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BIOS Settings for Remote Imaging

Equipment
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Jerry Gerber avatar
Jerry Gerber avatar
My new Windows 11 PC's BIOS does not have a setting called 'Wake on AC'. This setting allows the computer to boot remotely from a state of being off when it receives power from the WPS. 

There is however a setting called State 0, which seems to accomplish the same thing, but, if I understand correctly, it keeps the computer in a semi-on state even when off.

Is there any downside to using State 0?

Thanks, 
Jerry
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Jerry Gerber avatar
Jerry Gerber avatar
Surely you would have checked that before you bought it, not all PC’s have the wake on AC option.

Obviously I didn't. 

It wouldn't be in the specs, even the most detailed specs.
Bill McLaughlin avatar
Bill McLaughlin avatar

That is why I build my own since I can check the Mobo and bios before the build. Building gives you tons of options that buying does not.

Tim Ray avatar
Tim Ray avatar

Hi Jerry,

What NUC did you purchase? or Mini PC???

Thanks Tim

Ferrante Enriques avatar
Ferrante Enriques avatar

state 0 usually means the fully operational mode of a PC, while state 1 to 5 are decreasing power consumption states (sleep, hibernate, off).

It seems your setting would work if it says “state 0 on AC’'.

For booting a PC from remote also wake on lan comes handy if you have this setting in your BIOS

ferrante

Brian Puhl avatar
Brian Puhl avatar

You want something called “restore power on AC loss”.

S0 is a power on state and will do nothing once power is removed.

Frédéric Tapissier avatar
Frédéric Tapissier avatar

try Firmware update ;)

Jerry Gerber avatar
Jerry Gerber avatar
Problem solved. 

STATE S0 powers on the PC when AC power is applied.

I tested it several times and it works.
I also have Wake on LAN enabled. 

The company that makes the computer says that the BIOS contains 'Power On AC' but I've not found it yet.
Jerry Gerber avatar
Jerry Gerber avatar
Hi Jerry,

What NUC did you purchase? or Mini PC???

Thanks Ti


Geekom IT12 (i7-1280P CPU)
Jerry Gerber avatar
Jerry Gerber avatar
Brian Puhl:
You want something called “restore power on AC loss”.

S0 is a power on state and will do nothing once power is removed.

S0 works.
Jerry Gerber avatar
Jerry Gerber avatar
Jerry Gerber · Sep 8, 2025 at 11:54 PM
AstroStew:
Surely you would have checked that before you bought it, not all PC’s have the wake on AC option.

Obviously I didn't. 

It wouldn't be in the specs, even the most detailed specs.

It is in the specs on the Mele PC I use, even the basic specs show it as a feature

I did not purchase a Mele. I'm replacing the Mele I have with a Geekom IT12.

Specifics on the BIOS functionality are available, but I had to dig around on the website for them.
John Hayes avatar
John Hayes avatar

Jerry,

You have found the same thing that I’ve found. The “Power On after Reboot” option in many BIOS incarnations can be very difficult to find. It took me a lot of time and searching before I figured it out on my Minisforum PC and I’ve pretty much forgotten where it was. In my view, it wasn’t in a very logical place and it was labeled as something rather confusing. In my experience, virtually all PCs have this feature but it can be buried so deep in the BIOS that it’s a frustrating experience trying to figure it out.

John

Well Written
Jerry Gerber avatar
Jerry Gerber avatar
John Hayes:
Jerry,

You have found the same thing that I’ve found. The “Power On after Reboot” option in many BIOS incarnations can be very difficult to find. It took me a lot of time and searching before I figured it out on my Minisforum PC and I’ve pretty much forgotten where it was. In my view, it wasn’t in a very logical place and it was labeled as something rather confusing. In my experience, virtually all PCs have this feature but it can be buried so deep in the BIOS that it’s a frustrating experience trying to figure it out.

John


Yeah , it's strange. I've been configuring settings in the BIOS for decades but they keep renaming things!

I'm still searching for Power On AC but I think the setting is now called State 0, at least in this particular BIOS. In any event when I turn on the power strip it powers up. 
 
I think it's ready to be sent to HCRO.
Benny Colyn avatar
Benny Colyn avatar

Heya,

What I haven’t seen mentioned: if this machine is fully remote (as apposed to a backyard observatory or something) I would highly recommend investing in something like a PiKVM or JetKVM. These have extensions for either tapping into ATX power management (desktop power button) or DC power switching (for mini PCs). This way you can remotely reinstall the operating system if needed, change firmware settings or even update the firmware from the other side of the planet. Traditionally this is enterprise-grade hardware (out-of-band-management) but the aforementioned options are open source and affordable (well as affordable as anything in this hobby). It is an absolute lifesaver if a software update hoses the OS, or a piece of malware forces a reinstall, you need to run memtest86 (when you suspect RAM has gone bad) or the thing just needs a good old power cycle. I cannot recommend it enough.

As for changes in BIOS options: Power management on PC hardware is going trough some changes, with the traditional S-states getting removed and the “connected standby” (where all power management is done through the OS) is getting pushed as the new way of working. This brings changes in the UEFI (“BIOS”, except it hasn’t been a proper BIOS in years anymore), not always welcome for our use cases but it is what it is.

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