Standby not working

[antioch]

Running WinXP SP2 -all updated with criticals/security patches including Nov
Black Tuesday. System is 11 months old.
Three days ago went to put system into standby mode(only used a dozen times
or so before) and noticed that when the screen on the monitor went blank,
the computer did not switch off/power down. Instead of the screen then
showing a small power saving window for a few seconds before the going
blank, there is a continual showing of what can best be described as a
test-card colour test which stays on until the monitor is turned off.
This effect is now present when I shut down the computer - again no small
power saving window, and the cycle of colour tests goes on and on.
I have been to Rick Rogers and Kellys Korner and have done a Google and
searched MS knowledge base and trouble shooting - but none have the info on
this particular problem.
I have also done Start/Run and entered the standby command but I get the
same result.
Hibernate has always been unchecked and I do not run screensavers.
I have never been into bios set-up or adjusted power settings.
Over the last couple of days, when I have initiated standby, on powering up,
a little info window pops up and tells me I have two or three programs
already running, yet there are none running when I log on, having made sure
I have closed all progs/windows and checked with Task Manager.
I am getting no error reports or warnings in Event Viewer.
At the moment I can not think of any other avenue of attack
Rgds
Antioch

 

[Jon]

I was more than a little surprised to hear the following from "antioch"

Running WinXP SP2 -all updated with criticals/security patches including
Nov Black Tuesday. System is 11 months old.
Three days ago went to put system into standby mode(only used a dozen
times or so before) and noticed that when the screen on the monitor went
blank, the computer did not switch off/power down. Instead of the screen
then showing a small power saving window for a few seconds before the
going blank, there is a continual showing of what can best be described as
a test-card colour test which stays on until the monitor is turned off.
This effect is now present when I shut down the computer - again no small
power saving window, and the cycle of colour tests goes on and on.
I have been to Rick Rogers and Kellys Korner and have done a Google and
searched MS knowledge base and trouble shooting - but none have the info
on this particular problem.
I have also done Start/Run and entered the standby command but I get the
same result.
Hibernate has always been unchecked and I do not run screensavers.
I have never been into bios set-up or adjusted power settings.
Over the last couple of days, when I have initiated standby, on powering
up, a little info window pops up and tells me I have two or three programs
already running, yet there are none running when I log on, having made
sure I have closed all progs/windows and checked with Task Manager.
I am getting no error reports or warnings in Event Viewer.
At the moment I can not think of any other avenue of attack
Rgds
Antioch

Added any new hardware (esp. usb devices) recently , however trivial eg a
new usb mouse?

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/878467

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/264386

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/841858/

 

[antioch]

I was more than a little surprised to hear the following from "antioch"


Added any new hardware (esp. usb devices) recently , however trivial eg a
new usb mouse?

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/878467

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/264386

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/841858/

Hello Jon
Thank you for taking the time to reply - I had read the above three MS KBs
and others as well.
I alas could not find 1 article about the little bugger not going 'into'
standby.
Whatever state it goes into,(which is not a full standby) there is no
problem bringing the computer back to life, i.e. moving the mouse or
touching any key.
I have not added any hardware or software since I last performed a
successful standby a week or so ago - well nothing for the last three months
in fact.
Mouse and board are not usb connected. The only usb connected hardware is a
webcam, which is permanent and an MS Sidewinder when used.
But then the monitor behaviour is also there with normal shut down?
I have since posting, had a look at the possibility that I have done
something on the keyboard - you know, there are so many preset functions -
not that I use them - but this is a very long shot.
The only thing I did do, and should have mentioned, was to give the system a
good internal cleaning - power off of course - wrist band job etc. But I
have done this twice before - and everything started up OK afterwards.
On the very remote chance it could have been a 'nasty or something, I
brought forward my three monthly security scan - four AV full scans and
eight mal/spy/hack etc scans.
All the former ones found nothing of significance and were all removed.
That is a learning curve in itself - not one prog found all the 'nasties'.
Four found nothing.
I am not too worried about this failure, but it is a bit of a worry when
something don't work.
But then, nobody has come up with a very simple solution that makes one look
a complete 'prat' for not spotting it
Thanks again
Reds
Antioch

 

[Jon]

Hello Jon
Thank you for taking the time to reply - I had read the above three MS KBs
and others as well.
I alas could not find 1 article about the little bugger not going 'into'
standby.
Whatever state it goes into,(which is not a full standby) there is no
problem bringing the computer back to life, i.e. moving the mouse or
touching any key.
I have not added any hardware or software since I last performed a
successful standby a week or so ago - well nothing for the last three
months in fact.
Mouse and board are not usb connected. The only usb connected hardware is
a webcam, which is permanent and an MS Sidewinder when used.
But then the monitor behaviour is also there with normal shut down?
I have since posting, had a look at the possibility that I have done
something on the keyboard - you know, there are so many preset functions -
not that I use them - but this is a very long shot.
The only thing I did do, and should have mentioned, was to give the system
a good internal cleaning - power off of course - wrist band job etc. But
I have done this twice before - and everything started up OK afterwards.
On the very remote chance it could have been a 'nasty or something, I
brought forward my three monthly security scan - four AV full scans and
eight mal/spy/hack etc scans.
All the former ones found nothing of significance and were all removed.
That is a learning curve in itself - not one prog found all the 'nasties'.
Four found nothing.
I am not too worried about this failure, but it is a bit of a worry when
something don't work.
But then, nobody has come up with a very simple solution that makes one
look a complete 'prat' for not spotting it
Thanks again
Reds
Antioch

Hi Antioch

Yes that is a worrying truth about the nasties.

One thing that struck me about your testcard pattern is this. On this
machine (which is currently working fine afaik), if I enter standby or
shutdown the computer the monitor goes black as expected. Now, if I then
turn on and off the monitor in either of those modes (ie physically using
the on / off switch on the monitor), then I also get that 'testcard pattern'
you mention, after turning it back on. What you're describing sounds similar
to that, except that you're not getting the monitor turning off properly and
going black, but you're getting the testcard pattern.

If you have a spare monitor, you could try using that, to see if it's the
particular monitor (ie a hardware problem) or not.

Another thought is that perhaps in your spring cleaning you may have
inadvertently reset some bios options eg those relating to acpi / plug &
play /( default video card) etc. So perhaps worth examining / experimenting
with those settings.

You could also look in Device Manager eg at monitor + video card properties
(and for any other oddities with other devices).

Anyhow that may trigger off a line of thought or for someone else to have a
suggestion.

 

[antioch]

Reply contextualised/intertwined

Hi Antioch

Yes that is a worrying truth about the nasties.
:-(

One thing that struck me about your testcard pattern is this. On this
machine (which is currently working fine afaik), if I enter standby or
shutdown the computer the monitor goes black as expected.

Yes, mine did at one time - but there was a small power saving window showed
for a couple of seconds and the screen went black/as in off, and the comp
went silent. I used to get the same power saver on my previous system 12
months ago.

Now, if I then turn on and off the monitor in either of those modes (ie
physically using the on / off switch on the monitor), then I also get that
'testcard pattern' you mention, after turning it back on.

To clarify - if you shutdown/standby the computer, your screen goes
blank/black - (but you do not get the power down window bit)
Yes mine used to do that on shut down and standby.
Now I get that test colour card thingy so have to manually switch off the
screen - in other words, the screen will not go into its previous standby
state like it used to.

What you're describing sounds similar to that, except that you're not
getting the monitor turning off properly and going black, but you're
getting > the testcard pattern.

Exactly so - Previously I rarely turned the monitor off after shutdown or
standby so I cannot say if I would have got the same results as yourself.
But I just shutdown and the monitor stayed on and displayed the colour
cards. I switched it off then back on and the colour cards came on again.
I switched on the comp and the normal start screen came on.

If you have a spare monitor, you could try using that, to see if it's the
particular monitor (ie a hardware problem) or not.

Yes I had considered that - means a climb into the attic.

Another thought is that perhaps in your spring cleaning you may have
inadvertently reset some bios options eg those relating to acpi / plug &
play /( default video card) etc. So perhaps worth examining /
experimenting > with those settings.

That is a good idea - I will go in and check all is sitting properly on the
Mobo etc.

You could also look in Device Manager eg at monitor + video card
properties (and for any other oddities with other devices).

I have just had a look but nothing showing - thanks for that - and so
obvious.

Anyhow that may trigger off a line of thought or for someone else to have
a > suggestion.

I do hope so.

Many thanks for your continued interest with such a boring problem.
Rgds
Antioch
PS
Sorry to ask a personal Q - are you the same 'Jon' with worm trouble? in
security.virus. Prob not - the other is using that archaic web interface
:-(

 

[Jon]

Sorry to ask a personal Q - are you the same 'Jon' with worm trouble? in
security.virus. Prob not - the other is using that archaic web interface
:-(

No, that's not me. I have a healthy digestive system

 

[antioch]

No, that's not me. I have a healthy digestive system

Good to hear that - I was going to give you a link to one of the many
pharmacy spam sites I catch in my 'honeypot'
Antioch