Set Power Options for All Users

[HerbAndEdnaWeinstein]

Hi, the task I want to accomplish is seemingly simple: I want to set a power policy on a computer that applies - by default - to any user who logs on to it, be they the lowliest guest or the highest administrator.

I tried simply setting the power settings on the machine as Computer Administrator and as Domain Administrator, but this did not work.

I also looked into a utility called EZ-GPO, but I don't think I should have to run tough-to-administer software to handle something this fundamental.

Any ideas where to start troubleshooting? Thanks in advance for any help.

Herbie

 

[qtin]

A snip from:

http://www.tek-tips.com/viewthread.cfm?SQID=373648&SPID=779&newpid=779&page=1

**********************

You need to create a custom ADM template and import it into a policy. We have one set that works on 2k and forces all the pcs into an 'always on' setting.

I don't know where exactly the registry setting is in XP so this may or may not work. It should at least point you in the right direction.

A snip from our .adm file:

;;;;;;;;;;;;
CLASS USER;;
;;;;;;;;;;;;

;Turns the power settings to 'Always On'
CATEGORY "XXXXXXXXX"
POLICY "Power settings"
KEYNAME "Control Panel\PowerCfg"
EXPLAIN !!PowerExplanation
PART "Power Policy" DROPDOWNLIST
VALUENAME "CurrentPowerPolicy"
ITEMLIST
NAME "Always On"
VALUE 3
NAME Presentation
VALUE 2
END ITEMLIST
END PART
END POLICY
END CATEGORY

[strings]
PowerExplanation = "If enabled, the selected power setting will apply\n\nIf disabled or not configured, the user's specified power setting will be used.\n\nWhen set to Always On the monitor will blank after 5 minutes, but the computer (or laptop) will never go into power save.\nWhen set to Presentation computers (or laptops) will not blank their screens, but laptops will go into power save.

 

[bcastner]

User key: [HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Control Panel\PowerCfg]
System Key: [HKEY_USERS\.DEFAULT\Control Panel\PowerCfg]

Value Name: CurrentPowerPolicy
Data Type: REG_SZ (String Value)

Modify the existing value, or create a new string value, called "CurrentPowerPolicy" and set it to a value (0 to 5) from the table below.

0 - Home/Office desktop
1 - Portable/Laptop computer
2 - Monitor on for presentations
3 - Network computer (no Wake-on-LAN)
4 - Optimized for high performance
5 - Optimized for power saving
Restart Windows for the change to take effect.

The system key is effective when no power options have been set for a user.

You can always set the key for a user, export it, and create a small batch file in the All Users, Startup Programs folder to push the change using regedit /s.

 

[HerbAndEdnaWeinstein]

qtin: Thanks, that's one road I'm pursuing as we speak.

bcastner: If the user already has a power policy defined on the computer, will simply deleting the key for that user cause the all users version of the key to take precedence?

 

[bcastner]

Yes.
But just do the overwrite:

Copy paste below this line as power_set.reg :
Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00

[-HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Control Panel\PowerCfg]

[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Control Panel\PowerCfg]
"CurrentPowerPolicy"="3"
****** end/copy paste
(Change "3" to whatever you choose)

 

[HerbAndEdnaWeinstein]

Thanks. I'm giving this a shot as well...