Windows 2000/XP do not release IP on shutdown

And no, it wont release the lease on shutdown by default.

Hi conradie,

if you manually want to force it, you can write a batch file with the command "ipconfig /release" and put it in shutdown script.

Cheers!

BTW: "issue a renew" - technically they do not.  They issue a DHCP request for the address they previously had.  If they get it again, great, otherwise they just use whatever they're given.

-----Burton

If you want more info on the DHCP lease process, here:

http://www.microsoft.com/resources/documentation/Windows/XP/all/reskit/en-us/Default.asp?url=/resources/documentation/Windows/XP/all/reskit/en-us/prjj_ipa_kply.asp

More specific to the reboot:

http://www.microsoft.com/resources/documentation/Windows/XP/all/reskit/en-us/Default.asp?url=/resources/documentation/Windows/XP/all/reskit/en-us/prjj_ipa_kply.asp

Ooops- looks like you need to click the topic for that one to work- see the topic just below that in the left hand pane- "Restarting a DHCP Client"

If it won't release by default, does that mean there is a way to make it release on shutdown, other than the script option...

Read my post from earlier- DHCP options will do this.

That is great for the server side; however, I am looking to IP address released when I shutdown my own computer.

In 9x/ME there was a registry option that you could change to get this to work.  Is there something like that in 2000/XP.

Well making this change will do it for all the computers in the scope, including yours. If you want to do it for ONLY yours then I think the best solution is the ipconfig /release in a logoff script.

I meant I am doing this on a personal computer.  I have no idea if my isp even runs MS DHCP.  Thank you.  This has been a lot of help.

I am going to leave this question open a little longer.  I would like to see if anyone has found a registry hack to accomplish this.

Here's exactly what you'd do to use ipconfig in a shutdown script as others have mentioned...

Make a file called dhcprelease.bat and edit it with Notepad.  Enter the following lines and save the file somewhere, it'd be easiest to just save it to C:\

@echo off
ipconfig /release

Now go to Start, Run, and type in gpedit.msc and click OK

1. Click the + in front of Windows Settings under Computer Configuration.
2. Click Scripts (Startup/Shutdown)
3. Double-click Shutdown in the right hand pane of this window
4. Click the Add button
5. Click the Browse button and find the script you just saved, click it and click Open
6. Click OK
7. Close the Group Policy window

That's it!

-Bernie

I know how to write a script...  I am looking for a way to do this in the registry.  In the original question I said I was not looking for the scripting way of doing this.

I am still waiting to find a way to do this throught the Registry.

You could TRY the following, although the DHCP client may overwrite it at bootup, I haven't tested yet:
Add the following stuff to the registry:

Create a key HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\Dhcp\Parameters\Options\2
In that key, add a value "KeyType", type reg_dword, data "3" (00000003)
add another value "RegLocation", type reg_sz, data "system\currentcontrolset\services\tcpip\parameters\DHCPShutdown"

Now, create the following value at this other location:
"HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\Tcpip\Parameters\DHCPShutdown", type REG_BINARY, value "00 00 00 01"

This may or may not force the DHCP release at shutdown DHCP option variable.
Normally this variable is set by the DHCP server but hopefully this lets it be forced by the registry...
I'm sure you'd have to reboot to try it, and who knows, it may get deleted or ignored windows' dhcp client.
I had to piece this together from multiple articles.. but that'd be neat if it worked...

I tried that.  It looks as though it should work, but it doesn't.  It does stay in the registry after reboot, but it does not cause the OS to release.  I think I am going to have to install a server2003, just so I can watch the registry as it picks up the new ip for the changes.  Thanx a lot manth.  You gave me hope that it could be done.  Do you still have links to the articles that you gathered this info from?  If so could you paste them?  Thanx again to everyone.  I will reward points after I have tried to work with the server and know a deffinate answer.