can I time an automatic shutdown?

newbiesforever · 12-12-2008, 10:13 PM

I usually shut the computer off before going to bed, but I'm downloading the Debian Livecd, and it's downloading slowly enough that I'll have to leave the computer on. Is there any way I can set Linux to shut down the computer automatically in a few hours? I have MEPIS 7.

billymayday · 12-12-2008, 10:24 PM

Look into at

for example:

#at now + 2hours
>shutdown -h now
>[ctrl-D]
#

newbiesforever · 12-12-2008, 11:23 PM

Well, as soon as I learn everything about writing scripts, I'll know how to do this. Thank you.

hasanatizaz · 12-13-2008, 12:26 AM

shutdown -h -t time 120

arizonagroovejet · 12-13-2008, 12:53 PM

And what if the CD hasn't finished downloading after two hours? If I were you I'd become root then run

Code:

$ wget http://somewebsite/thecdimage.iso; shutdown -h now

So wget runs and downloads the image, when wget is finished the shutdown command is run.

newbiesforever · 12-13-2008, 06:47 PM

Duly noted. Thank you.

SlowCoder · 12-15-2008, 08:14 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by arizonagroovejet

And what if the CD hasn't finished downloading after two hours? If I were you I'd become root then run

Code:

$ wget http://somewebsite/thecdimage.iso; shutdown -h now

So wget runs and downloads the image, when wget is finished the shutdown command is run.

Yep, that's definitely the best/safest method, in my opinion, and one I use often.

newbiesforever · 12-15-2008, 11:41 AM

OK, I'll do that next time.

logic2 · 01-02-2009, 12:00 PM

It might even be better to use something like:

$ wget http://somewebsite/thecdimage.iso && shutdown -h now

so that if there is a failure the computer stays on so you can read the error message (or pipe the error message to a file then shutdown)

newbiesforever · 01-03-2009, 11:17 PM

Thanks. Why two &s?

Perceptor · 01-04-2009, 10:24 AM

This way the second command is executed _only_ if the first one is successful.