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How to make a machine that is in a shut-down state to auto power up at a scheduled period of time?

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assuming that the machine is shut down normally and the auto power up need to be scheduled without human intervention. – Larry Morries Sep 26 '11 at 1:12
Windows? Linux? OSX? Looking for a hardware solution? Can another machine invoke the one you want to turn on? More info is needed here. Your question is rather nebulous. – skub Sep 26 '11 at 2:02
@skub referring to any machine (can be Windows or Linux or OSX). Software solution prefer but can also be hardware solution if software solution is not available. can use another machine to invoke but prefer that the machine itself can perform it. – Larry Morries Sep 26 '11 at 2:23
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3 Answers

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Many modern BIOS have an option to set the computer to power on at a scheduled time. This would seem like your best bet, since a full software solution really isn't going to pan out, IMHO.

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Can list out examples of which motherboard BIOS have the option to set the computer to power on at a scheduled time? Also, what are the work-around for BIOS being password-protected (therefore cannot go to BIOS to set the setting)? – Larry Morries Sep 26 '11 at 2:34
It's going to come down to the BIOS installed on the motherboard. Most modern iterations of Award BIOS have this feature. Also, regarding your question about circumventing the CMOS password, you could remove the battery and wait 30 seconds or so...but that will also reset teh clock and any other settings stored. – Justin Pearce Sep 26 '11 at 2:38
Other ways beside the removing of battery - I do not wish the reset the clock and other settings stored. – Larry Morries Sep 26 '11 at 4:16
Not really, no. – Justin Pearce Sep 26 '11 at 13:15
+1 Thanks for the solution which I can apply for my modern machine BIOS. – Larry Morries Sep 28 '11 at 1:11
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up vote 0 down vote accepted

After reading the answer given by Justin Pearce, I can conclude (at this point of time) that there are no way to power up a old machine at a scheduled time. However, there it is possible to power up a new modern machine at a scheduled time.

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If there is another machine that can reach the target machine over the local network, and it is powered on at the desired time, then you can use Wake-On-LAN. The target machine's NIC must support it though, most made in the last 5 years or so do.

There are many applications that can do this, command line, GUI, free, I'm pretty sure most Linux distros come with it as standard.

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