JSI Tip 8369. POWERCFG.EXE is a command-line tool that allows an administrator to control the power settings of a Windows XP SP2 system.

When you open a CMD.EXE prompt, on a Windows XP SP2 computer, and type powercfg /?, you receive:

POWERCFG [/LIST | /QUERY [name] | /CREATE name | /DELETE name |       /SETACTIVE name | /CHANGE name settings |       /HIBERNATE {ON|OFF} | /EXPORT name [/FILE filename] |       /IMPORT name [/FILE filename] | /GLOBALPOWERFLAG {ON|OFF} /OPTION flag |       /BATTERYALARM {LOW|CRITICAL} [settings] |       /DEVICEQUERY queryflags | /DEVICEENABLEWAKE devicename |       /DEVICEDISABLEWAKE devicename | /?]Description:    This command line tool enables an administrator to control    the power settings on a system.Parameter List:    /LIST, /L       Lists the names of existing power schemes.    /QUERY, /Q      Displays the configuration of the specified power scheme.                    If no name is specified, the configuration of the currently                    active power scheme is displayed.    /CREATE, /C     Creates a power scheme with the specified name.  The new                    scheme is created with the properties of the currently                    active scheme.    /DELETE, /D     Deletes the power scheme with the specified name.    /SETACTIVE, /S  Makes the power scheme with the specified name active.    /CHANGE, /X     Changes settings of the specified power scheme. Additional                    switches specify the changes as follows:                        /monitor-timeout-ac                         /monitor-timeout-dc                         /disk-timeout-ac                         /disk-timeout-dc                         /standby-timeout-ac                         /standby-timeout-dc                         /hibernate-timeout-ac                         /hibernate-timeout-dc                         /processor-throttle-ac                         /processor-throttle-dc                     AC settings are used when the system is on AC power.                    DC settings are used when the system is on battery power.                    Setting a timeout to zero will disable the corresponding                    timeout feature.  Supported throttle settings are NONE                    CONSTANT, DEGRADE, and ADAPTIVE.    /EXPORT, /E     Exports the power scheme with the specified name to a                    file.  If no filename is specified, the default is                    SCHEME.POW.  This additional parameter is supported:                        /FILE     /IMPORT, /I     Imports the power scheme from a file under the specified                    name.  If no filename is specified, the default is                    SCHEME.POW.  If a scheme with that name already exists, it                    is replaced with the new one.  This additional parameter                    is supported:                        /FILE     /HIBERNATE, /H {ON|OFF}  Enables/Disables the hibernate feature.  Hibernate                    timeout is not supported on all systems.    /NUMERICAL, /N  Allows the power scheme to be operated upon to be specified                    using a numerical identifier.  When using this switch, in                    place of the name of the power scheme on the command line,                    specify its numerical identifier.  This switch may be used                    in combination with the /QUERY, /DELETE, /SETACTIVE,                    /CHANGE, /EXPORT, and /IMPORT commands.    /GLOBALPOWERFLAG, /G {ON|OFF}  Turns one of the global power flags on/off.                    Valid flags (to be used after "/OPTION ") are:                         BATTERYICON:    Turns the battery meter icon in the                                         system tray on/off.                         MULTIBATTERY:   Turns on/off multiple battery display                                         in system Power Meter.                         RESUMEPASSWORD: Prompt for password on resuming the                                         system.                         WAKEONRING:     Turn on/off wake on ring support.                         VIDEODIM:       Turn on/off support for dimming video                                         display on battery power.    /AVAILABLESLEEPSTATES, /A  Reports the sleep states available on the                    system.  Attempts to report reasons why sleep states are                    unavailable.    /BATTERYALARM, /B {LOW|CRITICAL}  Configures the battery alarm.  The                    following switches can be specified:                        /activate                             Enables or disables the alarm.                        /level                             The alarm will be activated when the power level                            reaches this percentage.                        /text                             Turns the text notification on or off.                        /sound                             Turns the audible notification on or off.                        /action                             Specifies the action to take when this alarm goes                            off.  Not all actions are always available.                        /forceaction                             Force stand by or shutdown even if a program stops                            responding.                        /program                             Specifies a program to run.  schtasks.exe /change                           may be used to configure the program.    /DEVICEQUERY  will return a list of devices that meet the                    criteria specified in .  Possible values                    for  are:                    wake_from_S1_supported - return all devices that support                             waking the system from a light sleep state.                    wake_from_S2_supported - return all devices that support                             waking the system from a deeper sleep state.                    wake_from_S3_supported - return all devices that support                             waking from the deepest sleep state.                    wake_from_any - return all devices that support waking                             from any sleep state.                    S1_supported - list devices supporting light sleep states.                    S2_supported - list devices supporting deeper sleep.                    S3_supported - list devices supporting deepest sleep.                    S4_supported - list devices supporting system hibernation.                    wake_programmable - list devices that are user-configurable                             to wake the system from a sleep state.                    wake_armed - list devices that are currently configured to                             wake the system from any sleep state.                    all_devices - return all devices present in the system.                    all_devices_verbose - return verbose list of devices.    /DEVICEENABLEWAKE  enable the device to wake the system from a                    sleep state.  is a device retrieved using                    the '/DEVICEQUERY wake_programmable' parameter.    /DEVICEDISABLEWAKE  disable the device from waking the system                    from a sleep state.  is a device retrieved                    using the '/DEVICEQUERY wake_armed' parameter.    /HELP, /?       Displays information on command-line parameters.Examples:    POWERCFG /LIST    POWERCFG /QUERY scheme    POWERCFG /QUERY    POWERCFG /CREATE scheme    POWERCFG /DELETE scheme    POWERCFG /SETACTIVE scheme    POWERCFG /CHANGE scheme /monitor-timeout-dc 15    POWERCFG /CHANGE scheme /monitor-timeout-dc 0    POWERCFG /HIBERNATE on    POWERCFG /EXPORT scheme /file file    POWERCFG /QUERY number /NUMERICAL    POWERCFG /GLOBALPOWERFLAG on /OPTION BATTERYICON    POWERCFG /AVAILABLESLEEPSTATES    POWERCFG /BATTERYALARM low    POWERCFG /BATTERYALARM critical /ACTIVATE on /LEVEL 6 /ACTION hibernate    POWERCFG /DEVICEQUERY wake_armed    POWERCFG /DEVICEENABLEWAKE "Microsoft USB IntelliMouse Explorer"