Hello,
I am running a command shell program that can take DAYS to do a bunch of molecular dynamics simulations. How can I prevent my "power-saver" from automatically turning off my computer? (fyi - set to power down after 4 hours of inactivity currently).
Key point - I don't want to always have to manually change the power settings -- I want the "default" to be such that the computer shuts down after 4 hours of inactivity -- UNLESS this particular molecular dynamics program is running in the background....
... HELP?

FYI - I run Windows 7 64 bit, and the program (I'll call it 'chem.exe') is run via the DOS-like "Command Prompt" (
I type: C:\mydirectory\chem.exe input_file_name.txt > log_file_name.txt )

Did you write the program? If not, could you contact the author and present your n PROBLEM with him? Thee is a method in the MS library to address this kind of thing.
From MS:
Preventing Automatic Power Down
The article does NOT directly APPLY to your OS. But there are related links that may take you in the right direction.Thanks..
Well, I have the source code (Fortran - yeah)... but I am not that skilled of a programmer. I don't think I would know where to put 'instructions' on not to shut down. However... I know that (somehow) you can tell windows not to shut down if it is running some particular program.... I just wish I could remember how.

In Windows 7 the command line powercfg tool has the ability to override power saving actions such as turning off the display, hibernation etc.

http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/cc748940%28WS.10%29.aspx

Quote

-REQUESTS
Enumerate application and driver Power Requests. Power Requests prevent the computer from automatically powering off the display or entering a low-power sleep mode.

-REQUESTSOVERRIDE
Sets a Power Request override for a particular Process, Service, or Driver. If no parameters are specified, this command displays the current list of Power Request Overrides.

USAGE: POWERCFG -REQUESTSOVERRIDE <CALLER_TYPE> <NAME> <REQUEST>
<CALLER_TYPE> Specifies one of the following caller type:
PROCESS, SERVICE, DRIVER. This is obtained by
calling the POWERCFG -REQUESTS command.
<NAME> Specifies the caller name. This is the name
returned from calling POWERCFG -REQUESTS command.

<REQUEST> Specifies one or more of the following Power
Request Types: Display, System, Awaymode.
Example:
POWERCFG -REQUESTSOVERRIDE PROCESS wmplayer.exe Display System