Software / ShutOff 2000

What's new in ShutOff 2000?

ShutOff 2000 v2.9.0 was released on 30 October 2026.

ShutOff 2000 supports Windows 10 and 11, and Windows Server 2016 to 2025.

See the main window of each version in ShutOff 2000 through the ages.

Version 2.9.0 (released 30/10/2026) changes from v2.8.8

• Fixed several bugs related to timers, daylight saving, and regional settings, by using UTC under the covers. ShutOff 2000 displays dates and times in the correct regional setting.
• The hour and minute boxes on the Shutdown Timers tab accept digits only, up to 23 for the hour and 59 for the minute.
• The shutdown timer accepts Lock Computer again.
• A typed minute from 56 to 59 is no longer changes to 55 when the timer is set.
• The Updater saves the download to a location you specify.
• ShutOff 2000 supports and correctly identifies Windows 10 and 11, and Windows Server 2016 to 2025, thanks to a new ShutOff.exe.manifest file.
• Removed the code and options for Windows versions before Windows 10 and Windows Server 2016.
• Fixed the Uptime timer counting backwards after 24.8 days.
• Fixed the System Tray menu disappearing straight away when it is opened a second time.
• ShutOff 2000 no longer closes at startup for users who are not Administrators. Registration shows a message if it cannot save your details.
• ShutOff 2000 saves its settings in encrypted INI files: ShutOff.ini in your Application Data folder, and Registration.ini in the common Application Data folder. Settings in the Windows Registry move to these files the first time ShutOff 2000 starts.
• ShutOff 2000 now uses a ClearType font.
• Minor updates to the documentation.

Version 2.8.8 (released 20/08/2014) changes from v2.8.7

• Extended expiration date from 2012 to 2099.
• Updated company details.
• Minor updates to the documentation.

Version 2.8.7 (not released to public) changes from v2.8.6

• Changed update screen to prompt for download location.
• Minor updates to the documentation.

Version 2.8.6 (released 31/03/2011) changes from v2.8.5

• Improved data input validation on the shutdown timers.
• Minor display changes to shutdown timers screen.
• Improved logic in the shutdown timer code.
• Added progress bar to Updater screen.
• Added Register button to shutdown timers screen when product is not registered.
• Updated company name to E-llusion Interactive CC.
• Minor updates to the documentation to reflect newer operating systems, and updated screens.

Version 2.8.5 (released 18/08/2009) changes from v2.8.4

• Further fix of timer bug that caused shutdown not to fire in some regional settings.
• Minor updates to the documentation.

Version 2.8.4 (released 01/08/2009) changes from v2.8.3

• Fixed timer bug that caused shutdown not to fire in some regional settings.
• Minor visual enhancements to various screens.
• Minor updates to the documentation.

Version 2.8.3 (released 01/01/2008) changes from v2.8.2

• Source code for 2.8.2 was lost, so date fixes were re-applied to 2.8.1 codebase. This includes now displaying seconds in the Time Travel calculator, for more accurate results. The extra cycles won't hurt us.
• Version checker now reports Windows Vista correctly. However, ShutOff 2000 has minor usability issues with Windows Vista (to do with the right-click menu on the System Tray).
• Postponed 31 December 2007 timer limit to 23 December 2012.
• Minor visual enhancements to various screens.
• Minor updates to the documentation.

Version 2.8.2 (released 25/01/2007) changes from v2.8.1

• Fixed a timer issue with planned shutdown.
• Minor visual enhancements to various screens.
• Minor updates to the documentation.

Version 2.8.1 (released 29/12/2005) changes from v2.8.0

• Fixed a Runtime '91' error if a duplicate instance of the application was run.
• Minor visual enhancements to various screens.
• Minor updates to the documentation.

Version 2.8.0 (released 01/08/2004) changes from v2.7.0

• The recent change to Intelligent Technology Solutions has forced an unscheduled minor update to ShutOff 2000, and an opportunity to add in a few small features to what was supposed to be a maintenance release in this end-of-line product.
• The suspend and hibernate functionality introduced in version 2.7.0 caused a minor bug with the "Shut Down" method. This should now be fixed.
• Removed references to v2.7.0 (beta 1) in certain parts of the code.
• Updated the ShutOff 2000 update file on the webserver with latest version info to prevent the software from re-downloading.
• Checked that all message boxes in the application now use the 20- or 60-second timeout functionality introduced in version 2.7.0. This now negates the "Disable confirmation" option, which has been removed. It has been replaced by a Timer function, which will be able to set the timeout period for message boxes to either 20 or 60 seconds. Only the message box that appears when closing the program is hard-coded to 10 seconds.
• The removal of the "Disable" setting has uncovered a bug that has been hidden for a while. When you wish to register the software, the application should automatically quit to ensure correct registration. However, a default setting was displaying a message box asking whether you wish to close or minimise ShutOff 2000. This has been resolved.
• Fixed minor bug which did not remove the "Stop Timer" option from the system tray menu when "Reset Timer" is pressed on the Shutdown Timers tab.

Version 2.7.0 (released 01/03/2004) changes from v2.6.2

• Except for maintenance (bug-fix) releases, this is the final version of ShutOff 2000. There will not be another minor version release in the near future (2.x.x), as porting to a C# development platform is necessary to add and improve the functionality in this program. Please refer to the E-llusion Interactive website for more details on the retirement of ShutOff 2000 and the release of ShutOff 2010 in the course of the next few months.
• Completely redesigned the first screen because of the addition of Hibernate functionality in this version, and Lock Computer in previous versions.
• If the Windows Explorer shell crashes while ShutOff 2000 is minimised to the system tray, the icon will display again when Windows Explorer restarts.
• Correctly identifies the following 32-bit Windows operating systems: Windows 95, Windows 98, Windows Me, Windows NT 4.0, Windows 2000, Windows XP and Windows Server 2003.
• Added tooltips for all buttons and fields on the Advanced tab (now called Shutdown Timers), and reworded a message box text which referred to a non-existent tab.
• All message boxes are now controlled by a built-in 20-second timer, to ensure operation without user intervention. This now circumvents the previously necessary Force setting, and allows safer shutdowns. Includes royalty-free code by Daniel Biener.
• Added tooltip to system tray icon which, if an advanced shutdown timer is started, will display which shutdown method has been selected, and when it is programmed to run.
• Added menu item to system tray icon which allows the shutdown timer to be stopped. This option will only display if the timer has been set. After clicking on this option, the main window will display.
• The selection dropdown boxes on the shutdown timer tab now default to the current date and time, to make it easier to choose a date and time in the future.
• Incorporated TaskOff Special Edition into ShutOff 2000, available to Administrator users from the About tab. You can kill (almost) any task in the Task Manager. This is extremely powerful and can have unexpected results, so please note that this feature does not have any technical support available. TaskOff XP v1.0.0 is also available as a stand-alone utility for Windows NT / 2000 / XP from http://itsol.co.za/.
• Updated documentation and version numbering.

Version 2.6.2 (released 02/10/2003) changes from v2.6.1

• Added a link to purchase ShutOff 2000 from the Registration window (click Register on the About tab), which opens the appropriate PayPal page.
• A known issue since the Uptime timer was first implemented, is that if a computer has been running for more than 42 days, the timer will begin counting backwards through zero and into a negative value. This will not be fixed in the foreseeable future.
• Fixed minor documentation inconsistencies.

Version 2.6.1 (released 01/09/2003) changes from v2.6.0

• Minor enhancements to interface including redesign of Main Options tab and tooltip edits. Interface looks similar to upcoming ShutOff 2010.
• Fixed a bug where the registration settings were not copied over for users other than the user which installed ShutOff 2000, on a computer running Windows NT / 2000 / XP, because a function was being called too early in the application startup.
• An extraordinary bug exists for non-Administrator users, where ShutOff does not run properly, certain functions are not running, and settings are not being saved, under Windows 2000 and XP (and presumably Windows Server 2003). From now on, the installation program will not place a shortcut in the Common "Startup" group on the Start Menu, but only into the Private "Startup" group of the user who installed the program. Non-Administrator-level users should not run ShutOff 2000. Please refer to the Help file for more information.

Version 2.6.0 (released 05/08/2002) changes from v2.5.2

• Replaced Advanced countdown timer with a proper shutdown timer, including date and time. This will be improved in later versions, because ShutOff 2000 must be running for the timer to work.
• Added "Always on top" option.
• Moved Registration information into the HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE branch of the Windows registry, so that multiple users on the same machine can use the Advanced tab.
• Added "Kill" option, which removes all ShutOff 2000 settings from the Windows registry, including the Registration Key. This option should be used if upgrading from an older version, to clean up old Registry keys.
• Reconstituted the Help file in a long-awaited update, for easier navigation.
• Built in all sorts of space-time continuum checking for the new timer, but some bugs may have slipped in. Please inform us of any problems on our BugZilla page.
• Updated the documentation.

Version 2.5.2 (released 19/07/2002) changes from v2.5.1

• Extended the maximum allowed time on the Advanced tab to 134 217 727 seconds, which equates to around four years and three months. The previous high was just 9 hours (32 767 seconds).
• Added in a much needed extra: Lock Computer. This will only work with Windows 2000 and higher.
• Updated the documentation.

Version 2.5.1 (released 12/03/2002) changes from v2.5.0

• Fixed "Windows Me" and "Windows XP" version label bug.
• Moved most of the functions to a separate module to speed up processing. This might cause unforeseen bugs, but hopefully not.
• If the Administrator is logged in, the Log Off button, tooltip and tray menu popup will show "Admin" and not "Administ" as before.
• Changed the website URL to reflect the new address.
• When minimised, ShutOff will not show in the Windows task list, but will show in the process list. This one has been bugging me for a long time and now it's fixed.
• The compacted executable is 28KB in size.

Version 2.5.0 (released 01/06/2001) changes from v2.4.2

• Added an Internet update component to check for newer versions of ShutOff 2000 from the E-llusion Interactive website. This must be run manually to prevent unnecessary dialling up. The downloaded files are stored in a new subfolder called "update".
• Completely rewrote the Windows registry subroutines from VBA calls to Windows API calls. This led to a substantial restructuring of the source code to allow for a smoother migration to ShutOff 2010, which is probably the official name of the next major version.
• The Windows registry change required the addition of a subroutine to transfer all old settings to the new registry subkey. This is done instantly with a message box notification.
• Finally did away with the add-in HyperLabel.OCX file, and incorporated hyperlinking into the executable.
• Began development for new Product Registration Key module based on a proper hashing method. This should make it more difficult to crack the key generator (see v2.4.0). This will only be included in v3.0.0.
• Modified Uptime indicator to show double-digit minutes and seconds, and reworded labelling.
• The compiled executable has been compacted and is now 28KB in size.

Version 2.4.2 (released 19/04/2001) changes from v2.4.1

• Added Windows Uptime indicator to the About tab, which has been a long time coming.
• Removed legacy code referring to Windows 3.51 and cleaned up other code and comments.
• Fixed bug with remembering the last shutdown method - it remembered the shutdown code, not the actual text value.
• Replaced old Team 4 references (from version 1.0) with E-llusion Interactive.

Version 2.4.1 (released 12/03/2001) changes from v2.4.0

• Changed version numbering method to major.minor.incremental. This does not affect the licence agreement. All major, minor and incremental updates remain free of charge to registered users.
• Added functionality to the Advanced tab that remembers the last shutdown method. This is useful for delayed shutdowns.
• Added a new reboot option in the Advanced tab to do a warm restart on a Windows 9x platform (called Win95 Restart). This option can only be selected on Windows 95 and 98, and will simply restart the Windows 9x shell. It also means that, under Windows 9x, there are now ten ways to shutdown or log off.
• Added the names of new Windows versions "Windows Me" and "Windows XP" into the main program, so these should identify correctly now.
• The registration key generation and verification will be addressed properly in the next major release (v3.0.0). However, you can expect version 2.5.0 before then with a lot of new additions.

Version 2.4.0 (released 01/01/2001) changes from v2.3.0

• Major rewrite of registration key algorithm after discovering a key generator for ShutOff 2000 v2.20 on Astalavista.box.sk. The new version of ShutOff 2000 will verify the registration key automatically when starting. All registration keys prior to this version have therefore been scrapped. If you are a registered user, please send an e-mail to info@bornsql.ca to get a new key.
• Some minor bugs are expected in this release, since a lot of code has been rewritten. Please report any bugs to info@bornsql.ca. Please do not confuse workarounds with bugs though. A number of procedures have been written into the software to work around previous issues.
• Added a new dialog box for registration information. No existing values are displayed on this screen for security purposes. Combined with the abovementioned algorithm, this has made the compiled executable about 20% bigger (76KB).
• Modified wording on the About tab to indicate "[Registered]" or "[Unregistered]", and removed the registration key display.
• Fixed bug in Advanced tab with activating the timer incorrectly.
• Removed unnecessary OCX files from the distribution, substantially decreasing the size once more.
• Added the ShutOff 2000 icon to the Windows Startup program group. It was left out in version 2.30.
• Compiled executable is quicker after some tweaking.
• Time and date-stamped all related files correctly. This was overlooked in version 2.30.
• Added a piece of code to remove any old registry keys that may still have been around from version 2.0.
• Experimented briefly with the Microsoft Windows Installer, but this still requires more research before it will replace the standard Visual Basic packaging wizard.
• Thoroughly checked the documentation and version numbers to keep consistency.

Version 2.3.0 (released 28/11/2000) changes from v2.2.0

• The interface has been modified once again, this time to allow an expansion set to the ShutOff 2000 applet in a future release.
• The About dialog box has been incorporated into the main window using a tab selector.
• An Advanced settings tab has also been added, which allows the user to set a delayed log off or shutdown. This option will automatically set the "Disable confirmation" option to on. By default, this setting will be saved as such when ShutOff is next opened.
• The username has been incorporated into the system tray menu, to maintain consistency with the main ShutOff 2000 display. The Log Off button has been fixed to display the username as advertised.
• Since the entire interface has been redesigned, and all separate Windows incorporated into one, there may be bugs that have crept into the program. Some of the code has been streamlined.
• A registration key slipped into v2.20's help file by accident. That key has been disabled in this release.
• Removed the nag message from the About box, since the interface has merged. Now the delayed shutdown option is disabled unless the user registers the product.
• Identified and fixed documentation inconsistencies. All documentation including the help file has been converted into HTML format.
• Removed the Help file button from the main window, and added a hyperlink in the About box to open the Help file, due to a programming constraint.
• The "Power Off" button has been renamed to "Power Down".
• Fixed a bug where the duplicate instance check would not close the duplicate instance properly.

Version 2.2.0 (released 15/09/2000) changes from v2.1.1

• Once again, the interface has been modified. This time, we have used frames to group the various objects together, which we think makes it look nicer. The same has been done to the About box.
• All message boxes throughout the program have been modified to be easier on the eye.
• Improved the registration key option in the About box. Now the key has to be in a certain format and length to be valid.
• Added a nag message when users click on OK button in About box if ShutOff 2000 is not registered. The "Register" button will also change its caption depending on the registered status.
• If the product is registered and the user clicks on "Register", a warning message box will ask whether the user is sure that he or she wants to change the registration information.
• The Force and Disable options have finally been incorporated into the system tray menu. It was not nearly as hard as we thought it would be.
• The Log Off User button has been modified to show the actual user logged on under Windows, up to a maximum of 8 characters.
• The Windows kernel version message has been modified, so that the actual Windows version is displayed, as well as the computer name, up to a maximum of 15 characters. The word "Running" was also removed to make space for a machine name of 15 characters.
• A lot of the internal workings have been looked at to decrease the amount of code (and therefore make the compiled executable smaller). However, with the new menu items (see #2 above), this is becoming increasingly difficult. On the good side though, this application is the same size it was on version 2.0, but with around 20 enhancements.
• In the About box, the URL for our website can now be activated by a click (http://www.itsol.co.za).
• Updated label on system tray icon with new version number. It was still on version 2.1.

Version 2.1.1 (released 04/08/2000) changes from v2.1.0

• Fixed a bug that crept in with the option to close or minimise ShutOff 2000 when closing it. Now this message box will only appear if the user clicks on the X to close it.
• Added a very simple interface to include a registration key, in the About box. This will be developed in a later version.

Version 2.1.0 (released 01/08/2000) changes from v2.0.0

• Fixed system tray Restore option. Now the user must double-click the menu item to restore the window.
• Removed superfluous code and rewrote several functions, now compiled executable is almost 15% smaller.
• Removed Windows 9x warning. This product has been tested thoroughly on post 1995 Intel Windows platforms.
• ShutOff 2000 offers the user an option to minimise the main window to the system tray if s/he clicks on the X to close the program. This will be bypassed if "Disable confirmation" is enabled.
• The help file is accessible from a menu item the system tray, but due to a limitation in Visual Basic, the main window must be displayed for the help file to open.
• ShutOff 2000 closes when the shutdown or log off event has been sent. This is more of a cosmetic change than anything else.

Version 2.0.0 (released 03/07/2000) changes from v1.2.0

• Beta 5 has been promoted to final code, since no further changes were expected between beta 5 and final code.
• Compiled all "What's new" beta updates into this one list. For a complete list of changes, read the VERSIONS.TXT file.
• Discovered how to save settings in the Windows registry. The Force and Disable settings along with two more settings (minimise ShutOff 2000 on startup and disabling the Windows 9x warning message - see #19) have been added to the main interface. This means that the compiled executable is now almost 50% bigger (56KB), but that doesn't mean it's any slower. And it now saves your settings.
• Attempting to start a second instance of ShutOff 2000 from the same program location or icon will bring up a message box that indicates that the application is still running. If ShutOff 2000 is minimised to the system tray, it will not be brought to focus, but the warning will still occur.
• Removed the Rich Text Format help file and replaced it with a standard Windows Help File format. This can be triggered from the application, using the F1 key, or opened from the Windows Explorer.
• A Microsoft Windows 2000 Installer distribution is on the cards and is currently undergoing testing.
• The System Tray will show the ShutOff icon, and if a user right-clicks on this icon, he or she can now control ShutOff from the System Tray.
• The System Tray functionality required a new module, and the menu options had to be added as well. You can now Log Off, Shutdown, Reboot or Power Off, right from the system tray. The same conditions apply regarding a forced log off as if you are running it from the main window though, so be extra careful. There will be a way to control forced log off from this menu in a later release.
• The system tray icon should not display when the main window is open, but should appear when minimised.
• Added "Clear" and "Save" buttons to allow the user to reset the registry settings for ShutOff and save new ones without having to close the program.
• Fixed a bug that was not implementing the settings before running the code to log off or shutdown. Now clicking on one of the four main buttons will save the settings in the registry before it is executed. I don't know how long this has been here.
• Fixed a bug under Windows 95 that did not transfer the Windows 9x setting to the main ShutOff window after clicking "Continue". This crept in after the settings were added to the main window during a beta release.
• Fixed a bug under Windows 95 created by the previous bug fix, where pressing Cancel to close ShutOff on the Warning dialog would not actually quit the program. This means that the warning is no longer a modal window. Therefore this has now been changed so that it is now visible in the task bar.
• If ShutOff 2000 is exited while minimised in the System Tray, it will open in the same way.
• Reintroduced ShowInTaskbar option for the main window. A bug crept in that made the window disappear behind others with no way to get it back unless all Windows were minimised. Now the window will be in the task list, and have a button on the task bar.
• Added a separator bar in the system tray menu to make it look nicer.
• Functions have replaced most of the duplicate code created when the "Disable confirmation" option was first included (among other things).
• Reintroduced separate buttons for Reboot and Power Off. The radio buttons were annoying at the best of times.
• Reworded Windows 9x message box to indicate that ShutOff may not work properly, and linked this to a "Disable Warning" option.
• The "Disable Windows 9x warning" setting is disabled in Windows NT and 2000 for obvious reasons.
• Realised that there are in fact eight ways to log off or shut down a PC with ShutOff 2000, so I have fixed that in the documentation.
• Added the Minimize button and disabled the Maximize button on the main window.
• Updated all tooltips, version numbers, documentation and website (now http://www.itsol.co.za).

Version 1.2.0 (not released to public) changes from v1.1.0

• Added "Disable Confirmation" checkbox to allow power users to bypass the "Are you sure" message boxes that confirm a log off or shutdown. Resized main dialog to cater for this change.
• Rewrote subroutines because the "Disable Confirmation" dialog doubled the amount of code. The price of new functions! :)
• Resized the About dialog box and removed the extended message about international copyright. No one ever reads that anyway.
• Updated documentation and version numbers.

Version 1.1.0 (released on 11/05/2000) changes from v1.0.1

• Removed Force Log Off and Force Shutdown buttons and replaced them with a checkbox. Recoded Log Off and Shutdown buttons to show changes. Resized window and moved buttons around to make the whole application more compact.
• Added a button to clear Reboot and Power off options. These options will also be cleared when clicking on Log Off.
• Reintroduced Windows 9x support, but have not tested this. Message box will indicate that ShutOff 2000 is not compatible with Windows 95 or 98.
• "This computer is running Windows [version]" caption replaced by "Running Win[ver] kernel" to try and avoid confusion and to fit new compact applet window.
• Added tooltips for all options and buttons.
• Removed the "fixed in the middle of the screen" option. Main window can be moved around now.
• Tested application more thoroughly. Should be very difficult to break this on Windows NT 4.0 (see 3).
• Issues with Compaq and other namebrand PCs running non-standard versions of Windows 9x, NT or 2000 may arise when using this product. This will not be fixed in the foreseeable future.
• Updated documentation and website (http://on.to/shutoff). The screen capture now includes labels for all options.
• Added a more intuitive help file (RTF format) with screen captures. This will become a standard Windows help file in a later version.

Version 1.0.1 (released on 03/05/2000) changes from v1.0.0 (first release on 26/04/2000)

• Fixed Reboot bug - was powering off instead of rebooting.
• Added About box.
• Removed Windows 9x functionality for later version. Program will now exit with a message box if not running Windows NT or 2000.
• Created a smaller distribution file without VB 6.0 runtimes.