Configuring NT4 to power off at shutdown
Your PC needs to have an ATX power supply and a BIOS update that supports
power down at shutdown. NT4 also needs a change in the registry and the
updated hal.dll driver installed. Check the motherboard manufacturer's web
site for a BIOS update. NT4 service pack 5 (and later) includes a file
called hal.dll.softex that works for most PCs. To ensure the file is
installed, run the service pack self-extracting archive with the /x switch.
This extracts all of the service pack files without actually applying the
service pack.
The following process will install hal.dll.
Start -- Run, type X:\sp6i386.exe /x and press Enter (where X represents the
location of the Service Pack). You will be prompted for a folder to hold the
extracted files. Then copy hal.dll.softex to C:\WINNT\system32, rename the
existing hal.dll to hal.old and rename hal.dll.softex to hal.dll (C:\WINNT
represents the location of your NT4 files).
To change the registry, click Start -- Run, type regedit and press Enter.
Drill down to:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\WindowsNT\CurrentVersion\Winlogon
If the key PowerdownAfterShutdown is present, right-click the name, click
Modify, type 1 and click OK.
If the name isn't present, click New -- String Value and add
PowerdownAfterShutdown with value 1.
Then quit the registry editor and reboot.
Note that if you make this registry change without having the updated
hal.dll, NT4 will reboot when you choose "Shut down the computer", instead
of shutting off the power.
