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Restart-Computer

  • Reference
Module:
Microsoft.PowerShell.Management

Restarts the operating system on local and remote computers.

Syntax

Restart-Computer
       [-WsmanAuthentication <String>]
       [[-ComputerName] <String[]>]
       [[-Credential]<PSCredential>]
       [-Force]
       [-Wait]
       [-Timeout <Int32>]
       [-For <WaitForServiceTypes>]
       [-Delay <Int16>]
       [-WhatIf]
       [-Confirm]
       [<CommonParameters>]

Description

This cmdlet is only available on the Windows platform.

The Restart-Computer cmdlet restarts the operating system on the local and remote computers.

You can use the parameters of Restart-Computer to run the restart operations, to specify the authentication levels and alternate credentials, to limit the operations that run at the same time, and to force an immediate restart.

Starting in Windows PowerShell 3.0, you can wait for the restart to complete before you run the next command. Specify a waiting time-out and query interval, and wait for particular services to be available on the restarted computer. This feature makes it practical to use Restart-Computer in scripts and functions.

Examples

Example 1: Restart the local computer

Restart-Computer restarts the local computer.

Restart-Computer

Example 2: Restart multiple computers

Restart-Computer can restart remote and local computers. The ComputerName parameter accepts an array of computer names.

Restart-Computer -ComputerName Server01, Server02, localhost

Example 3: Get computer names from a text file

Restart-Computer gets a list of computer names from a text file and restarts the computers. The ComputerName parameter isn't specified. But because it's the first position parameter, it accepts the computer names from the text file that are sent down the pipeline.

Get-Content -Path C:\Domain01.txt | Restart-Computer

Get-Content uses the Path parameter to get a list of computer names from a text file, Domain01.txt. The computer names are sent down the pipeline. Restart-Computer restarts each computer.

Example 4: Force restart of computers listed in a text file

This example forces an immediate restart of the computers listed in the Domain01.txt file. The computer names from the text file are stored in a variable. The Force parameter forces an immediate restart.

$Names = Get-Content -Path C:\Domain01.txt
$Creds = Get-Credential
Restart-Computer -ComputerName $Names -Credential $Creds -Force

Get-Content uses the Path parameter to get a list of computer names from a text file, Domain01.txt. The computer names are stored in the variable $Names. Get-Credential prompts you for a username and password and stores the values in the variable $Creds. Restart-Computer uses the ComputerName and Credential parameters with their variables. The Force parameter causes an immediate restart of each computer.

Example 6: Restart a remote computer and wait for PowerShell

Restart-Computer restarts the remote computer and then waits up to 5 minutes (300 seconds) for PowerShell to become available on the restarted computer before it continues.

Restart-Computer -ComputerName Server01 -Wait -For PowerShell -Timeout 300 -Delay 2

Restart-Computer uses the ComputerName parameter to specify Server01. The Wait parameter waits for the restart to finish. The For specifies that PowerShell can run commands on the remote computer. The Timeout parameter specifies a five-minute wait. The Delay parameter queries the remote computer every two seconds to determine whether it's restarted.

Example 7: Restart a computer by using WsmanAuthentication

Restart-Computer restarts the remote computer using the WsmanAuthentication mechanism. Kerberos authentication determines whether the current user has permission to restart the remote computer. For more information, see AuthenticationMechanism.

Restart-Computer -ComputerName Server01 -WsmanAuthentication Kerberos

Restart-Computer uses the ComputerName parameter to specify the remote computer, Server01. The WsmanAuthentication parameter specifies the authentication method as Kerberos.

Parameters

-ComputerName

Specifies one computer name or a comma-separated array of computer names. Restart-Computer accepts ComputerName objects from the pipeline or variables.

Type the NetBIOS name, an IP address, or a fully qualified domain name of a remote computer. To specify the local computer, type the computer name, a dot ., 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.

If the ComputerName parameter isn't specified, Restart-Computer restarts the local computer.

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 Restart-Computer.

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

-Delay

Specifies the frequency of queries, in seconds. PowerShell queries the service specified by the For parameter to determine whether the service is available after the computer is restarted.

This parameter is valid only together with the Wait and For parameters.

This parameter was introduced in Windows PowerShell 3.0.

If the Delay parameter isn't specified, Restart-Computer uses a five second delay.

Type:Int16
Position:Named
Default value:None
Required:False
Accept pipeline input:False
Accept wildcard characters:False

-For

Specifies the behavior of PowerShell as it waits for the specified service or feature to become available after the computer restarts. This parameter is only valid with the Wait parameter.

The acceptable values for this parameter are:

  • Default: Waits for PowerShell to restart.
  • PowerShell: Can run commands in a PowerShell remote session on the computer.
  • WMI: Receives a reply to a Win32_ComputerSystem query for the computer.
  • WinRM: Can establish a remote session to the computer by using WS-Management.

This parameter was introduced in Windows PowerShell 3.0.

Type:WaitForServiceTypes
Accepted values:Wmi, WinRM, PowerShell
Position:Named
Default value:None
Required:False
Accept pipeline input:False
Accept wildcard characters:False

-Force

Forces an immediate restart of the computer.

Type:SwitchParameter
Aliases:f
Position:Named
Default value:None
Required:False
Accept pipeline input:False
Accept wildcard characters:False

-Timeout

Specifies the duration of the wait, in seconds. When the timeout elapses, Restart-Computer returns to the command prompt, even if the computers aren't restarted.

The Timeout parameter is only valid with the Wait parameter. Timeout overrides the Wait parameter's indefinite waiting period.

This parameter was introduced in Windows PowerShell 3.0.

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

-Wait

Restart-Computer suppresses the PowerShell prompt and blocks the pipeline until the computers have restarted. You can use this parameter in a script to restart computers and then continue to process when the restart is finished.

The Wait parameter waits indefinitely for the computers to restart. You can use Timeout to adjust the timing and the For and Delay parameters to wait for particular services to become available on the restarted computers.

The Wait parameter isn't valid when you're restarting the local computer. If the value of the ComputerName parameter contains the names of remote computers and the local computer, Restart-Computer generates a non-terminating error for Wait on the local computer, but waits for the remote computers to restart.

This parameter was introduced in Windows PowerShell 3.0.

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

-WhatIf

Shows what would happen if the Restart-Computer runs. The Restart-Computer 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. This parameter was introduced in Windows PowerShell 3.0.

The acceptable values for this parameter are: Basic, CredSSP, Default, Digest, Kerberos, and Negotiate.

For more information, see AuthenticationMechanism.

Warning

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.

Type:String
Accepted values:Basic, CredSSP, Default, Digest, Kerberos, Negotiate
Position:Named
Default value:None
Required:False
Accept pipeline input:False
Accept wildcard characters:False

Inputs

String

Restart-Computer accepts computer names from the pipeline or variables.

Outputs

None

Restart-Computer doesn't generate any output.

Notes

  • In Windows, Restart-Computer uses the Win32Shutdown method of the Windows Management Instrumentation (WMI) Win32_OperatingSystem class. This method requires the SeShutdownPrivilege privilege be enabled for the user account used to restart the machine.
  • On Linux and Mac OS, Restart-Computer uses the /sbin/shutdown bash tool.