Create a shortcut or batch file to run command prompt?

[teckneeculler]

I have a 6TB archive hard drive in a USB3 dock attached to my main PC.

I want to use a small app called 'Drive Alive' to keep this drive from going to sleep during the day. The app writes a small text file to the drive every 5 minutes.

Drive Alive is a command line program. Its command is 'drivealive x:' where x is the drive letter.

Question: What's the best way to set this up so that I can activate the process with one click?

I'll also want to de-activate the process overnight. I prefer to leave my PC running 24\7 but there's no need for the archive drive to follow suit.

[FONT=&quot]BTW: I'm aware there's a USB 'selective suspend setting' than can be disabled [/FONT][FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot]in Power Plan, but I'd like to have selective manual control over the drive. And yes, it has its own power button, but Drive Alive, coupled with a couple of one-click commands, would better suit my needs.

Suggestions would be appreciated.


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[lehnerus2000]

I know this isn't what you asked, but have you tried experimenting with the KeepAliveHD Settings?

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Maybe the "Disable writing if user is not active for" option can do what you need.

 

[teckneeculler]

Lehnerus2000: Thanks for your suggestion. It has merits but I think Drive Alive would be better suited to my needs.

I'm quite happy with the archive drive going to sleep 10 or 15 minutes after I go to bed.

But I want to to keep running during the day. Drive Alive should be able to do that - all I want is a simple way to make a shortcut to a command that'll start Drive Alive and another one to stop it.

I would have thought a couple of batch files (with shortcuts to each on the TaskBar) would be best. But I'm no expert with these. Hence my question.

 

[TheDeerDude]

I'm thinking, a batch file would do the job - located in the same directory as drivealive, but not neccessarily.
That, and maybe task scheduler would help you accomplish what you're aiming for?

Does drivealive run under its own process? e.g. drivealive.exe?

You could have

@echo off
drivealive x:

to start it, and use taskkill to end it

@echo off
taskkill /f /im drivealive.exe

 

[lehnerus2000]

Lehnerus2000: Thanks for your suggestion. It has merits but I think Drive Alive would be better suited to my needs.

My bad.

I misinterpreted the program name.

 

[teckneeculler]

Thanks, TheDeerDude, I think that'll do it

And thanks for your input, lehenerus2000.

 

[TheDeerDude]

Also, as for pinning a batch file to the taskbar: How to pin either a Shortcut or a Batch file to the new Windows 7, 8 and 10 Taskbar and start menu? - Super User

 

[teckneeculler]

Thanks again, mate

Ooops, spoke too soon

The batch files work well (the Starter, anyway, haven't tried the Stopper) and I've placed shortcuts on the Taskbar*.

One question: When I ran the Starter bat (which immediately wrote its dummy text file to the USB HDD root) a blank command line window popped up. Is it possible to avoid this?
If not, no BFD.

*BTW, I've been employing the 'Taskbar Shortcuts' workaround ever since I've been using W7, so putting batch file shortcuts there was no problem.

And, seeing as I prefer the look of a squarer screen on my 24" 16:10 monitor, I've moved the Taskbar to the right side and made it four shortcut icons wide. So my useable screen is now 325mm x 475mm wide instead of the native 520mm width.