A Windows XP shutdown icon on your desktop

• Right-click an empty space on your desktop
• Select the option "new shortcut"
• Type "shutdown -s -t 0" (Exactly as shown here, but without the quotes. The last character in the command is a zero.)
• Click next
• Type a name for the shortcut (e.g. Fast shutdown) and click finish

Now you have a new icon on your desktop. Let's customize it some more.

• Right-click the new icon and select properties.
• In the dialog box that opens up, click change icon.
• You may see a warning message that shutdown.exe contains no icons, just click ok if you see this
• Choose a new icon

You are now ready to test your new Windows XP shutdown button. Make sure to close all applications and double-click your new icon to shutdown your computer.
Once the shutdown mechanism is started, there is only one way to stop your machine from going down. That's what the next part is all about.