Auto Turn-on for PC - Can it be done? And, while we're at it.......

[shawnc]

Every morning upon exiting the shower I turn on my laptop, dock my PPC, sync, and turn off the laptop.

I also noticed (on those rare occasions when I am still in bed when my wife gets up) that she uses the TV set as her alarm clock. It wakes her at 6:15 and automatically turns itself of at 7:50.

What would be nice is if I could do something like this with my laptop. Have it come on at 6:00 every morning and shut off at 6:15. This makes my normal routing of syncing up almost automatic. I've spent the last 1/2 hour searching through the Control Panel and Help features of my laptop to no avail. I'm running w/XP OS.

Can this be done?

While I'm asking basic questions, here's one more. Ever since switching from Outlook Express to Outlook (since I got my 4150 for Xmas) I now have to manually "send/receive" when turning on my laptop. This occurred upon opening the program with O/Express. Any way I can set Outlook to perform a send/receive when I open the program. I've tried a few things in Tools (really, I have) but could not find anything. I find it hard to believe that this basic functionality does not exist in Outlook.

Thanx for any advice/help.

[baker]

In outlook, tools, options, mail setup should do it. If not look click on the send/receive box under mail setup and make sure your account is there.

[DimensionZero]

As for having your laptop turn on automagically, some have this setting in the BIOS... Try checking there... Not sure about having it shut off. Maybe you can find a neat little app to do that.

Getting into your BIOS varies from computer to computer, but generally, you'll see something when you power on your computer..

"Press XXX to enter setup" or something along those lines.

The usual keys are F1, ESC, DEL

If your laptop doesn't show anything like that, just keep mashing all three keys when you turn on the computer. One of those will work. heheh.

[DrtyBlvd]

shawnc -

I'm not 100% sure this will do it, but try playing with 'Scheduled Tasks', found via control panel. Once you've arbitrarily selected a task, follow through and ask to see advanced properties once complete; then check the options box saying "Wake PC to perform Task" - You may have to leave / place the laptop on standby rather than have it switched "off" - not sure.

Let us know - I'm curious now as well! Re shutting down, there may be a "program" option in there as well...

Baker is bang on the money re auto checking for mail...

[ctmagnus]

I'm 95% sure that Windows can be shut down via a scheduled task. I know that Windows 9x could do a reboot that way, but the command and switches escape my mind atm.

Edit:

C\WINDOWS\rundll32.exe shell32.dll,SHExitWindowsEx 0x2

but I haven't tried it on anything beyond Win98SE.

[JackTheTripper]

Buy a mac. They've always been able to have a turn on and turn off time set up. I have it on mine. :D

[shawnc]

Buy a mac. They've always been able to have a turn on and turn off time set up. I have it on mine. :D

Well considering that I have a Toshiba laptop and Dell high-end desktop that are BOTH less than 1 year old, and an HP 4155 that is less than 1 MONTH old, getting a MAC is not happenin (unless I develop an affinity for sleeping on the couch :wink: ).

Having said that, I'm really surprised to hear that the Windows OS doesn't come with this type of functionality. I'm NOT surprised to hear that the MAC does.

[ctmagnus]

I haven't touched a Mac since 98, but one was sitting in a class at school for around four months (being "repaired") and every time I walked past it, it would go "bloop bloop bloop" and exhibit a little bit of activity. And Windows PCs still can't do that, six years later.

[DrtyBlvd]

Found it, sort of:

http://www.totalidea.com/tweakxpdown.html

Tweak XP; the catch being that you need XP...

[ironguy]

Here's what I found at Geek.com


Automatic computer turn on ... even when it's off

This tip/trick should work with Windows 9x and NT. Don't know about W2K. If you have a laptop, this can come in real handy.

BUT to take advantage of this tip, you need to have a version of Windows that supports Standby mode and you need a BIOS that supports hardware shutoff. You also need to make sure that your system (DOS) clock is pretty close to the time on your Windows clock.

Set a task in System Agent (Win98: Task Scheduler) for a time that you want your computer to turn on ... any task, it doesn't matter. Then, if you really want this task to happen, give it another time assignment 5 minutes after the first time (I assume it will take your computer 5 minutes to be completely booted up and settled in Explorer).

Okay, you don't want your computer on all night, so approximate the time the task will take and then create a whole new task. Put the following string in for where it wants the program:

C:\WINDOWS\RUNDLL.EXE user.exe,exitwindows

Label it Shutdown or something like that. Assign it to the time that you think that the other task will be done by. If you're not sure, TRY IT OUT FIRST!

Now I would recommend backing up your Registry just because Windows is a bad cover-up OS and gets screwed up every now and then. FYI: I back it up manually every month or so, even though in 98 it backs it up for the past 5 days. In order to access these backups, look for the proper tip!

Now, to see it in action:

Put your computer in standby mode VIA THE START MENU. Then press the power button on your computer to turn it OFF. I have a purebred Dell--I don't know if Compaqs, Toshibas, and HPs have locked out that functionality or something, so don't whine if you can't do it because your manufacturer tries to personalize your system.

Anyway, your power is now off. When the set time arrives for the task to be activated THE FIRST TIME, your computer will turn on, unless you didn't read my suggestion to first synch your DOS and Windows clock. Your computer battery and DOS clock are controlling this. Now, your computer has turned on, boots up, yada yada yada. The task starts up successfully, since you gave it a multiple time assignment and it has now been 5 minutes.

Rundll is now preparing to shut your system down, if your time estimate was accurate enough. Some advanced settings will allow you to tell it to wait until all activity has stopped and the computer is completely idle for a set amount of time. If you have any clue what I'm talking about up to here, I'm assuming that you know the advanced options I'm talking about. Your computer shuts down (successfully or unsuccessfully, depending on your computer) and everything's good.

Like I said, this is especially good for laptop users. Putting the computer in "purebred" Standby still consumes power, and hibernation mode completely turns it off. This tip is something inbetween where only the clock battery is used, not your power source battery.

[DrtyBlvd]

You also need to make sure that your system (DOS) clock is pretty close to the time on your Windows clock.

Well live and learn (and be sharpened!;) You mean they AREN'T synchronised!??!

Why on earth not??

[Mitch D]

You also need to make sure that your system (DOS) clock is pretty close to the time on your Windows clock.

Well live and learn (and be sharpened!;) You mean they AREN'T synchronised!??!

Why on earth not??

Most system times now a days are a reflection of the BIOS clock...

[shawnc]

DB / Ironguy,

Thanx for the extra effort and tips. I'll give this a try this weekend and post back on the results.

[DrtyBlvd]

Luck! :D