Coming up from standby

[Guest]

I have a new( 2mos.) desktop computer: 1G memory, Intel 3.2, XP home.
I can’t afford to leave it run full power all day. Start up is time
consuming, to endure everal times a day. Other power options are hibernate,
primarily for laptops I believe; and standby.
Sometimes my computer recovers from standby. Sometimes wiggling/click the
mouse starts the fan motors humming in the tower, but the screen remains
blank. And, sometimes the screen will come up when I wiggle/click the mouse,
but the pointer on the screen is frozen.
Inevitably the only option seems to be restart. Holding the kill button on
the tower.
I would like to locate/rectify this error. Thanks to an earlier tip I tried
Event Viewer. I got this far.
Event viewer/ System/Action /Properties/ warning properties:

An error was detected on device \Device\Harddisk2\D during a paging operation.

..................................The same person suggested System file
checker.
What is System File Checker? Where is it? Might it help?

 

[sillyputty]

An error was detected on device \Device\Harddisk2\D during a paging operation.

.................................The same person suggested System file
checker.
What is System File Checker? Where is it? Might it help?

They may be referring to chkdisk, that you can access by clicking on
My Computer > right-click on the hard drive in question > properties >
tools > error checking > check now > check both options. You should be
asked if you'd like to run chkdisk at the next startup. Click yes,
reboot.

Also, there are often diagnostic programs that you can get from the HD
manufacturer's website, or free programs on the internet.

 

[Guest]

Ran the error checker. My periodic peaking back revealed a report that the
check was progressing though 5 levels, the screen was active(the screensaver
never was)
When I came back after lunch, the computer appeared to be in standby. Screen
was grey (as in blank with a glow beneath, like it was on, but not receiving
a signal) Wiggling/clicking the mouse brought up the motors in the computer
beneath the desk.
But to bring the screen up, I had to kill and restart the computer.
I wish I could find a way to make standby work.