This PowerShell script allows you to schedule a time to reboot a Windows VM reboot to allow, typically for updates or policy implementation.
Procedure
1. Prepare the PowerShell Script
Save the ScheduledReboot.ps1 script (below) and copy to a share location
\\<DomainName>\SYSVOL\<DomainName>\Scripts\ScheduledReboot.ps1,where the script is accessible to all machines in the domain and has Read & Execute permissions for the Domain Computers (DC).
Note: The sysvol path on DC is
C:\windows\SYSVOL\sysvol\<domain>scripts
The Script
The Script: ScheduledReboot.ps1
# ScheduledReboot.ps1
# Define maximum attempts
$max_Attempts = 5 #Adjust retry attempts as per your need
$attempts = 0
# Function to check if a user is logged in
function IsUserLoggedIn {
# only capture active session, ignoring disconnected sessions
$users = quser | Select-String "Active"
return $users -ne $null
}
# log activity
function Log-Activity {
param (
[string]$Message
)
$logPath = "C:\ScheduleRebootLogs\RebootScript.log"
$timestamp = Get-Date -Format "yyyy-MM-dd HH:mm:ss"
"$timestamp - $Message" | Out-File -Append -FilePath $logPath
}
# log directory exists
if (!(Test-Path "C:\ScheduleRebootLogs")) {
New-Item -Path "C:\Logs" -ItemType Directory
}
Log-Activity "Starting scheduled reboot script."
# Attempt to reboot up to “max_Attempts” times
while ($attempts -lt $max_Attempts) {
if (IsUserLoggedIn) {
Log-Activity "User is logged in. Skipping reboot attempt $($attempts + 1)."
Start-Sleep -Seconds 900 # Wait 15 mins before retrying
} else {
Log-Activity "No user is logged in. Rebooting now."
Restart-Computer -Force
break
}
$attempts++
}
if ($attempts -ge $maxAttempts) {
Log-Activity "Max attempts reached. Exiting script."
}
Log-Activity "Reboot script execution completed."
2. Create a Scheduled task Policy using the Group Policy Management Console
Open Group Policy Management
On the domain controller (or a machine with the necessary permissions), open Group Policy Management:
Press Win+R, type gpmc.msc, and press Enter.
Navigate to the Organizational Unit (OU) where your target machines are located.
Example: “Domain > Example.com > Organizational Units > Target VMs.“
Right-click the OU and create a new GPO. Name the policy (e.g., "RestartVMNoUserPolicy") and then edit it.
Navigate to the Scheduled Tasks Configuration
In the Group Policy Management Editor, Go to “Computer Configuration > Preferences > Control Panel Settings > Scheduled Tasks.”
Right-click on Scheduled Tasks in the right pane and select “New > Scheduled Tasks.”
Configure the Scheduled Task
General Tab:
Action: Create
Name: Enter a descriptive name for the task (e.g., "RestartVMIfNoUser").
Description: Add a meaningful description (e.g., "Restarts VM if no user is logged in").
Select the BUILTIN\Administrators or an appropriate service account, with permission to reboot domain machines.
Security Options:
Select Run whether user is logged on or not.
Select Run with highest privileges.
Triggers Tab:
Click New to create a trigger.
Configure the trigger:
Set the task to run at daily/weekly as needed.
Adjust the delay or repeat interval as required.
Actions Tab:
Click New to create an action.
Configure the action:
Action: Start a program.
Program/script:
C:\Windows\System32\WindowsPowerShell\v1.0\powershell.exe -Executionpolicy Bypass -WindowStyle hiddenAdd Arguments:
-File "\\<domain>\SYSVOL\<domain>\scripts\ScheduledReboot.ps1"
Conditions Tab:
Adjust the Conditions as required.
Settings Tab:
Check Allow task to be run on demand.
Adjust the settings as required.
Apply and test the GPO
Close the Group Policy Management Editor to save the changes.
Link the GPO to the desired OU if it isn’t already linked.
Note: Do validate the Policy Security filter, which group of users, groups and Computers selected.
Restart or force GPO Update on Target Machines by running “gpupdate /force”
3. Verify the Task Deployment
On a target VM, confirm that the task runs successfully by verifying logs in “Event Viewer > Windows Logs > System.“