Is there a way to completely shutdown the N900 so that absolutely nothing is running? For example, assuming I'm connecting the right dots here, a shutdown doesn't stop alarmd from setting off my alarms at inconvenient times.

Other than using the power button and selecting "Switch off!" and holding down the power button, I've tried `shutdown -h now`, which appears to do nothing, and `poweroff` and `halt`, neither of which stop an alarm that is set to go off. Is there anything short of pulling the battery that will work?

Specifically stopping alarmd isn't the issue--a special shutdown script would take care of that, I believe. I'm wondering if there's a "normal" way to make sure everything is dead :)

Maybe you should tell us what do you want to do, your purpose.

I'm very tempted to propose you to take out the battery but im sure that you has already considered that option, and discarded it.

so, what are you trying to do?

There is the posibility that he did not consider that..

A Good question.
I don't think currently there is any way to shut down completely without removing the battery.
It will try to wake up when next alarm from the clock or calendar is due.

This feature could be usefull though; or setting "ignore alarms when in shutdown"

Also a feature which would make the device automatically boot up when certain type of alarm is trickered. N900 could be used remotely to boot up once a day/week in some remote location for few minutes to see if there is commands to be executed or not, and then shut down for the next alarm.

Honestly, there's nothing more to the story. I just want the satisfaction of knowing how to tell my N900 to just stop doing things when it's supposedly turned off.

I guess I might be a little control freaky when it comes to my electronics?

Sure about that?

Pull the battery, or remove all alarms.

If it has any power at all, it will boot up and deliver that alarm to you.

http://talk.maemo.org/showthread.php?t=41506

Yes since I didn't consider it when I went on vaction and had the device off and the alarm went off at 0430 ..lol

It can be dangerous, if alarm starts when you are in an aeroplane or during a security screening.

I've sometimes had embarrasing moments when powered off phone starts alarming middle of a movie theathre.

But isn't this issue the same with all mobile phones?