P5Q SE2: Setting RTC Alarm From Afar?

[(PeteCresswell)]

Is there a utility that I can use to set RTC Alarm on a headless
server while Windows Home Server is up and running - instead of
having to pull the box out of the closet, install a video card,
hook up a monitor, and boot into the BIOS utility?
--
PeteCresswell

[Paul]

I find conflicting web pages for this. Some pages seem to suggest
you can't schedule Windows to wake at a certain time. Or that
just Hibernate (S4) is a problem, and that Standby (S3) works.

What I'd try, is "disable" the setting in your BIOS, on the
theory that Windows will then "own" the RTC alarm. (Only one
entity can own the RTC timer at a time. It is either the BIOS
that owns it, or the OS. Your BIOS contains an option that
can affect who owns it. See "Power On By RTC Alarm" and set it
to disabled.)

Try the Windows "Scheduled Tasks" feature, place the computer in
Standby Suspend to RAM and test whether it wakes up at
the appointed time or not.

http://www.informationweek.com/news/windows/showArticle.jhtml?articleID=15600170&pgno=4

In terms of scheduling tasks, Windows may make a fuss about
the ID of the account that will be running the task,
whether it be an "Administrator" level account, or some user.
Depending on what resource the Scheduled Task needs,
you may need to provide a password. On computers
where not all the accounts have passwords, there could
be issues with that. (I.e. Make sure your accounts have
passwords in advance of trying it.) I haven't experimented
with Scheduled Tasks, but I see them mentioned on occasion.

Paul

[Paul]

If you need to wake a computer on your LAN, you can use
Wake On LAN (WOL) and a Magic Packet. You need to enable
waking in the BIOS, such as "Power On By PCIE Devices"
if the LAN chip is a PCI Express device. And in the
Windows Device Manager, set the appropriate options
in the network chip options. (Something like "Allow
this device to bring the computer out of standby" in
the Power Management tab of the ethernet network chip.)
You'll also need a Magic Packet generator.

You can use WOL to wake the computer, Remote Desktop to
access Scheduled Tasks, and then put the computer
in Standby again, to be able to change when the computer
wakes up at a pre-defined time.

Paul

[(PeteCresswell)]

Per Paul:

>If you need to wake a computer on your LAN,

Since there is so much I do not know - and since it seems at
least possible that I am jumping to a solution based on my
ignorance.. Here is my complete agenda:

I've got Windows Home Server running in a closet in my house.

It's two main functions are:
------------------------------------------------------
- Server as storage for files used by various PCs

- Host an app called SageTV which records and plays back
television programs
------------------------------------------------------

i.e. 24-7 operation is not required.

In fact, I do not record or play back any TV shows between the
hours of 0100 and 0730 - so it seems like I could save 1/3 of my
monthly electric bill for the server by shutting it down during
that period.

I have a power strip that will sense the consumption of the
server and shut down anything else connected to it once the
server draws less than a preset amount.

My hope then, is to figure out how to make the server go to sleep
or even shut itself down during the unused period of 0100-0730.

--
PeteCresswell

[andy]

On Mon, 30 Nov 2009 11:44:04 -0500, "(PeteCresswell)" <x...@y.Invalid>
wrote:

Use Schedule Tasks to place the computer into sleep mode at 0100 every
day. Use Schedule Tasks to wake the computer at 0730 every day.
If remote desktop is enabled on Home Server, then the tasks can be set
up without connecting a monitor and keyboard to the computer.

[(PeteCresswell)]

Per andy:

>Use Schedule Tasks to wake the computer at 0730 every day.

I guess that confirm's Paul's suspicion that if BIOS' "POwer On
By RTC Alarm" = Disabled, then Windows Scheduler owns the
feature.

Thanks.

I will give it a try and report back.
--
PeteCresswell