Mathematical Institute of the University of Bonn

Turning off desktop computers

Generally your desktop computer doesn't turn off automatically but you can initiate a shutdown manually to save energy and extend the computer's lifetime.
(There is one exception for automatic shutdowns: If you don't use a graphical login within ten minutes after starting the computer, it assumes that the start was an accidental one and the computer is shut down again.)

There are three ways to authorize a shutdown:

1. Log out of your desktop environment and press the power button (the larger of both round buttons on the front side of the computer) briefly.
2. Press the power button while being logged in.
3. While being logged in, choose Mathematisches Institut → Computer freigeben in the menu (unfortunately we couldn't add this feature to the log-out procedure of KDE).

The last two options do create a query if you really want to log out. The first one only produces a notification. Although nothing prevents the computer from shutting down it could take a few seconds until it finally happens.

If you share your computer with colleagues you should agree with them when shutting down is wise. The computer won't be reachable remotely while being shut down.
The computers won't be completely shut off to allow remote wakeups for maintenance by the system administration -- so please don't cut computers from the electric power supply.
Computers in a public printer room can not be shut down. Trying to do so will result in an error message. Public computers in the library follow a programmed sleep/wakeup procedure and cannot be shut down manually either.

To turn you computer on, press the power button on the front side (or tip the space bar on the keyboard). Turn the display on first so that it can be properly detected by the computer.