Computer Automatically turns on

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TWINKIT

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#29286 1-Jan-2009 14:30

Hi There, I'm not sure which forum this should go under as I don't know the cause of the problem. At around 12 am when I'm at work my computer turns on by its self, I have checked the Task Scheduler and can not see anything there that would cause this, Then I checked all software I have currently updated still Can't see anything there, I have just 2 Minutes ago changed the System Restore Auto start time but I don't think that is the reason for my Computer turning on. I have run several Anti SpyWare programs that have reported Tracking cookies which I deleted. Short of unpluging my Computer how do I stop this. When it comes on it stays at the Login Screen so I can't see what program has been running. Is there a Boot log on WINDOWS VISTA?, I look at the Event Manager but there is simply to much to shift through by the time I get home. I can get a Hijack this log if that helps. I hope someone can help this is a waste of power and more importantly to me it may be stressing my hard drive out doing a long scan or something.

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Biddle Corp

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#186909 1-Jan-2009 14:36

Odds are the sleep settings in the BIOS and RTC alarm are set so the computer either wakes up itself at 1200 or a piece of software is setting a 1200 wakeup in the BIOS alarm settings. Do you put your computer into sleep/suspend/hibernate mode when you shut it off or physically shut down the PC?

What sort of company do you work for? Is it a small IT environment or a large company? If you're in a company and have IT people have you asked them fir

TWINKIT

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#186910 1-Jan-2009 14:54

I haven't changed any BIOS settings and this is a new problem. As for software I have updated several programs and examined the update settings and have found they are not set to start at this time. I set my computer to Hibernate but I have done that for a long time now and this problem started about 2 weeks ago which is why I don't really suspect the new updates about 2 days ago . I'm a home user

freitasm

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#186913 1-Jan-2009 16:08

It is either a BIOS setting as pointed out by sbiddle, or an automated backup (not every backup use the system Task Scheduler), or an ativirus automatic update, or a LAN wakeup - is this PC connected directly to the Internet or something else?

Also faulty drivers do it - make sure you are using the latest video and network drivers.

TWINKIT

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Geek

#186937 1-Jan-2009 19:40

I physicually disconnect the computer before going to work and have just today gone into by BIOS and disabled wake up on LAN (I think that is what it said I have to go now and don't have the time to recheck) I was going to to set my Nortons to Block Internet Traffic as opposed to physicually disconnecting my modem. I have tried a number of things now so I'll wait till tomorrow morning to find out if it has worked, Thanks for your reply

manhinli

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#186938 1-Jan-2009 19:46

My mum's PC has this strange condition too - even after a motherboard change to a different brand and model (not because of this though

)

I'm pretty sure I've looked into the drivers and Wake Up on LAN/USB etc settings, but I'll probably have another look.

What we have is a plug adapter which also has a switch on it, and plug the power cable to it.

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TWINKIT

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#186974 2-Jan-2009 09:09

I'm sure mine is caused by Application software but I so many It would take a very long time to find especially as I would first have to fine where the settings for Updates are. I think its rude that a Soft Ware developer would put settings that allow there Soft Ware to wake your computer from Sleep or in my case Hibernation. Is there a BOOTLOG for VISTA?

paul151

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#187088 2-Jan-2009 22:44

sbiddle: Odds are the sleep settings in the BIOS and RTC alarm are set so the computer either wakes up itself at 1200 or a piece of software is setting a 1200 wakeup in the BIOS alarm settings. Do you put your computer into sleep/suspend/hibernate mode when you shut it off or physically shut down the PC?

Yes I agree with Steve.

If you can disable the wake on lan options in the bios that's a good start point.

If this does not work I'd opt to shutdown the pc one night instead of putting it into a state of sleep or hibernation - just to see if the system would still wake up - if it did it would point more to a software prob vs a wake on lan issue.

If your machine was fine two weeks ago you could consider a system restore back to a point around that time if all else fails... this could address the software culprit that you suspect..

My money is on a 'wake on magic packet' etc. issue

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TWINKIT

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#187712 6-Jan-2009 09:15

As far as I can see my BIOS only has to lan settings

1) ONBOARD LAN ENABLED
2) ONBOARD LAN BOOT ROM DISABLED (I think I disabled it due to my interprataion of an earlier thread

Last night I completely shutdown my computer as opposed to putting it into Hibernation and it stayed off (just to be clear the power cord was still connected I just selected SHUT DOWN from the start menu) so now I'm guessing that means it is a software problem and I don't want to restore to an earlier day incase I lose some of the updates I have made or the new apps I have installed so I guess I have to go through each program and try to find the live update settings, I thought it would be some of my SpyWare but I don't see any being set for 12 am which is when it seems to turn on. is there a Bootlog for VISTA?

paul151

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#187722 6-Jan-2009 09:38

TWINKIT: As far as I can see my BIOS only has to lan settings

1) ONBOARD LAN ENABLED
2) ONBOARD LAN BOOT ROM DISABLED (I think I disabled it due to my interprataion of an earlier thread

Last night I completely shutdown my computer as opposed to putting it into Hibernation and it stayed off (just to be clear the power cord was still connected I just selected SHUT DOWN from the start menu) so now I'm guessing that means it is a software problem and I don't want to restore to an earlier day incase I lose some of the updates I have made or the new apps I have installed so I guess I have to go through each program and try to find the live update settings, I thought it would be some of my SpyWare but I don't see any being set for 12 am which is when it seems to turn on. is there a Bootlog for VISTA?

I still think it's a wake on lan thing which will only happen from a state of sleep or hibernation.

I'll go check my bios settings on one of my pc's and come back to you with areas / settings to check.

The switches you list above are not it.

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TWINKIT

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#187727 6-Jan-2009 10:08

Having read your reply I went back into my BIOS and found under my Power options a setting that reads WOL IN S4 the help screen says this means Wake on Lan but doesn't state what the s4 is about but that is immaterial as it is disabled. I apprieciate your help and hope someone has a answer for me as its quiet annoying (Sorry I am clearly not the best speller). please tell me does LAN mean Local Area Network because if it does I have a Woosh Wireless modem and a Wirless Router which I only connect if i'm taking my laptop outside, someone in my area must have a wireless router as well as at different times of the day when I select connect to a wireless DLink modem shows, for some reason I have to continualy connect to my modem when I'm not using my Wireless Router thats how I know

DrGr33n

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#187819 6-Jan-2009 16:10

Hi

S4 is one of about 5 states of sleep your computer is capable of, hibernate in your case. Yes LAN is an acronym for local area network, and no it won't effect your wireless connection by disabling WOL. (but I'm sure it will solve your problem.) WOL or wake on LAN is mostly used to access your computer from a remote location. You can also stop your network adapter from waking up your P.C in Device Manager.
Network Adapter > Properties > Power Managment >"make your choice." Just a wild guess but it could be the Windows clock synchronizing
to 'Internet Time' waking up your 'puter.

Cheers ;-)

TWINKIT

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#187852 6-Jan-2009 18:40

Tried your advice but didn't find sync there, howerver my network adapter is a NAVIDIA nForce and has a Wake on Lan from power off option that was enabled so I have Disabled it now so now I will Hibernate my computer and see if that helps. I also went to the clock on the task bar and adjust time and date then went through a couple of steps where it had a check mark next to sync with Internet time server and I unchecked that so here's hoping. Thanks for your help I think this is going to work this time.

paul151

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#187854 6-Jan-2009 18:55

TWINKIT: Tried your advice but didn't find sync there, howerver my network adapter is a NAVIDIA nForce and has a Wake on Lan from power off option that was enabled so I have Disabled it now so now I will Hibernate my computer and see if that helps. I also went to the clock on the task bar and adjust time and date then went through a couple of steps where it had a check mark next to sync with Internet time server and I unchecked that so here's hoping. Thanks for your help I think this is going to work this time.

Good advice disabling the wake on lan or wake on magic packet for the network adaptor should ( he says fingers crossed ) do the trick...

The bios also sometimes has a setting in it to map the sleep states to the S1-S5 settings which can help you if you drivers for your network adaptor are looking for a certain S state to relate to when trying to 'wake on..'

I don't think disabling the time synch on the time server is necessary - it usually polls about once a week and if I understand you the problem was almost nightly around midnight? I'd renable the time sych and try the first fix with adding an extra one on top to complicate it.

Glad you found the the other BIOS settings - you're doing great Marcos

Paul

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TWINKIT

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#187957 7-Jan-2009 09:59

UNBELIVEABLE it didn't work so on a hunch I went into my Nortons internet security settings and looked at the log viewer it stated
07/01/09 12:00:17 protecting your connection to a newly detected network on adapter NVIDIA nForce Networking controller (IP "address") this is the earlies program result i can find. I use to have and exclamation next to my 6to4 adapter, this adapter is listed 13 times if I choose to view hidden hidden devices, but thats gone now I think that is because I ran Advanced Windows Care (now called Advance System Care) on my computer which is meant to fix any problems (and no it is not scheduled to start at any given time

). I have disabled my NIVIDIA adaptor from being able to wake the computer so I'm confused as can be. I'm going to run a full Scan on my computer now with Spyware Doctor this will take around 2 hours.

freitasm

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#187959 7-Jan-2009 10:11

Is this computer connected to a Windows Home Server with backup turned on? Do you have the option to run automatic defragmentation? Have you updated video drivers?

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