Archived from groups: microsoft.public.windowsxp.customize (
More info?)
On 4/24/05 01:14:36, Sharon F wrote:
>> Pretty much all recent computers have power supplies that provide
>> "always on" standby power to the mobo.
>
> I realize all of this, Gerhard.
By your comments, I'm not so sure whether you really realize the
ramifications of this.
> The original OP asked what their options were if the machine was turned
> OFF.
I'm also not so sure where you got this from. Quote:
> ..> Are there some way to turn on a computer remotely? How could I do it?
> ..> By command line is it possible? What is necessary?
I used the best search engines <g>, but none of them could find the word
"OFF" in the original post.
> Of course there are options with power management but that's not what
> they specified.
There wasn't really that much "specified" other than that the OP wants to
"turn on a computer remotely". Which in a way implies that it is turned off
-- but doesn't really specify /how/ exactly it is turned off.
So what do /you/ mean when you say "the machine was turned OFF"?
Here is a possibly not exhaustive list of possibilities:
1- You put the computer into standby. I'd say that most computer-literates
wouldn't use the term "off" for this state (because you can't really unplug
the computer in this state without losing data, and because the power
supply is in a different state as when the computer is normally "off"), but
it is possible. Wake-on-LAN (WOL) works here.
2- You put the computer into hibernation. This conceivably might be called
"off" (one reason being that the power supply is in a state that's pretty
much the same as when the computer is normally "off"). A normal ATX power
supply provides the mobo with standby power in this state, and WOL works
here.
3- You use the Windows "shutdown" command or something similar (that is,
you use another way to invoke the same function). This is probably the most
"normal" case of "off". A standard ATX power supply provides the mobo with
standby power in this state, and WOL works here.
4- You press the power button for more than 4 seconds. After this, the
computer is in the same state as after #3 above. That is, standby power is
available, and WOL works.
5- You switch off the power switch at the power supply at the back of your
computer (if your power supply has such a switch). If it exists, this is
usually a "hard" power switch, and in this case no standby power would be
provided, and WOL wouldn't work.
6- You cut the power supply to the computer (unplugging it, switching off
the power strip, etc.) Same as with #5: no standby power, no WOL.
Now I'd say that what most people would call a "switched off" computer is
something like 3, 4 and maybe 2. In all these cases, WOL can work (because
the mobo gets standby power and can supply the NIC with it). It can't work
in cases 5 or 6, but I'm reasonably sure that the OP would imagine this.
Gerhard