Enable MS-01 BIOS Restore on AC Power Loss

[wcygan]

Problem

The three Minisforum MS-01 nodes may remain powered off after a household power outage. If power returns while I am away, the cluster may not recover until someone physically presses each power button.

This makes the homelab fragile for unattended operation.

Proposed solution

Enable the MS-01 firmware setting that automatically powers the machine back on when AC power is restored.

Target setting:

BIOS / UEFI Setup
  -> Advanced
  -> ACPI Settings
  -> Restore on AC Power Loss
  -> Always On / Power On

If the exact option names vary by BIOS version, document the actual path and selected value for each node.

Preferred value:

• Always On / Power On

Acceptable fallback:

• Last State, only if Always On is unavailable and testing confirms the node returns after AC loss.

Avoid:

• Always Off

Tasks

• Enter BIOS/UEFI setup on each MS-01.
• Locate Restore on AC Power Loss under ACPI or power-management settings.
• Set the value to Always On / Power On.
• Save and reboot.
• Test each node by removing AC power, waiting briefly, and restoring AC power.
• Confirm each node powers on without pressing the physical power button.
• Record BIOS version and final setting for each MS-01.
• Document the recovery behavior in this repository.

Acceptance criteria

• All three MS-01 nodes automatically power on after AC power is restored.
• The behavior has been physically tested on each node.
• The BIOS path, selected value, and BIOS version are documented.
• The documented setup explains how this interacts with the UPS plan.

References

• MS-01 bring-up notes showing Advanced / ACPI Settings -> Restore on AC Power Loss: https://blog.pcfe.net/hugo/posts/2024-12-15-minisforum-ms-01-initial-bringup/
• Minisforum note on enabling Restore on AC Power Loss for unattended recovery: https://www.minisforum.com/blogs/press/hardware-requirements-for-enterprise-video-conferencing-rooms
• ServeTheHome MS-01 discussion mentioning Restore On AC Power Loss set from Always Off to Always On: https://forums.servethehome.com/index.php?threads/solved-minisforum-ms-01-wake-on-lan-wont-work.45060/