Wake and sleep

[Freakitchen]

Hi guys,

Just set up my parents with a media system running GBPVR. I wanted to set it up in a very similar way to my own media system with regard to power options; specifically, the system shuts down in the early hours of the morning, and wakes up at around 10 AM ready for the next day.

On my own system, I wrote a simple batch script for the shutdown and ran it using task scheduler. I then used the wake on alarm function in the BIOS to restore the machine.

Unfortunately, the BIOS of the board I'm using for this new machine does not have a wake on alarm function, so I was wondering if there were any alternatives - perhaps through GBPVR itself. Specifically, I was thinking about the wake for EPG reload function. If i changed the batch script to hibernate, rather than shut down, would this feature restart the system as normal and leave it ready to go?

Cheers for any thoughts,

FK

[zehd]

If your parents computer can use 'standby', then you should be able to have GB-PVR wake it up when it's time to function.

The wake on lan function from a BIOS is really a 'Start' on lan. The BIOS clock, which always runs will start the computer from nothing...Your parents doesn't have that you said...

So I suggest setting the 'wake machine' feature, setting up a test recording, and then placing the computer in standby. Wait. If it works that's great. If not, join the club...

[accgr]

When it's time to turn off: Run a hibernate batch script using windows scheduler.

When it's time to turn on:Run an empty batch script (or one with a single line of "rem") using windows scheduler with "wake the computer to run this task" checked.

[Freakitchen]

Thanks for the input guys. Obviously hibernate is the way to go here - I wasn't aware that task scheduler could wake the machine from this state so thanks for that info - have managed to get that working fine.

accgr - Any hints as to what the command for hibernate is? The only one I know is shutdown with a -[switch], and hibernate isn't one of the options. I'm currently testing out a small freeware shutdown program, which seems to work fine in hibernating the machine (it runs as a system service).

Anyway, I tested this last night - both processes worked fine, except that the wake process caused the system to wait at the password prompt - even though the system is configured to auto-login. I've removed the password from the account, so am gonna see if this makes any difference tonight. I'm having to do all this with remote desktop, so my testing abilities are limited.

Any thoughts/comments still appreciated, cheers

[gEd]

I think remote desktop requires a password for the user that you connect with. or maybe you are connecting with a different user id.

you could just set gbpvr to wake up the pc to perform the epg update at 09:50 then you wouldn;t need any other wakeup task.

I use "hibernator" to send my pc to standby when it is idle (auto standby settings in windows became unreliable for me). Then gbpvr wakes the pc up to record shows.

I guess you want the pc "ready to go" during the day so your folks don;t have to turn the pc on before watching tv.

[accgr]

To hibernate, put the following line in a batch file:
rundll32.exe powrprof.dll,SetSuspendState

This will perform whatever is in the dropdown box of
Power Options Properties > Advanced > when I press the power button on my computer.
Just set this to hibernate, and you'll be set.

On the same screen, uncheck "Prompt for password when computer resumes from standby", and your password problems should disappear.

[K.S.]

To hibernate, put the following line in a batch file:
rundll32.exe powrprof.dll,SetSuspendState

i've made bad experiences in the past with that method. rather often my box did not wake for EPG update or a recording if i suspended that way ;-)
i've been using psshutdown from sysinternals/microsoft since about a year, has a lot more options...

[SuMo]

I'm using my HTPC/server the same way, just to cut down on the electricity bill.

You could take a look at Auto power-on & shut down It will do the hybernate/wake up. It also does scheduled shutdown/reboot, run programs at given times (like xmltv batch files) etc.

[gms]

Windows has never slept well for me either. I use Shutter (freeware) http://www.den4b.com/projects.php . I like that there are multiple choices for triggering standy (cpu usage, countdown, time, file size, etc.) and has lots of other options to (close programs, run files, etc.) before sleeping.
I use a beta version that allows for setting a longer period of low CPU usage than the regular version - http://www.den4b.com/projects/Shutter/ShutterBeta.zip

[Freakitchen]

Thanks for all the comments fellas, especially as this ended up being very unrelated to GBPVR itself! Managed to get it working nicely - for the record, here's what I did:

Hibernate - a freeware program called "Switch off" - runs as a system service on bootup with a set timer automatically enabled.

http://www.download.com/Switch-Off/3000-...ag=lst-0-1

Wake - for this I actually wrote a restart batch command, which means the system wakes up from hibernation, and then reboots. The reboot aspect to it was because I'd got everything setup how i want it from a fresh boot (the loading of GBPVR, and the 'switch off' program).

Code:

shutdown -r -f
pause
shutdown -a

The pause and the -a flag just gives the user the option to cancel the shutdown, if for some reason anyone's watching TV at 2:30 AM!

Cheers again for the responses,

FK