Standby stopped working

I have been using standby for a couple of months and now it suddenly stopped standing by.

Everything shuts down to a point but then stops standing by. I have to hit the button to completely shut down.

 

Hello tenbob,

Not clear on what you're saying:

*Everything shuts down to a point but then stops standing by. I have to hit the button to completely shut down.*

What shuts down to a point? *but then stops Standing by* -every thing powers up again?

Have you gone over your Power Settings?

Regards - Charles

 

I meant this:

When I click Start > TurnOff and select Standby things are getting saved prior to shutdown. (*) I used to do this and then the screen blanked. When I hit the on/off button, it came back at once from standby.

NOW --- it gets to the point of the (*) and stalls. No screen blank. In order to go further, I have to actually hold the on/off button until actual shutdown.

 

Hi tenbob,

See if any of the causes for standby freezes apply: http://www.kellys-korner-xp.com/xp_standby.htm

Does Hibernate work?

Regards - Charles

 

Hi tenbob,

I got that same problem also, so i understand what u mean. i have it once i finished installed Windows XP. I was at a loss but now i fixed it. I am not sure what i had actually done but these are the few things i did.

1) Install SP1 ( i dun think this is the key factor)
2) Enable Hibernation (Right click your desktop, click on properties, go to "screen saver ", click on the button labeled "power" at the bottom, click hibernation tab and enable it by checking the box)
3) Try using standby again. If it fails, turn off...on and try to standby
4) If all else fails, use HIBERNATION. It is MUCH BETTER than standby. To access hibernation, simply click start -> turn off computer -> hold down Shift key and click on hibernate (it replaces standby)

Hope this helps

 

I enabled Hibernate but do not want to use it. I save often and only want to standby for short times.

After I followed your suggestion, it made no difference. Machine showed shutting down message but went no further after 10 minutes

 

Hi tenbob,

Will the system go into standy itself provided you set the option in Power Options of the Control Panel?

Regards - Charles

 

I don't think so but I dont know how to check. The computer power light stays on and the LCD monitor light stays on. I think, when it WAS doing a standby the monitor light was off.

How can I tell if the motors are running? My hearing is not good enough to tell and I can't hook an ammeter in the line.

 

Hi tenbob,

*I think, when it WAS doing a standby the monitor light was off.*

Yes, the monitor should power down - "sleep" mode I think it's called.

Reread your posts, and I was struck by the fact that you used the power button to come out of standby. I assume that you set that option in the Power Options section. Mine is set to go into standby after 30 minutes w/no activity and a move of the mouse brings it back. I can't remember the last time that I manually put the system into standby. I don't know if this has anything to with it, just thinking out loud.

I think there is some system file corruption here or a conflict between what is running in the background. Have you tried disabling some of the running processes?

If not, running the sfc \scannow command may worth a try.

Regards - Charles

Edit: May be worth a try to go into standby in safe mode, never tried it. If that workded, that would tell you that there is some process gettting in the way.

 

I'll try the SafeMode method and one other question.

What was sfc/scannow ??

 

Hi tenbob,

Start > Run > cmd sfc /scannow and have your XP install disc handy. There is a space between sfc and /

sfc - system file checker, retrieves the correct version of the file from %Systemroot%\System32\Dllcache or the Windows installation source files, and then replaces the incorrect file.

If you want to see what was replaced, right click My Computer > manage, expand event viewer > system.

Excerpt from MS KBA 310747:

System File Checker gives an administrator the ability to scan all protected files to verify their versions. If System File Checker discovers that a protected file has been overwritten, it retrieves the correct version of the file from the cache folder (%Systemroot%\System32\Dllcache) or the Windows installation source files, and then replaces the incorrect file.

System File Checker also checks and repopulates the cache folder. You must be logged on as an administrator or as a member of the Administrators group to run System File Checker.

If the cache folder becomes damaged or unusable, you can use the sfc /scannow, the sfc /scanonce, or the sfc /scanboot commands to repair its contents.

System File Checker Tool Syntax

Sfc [/Scannow] [/Scanonce] [/Scanboot] [/Revert] [/Purgecache] [/Cachesize=x]·

/Scannow: Scans all protected system files immediately and replaces incorrect versions with correct Microsoft versions. This command may require access to the Windows installation source files.

Regards - Charles

 

Standby is not an option in SafeMode.

will try the other now

 

Hi tenbob,

Ran across these small programs addressing this problem.

One from Steve Gibson http://grc.com/wizmo/wizmo.htm GRC shutdown tool Wizmo.

Another from Karenware http://www.karenware.com/newsletters/2003/2003-01-28.asp Karens - Showstopper

And an article by Fred Langa http://www.informationweek.com/story/IWK20020927S0028

Regards - Charles

 

Both programs very interesting but did not address the problem. What they do is allow a simpler way to select the shutdown options.

My problem arises AFTER that process has begun.

Tried them both and got to the same place.

What is the meaning of the flashing power light under the switch. Does it show, as my old old old IMSAI 8080 did, that the CPU is working or does it show drive activity. I think the latter and after I try a Standby, the light flashes for a while and then does so only rarely but it does somewhat

 

Hi tenbob,

One more suggestion, after this I've run out of gas on this issue:

In msconfig, there are 2 startup options beside normal: diagnostic and selective. In diagnostic only the services are loaded plus anything in the Global Startup folder, and in selective, you have more control over what starts up. The point is to be able to have the option for Standby w/o background apps running, isolating it to the OS itself or an app thats running a driver that may be getting in the way.

However, be warned that using the Diagnostic setting erases all your System Restore points and then creates an initial System Checkpoint on bootup in Normal start mode. Found this out in trying the setting in answering another post about a different type of problem. Did not try Standby while in that mode, it may very well turn out to be like Safe Mode.

Regards - Charles