How set up UPS to auto-power down PC?

[George]

I'm using a WinXP-pro PC and wondered if a few experienced users/experts
might offer suggestions on following...

1) Is there a UPS unit (suggested brands/models?) that can be linked to the
PC or its BIOS to *automatically* power down after X minutes when power
drops and it's relying only on the UPS's battery? Is the control function
connected to the PC by something like a USB cable?

2) How difficult is this to set up, are there some instructions somewhere
easy to find?

3) Is this a good way to manage a PC when away from home? I'd like to use
remote-desktop, but we have a few power failures and I don't want to leave
my PC on and have it get into a conflict with a storm and power outage when
I'm not there. Electronics don't always win these things.

Thanks,
George

 

[Carey Frisch [MVP]]

Purchase an APC battery backup and then download
the APC PowerChute Personal Edition software.
http://www.apc.com/tools/ups_select...=basic&cgi_referer_check=&return_query_string

PowerChute Personal Edition v1.5.0
http://www.apc.com/resource/include/techspec_index.cfm?base_sku=SFPCPE151

--
Carey Frisch
Microsoft MVP
Windows XP - Shell/User

Be Smart! Protect Your PC!
http://www.microsoft.com/athome/security/protect/default.aspx

----------------------------------------------------------------------------

:

| I'm using a WinXP-pro PC and wondered if a few experienced users/experts
| might offer suggestions on following...
|
| 1) Is there a UPS unit (suggested brands/models?) that can be linked to the
| PC or its BIOS to *automatically* power down after X minutes when power
| drops and it's relying only on the UPS's battery? Is the control function
| connected to the PC by something like a USB cable?
|
| 2) How difficult is this to set up, are there some instructions somewhere
| easy to find?
|
| 3) Is this a good way to manage a PC when away from home? I'd like to use
| remote-desktop, but we have a few power failures and I don't want to leave
| my PC on and have it get into a conflict with a storm and power outage when
| I'm not there. Electronics don't always win these things.
|
| Thanks,
| George

 

[Tom Pepper Willett]

I use APC American Power Conversion, which comes with software that let's
you control it completely.

Tom
| I'm using a WinXP-pro PC and wondered if a few experienced users/experts
| might offer suggestions on following...
|
| 1) Is there a UPS unit (suggested brands/models?) that can be linked to
the
| PC or its BIOS to *automatically* power down after X minutes when power
| drops and it's relying only on the UPS's battery? Is the control function
| connected to the PC by something like a USB cable?
|
| 2) How difficult is this to set up, are there some instructions somewhere
| easy to find?
|
| 3) Is this a good way to manage a PC when away from home? I'd like to use
| remote-desktop, but we have a few power failures and I don't want to leave
| my PC on and have it get into a conflict with a storm and power outage
when
| I'm not there. Electronics don't always win these things.
|
| Thanks,
| George
|
|
|

 

[Jed Sheckler]

Yup, like the others said APC (available at Staples or any computer store)
UPS devices connect to your computer via USB and will automatically shut
down your PC at X minutes before the battery dies.

 

[George]

Thank you for the responses, all are greatly appreciated. Excuse my lack of
UPC currentness, I wondered about...

Is this relatively easy to set up, does it involve... a) going into the
BIOS, or b) it's a CD (or downloaded .exe file) that takes care of
everything, and provides an app with a menu to set up and make choices,
etc.?

It looks APC has lots of models, are we talking about something like the APC
Back-UPS ES USB 650VA w/TEL & COAX 120V which retails around $80.

Tom, you mentioned it controls it completely, does that mean you can also
(or should) turn in "ON" remotely somehow (with IP packets, or dial-in), so
it's not "ON" all the time, but only when needed?

For the average-George PC, along with flat screen monitor and "maybe" a
small laser printer on the power strip, would the 650VA provide 5 minutes
before shutdown? 10 minutes? More?

What if someone's working on the PC, does it shut down apps (Word, Excel,
IE6) in an "orderly" way, if the person doesn't himself. And warn it's about
to?

After power comes back on, does it (or can you set it to) re-power up the PC
again?

Thanks,
George

 

[Carey Frisch [MVP]]

You can download a free APC manual for any APC backup:
http://www.apcc.com/tools/mytools/index.cfm?action=umfamily

--
Carey Frisch
Microsoft MVP
Windows XP - Shell/User

Be Smart! Protect Your PC!
http://www.microsoft.com/athome/security/protect/default.aspx

----------------------------------------------------------------------------

:

| Thank you for the responses, all are greatly appreciated. Excuse my lack of
| UPC currentness, I wondered about...
|
| Is this relatively easy to set up, does it involve... a) going into the
| BIOS, or b) it's a CD (or downloaded .exe file) that takes care of
| everything, and provides an app with a menu to set up and make choices,
| etc.?
|
| It looks APC has lots of models, are we talking about something like the APC
| Back-UPS ES USB 650VA w/TEL & COAX 120V which retails around $80.
|
| Tom, you mentioned it controls it completely, does that mean you can also
| (or should) turn in "ON" remotely somehow (with IP packets, or dial-in), so
| it's not "ON" all the time, but only when needed?
|
| For the average-George PC, along with flat screen monitor and "maybe" a
| small laser printer on the power strip, would the 650VA provide 5 minutes
| before shutdown? 10 minutes? More?
|
| What if someone's working on the PC, does it shut down apps (Word, Excel,
| IE6) in an "orderly" way, if the person doesn't himself. And warn it's about
| to?
|
| After power comes back on, does it (or can you set it to) re-power up the PC
| again?
|
| Thanks,
| George