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Guide to controlling Windows shutdown behavior in Azure Lab Services | Microsoft Docs
Steps to automatically shutdown an idle Windows virtual machine and remove the Windows shutdown command.
how-to
02/04/2022

Guide to controlling Windows shutdown behavior

Azure Lab Services provides cost controls to ensure that Windows virtual machines (VMs) aren't running unexpectedly:

However, a student may use Windows shutdown command to turn off the VM. If Azure Lab Services' stop button or automatic shutdown policies aren't used, of Azure Lab Services still thinks the VM is being used.

To help you prevent this situation from happening, this guide provides steps to remove the Windows shutdown command from the Start menu. The disconnect command is still available for students. The Windows disconnect command will trigger the lab policy (if enabled) that shuts down the VM when users disconnect.

Remove Windows shutdown command from Start menu

Windows Local Group Policy settings also allow you to remove the shutdown command from the Start menu.

To remove the shutdown command, you can connect to the template VM and execute the below PowerShell script.

Set-ItemProperty -Path "HKLM:\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\Explorer" -Name "HidePowerOptions" -Value 1 -Force

Or, you can choose to follow these manual steps using the template VM:

  1. Press the Windows key, type gpedit, then select Edit group policy (Control panel).

  2. Go to Computer Configuration > Administrative Templates > Start Menu and Taskbar.

    :::image type="content" source="./media/how-to-windows-shutdown/group-policy-shutdown.png" alt-text="Screenshot of Group Policy Editor in Windows." lightbox="./media/how-to-windows-shutdown/group-policy-shutdown.png":::

  3. Right-click Remove and prevent access to the Shut Down, Restart, Sleep, and Hibernate commands, and select Edit.

  4. Select the Enabled setting. Select OK:

    :::image type="content" source="./media/how-to-windows-shutdown/edit-shutdown.png" alt-text="Screenshot of Remove and prevent access to the Shut Down, Restart, Sleep, and Hibernate commands dialog in Windows.":::

  5. Notice that the shutdown command no longer appears under Windows Start menu. Only the Disconnect command appears.

    :::image type="content" source="./media/how-to-windows-shutdown/start-menu.png" alt-text="Screenshot of the Start menu in Windows. The power button and disconnect item are highlighted.":::

Next steps