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ERROR_SHUTDOWN_IS_SCHEDULED
A system shutdown is already scheduled for the target computer.
ERROR_SHUTDOWN_IS_SCHEDULED is Win32 error 1190 (0x4A6). With InitiateShutdown, it indicates that a shutdown countdown or grace period already exists. The caller attempted to schedule another shutdown without explicitly overriding the pending schedule.
What to verify first
- local or remote target computer name
- time and identity of the component that scheduled the first shutdown
- remaining grace period, reason code, message, and restart or power-off intent
- flags supplied to the second
InitiateShutdowncall - whether maintenance orchestration issued duplicate requests
Record the scheduling request before the machine goes down; post-restart logs alone may not explain which controller won the race.
Choosing between preserving and overriding
Most management software should preserve the existing schedule and report that the desired transition is already pending. An override is appropriate only when policy authorizes replacing the current grace period, message, or shutdown mode. Microsoft documents SHUTDOWN_GRACE_OVERRIDE for this purpose, but using it can shorten users’ warning time and disrupt coordinated maintenance.
Cancellation path
If the existing shutdown is unwanted, an authorized administrator or service can use AbortSystemShutdown while the countdown is still cancelable. A successful abort should be followed by a fresh state check before scheduling a replacement. Do not assume that abort and reschedule form an atomic transaction across competing controllers.
Automation design
- assign a correlation ID to each maintenance action
- serialize shutdown ownership per machine
- make repeated “schedule” requests idempotent
- store the requested reason code and final power state
- stop polling once shutdown has actually entered progress
Difference from nearby shutdown errors
ERROR_SHUTDOWN_IN_PROGRESS means shutdown has already started. Error 1190 describes the earlier scheduled phase. ERROR_NO_SHUTDOWN_IN_PROGRESS is returned when an abort request finds nothing to cancel. ERROR_SHUTDOWN_USERS_LOGGED_ON is a policy refusal caused by other signed-in users.
Example
A patching service schedules a reboot with a 15-minute grace period. A second controller receives the same maintenance event and tries to schedule another reboot. It gets 1190, verifies that the existing reason and target state match, records the operation as already pending, and does not reset the countdown.
References
- Microsoft: System Error Codes (1000–1299)
- Microsoft: InitiateShutdownW function
- Microsoft: AbortSystemShutdownW function
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