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Miscellaneous

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.

If you couldn't understand my language for some reason or another (I don't blame you, I'm writing this kind of late and I'm tired) or you couldn't get the trick to work, e-mail me at [email protected]. I'll try to help you as best as I can ... No Spamming, Please!