When working over remote desktop (RDP) on Windows systems there is no start menu item “Turn off computer…”. so how do I restart the remote computer? There are a few different ways to do this.

Option 1: use the command line:
1. Start->Run
2. Type ‘cmd’ in the run box
3. When the command line window opens write ‘shutdown -r’
4. The computer will now start the shutdown process

If you leave out the ‘-r’ the computer will shutdown. I have been using this way all the time until I found option number two.

Option 2: Using the “hidden menu” in Windows
1. Start->(Settings->)Windows Security

I have wondered from time to time what this one did but I never checked it 🙂 ‘Windows Security’ will give you a menu just like the one on Windows Server 2003 when using Ctrl-Alt-Del. Very nice.
(if you are using the “big” start menu you will find ‘Windows Security’ on the right side instead of under ‘Settings’)