For the past week (since the last Microsoft updates?), my computer has been turning itself on at 3 a.m. from a complete shut down (not sleep or hibernate). I tried the recommended changes to power management: To prevent programs from waking your computer Open Power Options by clicking the Start button , clickingControl Panel, clicking System and Security, and then clickingPower Options. On the Select a power plan page, click Change plan settings for the plan that you want to change. On the Change settings for the plan page, click Change advanced power settings. On the Advanced settings tab, expand Sleep, expand Allow wake timers, choose Disable for both when your computer is running on battery and when it's plugged in, and then click OK. It is still waking itself up. There do not appear to be any scheduled tasks, and the network hasn't been authorized to wake the computer up. I am running Windows 7.

Check the BIOS and look for a setting like Wake on Modem or Wake on Lan.

Don't know if this is an issue. But today my PC came on because, some how, my Avast AV program had a scheduled Quick scan. I didn't set it up. At least I don't remember setting it. Actually it was labeled "Unnamed Scan". I went to the AV scan window and selected the 'Unnamed scan' and check scheduling. It was set to start at 3PM on the 28th of each month. But checking the settings of the scheduling it had the option selections of 'daily', 'weekly' and 'monthly'. Also the settings has a wake up command choice. All I did was remove that scan from the drop down menu. And then checked to see if ANY of the other scan options was scheduled to run automatically. Making sure non of them were. I do scan my computer about once a week. Or anytime I notice something quirky. But I set it for a 'Boot' scan. Full scan of system at next boot. Hope this helps...for some one.

Have you tried to turn Win-Updates off? 'Control Panel\All Control Panel Items\Windows Update' Select ...left...'change settings'... select "Never check for updates'. 'OK' at the bottom. Other then that get a registry cleaner/fixer. " Piriform CCleaner" has one built into it's program. Works quite well. I run it several times a month. Only time it shows any registry errors is after a Windows update that I do 'manually' once a month. I suggest this 'Piriform' program because it's safe, has a free version, and has not caused any problems with several years of use on 5 machines.

Well, it still turned itself on at 3 am. I was able to download and install updates yesterday, so that doesn't appear to be the problem now. EventLog says there was a warning when I was shutting down yesterday: Windows detected your registry file is still in use by other applications or services. The file will be unloaded now. The applications or services that hold your registry file may not function properly afterwards. Guess I will start pulling the battery out when I don't want it to turn on.

Please type the following in an elevated command prompt and paste the results in your next post powercfg /A powercfg /waketimers powercfg /lastwake powercfg /devicequery wake_armed

Why does my Windows 7 computer turn itself on at 3 a.m.?

Anonymous

For the past week (since the last Microsoft updates?), my computer has been turning itself on at 3 a.m. from a complete shut down (not sleep or hibernate). I tried the recommended changes to power management:

To prevent programs from waking your computer

Open Power Options by clicking the Start button , clickingControl Panel, clicking System and Security, and then clickingPower Options.
On the Select a power plan page, click Change plan settings for the plan that you want to change.
On the Change settings for the plan page, click Change advanced power settings.
On the Advanced settings tab, expand Sleep, expand Allow wake timers, choose Disable for both when your computer is running on battery and when it's plugged in, and then click OK.

It is still waking itself up. There do not appear to be any scheduled tasks, and the network hasn't been authorized to wake the computer up.

I am running Windows 7.

Locked Question. This question was migrated from the Microsoft Support Community. You can vote on whether it's helpful, but you can't add comments or replies or follow the question.

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15 answers

Anonymous

2016-06-22T15:04:39+00:00

Check the BIOS and look for a setting like Wake on Modem or Wake on Lan.
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5 people found this answer helpful.

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Anonymous

2016-06-29T01:56:36+00:00

Don't know if this is an issue. But today my PC came on because, some how, my Avast AV program had a scheduled Quick scan.

I didn't set it up. At least I don't remember setting it.

Actually it was labeled "Unnamed Scan". I went to the AV scan window and selected the 'Unnamed scan' and check scheduling. It was set to start at 3PM on the 28th of each month.

But checking the settings of the scheduling it had the option selections of 'daily', 'weekly' and 'monthly'.

Also the settings has a wake up command choice.

All I did was remove that scan from the drop down menu. And then checked to see if ANY of the other scan options was scheduled to run automatically. Making sure non of them were.

I do scan my computer about once a week. Or anytime I notice something quirky. But I set it for a 'Boot' scan. Full scan of system at next boot.

Hope this helps...for some one.
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3 people found this answer helpful.

0 comments No comments
Anonymous

2016-06-23T17:05:52+00:00

Have you tried to turn Win-Updates off?

'Control Panel\All Control Panel Items\Windows Update'

Select ...left...'change settings'...

select "Never check for updates'. 'OK' at the bottom.

Other then that get a registry cleaner/fixer.

" Piriform CCleaner" has one built into it's program. Works quite well.

I run it several times a month. Only time it shows any registry errors is after a Windows update that I do 'manually' once a month.

I suggest this 'Piriform' program because it's safe, has a free version, and has not caused any problems with several years of use on 5 machines.
Please sign in to rate this answer.

3 people found this answer helpful.

0 comments No comments
Anonymous

2016-06-23T12:46:12+00:00

Well, it still turned itself on at 3 am. I was able to download and install updates yesterday, so that doesn't appear to be the problem now. EventLog says there was a warning when I was shutting down yesterday: Windows detected your registry file is still in use by other applications or services. The file will be unloaded now. The applications or services that hold your registry file may not function properly afterwards.

Guess I will start pulling the battery out when I don't want it to turn on.
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2 people found this answer helpful.

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Anonymous

2016-06-22T13:15:49+00:00

Please type the following in an elevated command prompt and paste the results in your next post

powercfg /A

powercfg /waketimers

powercfg /lastwake

powercfg /devicequery wake_armed
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2 people found this answer helpful.

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Why does my Windows 7 computer turn itself on at 3 a.m.?

15 answers