power settings

15 years ago

I need help with my windows XP power settings. This has nothing to do with wanting to save energy. I want to know if my settings are the right ones for my computer. I have it at ..(turn off monitor-NEVER)..(T O hard disks-after 10 min)..(System Standby-after 10 min.) system hybernates-never)

Seems to me that after I get off for a while, it does as it pleases. Sometimes the desktop is on, goes black, comes back again. At times the whirley screen saver is at work, sometimes whirling away and sometimes at standstill. All that is fine although I don't know if it is part of the settings.

What worries me is when the monitor goes black and stays that way while the blue light on the tower is blinking. Nothing brings the monitor back. I have to give the blue light a little tap and it stops blinking and I am able to revive the monitor. This last time the light would not stop blinking and I had to push and hold and it turned off the computer but it would not turn back on again. I clicked off the surger and after a long while when I tried again the computer turned on........Oh and the tower is sounding loud when the light is blinking and it goes very quiet when not.

Is this the way that the power options are supposed to work? Should I change the settings? the screen saver? What do I need to do?

I do have another problem. The many NOT RESPONDING that show on top of the screen and having to wait for the HOUR GLASS to go away in order to continue. I have the feeling that my computer is going out on me.

I have not posted here in a long time but I always read because you all know so much and are so helpful. THANKS.

HHH

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Comments (12)

DA_Mccoy
15 years ago
Since "energy saving" is not an issue why not configure all settings to never. Also, screen savers are a user attachment to the past when we all had CRT monitors. The current generation of monitors do not require screen saver.

As to the "not responding" and "hour glass" issues along with your original concern:

How much RAM does your system have? My first thought is lack of resources.

Have you configured the the startup and services to disable all unnecessary application entries from running? Again, a thought of lack of resources.

DA
zep516
15 years ago
Someone needs to take the cover off the tower, determine where exactly the load sound is coming from. Usually fan or hard drive would make noise as they are moving parts, there are several fans in the computer power supply fan, processor fan, case ventilation fan. It could be the hard drive and that could result in the Not Responding errors too. Towers should not make loud sounds.

Oh and the tower is sounding loud when the light is blinking and it goes very quiet when not.

The light blinks when the hard drive is running or doing something.

That to me sounds like a failing Hard drive. So you're in risk of loosing any saved files, pictures, documents. etc.

Bottom line:

Sounds like computer needs attention, you may consider taking it in before it does go out completely so you're files can be saved if needed. Unless your up to doing the troubleshooting and replacing needed items.
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vala55
15 years ago
Mine is set to never. On one of my PC's the display did not shut off in spite of the never. it would go black. I googled it and found how to shut it off. And don't ask me how, I have forgotten.
ten3_2tex
Original Author
15 years ago
D A, I will rid myself of the screen saver and change all to NEVER. As for the RAM, I don't really understand why it is an issue...... AND I HAVE BEEN TOLD BEFORE THAT IT IS...... What must I do to get more RAM? I am a person who does absolutely NOTHING important with my computer. My computer is for fun. I have lots of saved crafty stuff in my documents.... Many envelopes in there....Lots of Bookmarks and of course some pictures. I disk scan often and also defrag. You mention configuring the startup and services to disable all unnecessary application entries from running. Does that mean to do more than just eliminate what shows on the START menu? I do not have much on the START menu. So what should I get rid of to get more RAM?
---------------------------
Zep, not too long ago my computer was doing non-stop buzzing noices. Sounded like when a fly buzzes around your head. Everybody tells me that I need a hearing aid, well, I could hear this buzzing in my next room. I took off the side from the tower and it was soooo dirty. I used that spray stuff and also had to carefully sweep off with a small paint brush. THAT took care of the buzzing, so now I know it is not too dirty in there. The sound is different now. It is not as loud as the buzzing and it is more like a whirring sound........My blue light does not blink when the computer is working. There is a tiny red light that DOES blink once in a while. Yes, I do believe that I need to do something. I need to get me one of those external hard drives and get my pictures out from this computer, that is the only important thing in there . I sure do wish I knew more about computers.

Zep, you wrote.........(The light blinks when the hard drive is running or doing something.

That to me sounds like a failing Hard drive. So you're in risk of loosing any saved files, pictures, documents. etc.).........

Please clarify to me...Are you telling me that it sounds like a failing Hard drive BECAUSE the light blinks when the hard drive is running or doing something OR are you telling me that it is supposed to blink when the H drive is running or doing something............It blinks ONLY when I mentioned that the monitor goes black and STAYS black on me.
-----------------------

Thank you both. I am doing what I was advised and will see what happens. I might come back for more advise. thanks

and VAL, glad you were able to solve your problem. Wish me luck,

HHH
owbist
15 years ago
HHH write:- As for the RAM, I don't really understand why it is an issue......
Consider you RAM (memory) as a mixing bowl, you cannot mix a 2 pound loaf in a 2 pound bowl successfully so you naturally use a larger bowl. Same here, some of the data is moved to a volatile swap file so there is room to work. As work progresses the data is switched back and forth to allow work to go ahead. With more RAM (if this is indeed the issue) that would happen much less frequently speeding things up. The flashing light on the front of your tower is the activity light indicating your hard drive is working any time that light comes on.

To see how much RAM
click Start
click Control panel
click System and in the new window you will see the amount of RAM installed near the bottom.

To see how much free hard drive space you have
click Start
click My computer
RIGHT click on C: and you should see a pie chart showing free and space used. You need a minimu of 20% free space to be effective.

When you blew out the dust did you use the tube provided with the aerosol can and get it down in bwteen the fins under the fan on the motherboard? This covers the processor, the heart of the computer. Also while blowing did you think to do the power supply? That is the fan at the rear top of the tower. DO NOT go in there, simply blow through the wire gill to clear it out if needed.

Before you take the computer anywhere to test the hard drive test it yourself.
click Start
click Control panel
click Sytem
In the new window click the hardware tab at the top
click Device manager

In this window look down the left side for 'Disk drives'
click the plus sign beside 'Disk drives' and now underneath you should see the make of your hard drive.
Google the manufacturer and look for their diagnostic tools to run a test to determine if the drive is good.
DA_Mccoy
15 years ago
I refer to items in the system startup not the Start Menu.

There is a free application which has been a user mainstay for years called WinPatrol.

Download and install it. If you do use it disable only. Do not delete. No guessing on the entries.

DA
vala55
15 years ago
As I said my computer screen we went black after sitting awhile, the light would blink and I don't remember about noises. If I remember right I had to click on the screen for it to wake up. The instructions I found kept it from doing that.

1. click Start, then Control Panel and then double-click display.
1. Click the Screen Saver tab, click to clear the "On Resume, Display Welcome Screen Check box".
I could not reach the screen saver screen following those instructions and the wording in the box was a little different, but typed them in in case your computer system is different.

I clicked on my desktop, personalize and the screen saver is in the lower right hand corner. There I clicked on screen saver, then cleared the "on resume, display log in screen check" box. My monitor doesn't go black or shows the blinking light any more.
ravencajun Zone 8b TX
15 years ago
somtimes the monitor going black is actually a form or screen saver so going into the screen saver settings and setting it to NONE might help, I would check to see what it's current setting is on too.
vala55
15 years ago
Raven I have had several PCs over the years and that always did the trick, but not on this computer. I had to do what it said above to stop it.
ten3_2tex
Original Author
15 years ago
Hello ALL, I set my settings to NEVER and I like that the computer stays put. I also got rid of the screen saver. Maybe I have not been online very long, have not gotten any NOT RESPONDING either.

owbist, the reason that I wrote....... As for the RAM, I don't really understand why it is an issue......was only because I don't feel that I have much stuff IN my computer for it to be a problem. But then I really don't know what exactly makes the computer get low on RAM. That is why I was asking what I could get rid of in order to recover RAM.

Yes, I gave the computer a good cleaning, went over every little corner in there. I was not able to get on the computer until late so I will do the checking that you told me to do tomorrow.
DA_Mccoy
15 years ago
RAM is physically a part of your system. Without replacing the existing RAM or adding to it the amount in theory never changes. So your availability is finite. The more processes you have active the more demand is placed on the RAM. As you are reading this at a minimum your O/S is active, your browser is active, and your AV is active. All are using the RAM to complete their tasks. If you have other applications configured to begin running in the background at startup and/or you have unnecessary application services enabled to run in the background they too use RAM.

Too much demand on the RAM creates a resource shortage, and slows the overall operation and response of the system. This is why members regularly recommend limiting the enabled startup entries and service entries to only the minimum necessary.

DA
grandms
15 years ago
The amount of "stuff" you have on your computer has nothing to do with RAM. Getting rid of things only frees up storage area on your hard drive. RAM is what the computer uses as it processes information. Having enough RAM will help your computer run faster. Go back and re-read Owbist's analogy of RAM and a mixing bowl. That describes what RAM does quite well.

power settings

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