In the enterprise Linux setup, it is necessary to keep the track of server shutdown and reboot time. Most of you may have used the shutdown / reboot command.
Show Listing of Last Reboot / Shutdown Date and Time
The last command searches back through the file /var/log/wtmp (or the file designated by the -f flag) and displays a list of all users logged in (and out) since that file was created. The pseudo user reboot logs in each time the system is rebooted. Thus last reboot will show a log of all reboots since the log file was created.
Shutdown (halt) System Immediately
Type the following command:
# shutdown -h 0
OR
# shutdown -h now
However, on all production boxes above command is dangerous. It won’t allow users to save files or data. It is a better idea to give all logged in users warning message. You can send message to all users as follows:
# shutdown +5 "*** Server is going DOWN for hard disk replacement!!! Please save all your work ***"
Schedules Shutdown Command
You can schedules shutdown with the shutdown command as follows:
shutdown -h 1:00 "SERVER DOWN" shutdown -h 18:00 "SERVER (db4) is going DOWN due to UPS failure."
First one will shutdown server at 1:00 AM and second will be at 6:00 PM using 24 hrs clock format.
How Do I Find Out Server Shutdown / Reboot Time?
A entry is created in /var/log/wtmp file when you shutdown or reboot the server. You can read this log file with the help of last command.
Task: Display List of last Reboot Entires
Type the following command:
# last reboot | less
Sample outputs:
reboot system boot 2.6.18-238.12.1. Sun Jun 5 07:56 (17+00:07) reboot system boot 2.6.18-238.9.1.e Sat Apr 30 05:08 (36+02:44) reboot system boot 2.6.18-238.9.1.e Fri Apr 22 02:38 (8+02:25) reboot system boot 2.6.18-238.5.1.e Sat Mar 5 19:13 (47+06:21) reboot system boot 2.6.18-238.1.1.e Sat Jan 22 06:44 (42+12:25) reboot system boot 2.6.18-238.el5 Sun Jan 16 13:29 (5+17:11) reboot system boot 2.6.18-194.32.1. Sat Jan 8 04:19 (8+09:05) reboot system boot 2.6.18-194.26.1. Wed Dec 8 11:52 (30+16:24) reboot system boot 2.6.18-194.26.1. Tue Nov 30 13:36 (38+14:40) reboot system boot 2.6.18-194.26.1. Mon Nov 22 15:58 (46+12:17) reboot system boot 2.6.18-194.26.1. Mon Nov 15 16:55 (53+11:21) reboot system boot 2.6.18-194.26.1. Mon Nov 15 16:52 (53+11:24) reboot system boot 2.6.18-194.26.1. Sun Nov 14 02:42 (1+14:03) reboot system boot 2.6.18-194.17.4. Wed Oct 27 01:03 (18+01:56) reboot system boot 2.6.18-194.17.1. Wed Oct 13 16:33 (13+08:26) reboot system boot 2.6.18-194.17.1. Thu Sep 30 00:55 (13+15:22) reboot system boot 2.6.18-194.11.4. Tue Sep 21 13:42 (8+10:52) reboot system boot 2.6.18-194.11.3. Wed Sep 1 09:16 (20+02:50) reboot system boot 2.6.18-194.11.1. Thu Aug 12 00:21 (20+08:40) reboot system boot 2.6.18-194.8.1.e Mon Jul 19 16:27 (23+07:50) reboot system boot 2.6.18-194.8.1.e Wed Jul 14 14:09 (5+02:09) reboot system boot 2.6.18-194.8.1.e Tue Jul 13 20:24 (17:41) reboot system boot 2.6.18-194.8.1.e Tue Jul 13 20:12 (00:08) reboot system boot 2.6.18-194.8.1.e Tue Jul 13 12:17 (08:03) reboot system boot 2.6.18-194.8.1.e Tue Jul 13 12:09 (00:04) reboot system boot 2.6.18-194.8.1.e Tue Jul 13 10:42 (01:05) reboot system boot 2.6.18-194.8.1.e Tue Jul 13 10:36 (00:02) reboot system boot 2.6.18-194.el5 Tue Jul 13 10:26 (00:05)
Task: Display List of Last Shutdown Entires
Type the following command:
# last -x| less
OR
# last -x | grep shutdown | less
Sample outputs:
shutdown system down 2.6.18-238.9.1.e Sun Jun 5 07:53 - 08:05 (17+00:12) shutdown system down 2.6.18-238.9.1.e Sat Apr 30 05:05 - 07:52 (36+02:47) shutdown system down 2.6.18-238.5.1.e Fri Apr 22 02:35 - 05:04 (8+02:29) shutdown system down 2.6.18-238.1.1.e Sat Mar 5 19:10 - 02:35 (47+06:24) shutdown system down 2.6.18-238.el5 Sat Jan 22 06:40 - 19:09 (42+12:29) shutdown system down 2.6.18-194.32.1. Sun Jan 16 13:26 - 06:40 (5+17:14) shutdown system down 2.6.18-194.26.1. Sat Jan 8 04:17 - 13:25 (8+09:08) shutdown system down 2.6.18-194.26.1. Mon Nov 15 16:46 - 04:16 (53+11:30) shutdown system down 2.6.18-194.17.1. Wed Oct 27 01:00 - 02:00 (18+02:00) shutdown system down 2.6.18-194.8.1.e Thu Aug 12 00:18 - 09:02 (20+08:43) shutdown system down 2.6.18-194.8.1.e Wed Jul 14 14:07 - 16:19 (5+02:12) shutdown system down 2.6.18-194.8.1.e Tue Jul 13 20:21 - 14:06 (17:45) shutdown system down 2.6.18-194.8.1.e Tue Jul 13 12:13 - 20:20 (08:07) shutdown system down 2.6.18-194.8.1.e Tue Jul 13 11:48 - 12:13 (00:24) shutdown system down 2.6.18-194.8.1.e Tue Jul 13 10:38 - 11:48 (01:09) shutdown system down 2.6.18-194.el5 Tue Jul 13 10:32 - 10:38 (00:05)
The -x option shows the system shutdown entries and run level changes.
Related previous topics:
- Linux : Desktop – How to shutdown, restart or logoff gnome via command/Launcher
- Create linux shutdown account to halt Linux server
🐧 13 comments so far... add one ↓
Shutdown Linux Server With Shutdown Account
Linux Save the output of a command in a logfile
Linux Desktop How to shutdown, restart or logoff…
Linux Disable the Ctrl-Alt-Delete shutdown keys
How to: Allow Any User To Shutdown a Linux Server
Howto: Shutdown Linux Box Automatically
FreeBSD > Init to reboot or shutdown system
Schedule Windows server to reboot or shutdown automatically
| Category | List of Unix and Linux commands |
|---|---|
| Disk space analyzers | ncdu • pydf |
| File Management | cat |
| Firewall | Alpine Awall • CentOS 8 • OpenSUSE • RHEL 8 • Ubuntu 16.04 • Ubuntu 18.04 • Ubuntu 20.04 |
| Network Utilities | NetHogs • dig • host • ip • nmap |
| OpenVPN | CentOS 7 • CentOS 8 • Debian 10 • Debian 8/9 • Ubuntu 18.04 • Ubuntu 20.04 |
| Package Manager | apk • apt |
| Processes Management | bg • chroot • cron • disown • fg • jobs • killall • kill • pidof • pstree • pwdx • time |
| Searching | grep • whereis • which |
| User Information | groups • id • lastcomm • last • lid/libuser-lid • logname • members • users • whoami • who • w |
| WireGuard VPN | Alpine • CentOS 8 • Debian 10 • Firewall • Ubuntu 20.04 |
Hi! I’m try to find out the answer on this question.
What is the file that control shutdown in Linux?
Hopefully you can give answer.
/etc/shutdown.allow, /fastboot, and /etc/inittab. Try man shutdown for info.
we maintaing the server using fedore core 3 but 3 times in a week we have to restart the server ultimately, what is the reason. most of times mysql error is displayed
Hi,
How do we confirm if its abrupt shutdown. Which logs files need to look?
Kindly help.
Thanks
Abrupt shutdowns leave abrupt messages or no messages at all. see if you get a core or a kernel dump in the messages. What this post did not answer is the question. WHO rebooted the server?
This post did not tell how can one identify if the system was warm booted or cold booted (someone physically power cycled it)…
how to shoutdown linux server i forgt cammand camm…is that in…0
dear,
sir, how to setting auto rebooting on linux?
can your give me details?
thanks..
Hi Vivek,
Typos above: missing opening double-quote on 2 lines:
# shutdown 1:00 SERVER DOWN”
# shutdown 18:00 SERVER DOWN”
KUTGW,
– P
The post has been updated with additional info.
Great and simple solutions, loved your blog / site.
Hi,
Does someone knows what is the command for “warm” reboot [If such exist]?
Hi Miki,
You are talking about a “warm” reboot, but what is, according to you, a “cold” reboot? (or whatever you would call “other” reboots?
What is your “temperature” typology for reboots? According to what source? (web site, web pages, books?)
–P