Having trouble waking up computer from Standby or Hibernate via Remote Desktop

[Jawadali]

Hello,

I hope everyone had a wonderful Christmas.

Mods, feel free to move this thread to a more appropriate section if it is currently in the wrong place.

I was troubleshooting what will eventually become my "file server" over the past few days, and was running into a problem.

In addition to basic file organization via Remote Desktop, I eventually want to be able to create folders on this system to map network drives for other computers in the house, and was thinking that instead of leaving the system always on, that it could wake up as needed when accessed over the network. This would reduce the noise as well as the power consumption.

I can currently access my file server PC via Remote Desktop when the PC is on, but I want the server to "wake up" from either Standby or Hibernate when I access it via Remote Desktop connection, I can never connect.


Here are some quick specs of the server:


-Windows XP Pro SP3

-DFI Infinity Nforce2 Ultra Motherboard with onboard LAN (Socket 462) with latest BIOS (11/24/2004)

-Latest nForce2 drivers are installed from the nVidia website

-No keyboard, mouse, monitor, or speakers are connected

-only one user account with a password and administrator privileges

-Static IP address manually configured

-MAC Address disabled (not entered) in BIOS

-Wake-on-LAN is enabled in BIOS and in Device manager

-"Allow the computer to turn off this device to save power" is unchecked in the device manager

-Prompt for Password on resume from Standby is disabled

-Screen Saver (and password prompt) is disabled

-PCs accessing the server are running Windows XP Pro

- Under Power Options, "Turn of System Disks" is set to never, System is set to standby after 20 minutes and to hibernate after 2 hours. However, Standby and Hibernate settings were adjusted to shorter time periods while I was testing.



I tried playing with many of the options of the nForce Networking Controller in the device manager (including all of the power saving options), and tried only enabling either standby or hibernate, but nothing seems to work. I have to "wake up" the system using the power or reset button on the server, and then log in via Remote Desktop.

There was only one BIOS option relevant to Wake-on-LAN, and it is enabled. Wake-on-Ring, which I think is for modems, is disabled.


My old motherboard, which was an Epox 8RGA+ (also nForce 2 chipset), seemed to be able to do this fine with its onboard LAN.

However, that board wouldn't boot after a power outage, plus some capacitors started leaking, so it was replaced with the DFI board I am currently using. I also wanted to use the DFI board's SATA capabilities, and plan to add more SATA drives in the future.


Any help is appreciated.

Thanks in advance,

Jawadali

 

[nessus]

If the server has gone into standby or hibernate, you have to use an application to send a wake on LAN packet. The MS RDP client does not send a wake on LAN packet before trying to connect.

Solarwinds has a freeware app that can send wake on LAN packets.

http://www.solarwinds.com/products/freetools/wake_on_lan.aspx

Its also possible that the sleep state on your old board may have been set to a higher state with more power draw and more circuits on the motherboard still with power. Maybe sleeping at S1 instead of S3.

 

[Jawadali]

I know that Wake-on-LAN requires a magic packet, but IIRC that is only required if the computer is totally off.

This used to work on an older board (resume from standby/hibernate over a network). The basic idea is outlined here: http://www.exoid.com/?page_id=47

I am positive it was in S3 and not S1, as that was the setting in the BIOS and the fans/HDDs were powered down.