Some users report that they meet the Windows Server auto-shutdown issue after the license expires. This post from MiniTool teaches you how to stop expired Windows Server auto-shutdown. Now, keep on your reading.

In this post, we will discuss the necessary steps to stop expired Windows Server auto-shutdown every hour. This issue can happen on Windows Server 2022/2019/2016/2012. There are a few things you need to pay attention to when dealing with auto-shutdown issues on Windows Server.

  • Identify the root cause of the auto-shutdown.
  • Check the power settings and configuration.
  • Make sure all necessary updates and patches are installed.
Tips:
When the expired Windows Server shuts down unexpectedly, the document you are working on may be lost. Thus, you should back up the important data immediately before anything worse happens. There is a piece of free backup software for you – MiniTool ShadowMaker. It supports backing up the open files and folders.

MiniTool ShadowMaker TrialClick to Download100%Clean & Safe

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Windows Server VNext Preview 26052: Download and Install

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How to Stop Expired Windows Server Auto-Shutdown

Way 1: Via Registry Editor

The first method for you to stop expired Windows Server auto-shutdown is via Registry Editor.

1. Press the Windows R keys to open the Run dialog box. Type regedit.msc and press OK to open Registry Editor.

2. Go to the following path:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows NT\Reliability

3. Find the ShutdownReasonOn value on the right-hand side. Then, double-click it and change its value to 1.

If the value doesn’t exist, right-click the blank area, select New > DWORD (32-bit) Value. Name it as ShutdownReasonOn and set its value to 1.

set its value to 1

Way 2: Via Group Policy

Another method to stop expired Windows Server auto-shutdown every hour is via Group Policy Editor.

1. Press the Windows R keys to open the Run dialog box. Type gpedit.msc and press OK to open the Group Policy Editor window.

2. Go to the following location: 

Computer Configuration\Administrative Templates\System\Shutdown

3. Find Display Shutdown Event Tracker on the right-hand side. Double-click to select the Disabled option and click Apply > OK.

disable Display Shutdown Event Tracker

Way 3: Via Command Prompt

The last method for you to stop expired Windows Server auto-shutdown is via Command Prompt.

1. Type cmd in the Search box and choose Run as administrator.

2. Type the following command and press Enter:

powercfg -h off

3. Once the command is executed successfully, restart Windows Server.

Why Can’t Stop Expired Windows Server Auto-Shutdown?

If you still can’t stop expired Windows Server auto-shutdown with the previous solutions, there may be an underlying factor causing the issue. You can try the following 2 methods:

1. Check for hardware issues: Hardware failure or failure may trigger an automatic shutdown. You need to check the Server’s hardware components, including power supplies, fans, memory modules, and storage devices. If necessary, replace any faulty hardware.

2. Consider upgrading or migrating: If the server running the Windows Server operating system is outdated or no longer meets requirements, you may need to upgrade or migrate to a newer version.

Tips:
Before upgrading your system, you had better create a system image for your Windows Server system so that you can restore the system to a normal state if the upgrade causes some system issues. You can also try MiniTool ShadowMaker to do that. Maybe you need this post - How to Upgrade Windows Server 2012 R2 to 2019? [Step by Step].

MiniTool ShadowMaker TrialClick to Download100%Clean & Safe

Final Words

How to stop expired Windows Server auto-shutdown? You can find answers in the above content. I hope that this post will be useful to you.

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