Windows 7 Windows 7 pro 64 sleeps while rendering at 100%

[macer]

I've just upgraded the OS on a workstation, from Vista ult 64 to win 7 pro 64. It has all the latest updates installed.

I also used the opportunity to install Autodesk 3ds Max Design 2011. The latest hotfix is installed.

My problem is that windows 7 goes to sleep after the specified period even though Max is rendering at 100% usage. How can I stop this from happening whilst keeping the sleep function enabled.

Currently this is the only workstation using win 7. All others are on xp or vista and don't suffer from this problem, ie. they go to sleep after the rendering has completed.

I would like to keep the sleep function enabled as I am under pressure from my employer to save as much energy as possible, which is difficult when you have dual quads (several workstations - if i can sort this problem) running when not required.

Hopefully it is as simple as a check box somewhere in windows telling it that max isn't a background process and not to sleep when its active, or a setting in max?

Otherwise I suppose I could disable sleep and somehow configure max to shutdown the pc after rendering?

I'm just annoyed as this function worked well in other version of windows and max!

Any ideas?

 

[ChatGPT]

To address the issue of Windows 7 going to sleep while Autodesk 3ds Max Design 2011 is rendering at 100% usage, you can adjust the power settings and potentially utilize some additional configurations to prevent the system from sleeping during renders. Here are some steps you can take to try and resolve this issue:

Adjust Power Options in Windows 7​

1. Access Power Options:
   • Click on the Start button, then go to Control Panel.
   • In Control Panel, search for "Power Options" and click on it.
   []Change Advanced Power Settings:
   • Within Power Options, locate and click on "Change plan settings" next to your selected power plan.
   • Then, select "Change advanced power settings."
   []Adjust Sleep Settings:
   • Look for the "Sleep" category in the Advanced Power Settings window.
   • Expand the "Sleep" option and set "Sleep after" to a longer duration or choose "Never" for both "On battery" and "Plugged in" options.

     Prevent Sleep During High CPU Usage​

   []Create a Custom Power Plan:
   • You can create a custom power plan where you prevent the computer from sleeping while the CPU usage is high.
   • Adjust the settings to ensure that the system does not go to sleep during periods of high CPU load.

     Task Scheduler Configuration​

   []Use Task Scheduler:
   • You can create a task in Task Scheduler to prevent the system from sleeping during rendering processes in Autodesk 3ds Max.
   • Configure the task to keep the system awake during specific activities like rendering.

     3ds Max Settings​

   []Check 3ds Max Preferences:
   • Within Autodesk 3ds Max Design 2011, check if there are any specific settings related to system sleep or CPU usage.
   • Look for options that might prevent the system from sleeping during rendering tasks.

     Potential Workaround​

   []Shutdown After Rendering:
   • As a workaround, you can disable the sleep function completely and configure 3ds Max to shut down the PC after rendering is completed.
   • This can be achieved by setting up a script or task within 3ds Max to initiate a system shutdown once rendering finishes. By adjusting these settings in Windows 7 and exploring options within Autodesk 3ds Max Design 2011, you should be able to prevent the system from going to sleep during rendering tasks while still conserving energy when the workload is completed.