powerchute options not working

[Anonymous user]

* preserve battery power 1 min option does not work, computer stays powered-on for much longer than 1 minutes
* run self-test passes and date of last manual self-test show todays date but when I exit powerchute, then open it again, it show an older date, not today 
* Estimated Battery time does not display a number of minutes, just displays -- min 
* keep my computer on as long as possible option... computer stays powered-on but does not permit me to go in and save files and close applications. what use is this option if it's going to go ahead and shutdown on its own when battery is drained?

I'm running Windows 7 Home Premium 64-bit. I'm wondering if maybe my power options might be overriding powerchute options? Please let me know if that is likely, and I will include them here so that we can determine which options are changing/blocking powerchute behavior. Windows does not present the options is a helpful way for displaying the current settings, which are 2-3 levels deep in a tree-like format, otherwise I'f just include screenshots here. With Windows hardly anything is ever that easy/simple.

TIA, Phil

[BillP]

Hi,

On 7/14/2016 12:00 PM, phil said:

* preserve battery power 1 min option does not work, computer stays powered-on for much longer than 1 minutes

How much longer? After 1 minute the shutdown counter should start and after 1 more minute the OS should begin to shutdown.

On 7/14/2016 12:00 PM, phil said:

* run self-test passes and date of last manual self-test show todays date but when I exit powerchute, then open it again, it show an older date, not today 

This data is written to the UPS so there is an issue with the UPS saving the data. What is the model and serial number of the UPS?

On 7/14/2016 12:00 PM, phil said:

* Estimated Battery time does not display a number of minutes, just displays -- min 

This data is also provided by the UPS. If the software is showing min the it is not receiving the data from the UPS. For this and the above issue you can try to reset the UPS to see if the issue is resolved.

1: Disconnect any attached load.

2: Unplug the UPS from the wall socket.

3: Disconnect the UPS' internal battery.

4: Push and hold the "On" button on the UPS for 5 seconds

5: Reconnect internal battery.

6: Plug UPS in to known good power source.

7: Turn UPS on.

On 7/14/2016 12:00 PM, phil said:

keep my computer on as long as possible option... computer stays powered-on but does not permit me to go in and save files and close applications. what use is this option if it's going to go ahead and shutdown on its own when battery is drained?

The software is working as designed. Once the power down command is started the OS will shut down. Prior to the start of the shut down the system should run as normal and file save should be available. 

[Anonymous user]

On 7/14/2016 2:27 PM, Bill said:

How much longer? After 1 minute the shutdown counter should start and after 1 more minute the OS should begin to shutdown.

I think you answered that yourself. I should wait 2 minutes(1+1), and I did wait more than that. What should have been happening after I wait more than 2 minutes? Isn't this just another case of the "keep my computer on as long as possible" not working?

On 7/14/2016 2:27 PM, Bill said:

This data is written to the UPS so there is an issue with the UPS saving the data. What is the model and serial number of the UPS?

back-ups es 750. I don't see a serial number anywhere. Maybe it's on the bottom?

On 7/14/2016 2:27 PM, Bill said:

This data is also provided by the UPS. If the software is showing min the it is not receiving the data from the UPS. For this and the above issue you can try to reset the UPS to see if the issue is resolved.

This isn't a convenient time to do the reset, especially if it doesn't fix the "keep the computer on as long as possible" issue.

On 7/14/2016 2:27 PM, Bill said:

The software is working as designed. Once the power down command is started the OS will shut down. Prior to the start of the shut down the system should run as normal and file save should be available. 

I take it that the data issues, even if resolved by a reset, will have no impact on the keep my computer on as long as possible option?

So, as I said, the computer stays powered-on but does not permit me to go in and save files and close applications. The computer is not responsive to keyboard or mouse, the monitor screen is black. My choices are press the power-off button or wait until the power goes off on its own. That's what I did and the computer eventually just powered-off. This doesn't sound to me like the system is running "as normal and file save should be available."

I try to find a godd time to: shutdown, do the reset, restart with a minimum system, and test the "keep my computer on as long as possible" option. I'll report back my results.

[BillP]

Phil,

I tested Keep computer on as long as possible with ES750 and PCPE 3.0.2 on Windows 7 Pro HP EliteBook 8570W (I don't have a desktop available right now). When the UPS switches to on battery I can still edit files and save them.

When PCPE is installed the native power options are disable so I'm not sure why your system would be locking you out and dimming the screen.

BTW the serial number is on the bar code sticker on the bottom of the UPS or you can access the information via PCPE under the technical data page. 

[Anonymous user]

The battery wire was attached so tightly to the terminal that I couldn't detach it with mere
finger-power. I didn't want to risk damaging the terminal by using pliers, so I didn't detach
the battery. I DID press and hold the ON button on the UPS for a few seconds.

I went to the user guide for further information and read that powerchute (PCPE) has a
taskbar tooltip. It was set to "hide icons and notifications" on my system. I changed this to
"show icon and notifications" and saw that the two PCPE services were disabled. I figured
that my issues with PCPE might be related to that, so I changed the two services to
autostart_delay. Now (after reboot) when I open PCPE, the two services are running and
the displays shows the correct info (estimated time..., latest self test..., etc.)

I found the serial number from the technical data page of PCPE. 

As for the actual behavior when a power outage occurs (a simulated one by unlplugging
the APC device), I'm still unable to get either runtime option -- preserve battery power or
keep my computer on as long as possible -- to let me back in to save files. The screen just
goes black and the UPS beeps for some period of time and then shuts down.

Perhaps I'm expecting behavior that is NOT SUPPOSED TO HAPPEN? Here's what I'm
expecting:

1. I unplug the power to the UPS (to simulate a power interruption)
2. The screen goes black.
3. The UPS beeps every-once-in-a-while to signify that it's running on battery power.
4. At the designated number of minutes of battery life left, the computer comes alive and
enable me to save files.
5. I leave the power unpluged to the UPS (to simulate prolonged power interruption).
6. The UPS dies.

What actually happens is that step 4 never ends. The computer never come alive.

Am I expecting something that the UPS is not designed to deliver?

[BillP]

Phil,

On 7/19/2016 9:46 PM, phil said:

1. I unplug the power to the UPS (to simulate a power interruption)

You should not unplug the UPS to simulate a power failure. When you unplug the UPS you are breaking ground and neutral and that may cause an issue with the UPS. To test a power failure you should plug the UPS into a power strip or an outlet that is controlled by a switch and kill the power via the switch. By using a switched power strip or switched outlet the ground and neutral are not broken.

On 7/19/2016 9:46 PM, phil said:

2. The screen goes black.

 The screen should not go black as long as it is powered. Is the screen plugged into one of the battery / surge outlets or plugged into a surge only outlet? 

On 7/19/2016 9:46 PM, phil said:

4. At the designated number of minutes of battery life left, the computer comes alive and
enable me to save files.

The computer should not die so therefore there is no need to come alive. When PowerChute is installed it activates Windows hibernation so when a shutdown is started all unsaved files and open folder are saved to memory on th harddrive. When the system restarts the items are replace to there last known state. 

NOTE: you can disable hibernate and when that happens the system just shuts down without saving any items. 

[Anonymous user]

I'm trying very hard to troubleshoot this in a way that provides both of us with accurate information. It takes a lot of time: rebooting to make sure I'm always starting from scratch; starting with a minimum system so I don't risk losing important data when I don't get the opportunity to save files; visually and audibly observing the behavior after the simulated power interruption; taking screenshots to document settings so I don't misremember; carefully proofing my postings here to avoid misinformation. So,

1. Please answer my question: Am I expecting something that the UPS is not designed to deliver?

2. 

On 7/20/2016 8:11 AM, Bill said:

NOTE: you can disable hibernate and when that happens the system just shuts down without saving any items. 

Are you saying that the behavior I've described is what would happen on my system if hibernate is disabled. I mentioned that in my initial post but you did not answer then. "I'm wondering if maybe my power options might be overriding powerchute options?"

[voidstar_apc]

What Bill is saying is what you've described isn't how we'd expect things to work under ordinary conditions. To replicate ordinary conditions, make sure you're not pulling the plug but rather using a surge strip or other switchable outlet to turn off power. Also make sure the monitor isn't plugged into the surge-only outlet.

What I expect (and Bill can correct me if I'm wrong):

1. You press the power button on the surge strip to interrupt power to the UPS.

2. The computer remains on as if nothing happened.

3. At a time depending on your settings, the computer hibernates.

4. Power returns

5. UPS charges its battery to meet the minimum return runtime (not sure if this is a BackUPS thing or just a SmartUPS thing)

6. The UPS re-applies power to the computer (the UPS turns its output off sometime between step 3 and 6)

7. If set up to wake up on power return (BIOS setting), computer turns back on and resumes from hibernation.

On 7/20/2016 9:50 AM, phil said:

I'm wondering if maybe my power options might be overriding powerchute options?

We don't expect that to happen when PowerChute is installed properly.

[BillP]

Hi,

As a follow up, 

On 7/21/2016 12:36 AM, voidstar said:

3. At a time depending on your settings, the computer hibernates.

If you have turned off hibernation the system will shut down without file save. To verify hibernation is on open a command prompt as an administrator and run the command powercfg.exe /hibernate on. 

On 7/21/2016 12:36 AM, voidstar said:

5. UPS charges its battery to meet the minimum return runtime (not sure if this is a BackUPS thing or just a SmartUPS thing)

This feature is not available with a Back-UPS ES750. When AC is restored the UPS will power back up and restore power to the outlets. 

On 7/20/2016 9:50 AM, phil said:

I'm wondering if maybe my power options might be overriding powerchute options?

When PowerChute is installed it disables the native power options for an on battery event. However, I am not sure what has happened with your system. Along with disabling native power options it also installs services and set those to start automatically. You wrote and an earlier post that the services were set to manual not automatic so there is no way to know what else may have changed since initial installation. It may be wise to uninstall PowerChute, reboot the system and then reinstall. That way the install with be set to defaults.  

[Anonymous user · Accepted solution]

None of the changes stated made any difference. It still does not work as
expected. You may close this as far as I'm concerned.