auto shutdown desktop computer?

[SnowSurfer]

i would like to have my desktop computer shutdown automatically at midnight everyday. I searched on google but everything requires money.

the other problem i have is that outpost firewall and sometimes my tv recording programs have prompts that ask me if i want to end the program and wont quit without user intervention.

any help would be appreciated. thanks :)

[Cubsfan]

Did you check out C:\WINDOWS\system32\shutdown.exe + Task Scheduler?

[SnowSurfer]

i cant try that yet becuase the computer is still recording but some people said that didnt work, the only thing i have to be sure of is that it closes all of the disalog boxes that popup so my computer isn't sitting there in a state of half on half off waiting for user interaction.

[Cubsfan]

Try the -f switch as well.

Or maybe -t 20 or something.

[Jeffbx]

If I remember correctly, the task scheduler shutdown only works if you are logged off of the machine.

If whatever you're running can be done without a user logged in, you can use the built in scheduler.

[SmokeyDP]

Maybe you can get it to switch into 'Hibernate' by using a flag at the end of 'shutdown.exe.' The computer turns entirely off and it doesn't ask you to close anything.

[SnowSurfer]

heres what i did to get it to work

batch script

"shutdown.exe -s -f"

set it to run at 12:05 am everyday :)

problem solved, thanks for the help guys

[ArkiStan]

is there any way to automatically turn it back on? (other than having to ask your roommate)

[SmokeyDP]

Most computers can be set to be turned on automatically from inside the BIOS.