How to prevent Windows Home server waking for backup

06
2013-12
  • Andronicus

    Since changing the motherboard in my Windows home server it has been switching itself on every night to perform a scheduled backup.

    I don't want this to happen though, I want to switch the server on using Wake on lan, but I want to manually perform backups if/when required.

    I know I can disable backups of each computer, and the machine wont turn on, but I want to allow manually triggered backups, or automatic backups if the homeserver is on, but if its in sleep mode, I wish it to stay in that state unless I wake it.

    How can this be achieved?

    • Answers
  • Ashimema

    First off; It's a pretty good idea to let the server perform the backups, and therefore automatically resume for them. However, I can understand wanting to save power etc so...

    Do you have any further power related addon's installed on you Home Server that may be starting the system? WHS is primarily designed as an always on device and I didn't think that it initially shipped with an "auto-wake for backup" task running as it wasn't meant to be a common need. Hence why I'm asking "Is anything else causing your wakeup (Lights-Out maybe?)

    If it is by design, then there is no simple way to disable it that I know of, as it can be achieved in a number of ways. My first place to look would be the "task scheduler" on the home server box. (You'll need to remote terminal in to take a look though)

  • Asher

    Maybe I am misting something, but if you right click the WHS icon in one of the client computers there is a check-box which you can uncheck to achieve your goal ("Wake this computer for backup")


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    • Related Answers
  • JP Alioto

    It might be your wake on lan settings in your bios, this needs to be enabled.

  • Weaver

    For all machines, check your BIOS power settings to ensure Wake on LAN is enabled.

    If you are planning on using the wireless cards to enact Wireless Wake on LAN you also have to ensure the BIOS can even support this function.

  • Mike Powell

    I know that this is old now, but WHS does NOT use WOL for backups. When the machine is on, it talks to WHS and finds out what the backup window, and then schedules a time to wake up. Once awake, the machine will check if it’s running on batteries. If it is, it will put the machine to sleep (even if it was hibernating). If not it will jump in to a queue for a WHS backup. Once complete, it will put the machine to sleep (again, even if it was hibernating). As for this question, check the WHS Tray app is marked to “Wake This Computer for Backup” and that it is plugged in to power.

  • Matthew Whited

    Wake on LAN has nothing to do with the OS. As the other have stated you need to check the BIOS and NIC support this feature (and have it turned on)