[SOLVED] Setting up a PC to switch on automatically at a specific time via Bios " setup task remotely "

Dec 10, 2020
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In regards to the following I was looking to setup some Windows 10 computers in my office office to automatically switch on each morning in case they were switched off the day before by our users when they were working remotely from home.

I know this can be done in the bios settings manually by pressing F2 on bootup if I was to be in the office but my question was if there was a way possible to get this done remotely, either by PowerShell scripts or group policy whilst the PC's are switched on and if someone could please point me in the right direction if this is something simple to administer ?

We are currently using dell OptiPlex 7010's and we do have the ability to Wake on Lan etc on our network but we would have liked to automate this if possible and I was thinking setting this in the bios may be the best option, unless someone does have a better idea?

Please let me know if anyone does have any ideas or if someone could point me in the right direction.

Thanks
 
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Solution
normally, you would go to each workstation and run control panel-> hardware and sound->power options ->
system settings then
change the When I press the power button from shut down change it to sleep.
(so fewer people will disable the machine from being able to wake up)

then go to control panel device manager, find the network adapter you want to be able to wake the machine.
find the power management tab and disable Allow the computer to turn off this device to save power.
next go to the advanced tab and look at the list for something like wol or WAKE on Lan, or Wake On Magic Packet
and enable the setting.

now you would google "windows 10 wake on LAN utility" and it should point you to some free utilities that can send a...
Task Scheduler

https://www.isunshare.com/windows-10/how-to-set-windows-10-computer-to-auto-start-on-a-schedule.html
 
Task Scheduler won't be running if the PC is off.

You can change some/nearly all bios settings with PowerShell's cscript command, I'm not sure on what HP allows. I'm not sure if there is an 'everyday' setting in the bios for wake on rtc alarm or not.
 
normally, you would go to each workstation and run control panel-> hardware and sound->power options ->
system settings then
change the When I press the power button from shut down change it to sleep.
(so fewer people will disable the machine from being able to wake up)

then go to control panel device manager, find the network adapter you want to be able to wake the machine.
find the power management tab and disable Allow the computer to turn off this device to save power.
next go to the advanced tab and look at the list for something like wol or WAKE on Lan, or Wake On Magic Packet
and enable the setting.

now you would google "windows 10 wake on LAN utility" and it should point you to some free utilities that can send a wake packet to other machines on your local network.

you would have one machine that you know will not be shutdown, run the app at a certain time each day and it will send a wake on LAN magic packet to each of the machines you want to wake up.

There might be better ways to do now. I think it has been about 15 years since I tried it.
Main problem was getting people not to turn off power strips and make the machine sleep rather than shutdown.

this might be a better description, showing you how to make settings and get the mac address from each network card.
Wake On LAN In Windows 10 (How To Guide) (techjunkie.com)

-looks like a lot of machines have a wake on lan inside the bios now.
 
Solution