Computer won't "standby"

[EricG1793]

...And HP's solution doesn't help.

If I press the standby button on the keyboard, or through Windows, the laptop shut off the monitor, but otherwise stays on. When I press a key on the keyboard, the login screen comes up. So it seems to me as though all it's doing is "lock"ing the computer when I want it to go in to standby.

HP had me go in to power options and tell it when I wanted to go in to standby automatically. That didn't help. Then they told me to reinstall the power options. I did so. Still won't go in to standby. I went back to HP support, and they told me to do the same exact thing again. Still, no standby.

What should I do?

I think this happened around the last time I updated the BIOS.... I'll see if there's another update available and I'll install it if there is and get back to you. Otherwise... my laptop won't go in to standby (or Sleep, whichever you want to call it).

[EricG1793]

OK, I did update the BIOS, and it still won't go in to standby/sleep mode.

Any more suggestions? :confused:

[aaron.martinas]

in my experiences, the symptoms you're referring to are exactly how standby is supposed to work.

when i go into standby on my hp pavillion, the screen first says "going into standby..." (briefly), followed by the monitor shutting off, but all my LEDs staying lit (volume, etc). also, when you come out of standby, a setting in windows tells it to "prompt for a password". so again, you mention a feature that is supposed to happen unless youve changed that setting (the setting is under power options / advanced tab / options section).

standby mode does actually keep the computer on (to a degree), but is a "reduced power state". it ensures that enough power remains in the system to keep the volatile memory from being wiped.

are you perhaps expecting a complete shut down of the computer, with all your work being saved (windows that were up staying up, etc)? if so, that is hibernation, not stand by. essentially, it sounds like you have the idea of "stand by" confused with something else. everything you say that your laptop is doing is exactly what i expect during standby. and we both have HP laptops to boot.

[EricG1793]

I'll put it differently... my computer won't "Sleep".

What I'm thinking of is that everything shuts off except the RAM. It's way faster than hibernation; it's almost instant on-off.

I think your Pavilion may be having an issue, too. :p

[aaron.martinas]

its becoming more apparent that you are not familiar with standby. the word sleep is simply another term for the same thing.

im not really trying to make the impression that because your computer and mine react the same, we must then extrapolate that that is how standby/sleep works.

in fact, what im saying is that i know how sleep is suppose to work, and that my computer sleeps properly, and that your description seems to conincide with what i know sleep does.

http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/using/mobility/getstarted/hibernate.mspx

that link explains hibernation and standby. the fact that you think "sleep" to be different than "standby" is not a good sign of understanding. that's merely a symantics issue, not one of funtionality. XP calls it "standby". vista calls it "sleep". same difference.

specifically for the pavillions, the lights on the "quick buttons" staying on is a sign of correct functionality in that specific model. if all the lights go off, that means that bad boy is completely off (hibernated or shut down). the computer is out of power if the lightning button keeps flashing.

[aaron.martinas]

also, if you dont belive that your computer is "sleeping" do this. set your power profile to never go into standby/turn off the hard disks/turn off the monitor. leave your computer there (from a full battery). see how long it takes for your battery to get to 50% in real life's time.

then, set those options to "laptop". it will send your computer into standby in 5 minutes (pretty sure thats the default setting for that preset). then, in the amount of time that it took your first test to get to 50%, wake your computer up. check the battery level. the battery will be higher than 50% because it wasnt using as much power.

[EricG1793]

I have to tell the whole story, then.

When I had XP: I clicked Standby. The hard drive, fan, Quickplay lights, and monitor turned off. The power button and status light blinked, rather than being on solid.

When I first upgraded to Vista: Same exact thing as above. However, a few months ago, it started doing what I described above, with the monitor turning off and password-protecting upon resuming. The fan, hard drive, and Quickplay lights still stayed on. The power status lights still stayed on.

With hibernate, the power button does NOT blink; it goes off completely. With standby, it does. Or is supposed to. It's not going all the way into standby now.

NOW do you see the difference as to what I am talking about?

[EricG1793]

Sorry 'bout the double post, but, upon a Google search, I found this, made by Fungi008 on the CNET Windows Vista Forums:

I had the same problem: After choosing sleep, Vista would reanimate on its own 1 to 10 seconds later. Annoying!

For me the trick was to realize that perhaps something was waking the computer up – and then to tell Vista to ignore it. It was both my (1) mouse and (2) Vista's dumb multimedia sharing option.

Mouse: Easy solution (often posted elsewhere). Shut it up. Do this:
Control Panel -> Device Manager -> Mice -> Right-click your specific mouse -> Properties -> Power Management tab -> uncheck "Allow this device to wake the computer"

Vista's dumb multimedia sharing option: More complex (and I don't think anyone else has posted it). Do this:
Control Panel -> Power Options -> If "High Performance" is selected, choose something else, like "Balanced" (I don't know why this works) -> Change plan settings (for the chosen power plan) -> Change advanced power settings -> Scroll down to Multimedia settings -> Choose "Allow the computer to sleep"

My, won't your computer feel much more rested, and your power bill will go down to boot.

The second thing that user mentioned, about the media settings, solved the problem.

However, for anyone else who may have this problem in the future, I'll amend that person's directions:

When you're in the window looking at the three different power plans, you have to click "Change Settings" for all three power states, and tell it to allow the computer to sleep, both on battery and plugged in, and that way, when you press Sleep, it'll correctly sleep.

I suggest you follow those steps, Aaron, then you're REALLY in for some serious power saving. :) I'm just glad that our Pavilions weren't having a problem. :D

[aaron.martinas]

i dont use vista. and none of your posts mentioned that until you "told the whole story". i avoid vista threads.