PowerChute not hibernating PC

[Anonymous user]

Hi. I found out today that if we lose power and my Win 7 PC is at the Windows Login screen, PowerChute will not hibernate it. I googled this and found that PowerChute won't work if Windows is locked. So I attempted to fix it by logging into the PC and then waiting 3 minutes for it to hibernate on its own (I have the option selected: "Preserve battery power. Shut down my computer when it has been on battery backup power for: 3 min"), but it never did it. It just says "Time until shutdown: <1 minute" and then never does anything. It seems like if the power outage occurs while at the Windows Login screen, it somehow cancels PowerChute so even if you login to the machine it will no longer work. Is this intended, and is there a workaround?

This is the first time we had a power outage while this PC was on the login screen. Usually it is not at that screen, and PowerChute has always worked. So I am attributing it to that, but am not 100% sure.

Additionally, when PowerChute works successfully and it shuts down the PC, since it is only connected to that one device, the battery backup also stops making noise after hiberating the PC. But if I hibernate the PC manually, the battery backup keeps running. I was looking for a "hibernate now" button within the PowerChute software so I could force PowerChute to do it, but could not find anything like this. What would you recommend in this case? (although if I can fix the first issue, this one becomes moot)

I am using PowerChute Personal Edition 3.0.2, with Back-UPS BX1300G on firmware 864.L5.D

Thank you.

[BillP]

Hi,

On 4/11/2018 10:42 AM, chris said:

Hi. I found out today that if we lose power and my Win 7 PC is at the Windows Login screen, PowerChute will not hibernate it. I googled this and found that PowerChute won't work if Windows is locked. So I attempted to fix it by logging into the PC and then waiting 3 minutes for it to hibernate on its own (I have the option selected: "Preserve battery power. Shut down my computer when it has been on battery backup power for: 3 min"), but it never did it. It just says "Time until shutdown: <1 minute" and then never does anything. It seems like if the power outage occurs while at the Windows Login screen, it somehow cancels PowerChute so even if you login to the machine it will no longer work. Is this intended, and is there a workaround?

When you logged into the system did you log in remotely or directly onto the PC?

On 4/11/2018 10:42 AM, chris said:

Additionally, when PowerChute works successfully and it shuts down the PC, since it is only connected to that one device, the battery backup also stops making noise after hiberating the PC. But if I hibernate the PC manually, the battery backup keeps running. I was looking for a "hibernate now" button within the PowerChute software so I could force PowerChute to do it, but could not find anything like this. What would you recommend in this case? (although if I can fix the first issue, this one becomes moot)

PowerChute does not offer a hibernate button. You can hibernate the PC from the Windows start button or from command line. 

[Anonymous user]

On 4/12/2018 12:57 PM, Bill said:

When you logged into the system did you log in remotely or directly onto the PC?

I logged in directly.

On 4/12/2018 12:57 PM, Bill said:

You can hibernate the PC from the Windows start button or from command line. 

I noticed that when PowerChute works correctly and it puts the PC in hibernation, the APC also quiets down immediately after. But when I put the PC in hibernation manually, the APC keeps running loudly. It's strange.

[BillP]

Hi,

On 4/16/2018 12:35 AM, Steve said:

APC doesn't update their software ever, so I would never expect a fix from them.

That is not an accurate statement. We are continually updating supported OS and just recently released PowerChute Business Edition 9.5. We are also in the planning stages for PowerChute Network Shutdown 4.3 and PowerChute Business Edition 10. 

PowerChute Personal Edition version 3.0.2 was released in 2014 and we continually test with the latest versions of Microsoft Windows. When Microsoft release Windows 10 we tested to verify compatibility and we release a patch to correct a login issue in 2016. 

[Anonymous user]

Hi Bill, can you tell me how to fix the issue I'm having?

[BillP]

Chris,

I ran a few tests on Windows 7 Pro and Windows 10 Pro. I installed PCPE 3.0.2 and configured to hibernate the systems after being on battery for 1 minute. First test I pressed Ctrl Alt Delete and selected lock system. Put the Back-UPS on battery and after 1 minute the system started the power down process. Second test I log out and after 1 minute the system started the power down process. Third test I put the system to sleep. After 3 minute nothing so I woke the system and after 1 minute it started the power down process. Forth test I configured the APC USB driver and allowed it to wake the system. I put the system to sleep and waiting 30 seconds then switched the UPS to battery. When the UPS switched to battery the system woke and after 1 minute started the power down process. 

With the exception of having a remote session open the system should power down / hibernate depending the state the system is in. 

[Anonymous user]

No I haven't looked into Cyberpower. In the past I didn't lock this PC and PowerChute always worked perfectly, so I'm attributing the recent failure to locking but am not sure. If it continues to have this issue I might do that.

[Anonymous user]

Which model did you get?

Can you test it to see if it successfully hibernates the PC, if you're at the Windows Lockscreen, and then the power goes out, and you stay at the Lockscreen, is the software still capable of hibernating the PC?

Also, how loud is it when it comes on?

We had another power outage recently and again it didn't hibernate because my PC was at the lockscreen. The second I logged in, it hibernated it. So if I'm asleep or not at home, it would defeat the purpose.

[BillP]

Chris,

As I mentioned in an earlier post I tested Windows 10 and 7 at the log in state and in sleep mode with no issue with the OS being powering down. Have you tested putting the PC to sleep being sure to set the driver to wake the OS? Another option would be to hibernate when not in use or set up native power options to power down the system if you feel the issue is PowerChute. 

[Anonymous user]

Hi Bill. Here are the exact steps to replicate the issue on my PC if you want to double check:

1. Plug APC into wall outlet. Plug computer, monitor, and computer speakers into APC.

2. Run Windows 7 64bit on the PC. Log in, do some stuff. Leave some applications open such as notepad, Firefox, and a couple Windows Explorer windows. Make sure PowerChute is configured to "preserve battery power: 3 min."

3. Press Windows Key + L, to lock it.

4. Turn off the monitor.

5. Lose power. APC kicks in automatically.

For me, this is it. It doesn't hibernate the PC. If I want it to hibernate, I have to add an additional step: "6. Type Windows password to unlock" and then the second it's logged back in it hibernates.

Since power outages are rare enough, I prefer not to hibernate the PC when I'm not using it, because it makes things inconvenient for the 99% of the time when the power is fine. Whenever I'm not using the PC, all I do is Win+L and turn off the monitor.

If you replicate these steps and it works correctly for you, then that is bizarre.

[BillP]

Chris,

I tried again on Win 7 & 10 with differing hardware and cannot reproduce the issue. To prevent the system from not shutting down properly I suggest hibernating it. That way the system will be safe and you will save energy which is an added benefit. 

[Anonymous user · Accepted solution]

If by some chance PowerChute won't do what you want or expect, there are other options.

Windows has had built in support for APC UPSes attached over USB for a very long time now. (The same is also true for many UPSes from competing manufacturers.) Remove PowerChute and you can switch back to Windows' built in support, which can safely shut down your computer and save all your work when the UPS says it is time.

There is also a program known as apcupsd that can monitor your APC UPS and perform a safe shutdown. apcupsd is primarily developed for Linux and Unix systems, but has a Windows port. While setup is a little more involved, apcupsd has wide ranging capability. If you elect to install and try apcupsd, you will need to remove PowerChute first.