"Device Not Ready" Error Message When You Try to Shut Down a Windows XP Workstation Remotely

When you try to shut down a Windows XP-based workstation remotely, you may receive the following error message: This error message may occur if you connect to the remote computer by using the Remote Desktop Connection software, you log off the remote computer, and you later try to use a Remote Procedure Call (RPC) transport utility such as Shutdown.exe to shut down the remote computer. When this problem occurs, you receive the error message and the remote computer does not shut down.

This problem is caused by an incorrect state in the logon software (Winlogon.exe) on the computer that you are trying to shut down. The problem may occur if you connect to the remote computer by using the Remote Desktop Connection software and you log off the remote computer.

A supported hotfix is available from Microsoft. However, this hotfix is intended to correct only the problem that is described in this article. Apply this hotfix only to systems that are experiencing this specific problem. This hotfix might receive additional testing. Therefore, if you are not severely affected by this problem, we recommend that you wait for the next software update that contains this hotfix.

If the hotfix is available for download, there is a "Hotfix download available" section at the top of this Knowledge Base article. If this section does not appear, contact Microsoft Customer Service and Support to obtain the hotfix.

Note If additional issues occur or if any troubleshooting is required, you might have to create a separate service request. The usual support costs will apply to additional support questions and issues that do not qualify for this specific hotfix. For a complete list of Microsoft Customer Service and Support telephone numbers or to create a separate service request, visit the following Microsoft Web site: Note The "Hotfix download available" form displays the languages for which the hotfix is available. If you do not see your language, it is because a hotfix is not available for that language. The English version of this fix has the file attributes (or later) that are listed in the following table. The dates and times for these files are listed in coordinated universal time (UTC). When you view the file information, it is converted to local time. To find the difference between UTC and local time, use the Time Zone tab in the Date and Time tool in Control Panel.

Microsoft has confirmed that this is a problem in the Microsoft products that are listed at the beginning of this article. This problem was first corrected in Microsoft Windows XP Service Pack 2.