Windows 2000 (with the Resource Kit installed) as well as Windows XP (natively) have an actual shutdown command that can be launched from a command prompt — as well as which, therefore, also can be launched from a shortcut. To see all available options on behalf of this command, click Start, click Run, type CMD, as well as click OK. Then, in the box that appears, type:
SHUTDOWN /?
You can also study the available options in the Microsoft KB 317371, “How to Use the Remote Shutdown Tool to Shut Down as well as Restart a Computer in Windows 2000.” (The article is basically suitable on behalf of Win XP also.)
This command starts a 30-second countdown on behalf of a shutdown or restart, which permits you to abort it (with a shutdown -a command). It you desire the command to execute, utilize the -t flag, which lets you set the time lapse in seconds. The examples below utilize a 1-second delay.
For a shortcut to RESTART Windows XP:

SHUTDOWN -r -f -t 01
For a shortcut to SHUT DOWN Windows XP:

SHUTDOWN -s -f -t 01
Unfortunately — especially on Windows XP — this option only shuts down Windows. It does not shut down your computer, at least on an estimated all hardware. For that, on Win XP (and on behalf of an estimated all Win 2000 users also), I recommend the freeware utility Shutdown.exe (not to be confused with the Windows utility by the same name) by MS-MVP Andrej Budja. I’ve seen several shutdown utilities recommended, but this is the only one that I’ve seen actually shut down Windows XP as well as then powerdown the computer behind it. For more information on the tool, see here. After you place this utility in the root folder of C:, the commands on behalf of a shutdown, restart, or hibernate (respectively), each without a time delay, would be shutdown -u -f -t 0 on behalf of shutdown, shutdown -r -f -t 0 on behalf of restart, as well as shutdown -h -f -t 0 on behalf of hibernate.
Using the TSShutDn Utility
If you don’t desire to utilize a third-party utility, you may be able to get by with a lesser known utility in Windows 2000 as well as Windows XP. The native commandline tool tsshutdn.exe was originally designed on behalf of shutting down servers, not work stations. It was introduced in Windows 2000, as well as retained in Windows XP. See MSKB 320188, “How to Use the TSSHUTDN Command to Shut Down a Terminal Server in Windows 2000 Terminal Services,” as well as MSKB 243202, “Windows 2000 Terminal Services Session Management Tools.” From a command prompt, type tsshutdn /? on behalf of a list of its subcommands as well as syntax. A command line of C:WINDOWSSYSTEM32TSSHUTDN.EXE 0 /DELAY:0 /POWERDOWN shall powerdown an estimated all Windows 2000 as well as Windows XP computers, though some (according to correspondent “perris,” who first turned me onto this native utility) shall get an error message 1702