call: Call-level COM authentication.
  • Packet: Packet-level COM authentication.
  • PacketIntegrity: Packet Integrity-level COM authentication.
  • PacketPrivacy: Packet Privacy-level COM authentication.
  • Unchanged: Same as the previous command.

For more information about the values of this parameter, see AuthenticationLevel.

Type:AuthenticationLevel
Aliases:Authentication
Accepted values:Default, None, Connect, Call, Packet, PacketIntegrity, PacketPrivacy, Unchanged
Position:Named
Default value:Packet
Required:False
Accept pipeline input:False
Accept wildcard characters:False

-Force

Forces an immediate shut down of the computer.

Type:SwitchParameter
Position:Named
Default value:False
Required:False
Accept pipeline input:False
Accept wildcard characters:False

-Impersonation

Specifies the impersonation level to use when this cmdlet calls WMI. The default value is Impersonate.

Stop-Computer uses WMI. The acceptable values for this parameter are:

  • Default: Default impersonation.
  • Anonymous: Hides the identity of the caller.
  • Identify: Allows objects to query the credentials of the caller.
  • Impersonate: Allows objects to use the credentials of the caller.
Type:ImpersonationLevel
Accepted values:Default, Anonymous, Identify, Impersonate, Delegate
Position:Named
Default value:Impersonate
Required:False
Accept pipeline input:False
Accept wildcard characters:False

-Protocol

Specifies which protocol to use to restart the computers. The acceptable values for this parameter are: WSMan and DCOM. The default value is DCOM.

This parameter was introduced in PowerShell 3.0.

Type:String
Accepted values:DCOM, WSMan
Position:Named
Default value:DCOM
Required:False
Accept pipeline input:False
Accept wildcard characters:False

-ThrottleLimit

Specifies the maximum number of concurrent connections that can be established to run this command. If you omit this parameter or enter a value of 0, the default value, 32, is used.

The throttle limit applies only to the current command, not to the session or to the computer.

Type:Int32
Position:Named
Default value:None
Required:False
Accept pipeline input:False
Accept wildcard characters:False

-WhatIf

Shows what would happen if the cmdlet runs. The cmdlet isn't run.

Type:SwitchParameter
Aliases:wi
Position:Named
Default value:False
Required:False
Accept pipeline input:False
Accept wildcard characters:False

-WsmanAuthentication

Specifies the mechanism that is used to authenticate the user credentials when this cmdlet uses the WSMan protocol. The default value is Default.

The acceptable values for this parameter are:

  • Basic
  • CredSSP
  • Default
  • Digest
  • Kerberos
  • Negotiate.

For more information about the values of this parameter, see AuthenticationMechanism.

Caution

Credential Security Service Provider (CredSSP) authentication, in which the user credentials are passed to a remote computer to be authenticated, is designed for commands that require authentication on more than one resource, such as accessing a remote network share. This mechanism increases the security risk of the remote operation. If the remote computer is compromised, the credentials that are passed to it can be used to control the network session.

This parameter was introduced in PowerShell 3.0.

Type:String
Accepted values:Default, Basic, Negotiate, CredSSP, Digest, Kerberos
Position:Named
Default value:Default
Required:False
Accept pipeline input:False
Accept wildcard characters:False

Inputs

None

You can't pipe objects to this cmdlet.

Outputs

None

By default, this cmdlet returns no output.

System.Management.Automation.RemotingJob

When you use the AsJob parameter, this cmdlet returns a RemotingJob object.

Notes

This cmdlet uses the Win32Shutdown method of the Win32_OperatingSystem WMI class. This method requires the SeShutdownPrivilege privilege be enabled for the user account used to shutdown the machine.