WS2k3 - If Standby -time > 5min, Server doesn't fall asleep
Hello all,
my Problem is, that i want my Windows Server 2003 to switch into Standby after some time x, to save energy.
It will wake up on ping or some other request.
If the Standby-time is smaller than 5 min. - then it works fine,
but if the time is > 5 min. - the Server doesn't fall asleep!
First I thought something pings the Server from the network, so i separated the Server from the network,
but standby still doesn't work.
Then i stopped the "task-planer" service, so Windows can't start any hidden work,
but something seems to reset the idle counter.
Do someone know, which processes or events can reset the idle counter, and how to disable them?
Correct me if i'm wrong...
Okay what I gather... The server does infact go into standby under anything less than a 5 minute interval. The standby feature does work. My question would be.... If you let the server sit idle for 10 minutes... Allowing every server service and program to start. Then initiate a less than 5 minute sleep mode timer does it then still go to sleep?
It seems to have something to do with the Standby time limit threshold value in the Power Management settings and something occuring after the 5 minute idle mark on the server that makes the server think it is still active.
This server better not be a Domain Controller. Because NTFRS\AD\DFS\DNS\DHCP and many other database services will not like being interrupted by a low power mode scheme placed on the hard-disks. Bad idea. But, if this is a standard server then I can't see why standby should be a problem. If you are planning on running a standby feature on your server make sure it is only configured as a standard server. That means No NTFRS\Active Directory\SQL or any databases running! It basically would act as a file and print server. In which case if you had under 10 computers that will be accessing this server you could technically get away with just running an XP Pro Workstation. LOL!
Another thing to check... If you have UPS software installed... That software might interfere with the system not going into standby as it constantly would be checking the status of the UPS battery and the power activity. I would just use the native Server 2003 power management tools rather than third party.
The first thing i'd start with is a msconfig selective startup and disable all the third party programs\services even a print monitor could be the culprit. Only have the bare essentials running just enough to make the machine bootable to a desktop. Then test your power scheme! I'd even go as far as turning off non essentials windows services such as DHCP\DNS\WINS\Server services.
Anything that polls could essentially cause an interruption in your power saving scheme.
You also may want to try updating or changing the video driver on the server as well.
Ultimately it would help if you told us what role this server has and what you want it to do interms of being a server.
Just for the record I love Microsoft Server 2003 SP2 and especially Server 2003 R2 SP2. Microsoft hit the nail on the head when they released this Operating system and I can't say enough good things about it! IT JUST WORKS!
It can be done - sort of...
I've had a similar problem with Windows 2003 R2.
The best tool I've found to analyse what is going on and fix some of the problems is the beta version of MCE Standby Tool:
http://slicksolutions.eu/mst.shtml
The logging and info displayed on the "idle" tab has been invaluable.
Even with this I've still not been able to figure out exactly which services/processes are keeping it awake and at what frequency. Results of tests disabling and re-enabling services individually have been inconsistent. There doesn't appear to be a simple one-to-one relationship and behaviour is different with and without a network connection.
On my system the following all seem to be involved keeping the server awake:
- DHCP Client (every ~10 mins if IP is DHCP reserved)
- Server (every ~10 mins plus another asynchronous with ~15 mins between periods of execution)
- NetLogon (but can't figure out frequency in addition to Server)
- WMI (maybe? - can't figure out when this occurs)
- Browser (maybe? - can't figure out frequency in addition to Server)
The result is that standby times >= 5 mins won't work and with shorter ones it can take a bit longer than that before it actually goes into standby
However in the end I realised that this all doesn't matter - I set the standby time to 3 mins and the hibernation time to 5 mins. In practice other machines keep the server awake when they need it and when they shut down (and nothing else is going on) the server goes into standby and then later hibernates. Turn a machine on and it wakes up. It's not quite as a aggressive as I originally wanted but it's good enough.
For all the naysayers out there this is a DC, DNS and fileserver on a small network that I don't want on 24/7. You do get some warnings from AD, ESENT etc. about abnormally long transactions but they seem to complete eventually when the machine wakes up without any problems.
--
Simon
