Simple WinXP question: scheduled startup & shutdown

[Blue Velvet]

I'll try keep it brief because the less time spent talking about Windows, the better.

Got a new PC at work running XP Pro SP2. For the life of me, I couldn't find a way this morning of starting it up & shutting it down on a schedule similar to OS X. All it has to do is run a presentation all day... attempts to run it 24/7 have ended up in crashes and lock-ups after 4-5 days.

Is the 'Scheduled Tasks' control panel the place to do this? It didn't look very user-friendly but I only gave it 10-15 minutes of bleary-eyed pre-coffee post-illness attention this morning. And of course, Windows Help was no help at all.

As usual, your words of wisdom very much appreciated.

BV

 

[Timelessblur]

well Scheduled Tasks can not run from a full shut down. It will only work if the computer is in sleep/Standy mode. (same thing on a Mac if the computer is shut down that mans 0 power so no power for Scheduled Tasks stuff).

You can set the computer to automaticly shutdown with Scheduled Tasks. YOu just have to tell it to run shutdown comand. I have to ask my friend where it is in windows but it really pretty easy and it like 2 words.

Now if you want to go to stanby it the same as above but instead of shutdown it uses standy. From standy mode you can have the computer wake up. Just have tell it to open some file up and then check the box wake the computer up from sleep.

A third opitoin is use the shutdown in Scheduled task, then in the BIOS set an Alarm that will boot up the computer at a certain time. Then with Scheduled Tasks have that open you presention stuff, You might want to download Tweak UI and have the computer autolog in for you when you start it up. I get the commands for shutdown, standy..ect from my friend tonight since I never used them

 

[plinden]

I haven't actually tried this, but this is what I have - this of course, is just for shutting down:
1. Click Start, and then click Control Panel.
2. Click Performance and Maintenance, and then click Scheduled Tasks.
3. Double-click Add Scheduled Task. The Scheduled Task Wizard starts.
4. Click Next.
5. Under Click the program you want Windows to run, click Browse.
6. In the Select Program to Schedule dialog box, locate the windows\system32 folder, locate and click the shutdown.exe file, and then click Open.
7. Under Perform this task, specify a name for the task and how frequently you want this task to run, and then click Next.
8. Under Select the time and day you want this task to start, specify a start time and date for the task, and then click Next.
9. Type the user name and password to run this task under, and then click Next.
10. Click to select the Open advanced properties for this task when I click Finish check box, and then click Finish.
11. Click the Task tab.
12. In the Run box, specify any additional parameters that you want to use with shutdown.exe.
13. Click OK.

Who says it's hard to do things in Windows?

 

[SiliconAddict]

attempts to run it 24/7 have ended up in crashes and lock-ups after 4-5 days.

Just to add a little to what has already been said...
Have scheduler run shutdown.exe from the c:\windows\system32\shutdown.exe location with the appropriate switches at the appropriate time.

Again though there is something up with your computer. None of my system need to be rebooted any less then a month and the computer I'm typing on right now has been up over 73 days and counting. (Need to install those patches one of these days though. )


What desktop do you have? If its Dell you can set it up in the BIOS to startup at X time every morning. I have every system in our office setup to boot at 7AM in the morning. Before then we have issues of people leaving their computers on all the time. That normally wouldn't be a problem cept that the building has had power issues in the past so the power goes out which isn't the problem its when it comes back on. Sometimes it sputters and it goes on and off. On and off. On and off. Until they get it all the way back up. Very hard on computers and esp LaserJet printers.

 

[Timelessblur]

for log off
%windir%\system32\shutdown.exe -l -t 0
For restart
windir%\system32\shutdown.exe -r -t 0
for shutdown
%windir%\system32\shutdown.exe -s -t 0

Just put those in the Task stuff depending on the one you want. It is a straight copy past.

I dont know the one for sleep right now but I pretty sure you can google for it.

 

[wrldwzrd89]

Well, that sure wasn't obvious (having to go into the BIOS to schedule a startup). It isn't always obvious how the BIOS is accessed, and the key or key combination needed varies by computer maker (and sometimes model). Plus, there's a wide variety of BIOS makers out there, and each one is different, with its own quirks and interface style.

I'm curious about which hardware components of a typical Mac are involved in a scheduled boot compared to those in a typical PC running Windows. Just for fun, why not throw in Linux for x86?

 

[Timelessblur]

Well, that sure wasn't obvious (having to go into the BIOS to schedule a startup). It isn't always obvious how the BIOS is accessed, and the key or key combination needed varies by computer maker (and sometimes model). Plus, there's a wide variety of BIOS makers out there, and each one is different, with its own quirks and interface style.

I'm curious about which hardware components of a typical Mac are involved in a scheduled boot compared to those in a typical PC running Windows. Just for fun, why not throw in Linux for x86?

From full shut down linux can not boot nor could a mac and the OS does not have access to change BIOS setting.
Standby/Sleep allows for that. a fully shutdown mac can not boot by alarm unless it gets set in the firmware. It is not an option the Software can do. From full shutdown the software is not running. Standby/sleep there is still software running

 

[wrldwzrd89]

From full shut down linux can not boot nor could a mac. Standby/Sleep allows for that. a fully shutdown mac can not boot by alarm unless it gets set in the firmware

Going into standby/sleep is cheating, though - you're not really booting in that case. I knew the answer involved firmware; I was just curious about the low-level implementation of this sort of thing.

 

[mkrishnan]

Going into standby/sleep is cheating, though - you're not really booting in that case. I knew the answer involved firmware; I was just curious about the low-level implementation of this sort of thing.

And the settings do clearly differentiate between going to sleep and shutting down. I wonder too...I'm assuming there's something of an alarm clock in the system clock circuitry, since that runs at all time, whether the computer is on, off or in standby. Since it's the only thing running, the circuits that run the system clock have to bootstrap the process....

 

[Timelessblur]

And the settings do clearly differentiate between going to sleep and shutting down. I wonder too...I'm assuming there's something of an alarm clock in the system clock circuitry, since that runs at all time, whether the computer is on, off or in standby. Since it's the only thing running, the circuits that run the system clock have to bootstrap the process....

It could be the del key to get into a computer BIOS during boot up but it could also be any of the F1-F5 keys as well it depends on the motherboard.

 

[mkrishnan]

It could be the del key to get into a computer BIOS during boot up but it could also be any of the F1-F5 keys as well it depends on the motherboard.

Hmmm? You lost me. That, I would think, would be a thing the BIOS itself determines....

 

[Blue Velvet]

Thanks guys. The obvious answer is, of course, is to get a Mac.

 

[Timelessblur]

Hmmm? You lost me. That, I would think, would be a thing the BIOS itself determines....

Well general it is the BIOS but considering that the BIOS is determine by the motherboard it comes out to be the same thing. Plus it easier to figure it out based on the mother board since the BIOS changes with thoses.