XP Power Settings No Longer Work

Some time ago, my power settings in XP Professional stopped working. I'm particularly interested in turning off my monitor but I'm unable to get any of the power settings to work regardless of the options I select. I don't recall doing anything unusual that could cause this. Any thoughts or suggestions will be greatly appreciated.

 

And if you create a new user, logon as the new user, set the power settings, do they now work?

 

I created a new user and checked both boxes in "Change the way users log on and off" but I don't see any "Log off" or "Switch users" in the Start button menu. I must be missing something.

 

Start, Logoff (to the left of Turn off Computer at bottom right)

 

My problem is that I don't have a Logoff icon to the left of my start button. I looked at Group Policy>User Configuration>Windows Settings>Scripts but don't see any scripts for Logon or Logoff. Also, no files in the C:\WINDOWS\System32\GroupPolicy\User\Scripts\Logon folder so they were somehow removed previously.

 

Scripts have nothing to do with the Start button appearance of the logoff button.

Just like Scheduled Tasks, XP offers Group Policy objects for scripting at Startup, At shutdown, at logon and at logoff.

But these do not determine the logoff button.

Please:
Start, Run, devmgmt.msc
Expand the Computer icon near the top
What is said underneath? (it should report on whether you are using an ACPI compliant HAL or not).

Next, reboot. Immediately at computer startup there are instructions for accessing the BIOS setup. Please do so. Look and see if there is any BIOS option to enable ACPI features in the BIOS. They should be enabled.

 

"Start, Run, devmgmt.msc
Expand the Computer icon near the top
What is said underneath? (it should report on whether you are using an ACPI compliant HAL or not). "

Device Manager>Computer shows "ACPI Uniprocessor PC "

"Next, reboot. Immediately at computer startup there are instructions for accessing the BIOS setup. Please do so. Look and see if there is any BIOS option to enable ACPI features in the BIOS. They should be enabled. "

BIOS settings: ACPI APIC Support - Enabled
ACPI 2.0 Not Enabled (Changed to Enabled)

Power settings still do not work.

 

Right click a blank area of the desktop, Properties.
Click Settings
Does your monitor have a monitor profile installed, or is it just set to some default setting?

Check further. Click the Advanced button, Monitor.
What does it say as the defined monitor there? If it says Default Monitor this is fine.

Are you using a hyperthreading processor?
A dual processor?
Just curious to make sure your HAL is correct. Currently you are using a Uniprocessor HAL.

 

Display: Viewsonic VP2000s on NVIDIA GeFOrce 6800
Advanced>Monitor: Viewsonic VP2000s. Driver date: 6/16/2006

Not using hyperthreading or dual CPU. Just an AMD Athlon XP 3400.
The power setting used to work and then stopped but I don't recall doing anything to cause this like installing new harware or software at the time.

 

Tests:

Start, run, shutdown -s -f

Does that shutdown the computer immediately?
(This uses ACPI calls to do the shutdown).

After restarting:

Enable Hibernation in Power options.

Start, Run, rundll32.exe powrprof.dll,SetSuspendState
Does the system enter Hibernation?

(Again, an ACPI test).

 

Computer shuts down after message saying to save data and 30 second count-down on "shutdown" command

Computer goes into hibernation on SetSuspendState command.

 

Good. ACPI connection between BIOS and HAL is okay.

Let's rebuild the power configuration portion of the registry:

Code:

Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00

[HKEY_USERS\.DEFAULT\Control Panel\PowerCfg]
 "CurrentPowerPolicy "= "3 "

[HKEY_USERS\.DEFAULT\Control Panel\PowerCfg\GlobalPowerPolicy]
 "Policies "=hex:01,00,00,00,06,00,00,00,03,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,06,00,00,00,03,\
  00,00,00,00,00,00,00,02,00,00,00,03,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,02,00,00,00,03,00,\
  00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,01,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,01,00,00,\
  00,00,00,00,00,01,00,00,00,03,00,00,00,02,00,00,00,00,00,00,c0,01,00,00,00,\
  05,00,00,00,01,00,00,00,0a,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,03,00,00,00,01,00,00,00,01,\
  00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,\
  00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,\
  00,02,00,00,00

[HKEY_USERS\.DEFAULT\Control Panel\PowerCfg\PowerPolicies]

[HKEY_USERS\.DEFAULT\Control Panel\PowerCfg\PowerPolicies\0]
 "Name "= "Home/Office Desk "
 "Description "= "This scheme is suited to most home or desktop computers that are left plugged in all the time. "
 "Policies "=hex:01,00,00,00,02,00,00,00,01,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,02,00,00,00,00,\
  00,00,00,00,00,00,00,b0,04,00,00,3c,00,00,00,32,32,00,00,04,00,00,00,05,00,\
  00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,84,03,00,00,78,00,00,00,08,07,00,00,58,02,00,\
  00,01,01,64,50,64,64,00,00

[HKEY_USERS\.DEFAULT\Control Panel\PowerCfg\PowerPolicies\1]
 "Name "= "Portable/Laptop "
 "Description "= "This scheme is designed for extended battery life for portable computers on the road. "
 "Policies "=hex:01,00,00,00,02,00,00,00,01,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,02,00,00,00,01,\
  00,00,00,00,00,00,00,b0,04,00,00,2c,01,00,00,32,32,00,00,04,00,00,00,05,00,\
  00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,84,03,00,00,78,00,00,00,08,07,00,00,b4,00,00,\
  00,01,01,64,50,64,64,00,00

[HKEY_USERS\.DEFAULT\Control Panel\PowerCfg\PowerPolicies\2]
 "Name "= "Presentation "
 "Description "= "This scheme keeps the monitor on for doing presentations. "
 "Policies "=hex:01,00,00,00,02,00,00,00,01,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,02,00,00,00,01,\
  00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,84,03,00,00,32,32,03,02,04,00,00,00,04,00,\
  00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,2c,01,00,\
  00,01,01,50,50,64,64,00,00

[HKEY_USERS\.DEFAULT\Control Panel\PowerCfg\PowerPolicies\3]
 "Name "= "Always On "
 "Description "= "This scheme keeps the computer running so that it can be accessed from the network.  Use this scheme if you do not have network wakeup hardware. "
 "Policies "=hex:01,00,00,00,02,00,00,00,01,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,02,00,00,00,00,\
  00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,2c,01,00,00,32,32,00,00,04,00,00,00,05,00,\
  00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,84,03,00,00,78,00,00,00,10,0e,00,00,b4,00,00,\
  00,00,01,64,64,64,64,00,00

[HKEY_USERS\.DEFAULT\Control Panel\PowerCfg\PowerPolicies\4]
 "Name "= "Minimal Power Management "
 "Description "= "This scheme keeps the computer on and optimizes it for high performance. "
 "Policies "=hex:01,00,00,00,02,00,00,00,01,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,02,00,00,00,00,\
  00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,2c,01,00,00,32,32,03,03,04,00,00,00,04,00,\
  00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,84,03,00,00,2c,01,00,00,00,00,00,00,84,03,00,\
  00,00,01,64,64,64,64,00,00

[HKEY_USERS\.DEFAULT\Control Panel\PowerCfg\PowerPolicies\5]
 "Name "= "Max Battery "
 "Description "= "This scheme is extremely aggressive for saving power. "
 "Policies "=hex:01,00,00,00,02,00,00,00,01,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,02,00,00,00,05,\
  00,00,00,00,00,00,00,b0,04,00,00,78,00,00,00,32,32,03,02,04,00,00,00,04,00,\
  00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,84,03,00,00,3c,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,b4,00,00,\
  00,01,01,64,32,64,64,00,00

[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Control Panel\PowerCfg]
 "CurrentPowerPolicy "= "3 "

[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Control Panel\PowerCfg\GlobalPowerPolicy]
 "Policies "=hex:01,00,00,00,06,00,00,00,03,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,03,\
  00,00,00,10,00,00,00,02,00,00,00,03,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,02,00,00,00,03,00,\
  00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,01,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,01,00,00,\
  00,00,00,00,00,01,00,00,00,03,00,00,00,02,00,00,00,04,00,00,c0,01,00,00,00,\
  02,00,00,00,01,00,00,00,0a,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,03,00,00,00,01,00,01,00,01,\
  00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,02,00,00,00,\
  00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,03,00,00,00,00,\
  00,02,00,00,00

[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Control Panel\PowerCfg\PowerPolicies]

[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Control Panel\PowerCfg\PowerPolicies\0]
 "Name "= "Home/Office Desk "
 "Description "= "This scheme is suited to most home or desktop computers that are left plugged in all the time. "
 "Policies "=hex:01,00,00,00,02,00,00,00,01,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,02,00,00,00,00,\
  00,00,00,00,00,00,00,b0,04,00,00,3c,00,00,00,32,32,00,00,04,00,00,00,05,00,\
  00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,84,03,00,00,78,00,00,00,08,07,00,00,58,02,00,\
  00,01,01,64,50,64,64,00,00

[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Control Panel\PowerCfg\PowerPolicies\1]
 "Name "= "Portable/Laptop "
 "Description "= "This scheme is designed for extended battery life for portable computers on the road. "
 "Policies "=hex:01,00,00,00,02,00,00,00,01,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,02,00,00,00,01,\
  00,00,00,00,00,00,00,b0,04,00,00,2c,01,00,00,32,32,00,00,04,00,00,00,05,00,\
  00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,84,03,00,00,78,00,00,00,08,07,00,00,b4,00,00,\
  00,01,01,64,50,64,64,00,00

[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Control Panel\PowerCfg\PowerPolicies\2]
 "Name "= "Presentation "
 "Description "= "This scheme keeps the monitor on for doing presentations. "
 "Policies "=hex:01,00,00,00,02,00,00,00,01,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,02,00,00,00,01,\
  00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,84,03,00,00,32,32,03,02,04,00,00,00,04,00,\
  00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,2c,01,00,\
  00,01,01,50,50,64,64,00,00

[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Control Panel\PowerCfg\PowerPolicies\3]
 "Name "= "Always On "
 "Description "= "This scheme keeps the computer running so that it can be accessed from the network.  Use this scheme if you do not have network wakeup hardware. "
 "Policies "=hex:01,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,01,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,02,00,00,00,00,\
  00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,2c,01,00,00,32,32,00,00,02,00,00,00,02,00,\
  00,00,01,00,00,00,14,f2,06,00,2c,01,00,00,78,00,00,00,10,0e,00,00,b4,00,00,\
  00,00,00,64,64,64,64,95,71

[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Control Panel\PowerCfg\PowerPolicies\4]
 "Name "= "Minimal Power Management "
 "Description "= "This scheme keeps the computer on and optimizes it for high performance. "
 "Policies "=hex:01,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,01,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,02,00,00,00,00,\
  00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,2c,01,00,00,32,32,03,03,04,00,00,00,04,00,\
  00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,84,03,00,00,2c,01,00,00,00,00,00,00,84,03,00,\
  00,00,01,64,64,64,64,00,00

[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Control Panel\PowerCfg\PowerPolicies\5]
 "Name "= "Max Battery "
 "Description "= "This scheme is extremely aggressive for saving power. "
 "Policies "=hex:01,00,00,00,02,00,00,00,01,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,02,00,00,00,05,\
  00,00,00,00,00,00,00,b0,04,00,00,78,00,00,00,32,32,03,02,04,00,00,00,04,00,\
  00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,84,03,00,00,3c,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,b4,00,00,\
  00,01,01,64,32,64,64,00,00

[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\Explorer]
 "NoSaveSettings "=dword:00000000

[HKEY_USERS\.DEFAULT\Control Panel\Desktop]
 "PowerOffActive "= "1 "
 "ScreenSaveActive "= "1 "
 "SCRNSAVE.EXE "= "(None) "

Highlight the above with your mouse, right click Copy. Open a new notepad session and right click, Paste. Do a File, Save as, C:\powercfg.reg

Then Start, Run, regedit C:\powercfg.reg

Now right click a blank area of the desktop, Properties, Screensaver tab, and set the Screensaver to (None).

Reboot and reset your power configuration.

Now let's see if the screen shuts off.

 

Hi Bill,

Sorry to report that the monitor still doesn't shut down. The registry files were accepted and the Power Options were back to the original default so I know the configuration changes to the registry worked.

I hope there's something else we can look at.

Thanks, Bob

 

How about a driver update for that Monitor:
http://www.viewsonic.com/support/drivers/download.cfm?key=37

 

Been there and done that; however, I will post the question to ViewSonic Support and see if they may have a suggestion.

 

Copy/paste the below into a new Notepad session. Then do a File, Save as, C:\power_test.cmd

Start, Run, c:\power_test.cmd

Tell us what happens (does not happen?) over time.

 

Hi Bill, Running that test reset the Power Options to "Never" in the three categories. I set up "Standby" and it worked but still not the monitor.

I'm not sure what you mean by "over time ". Do I run the test and reset the Power Options repeatedly or what?

 

If I remember correctly the ACPI standards will require at least a little time for power configuration changes to become effective. You do not make a setting change then test; change then test; etc.. I know this is particularly true for Monitors, where any screensaver setting of less than twenty minutes is not effective immediately.

That is what I meant over time. If previously you had something set to occur in twenty minutes, then you would need to wait at least that long to see if your configuration changes made any difference.

The script I had you run makes persistent changes. It does not have to be run at startup every time. http://support.microsoft.com/kb/q324347/aspx

I am using it in the script above because it gives me more direct control over the true power settings than does the GUI interface of XP.

 

OK. Thanks for the explanation. I will set the monitor for 30 min. which is what I want anyway and will report what happens.