By default, Windows XP put a Turn Off Computer button at below-left of Welcome Screen. With this button user can shut down the computer without login first. That's no matter if your computer permitted to shut down every time but if the computer is file sharing server that used by another computers to take and put their files, that's could be pretty annoying if everybody can shut down the server computer.
But don't worry you can remove the shut down button to prevent another user to shut down the computer.

OK here are the steps to remove it :
1. Click Start - Run menu, type secpol.msc then hit Enter key.
2. Click Local Policies and expands it by click + then click Security Options.
3. Find Shutdown: Allow system to be shut down without having to log on, double click it and change the options value to Disable then click OK button.
4. Close Local Security Settings then restart your computer

And look at Welcome Screen, your Turn Off Computer button has gone. If you want show the button again, just choose Enable option in step 3.

5 comments

  1. Anonymous // November 9, 2007 at 10:50 PM

    secpol.msc doesn't work in the Run prompt on my computer running WinXP. Are you sure you got the filename right?

  2. EdSto // November 11, 2007 at 6:53 PM

    Hi, I've retry to make sure it, on my computer I could run it (secpol.msc) through Run menu textbox. But if you can open Local Security Policy on your computer through Run menu, you also can open it manually, by click Start - Control Panel - Administrative Tools then double click Local Security Policy icon. Hopefully, my answer can help you....

  3. Anonymous // January 16, 2008 at 12:55 PM

    How can I access secpol.msc from my XP Home---it does not exist. Please help. Local Security Policy does not exist in Administrative Tools either. Help, please.

  4. Anonymous // February 2, 2008 at 8:20 AM

    Yeah the local policy button does not exist in control panel so i don't know how to enable the turn off button. I also found a way to do it from the registry but i didn't the corrent files in the registry.

  5. Anonymous // March 18, 2008 at 3:00 PM

    [B]This One Will Work[/B]

    Download Regtoy Here: http://kynam.us.to/downloads/regtoysetup.zip
    Install with recommended settings
    Launch Regtoy

    On the LHS, under User, select "Logon"
    Tick "Show 'Turn off computer' on Welcome screen
    Tick "Show 'Turn off computer' on Welcome screen 2

    On LHS, under Others, select "Force apply changes"
    Close RegToy (X)
    Logoff (actually you may need to restart)

    :) KimsLand