LightsOut is a power management add-in that allows you to place your home server in sleep or hibernation at scheduled times.

To go to sleep, you can choose from several methods:

• On demand, when no more clients are active
• Based on a calendar, as a single action or repeated each weekday
• Or as a combination of both methods

You can define times, where the server has to be up and running:

• Using the calendar
• Based on the defined backup time

Wake up

A suspended or hibernated server can be resumed using a calendar event.
You can also install a small application on your client machines to wake up your server when needed.

Developer: Martin Rothschink

More Info: Download | Support Forum | Review

Release History

v0.8.2 (25th June 2009)

Important changes:

• Fix for ACER Aspire easyStore H430 (see below)
• Fix for wrong backup time calculation
• Fix for occasionally wrong standby detection

Changes on LightsOut Client (used for server wake-up via WOL):

• Improved support for virtual NICs installed by VirtualBox or Vmware
• Improved support for VPN networks

v0.8

• Localisation into French, Spanish, Chinese & Japanese
• Whenever a restore operation is detected, LightsOut keeps the server running for 2 hours for each selected volume
• The help file is now opened on the server and no longer requires a LightsOut client installation
• The Uptime diagram shows tooltip details about computers and remote access
• A version check has been added for SB Core service. When a fixed version is detected, a warning is no longer displayed.

Experience Level: Standard

PowerSwitch puts Windows Home Server into Sleep or Hibernation and resumes it at user defined times.

In the tab you’ll see two time entries and a drop down for selecting power down state.  Simply select the times you want WHS to wake up and sleep, the method of shutdown (standby or hibernate if supported).

Please enter the administrator password into the dialog box.  For consistent operation of the shut down task you should enter this.  If you feel uncomfortable entering in your password you can wait to do until after the task scheduler task is created.  Then you can enter it into the task in the task scheduler (task name is PowerSwitchService).

If you happen to change your password while you have a task created you should change the password on the task itself.

Hit apply/ok and your WHS machine will merrily go to sleep and wake itself up at the specified times.

If you need to access your WHS machine, simply hit the on/off button on your WHS machine to start it.  If you’ve woken the machine before PowerSwitch.exe is suppose to turn it back you should kill the PowerSwitch.exe process before it attempts to shut the system back down (five minutes after start).  You can restart the process by executing C:\Program Files\PowerSwitch\PowerSwitch.exe.  This will immediately put your computer into hibernate or standby.

The developer is now no longer actively developing this add-in.

Developer: C Hanlon

More Info: Download | Support Forum | Review

Release History

v0.82

• Final release (retired)