If you have ATX hardware, for various reasons, you might want your box to poweroff by itself when you shut it down. To achieve this you have to enable [apm(8)](http://netbsd.gw.com/cgi-bin/man-cgi?apm+8+NetBSD-current) in the kernel. Here's how to do it: 

**Contents**

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#  Obtaining the Sources 

If you are running 3.0, you can get the Sources from the NetBSD FTP Server or from a [Mirror](Get BSD) close to you. If you are running current, you should check out the Sources from a CVS Mirror close to you. 
    

    # cd /
    # ftp ftp://ftp.netbsd.org/pub/NetBSD/NetBSD-3.0/source/sets/syssrc.tgz
    # tar -zxf syssrc.tgz
    

#  Configure the kernel 

Edit the file `/usr/src/sys/arch/i386/conf` and uncomment _apm_ to enable APM, it should look like: 
    
    apm0	at mainbus0			# Advanced power management
    

Alternatetively, you might want to customize (uncomment) these options: 
    
    # Tuning for power management, see apm(4) for more details.
    #options        APM_NO_IDLE             # Don't call BIOS CPU idle function
    #options        APM_V10_ONLY            # Use only the APM 1.0 calls
    #options        APM_NO_POWEROFF         # Don't power off on halt(8)
    #options        APM_POWER_PRINT         # Print stats on the console
    #options        APM_DISABLE_INTERRUPTS=0 # Don't disable interrupts
    

#  Build the kernel 
    
    # config GENERIC_APM
    # cd ../compile/GENERIC_APM
    # make depend; make
    

If everything went OK, your new APM-enabled-kernel should be located in ./netbsd 

#  Install the kernel 
    
    # mv /netbsd /netbsd.old
    # cp netbsd /
    # shutdown -r now
    

Now when you shutdown the box it should poweroff by itself, without the need for the power button to be pressed. 

#  Troubleshooting 

If something went wrong, test with [apm(8)](http://netbsd.gw.com/cgi-bin/man-cgi?apm+8+NetBSD-current). Sample output: 
    

    root@antfarm:~# apm
    Battery charge state: absent
    Battery remaining: 0 percent (0 minutes)
    A/C adapter state: connected
    Power management enabled
    

##  apmd

You will need the apm Daemon _apmd_ running for setting your Notebook fall into sleep. For that please add: 
    
    apmd=yes
    

to your /etc/rc.conf Also see [apmd(8)](http://netbsd.gw.com/cgi-bin/man-cgi?apmd+8+NetBSD-current) for more power management issues.