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Unable to shutdown Windows using the Shutdown Guest option
Symptoms
Cannot shutdown Windows using the Shutdown Guest option.
A Windows 2003 virtual machine stops responding at the Windows is shutting down screen.
The virtual machine shuts down completely when you just open the console of the virtual machine.
Resolution
The registry key DisableCAD inside the Windows registry HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Winlogon can affect virtual machine behaviour.
To determine the setting for the keyDisableCAD:
Open the registry editor. Click Start > Run, then type regedit and click OK.
Navigate to HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Winlogon.
Check the key DisableCAD (REG_DWORD). When it is set to 1, the GINA.dll file bypasses the Ctrl-Alt-Del dialog and goes straight to the logon prompt. The system cannot be shutdown when the logon prompt at the console is displayed.
To shutdown your Windows guest from VMware Infrastructure Client or VirtualCenter, ensure that the logon prompt does not display by default when starting up the virtual machine.
To ensure that the logon prompt does not display by default when starting up the virtual machine, perform one of these options:
Set the registry keyDisableCAD to 0.
Ensure that the Group Policy is disabled. To ensure that the Group Policy is disabled:
Click Start > Run, then type gpedit.msc and click OK.
Navigate to Computer Configuration > Windows Settings > Secrity Settings > Local Policies > Security Options > Interactive Logon > Policy > Interactive logon: Do not require CTRL+ALT+DEL.
Update History
03/29/2010 - Provided more specific instructions.
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