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Author Topic: Standby keeps re-starting (XP)  (Read 10371 times)

oldfogy

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Standby keeps re-starting (XP)
« on: October 20, 2009, 07:49:26 PM »

Has any one possibly got any suggestions how to resolve this problem please.

Due to a recent problem with one of my "Networked" PC's I have started to use my new one more so than before.
However, when standby is set for a short/ish time, IE:
Turn off Monitor = 2 minutes
Turn off HDD = 5 minuts
System Standby = 10 minutes

It seems to work, but the problem is, after about 10 minutes the HDD/s start back up again.
"Although I don't think it's actually going into full standby mode, because the meter I have it plugged into still shows full current being drawn"

1 USB external drive and also a Medion Hard2Go
(Removing the drives made no difference)

Windows XP SP2 (Networked)
The system is part of a Dual boot with Vista which standby works okay, (same PC)
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exo

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Re: Standby keeps re-starting (XP)
« Reply #1 on: October 21, 2009, 05:03:55 PM »

Check the LAN setting in the BIOS and ensure something like 'Wake on LAN' is not enabled.

Power saving in standby mode actually do vary. By default, XP will tend go into S1 standby, which saves about 10%.
What you need is S3 standby mode.
Guide here.
http://www.yafla.com/dennisforbes/On-PC-Power-Saving-S1-to-S3-standby-dumppo-exe/On-PC-Power-Saving-S1-to-S3-standby-dumppo-exe.html

What mode you can finally use may depend on ACPI compliance.

ftp://ftp.microsoft.com/products/Oemtest/v1.1/WOSTest/Tools/Acpi/dumppo.exe

exo
« Last Edit: October 21, 2009, 05:11:48 PM by exo »
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oldfogy

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Re: Standby keeps re-starting (XP)
« Reply #2 on: October 21, 2009, 05:43:03 PM »

S3 is all that seems to be available.

In Power Management I have just changed:-
Wake-up by PCI Card from ........ Enabled to Disabled
Power on by Ring from ............... Enabled to Disabled
USB KB Wake-up from S3 from ... Enabled to Disabled

I don't use USB KB or Mouse, although when set to sleep mode the KB and mouse are usually active on another PC through a KVM switch.

I suppose it could be the network looking for a connection, but don't know.

"I'll try this and see if that solves the problem"
But do not want to upset the system, as Vista sleep mode works fine. (Dual-boot system)

Thanks
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exo

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Re: Standby keeps re-starting (XP)
« Reply #3 on: October 21, 2009, 06:02:53 PM »

If your BIOS settings, under Power Management is showing S3, then that is the option to use.
S3 is Suspend To Ram, which means the PSU is supplying a trickle feed to the motherboard whilst your settings are saved in RAM.

As you have checked the power consumption whilst in S3, what was shown?

exo
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oldfogy

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Re: Standby keeps re-starting (XP)
« Reply #4 on: October 21, 2009, 07:24:38 PM »

What is currently being shown is 120Watts. (Which is normal for this PC)....... edit

The last time "Vista" actually went into sleep mode it was 0Watts (Zero)

I've reverted the BIOS settings back, and now waiting to check that Vista sleep mode is still active, but at the moment is seems there are things going on in the background that is stopping it from sleeping. (AV check by the look of it, as Vista is not used very much it's probably doing a catch-up.

The only other thing that makes me wonder is if using too short a time interval would make any difference, as I have a feeling a long time ago this was also a problem on another PC.
But would have thought that the settings "above" would have been acceptable.

edit
Text added to top line
« Last Edit: October 21, 2009, 09:58:23 PM by oldfogy »
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exo

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Re: Standby keeps re-starting (XP)
« Reply #5 on: October 21, 2009, 08:17:58 PM »

Can you by-pass Windows and use the BIOS to enter standby, then check the watts used?
I can allocate some hot keys to use my BIOS to go into standby, perhaps you can do the same.

exo
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oldfogy

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Re: Standby keeps re-starting (XP)
« Reply #6 on: October 21, 2009, 10:07:02 PM »

I "possibly" could activate standby manually, but that would defeat the object.

What I need it to do is to complete a operation, which may take anything from 30 minutes + and then go into standby automatically. (possibly because I have gone to bed)

What relevance is the wattage usage ?
Apart from it's not using very much! (see edit on last post)
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sevenlayermuddle

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Re: Standby keeps re-starting (XP)
« Reply #7 on: October 21, 2009, 10:13:38 PM »

Hi oldfogy,

I don't suppose it could be your mouse, if it's a bit unstable, that could be responsible for accidental wakeups?  I'm sure I've suffered from that problem some time in the dim and distant past.

I can't get my hands on the XP machine to play with right now or I'd try it out (better half's been hogging it all night).  But I do believe, on my system at least, there's a tick box in the mouse device manager properties to "allow this device to bring computer out of standby".  See http://support.microsoft.com/kb/q283638/

EDIT: I just noticed you already mentioned KB and mouse are switched out, so maybe above is not helpful  :(
« Last Edit: October 21, 2009, 10:22:38 PM by sevenlayermuddle »
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oldfogy

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Re: Standby keeps re-starting (XP)
« Reply #8 on: October 21, 2009, 10:24:30 PM »

The mouse (and keyboard) basically would be de-activated they run from a KVM switch between several PC's.

Thanks for the thought though.

edit
typo
« Last Edit: October 21, 2009, 10:46:26 PM by oldfogy »
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exo

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Re: Standby keeps re-starting (XP)
« Reply #9 on: October 22, 2009, 11:48:00 AM »

I did not realise you wished to arrange a scheduled task to shut down or I would not have suggested the manual BIOS option.

What relevance is the wattage usage ?  [OF]

Standby mode does actually consist of several power saving modes, so the wattage used is relevant .
Your replies so far consist of:

What is currently being shown is 120Watts.  [OF]

The last time "Vista" actually went into sleep mode it was 0Watts  [OF]

So which are we now referring to as the basis to work from?

Have you actually downloaded dumppo.exe as I suggested earlier.
It is a small download, 16KB.
The program is run from the command prompt.
I can give you some commands suggestions if you are not sure how to use it.

I know we have digressed slightly but it is all relevant  when attempting to sort out your standby problems.

exo

« Last Edit: October 22, 2009, 11:50:14 AM by exo »
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oldfogy

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Re: Standby keeps re-starting (XP)
« Reply #10 on: October 22, 2009, 01:53:52 PM »

I did not realise you wished to arrange a scheduled task to shut down or I would not have suggested the manual BIOS option.
I don't.

I just want it to go into standby mode whenever there has been no activity for a period of time.

I have downloaded dumppo.exe as you suggested earlier but have not had time to do anything with it.
Plus I need to find out what this program actually does before I install it

Does this effect the BIOS?
Or just commands to Windows, only as mentioned at the start, this is on a dual-boot system and as you will appreciate anything altered in the BIOS will may effect the other OS.
**************

edit
Quote
My search brought me to a little Microsoft utility called dumppo.exe. With this, I could imperatively force the operating system to start using S3 sleep (given that my PC already supported suspend to RAM. Every new motherboard supports it, although some default to it being disabled in the BIOS). After running dumppo admin minsleep=S3 and rebooted, I put the machine into sleep and checked my power meter.

My problem is that it does not even go into standby, so can't see dumppo having any effect.
The monitor goes off.
The HDD turn off.
Then a few minutes later the HDD fire-up again.
So there has not been enough "inactivity" for standby to take effect.
« Last Edit: October 22, 2009, 02:00:56 PM by oldfogy »
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sevenlayermuddle

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Re: Standby keeps re-starting (XP)
« Reply #11 on: October 22, 2009, 04:41:15 PM »


My problem is that it does not even go into standby, so can't see dumppo having any effect.
The monitor goes off.
The HDD turn off.
Then a few minutes later the HDD fire-up again.
So there has not been enough "inactivity" for standby to take effect.

There's two things I can suggest, if you've not already tried them, that might yield clues as to what's waking up your system (or stopping it from standing by in the first place)...

1) Look to see if there's anything interesting in the event manager logs (accessible from control panel/administrative tools).  I suspect there won't be, but it's easy to check and a lot less bother than...

2) This is the sledgehammer approach, but in the absence of any other inspiration, perform a search of the entire disk, selecting 'date' and 'files modified' (or maybe accessed?) in the past day.   It'll take ages of course but, when it's done, order the results by date&time and it may shed some light on what was going on at the time the disk sprang to life?

-7LM
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exo

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Re: Standby keeps re-starting (XP)
« Reply #12 on: October 22, 2009, 05:06:35 PM »

My problem is that it does not even go into standby, so can't see dumppo having any effect.  [OF]

Oh flippin heck,  from your title
Standby keeps re-starting (XP)
plus
It seems to work, but the problem is, after about 10 minutes the HDD/s start back up again.  [OF]

I assumed it was entering standy and being woken for some other reason, not failing to even enter standby!
Standby issues are frequent and numerous, I will see if I can locate a troubleshooting web page.

Plus I need to find out what this program actually does before I install it  [OF]

Gosh, ye of little faith.
Its a Microsoft utility program which allows you to check  and possibly alter the sleep mode for your operating system. What is available will depend on your motherboard and ACPI compliance but it does not change your BIOS.

In the meantime, see if the computer will go into Standby from Start/ Turn Off Computer/ Standby.
If Hibernation is the only option shown, then hold down the shift key and Hibernation will change to Standby.

Let us know how it goes.

Just another thought, have you turned off automatic restart after system failure in System Properties / Startup & Recovery?

exo
« Last Edit: October 22, 2009, 05:20:20 PM by exo »
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oldfogy

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Re: Standby keeps re-starting (XP)
« Reply #13 on: October 22, 2009, 11:16:06 PM »



Gosh, ye of little faith.
Its a Microsoft utility program

:-X

I did install the program, but to be honest did not see anything happen, so don't know how to check anything.
(Double clicked to install and within a second it loaded and closed)

>> In the meantime, see if the computer will go into Standby from Start/ Turn Off Computer/ Standby.
It did go into standby, but only for a couple of minutes, then the HDD whirled back into action.

Obviously the problem is that "something" is polling a restart, so it's now just a matter of finding out which program it is.
(Possibly the Malwarebytes problem as noted below)

**********************


Look to see if there's anything interesting in the event manager logs .............

I suspect there won't be,  :lol:

:lol:

There was loads of problems being shown, especially in the "Tune Up" section.
All of which were from Malwarebytes.

Since removing Malwarebytes from startup, the PC has actually gone into standby mode on one occasion and stayed there, although on this occasion there was no other open program running, with the exception of the usual AV and Spywareblaster type programs.
Although when left with uTorrent running, even with no visible sign of activity, it did not go into standby.

But at least it is now a bit more of a positive sign of things to come.

****************
Just to add,
This is not the first problem I have noticed with Malwarebytes.
Unless I disable the "IP Protection" facility, it seems to block quite a lot of safe sites.

But must also say, it's been a couple of weeks that I have been trying it and so-far am not very impressed with it.
« Last Edit: October 22, 2009, 11:52:45 PM by oldfogy »
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exo

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Re: Standby keeps re-starting (XP)
« Reply #14 on: October 23, 2009, 12:13:19 AM »

For dumppo.exe, it has to be accessed from the command prompt, you can't just run the program as it is.
Here is an example of the command instructions if you have the dumppo.exe on the root of C drive.

From the command prompt, type in
C:\dumppo.exe admin
then press the enter key.

It will then show a list of settings, these being
minimum and maximum Sleep modes
video settings
spindown settings

I don't know where you have downloaded dumppo.exe on your hard drive, so you may have to modify your command instructions to open the file or move the file to the root of your C drive and follow my example above.

Make a note of the settings shown and let us know.

For you Standby problem.
Well, lets be brutal, disconnect from the internet (take out phone line).
Open the msconfig utility, select the Startup tab and click on the 'Disable All' box.
Apply the changes and reboot.

Now see if the computer will go into Standby mode for a long period.

When tested, reboot, use msconfig to return to 'Normal' startup or whichever you prefer if you already stop certain programs.
Reboot and connect to the internet again.

Let us know the result.

exo
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