Much damage?

[anneymouse]

Hi. I am hoping to do a training session on saving work regularly,
for impact, I want to hit the power switch on 30 networked computers
whilst the kids are halfway through a leaflet. Will this do any
damage if I only did it once?

 

[R. McCarty]

Any "Abrupt" power loss has risks associated with it. At the least you'll
likely leave some disk drives in an inconsistent state. (Require a Chkdsk
to resolve). Worst case you may end up with unbootable machine(s).

The lesson can probably be taught without putting your hardware at risk.

Better to focus on "Auto Save" features of the application used to create
the document.

 

[Pegasus \(MVP\)]

Hi. I am hoping to do a training session on saving work regularly,
for impact, I want to hit the power switch on 30 networked computers
whilst the kids are halfway through a leaflet. Will this do any
damage if I only did it once?

I don't think this is a good idea. Much better to schedule a task
on each machine that runs every ten minutes. It must run under
an admin account and it should invoke this batch file:

@echo off
if not exist \\YourServer\SomeShare\Shutdown.txt goto :eof
shutdown -s -t 3 -f -c "Mains failure! Your computer will now shut down."

Each time you wish to run your little test you create the file
Shutdown.txt. When finished, delete the file.

 

[Bill W]

Is the network on a UPS? If so, most UPS software will allow a scheduled,
OS initiated power-off of every computer on the network. It wouldn't be any
different than turning off or restarting the computers from the Start button
because the OS if shutting down the computers under power. I'd schedule the
"turn off" at a time appropriate for greatest impact. Just make sure you're
not impacting anyone other than the students.

 

[anneymouse]

Is the network on a UPS? If so, most UPS software will allow a scheduled,
OS initiated power-off of every computer on the network. It wouldn't be any
different than turning off or restarting the computers from the Start button
because the OS if shutting down the computers under power. I'd schedule the
"turn off" at a time appropriate for greatest impact. Just make sure you're
not impacting anyone other than the students.






- Show quoted text -

Thanks Bill W, you understood the essential impact of it all! I will
have a word with the technician see if we can set this up in one room
only.

 

[HeyBub]

Hi. I am hoping to do a training session on saving work regularly,
for impact, I want to hit the power switch on 30 networked computers
whilst the kids are halfway through a leaflet. Will this do any
damage if I only did it once?

Similar to stopping your car by driving into a tree. It may cause
significant damage or none at all.

 

[Ken Blake, MVP]

Hi. I am hoping to do a training session on saving work regularly,
for impact, I want to hit the power switch on 30 networked computers
whilst the kids are halfway through a leaflet. Will this do any
damage if I only did it once?

How many times you do it is irrelevant. You are at risk *every* time you do
it.

There's no guarantee that you will have a problem every time you do it, but
the risk is always there. I would personally never do this on purpose.
Moreover, if it's a training session, even if it doesn't cause a problem,
you would be conveying a very poor message to the kids--"if he can do it and
get away with it, I probably can too."

 

[Uncle Grumpy]

Hi. I am hoping to do a training session on saving work regularly,
for impact, I want to hit the power switch on 30 networked computers
whilst the kids are halfway through a leaflet. Will this do any
damage if I only did it once?

Someone else needs to be hired to take over for you. Anyone in your
position should know that doing such a thing could be catastrophic.

 

[anneymouse]

Someone else needs to be hired to take over for you. Anyone in your
position should know that doing such a thing could be catastrophic.

Yes Uncle Grumpy, I am so incompetant that I will actually go stand
outside now and self flog.

 

[Uncle Grumpy]

Yes Uncle Grumpy, I am so incompetant that I will actually go stand
outside now and self flog.

It's "incompetent".

 

[anneymouse]

It's "incompetent".

Thank you, I've written it down.

 

[MassiveProng]

Yes Uncle Grumpy, I am so incompetant that I will actually go stand
outside now and self flog.

Turning OFF the power to a bank of AC loads at the same time can in
no way "be catastrophic".

I would not, however, recommend turning them all on all at once.

If they are familiar with the autosave features of their
application, if any, they should set it to a few minutes to minimize
lost work, and you should instruct this as a good practice in any
circumstance where a UPS is not implemented.

Strange method of instruction, but should be harmless if, as
suggested above, it is only done for the power off cycle. The
powering back up should be done in singular series method.

There. Flogging session is over. We now go to stone the other
idiot on the wall of retardation!

 

[MassiveProng]

It's "incompetent".

You mean like your response was?

 

[MassiveProng]

Thank you, I've written it down.

The word for today is:

Pedantic

 

[Noncompliant]

While it is a big reality check doing it realistically (power loss), could
impact any or all of the networked PCs operating systems. Even while I have
an UPS, I'm still anxious when removing power when the PC locks up (rare).
In those instances, XP noted no problems after subsequent bootup. Nor could
I detect any. Wonder if there's any way to intentionally cause XP to not
respond? Another something that happens in real life, and subject to the
users whims of saving data on regular basis.

 

[MassiveProng]

While it is a big reality check doing it realistically (power loss), could
impact any or all of the networked PCs operating systems.

Are you telling us that Windows cannot handle a power outage????!!!

NO!

Where did you go to school, boy?

Though me pressing my reset switch right now would not save any
current activity or system states, it certainly shouldn't cause any
problem.

Even the rare instance that a hard drive write was taking place at
the time should be relatively safe these days, given that drive makers
prevent stray bits from spraying all over your drive as the head
retracts, as it once did.

So... Where's the beef?

 

[MassiveProng]

Noncompliant

Top posting Usenet retard!

That is aside from your lack of computer system knowledge.
You also lack knowledge of simple, decades established posting
protocols.

 

[MassiveProng]

I don't think this is a good idea. Much better to schedule a task
on each machine that runs every ten minutes. It must run under
an admin account and it should invoke this batch file:

@echo off
if not exist \\YourServer\SomeShare\Shutdown.txt goto :eof
shutdown -s -t 3 -f -c "Mains failure! Your computer will now shut down."

Each time you wish to run your little test you create the file
Shutdown.txt. When finished, delete the file.

Which absolutely in no way even approaches his test circumstance.

 

[MassiveProng]

Similar to stopping your car by driving into a tree. It may cause
significant damage or none at all.

Wrong. Hitting a tree with your car will NEVER cause "none at all"
in the damage arena. There will always be damage. Unless you want to
be some retarded pedantic twit and claim that a 0.5 MPH hit negates my
claim. Whoopie doo, boy.

Pulling the plug on a PC with a PROPER operating system should NEVER
cause any damage other than lost current work at the time of the power
outage.

Where do you guys get the idea that a good OS should not be able to
handle this common occurrence?

 

[MassiveProng]

How many times you do it is irrelevant. You are at risk *every* time you do
it.

Why? Is this a Windows thing?

Did you even take computer science anywhere?

How could you not know that a good system IS supposed to be
resilient enough to handle such events?