Most system administrators remotely manage computers in their respective organizations. And even most of us manage computers and solve geeky issues for our elderly. The first remedy for any problem in present-day Windows computers is a restart. Besides, reboots are a necessary evil after most updates. So without any more ado, let’s check how you can do it with ease for any computer on the same network.
Reboot your computer using a command line
Doing this by command prompt may look tricky at first but is extremely straightforward. All you need to do is tweak some settings in the target computer and type a few lines in the command prompt from the source to initiate a restart. Let’s look at this step-by-step.
Modify Registry Settings
This is where you need to pay attention. Tinkering with the registry is dangerous if done wrong and might make your system unstable. You can also create a restore point before moving ahead for extra safety. Or you can take a registry backup for restoring in case of any malfunction. Subsequently, press ⊞+R to open Windows Run, type regedit, and hit enter. Then navigate to Computer > HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE > SOFTWARE > Microsoft > Windows > CurrentVersion > Policies > System. Next, right-click while hovering over System, get into New, and click DWORD (32-bit) Value. Then name the entry label as LocalAccountTokenFilterPolicy. Afterward, double-click to change its value from the default 0 to 1, and click OK.
Enable remote reboot
Up next, open Windows Run again and type Services.msc. Alternatively, you may look for ‘Services’ from the taskbar search. Scroll down and double-click Remote Registry. Or, right-click and select Properties from the pop-up. Next, change the Startup type to Automatic, and click Apply at the bottom right. Finally, click Start mentioned below the Service status, and hit OK.
Enabling remote reboot in Firewall
This is the last change in the target computer for the remote reboot to work flawlessly. Open Windows Run, and enter firewall.cpl and press enter. Click Allow an app or feature through Windows Defender Firewall on the side panel. Next, you may go to the Change settings, sitting just above the list of programs. As you scroll down this list, check Windows Management Instrumentation (WMI) on Private networks, and click OK at the bottom. This enables remote access to your computer and prohibits the firewall from blocking remote operations on trusted private networks.
Target computer name
Now that you have made the necessary changes, it’s time to check the name of the target computer to enforce a remote reboot. You can find this by typing msinfo32 in the Run. Alternatively, you can also navigate to Settings > System > About to get the device name.
Rebooting your computer
Make sure the remote device is turned on and is on the same network as the source computer. Now, login to the source device as an administrator. Visit the start menu and select the command prompt with administrator privileges. Subsequently, type shutdown/i in this command prompt window and press enter. Click on the Add on the top right of the popup. A window will open wherein you can enter the name (not case sensitive) of the remote computer you wish to reboot. Finally, configure the other options like the operation to perform, display warning before a time interval, comment, etc., followed by clicking OK. Please note that you can also remote shutdown/restart a batch of computers in one go with this method. Further methods involve installing specific programs to do the same from the source machine.
Reboot using Zoho Assist
Following are the steps you need to follow to set up Zoho Assist for your remote devices.
- Signup for Zoho Assist. You may get a 15-day free trial, after which Zoho Assist will only be free for personal use.
- Next, open Unattended Access (in the top menu) and click Add Device in the center.
- The Add Device option will allow you to share a link to download this tool (which is linked to your assist account) on the target computers. Alternatively, one can also download, transfer, and install on subject devices for the remote reboot to work. Additionally, you’ll find options for the bulk deployment too.
- After the application is installed on the target device, it’ll show a success message, and the remote device will indicate the addition on the source’s Zoho assist dashboard.
- Next, click Devices on the left and the horizontal ellipsis(…) against the Connect, and click Restart to reboot the remote device.
Reboot using RemotePC
RemotePC works slightly differently and gives you an application you need to install on each target computer you want to control. Subsequently, you’ll log in to the application and configure it for remote access. For this, click Configure Now on the target device. Up next, set up a key that will help authorize access to the target device. While you don’t need this key for the intended reboot, it is mandatory for the target device to appear in the RemotePC web interface. And this will also come in handy for operating the remote device from the source computer, which is crucial for technical assistance. Afterward, the remote PC will appear on the web console, and you can command a restart.
Reboot using SupRemo
SupRemo is more straightforward in that you can install this on both devices and start using it without even signing up. Here you can enter the remote device ID in the Connect to empty field, followed by the password. Next, you’ll be connected to control the target device and can easily reboot the remote computer by clicking Control on the top and Remote reboot afterward. The SupRemo trial works for 21 days, after which a subscription is mandatory for continual use.
Conclusion
Here, you learned about the various ways to remotely reboot a target device. While the command prompt method is good for a few computers, a system administrator working at a large institution may find tools like Zoho Assist more viable solutions. PS: You may also be interested in Chrome Remote Desktop.
