Scheduled Sleep mode AND wake up? Know any software?

[Chilli]

I have a friend that is running Windows 7 64bit and is an amateur meteorologist.
He has a system where his weather equipment on his roof sends data to some kind of software program, which then sends the data off to some website. All that works fine.

The thing he wants is for the computer to not be running 24/7. The software auto runs when turned on, but he likes to put the computer into sleep mode for several hours then wake it up and have the software do it's thing automatically then put it back to sleep mode. Not sure how the software works, but that's what he wants.

So my main question is: Does anyone know any software (paid or free) that can put windows into sleep mode AND wake it up at specific times? Like sleep at Midnight, wake up at 3am, go to sleep at 3:30am, wake up at 8am, go to sleep at 8:30am and so forth.

Any ideas?

Thanks in Advance

 

[dbdawn]

Wouldn't the built in Windows task scheduler work just fine?

 

[Chilli]

Wouldn't the built in Windows task scheduler work just fine?

I don't think so, because isn't that geared to running a program? I know how to use the task scheduler to run say a anti-virus scan at a certain time and have the computer wake up to do that. But that is all set to run that program.

His program is constantly running in the background when the computer is awake. We don't want to run a program, just have the computer Wake up and then go to sleep and certain times throughout the day.

With my limited knowledge of Windows task scheduler and some basic research, I can't see how it can do that.

If someone knows it can do this for certain, then can you please point me in the right direction?

 

[FoolishTech]

Wouldn't the built in Windows task scheduler work just fine?

It should.

For one, you can schedule it to put the system to sleep - if nothing else, by using RUNDLL.

Hibernate:

rundll32.exe PowrProf.dll,SetSuspendState

Sleep:

rundll32.exe powrprof.dll,SetSuspendState 0,1,0

You can also choose the option to "wake computer" to run a scheduled task. So a second task can wake the PC up.

If that doesn't work out well, check into the BIOS to see if it can be scheduled to wake a specified times (some have the ability).

 

[dbdawn]

@ Chilli
Here are some other links for you.
http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/12444-task-scheduler-create-new-task.html
http://www.dennisbabkin.com/wosb/

 

[Chilli]

@ Chilli
Here are some other links for you.
http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/12444-task-scheduler-create-new-task.html
http://www.dennisbabkin.com/wosb/

Thanks for these. I did find the second link myself a little earlier. Think I'll advise him to try that first, then if that doesn't fit his needs, we'll look into setting up Task manager to do this.

Thanks for everyone's posts. Much appreciated.

 

[Bryce W]

When I am travelling I use my EeePC. However, I keep my main desktop machine accessible in case I need something that I forgot to transfer to the EeePC. I set the main machine to boot at a certain time in the bios, and use the shutdown command in task scheduler to shut it down later. T

his is always a possibility if you want to shut it down completely rather than just suspend it.

 

[NETWizz]

It seems this functionality is built in by Microsoft to many of their products.

In Microsoft System Center Configuration Manager SP2 R3 (I have):

^^^^ Basically, you can apply it per collection. You just have to enable the Power Management agent and push out KB977384.

If you don't buy all the fun toys from Microsoft, you can still set your power Preferences via Group Policy Preferences. Windows XP will need you to install the Group Policy Preferences Client though, which can be done via WSUS and a Windows Update. I don't know about Vista, but Windows 7 comes with the GP Prefs Client built in.

For the above to work, you need to make a mandatory Advertisement of that Power Management Patch via the ConfigMgr to the Collections that need Power Management (I do ALL of them):

You can verify by looking at a computer's CCM Client and making sure it has this:

I use Preferences to set a base behavior and configure each Power Plan. I have System Center set the power plans based on time of day. If my computers are off and need an update, Out of Band Management will use Intel (or AMD) Active Management Technology (or Wake on LAN if system doesn't support AMT) and boot the computers... install whatever then need in a maintenance Window. Then if they were booted just for maintenance, it will shut them down.

SQL Reporting services let's me know how well everything worked.

 

[dbdawn]

@ NETWizz
That is some helpful information but I think a SCCM setup is overkill for one computer

 

[NETWizz]

@ NETWizz
That is some helpful information but I think a SCCM setup is overkill for one computer

You can virtual it all including SQL 2008 R2