Gui for CMOSTimer (Wake up your PC at a specified time etc.)

This is the translation of
http://de.autohotkey...p?p=12429#12429
(or better the attempt of translation..):

In May there was a script and a question about CMOSTimer at http://www.Boraxsoft.de
in the german forum.

"The program CMOSTimer can be used to start a PC from soft off (ATX) mode at a given time.
This is done with the BIOS function "Wake up on RTC Alarm"."

After a few tests I got it to work. That was not really easy because
CMOSTimer writes to the BIOS ! and every board has different Values to change.
There are a few Motherboards supported. But read the instructions carefully.

If you had done the necessary settings you can change the wakeuptime in the Bios from Windows!
Because thats a commandline program I've written this Gui.


Links:
http://de.autohotkey.../topic1370.html german
Thanks to HerrmanDerUser!

http://www.pinnaclef...light=CMOSTimer german
newest Version CMOSTimer 1.23 ,you must be member of the forum


http://www.pinnaclef...22&d=1144175810 german

http://www.boraxsoft...STimer_ger.html german

http://www.boraxsoft...STimer_eng.html english

The script of HermannDerUser works with a list to start the PC from BIOS.
He runs it in the schedular after a TV software to start the PC right before the next shoot.

The difference to CMOSTimerGui is mainly the Gui, dates (not only times),
no need for schedular and some other small things. You can see all at the pics.


Important:
At first you had to get the CMOSTimer to work. Read the Instructions carefully.
The program changes Values in the Bios! When the commandline works, you can take my Gui.

What:
The Gui can start and shutdown the PC at times taken from a list.
You have the option of repeated actions (every day, only modays ..).

where:
Put the program or script in the CMOSTimer folder and make a link to the Autostartfolder.

how:
When the program starts it looks if there is a wakeuptime in the future.
This time will be set in Bios. Then the program is put into the tray.
If a shutdowntimer is set and you close the program the shutdown won't be done.
If you doubleclick on the trayicon a Window with the timerlist is opened.
If you click into the list a second window is opened where you can change, add or delete times

why?
Perhaps as VCR or running a Web(FTP)server only a few hours a day when you are
in holidays or at work. Or start the PC before the alarm - clock gets you out of bed.

some pics:

PC is shutdown:


Mainwindow; klick on a date to open the following window:


make your wakeup- and shudowntimes:


Doubleklick opens or closes the mainwindow


send the window to the tray with a rightclick on minimize:


Traymenu; Shutdown works with the shutdown,9 command



download:

CMOSTimerGui.ahk oder CMOSTimerGui.exe

If you want to test it without the need of CMOSTimer you can take this
(timed shutdown works):
CMOSTimerGui_test.exe oder CMOSTimerGui_test.ahk

have fun
haichen

This is really great!

I completely missed your post, because the title does not tell the really important function: Wake up your PC at a specified time. (Would you consider changing the title?) If the PC is up, we can run scripts, so when I get up in the morning my Internet can be connected, emails loaded, coffee brewing…

Thanks for sharing it!

Thanks for sharing . You may already be aware but there is an alternative that works well in most cases (although requires additional hardware) if your bios allows you to set the state after a power failure (power on, power off or last state). Changing this setting to 'power on' then plugging your PC into a timer can allow you to start up your PC at a specific time (the flexibility depends on the timer). Myself, I never shut any of them down unless they require repairs...

The external timer-switch does not work with laptop's, and needs a special feature (immediate off – timed on, which is not so common), but the PC would be completely powered down, so it serves a somewhat different purpose.

Automatically starting up a laptop at a specific time doesn't sound like a great idea. Many people keep them in a case when not in use. If your laptop is always setup then maybe you should consider a desktop... . For the desktop, it depends on the bios whether it will power up after a power failure if the PC was previously powered down.

People avoid desktops for all kind of reasons. For example, I regularly use a set of SW, for which the licenses have cost over $10,000. Having a desktop in my office and another at home is cheap, but when I work from home, I'd need another set of licenses (one for each CPU, so a removable hard disk does not help). Instead, I carry a good laptop, and use it as a desktop replacement. There is also the synchronization problem between two PC's. Consequently, I would be happy if my only computer, my laptop wakes up 10 minutes before me.

A dynamically set laptop wakeup time makes also sense: works like an alarm clock, when on the road. Not even a fixed wake up time is a problem if the laptop is kept in a case, because then it is powered down, not kept in sleep mode, so it will not wake up.

A dynamically set laptop wakeup time makes also sense: works like an alarm clock, when on the road. Not even a fixed wake up time is a problem if the laptop is kept in a case, because then it is powered down, not kept in sleep mode, so it will not wake up.

I'm not sure I understand what you are trying to say. If a fixed wake up time is set that requires user intervention then you could as well just press the power button. If it is set to wake without user intervention then I would be surprised if it shut itself down if the lid was closed instead of starting up suspended (possibly in a case heating up with the battery being drained).

Scheduled tasks can wake a computer from standby or hibernate mode to perform a task. I think, that's the easiest way to start a computer automatically . You can find infos on hibernate mode here. Hibernate mode does't drain the battery.
If you don't want your computer to power up automatically the next morning, just shut it down instead of using the hibernate mode. Scheduled tasks can't wake a computer from real "off"

Boskoop

Hibernate mode dumps memory to the hard drive and, unfortunately, I have found many, many times in the past that it didn't wake up properly. For that reason I never use it. Your mileage may of course vary. The hibernate mode isn't the real issue though. I wouldn't want to have my laptop sitting in the case and have it automatically wake from hibernation into standby mode...

Not even a fixed wake up time is a problem if the laptop is kept in a case, because then it is powered down, not kept in sleep mode, so it will not wake up.

I'm not sure I understand what you are trying to say.

Scenario 1: I want my laptop to wake up in the pre-set regular time (7:50AM). The night before, for shut down, I press the Sleep button, instead of the Power button. The laptop does not completely power down, but it is not a problem: I keep it plugged in, but in sleep mode the battery charge covers several days.

Scenario 2: I don't want my laptop to wake up the next morning (I am traveling, want a quiet weekend…). The night before I press the Power button to shut it down, instead of the Sleep button. The laptop completely powers down, and will not react to the CMOS timer signal. I can keep it in its case indefinitely, the battery will not dry out.

Neither case requires "user intervention".

I would be surprised if it shut itself down if the lid was closed

Don't be surprised. Windows let you configure the actions for closing the lid. It can be nothing, sleep, hibernate or power down, and you can also define hotkeys for all of these actions (in case some of them has no physical keys).

Don't be surprised. Windows let you configure the actions for closing the lid. It can be nothing, sleep, hibernate or power down, and you can also define hotkeys for all of these actions (in case some of them has no physical keys).

These actions tend to have different effects if the lid was already closed on some machines though.