I am leaving for 3 weeks and would like to have my pc start up, download e-mail and shut down on a schedule. Is this possible? What software?

I get 150 spams a day with my dumb cable isp and the mail box will fill to saturation, whereas my Outlook 2003 email client will delete all the garbage automatically if it can start up and run on some regtular basis.

I don't think that is possible via a software solution rikytik - it would have to be something hardware based, I think.

Sorry I can't be of more help but never had the occasion to use something like that - you may be able to do something software based if you can leave your box on though :)

/JD

Um yea don't think thats possible either. As how the hell would the software run if your computer is off. Maybe another computer could turn it on. Hardware and software solution. But I imagine you don't want to do that. That would kinda defeat the purpose it seems.

Hmm, maybe plug your surge protector into a lamp timer?

Or if that doesn't sound too appealing, just plug the tower into the timer, and set your bios to auto start when power is detected? Not sure if this is possible though.

There's definately software that will shut the computer down safely, after running for a period of time.. At least I recall seeing it somewhere.

Interesting, never tried that. Sounds kinda risky though.

lol i htink i would just leave my pc on and then set the email software to autocheck email every day or hour or what ever. other then that there is no easy way to do it, because it would envolve both hardwere and software.

I would change my email addy before leaving, telling only your friends about it.

Besides of that I also would consider to go for the lamp timer solution. It might be good enough to let the computer load every second or third day using a timer with days and hours in the setting.

Thanks for the brain storming session. I'll cogitate a bit more. We will be on a ship in the Antarctic and there aren't many internet cafe's down that way. :)

:wacko:

All the computers I owned in the last 10 years all had the ability to automaticly turn on at a certain time, configurable through BIOS/CMOS settings. Most boxes I had b4 that had an options to automaticaly startup after a power outage. Am I the only one with boxes like that?
Use this option with a device that automaticaly turn the power on and your in business to. If both options are unavailable for you then you do have a problem, although putting a jumper over the powerswitch connector on your mainboard might be worth a shot.

After that of course the autologon, automatic email retrieval by starting your email client, and a bacht file that waits for half an hour, and then turns off your computer again.

Another options is to automaticaly forward (and delete) your email to another addy. This of course would have to be an feature tht is provided by your ISP.

Last option is to ask friends/family to retrieve the messages for you, and save them in a PST file for ya.

PM me if you can't get this solved, there are many ways to solve your problem, I might be able to provide one for ya.

Cheers
Cacti

You are absolutely right Cactus. My BIOS has a setting to auto start the pc by means of the internal clock. All I need is to find my auto shut down program. It can also be started by a lamp timer, not to mention a modem.

I can figure it out, ok. Thanks for the push! but, you are right it might be just as well to have a buddy do it. My mail box can be accessed from any web browser, but I have no forwarding features from my ISP.

The old expression RFI (read the freaking instructions) applies here. I seldom read instructions--a failing! :)