[csl]

I have a Dell notebook computer running Windows XP Home Edition. When I close the notebook the computer is supposed to go into Stand By mode, but lately it is stuck on the screen that says "Preparing to Stand By" when I open it back up. I tried putting it into Stand By mode manually, instead of by closing the notebook, and it does the same thing. It will stay on that screen forever without actually going into stand by mode (I tried leaving it there all night, and it never actually entered stand by). When I'm on this screen, the mouse still moves, but I can't access anything, and can't get back into Windows without turning the computer off and back on. I did some searching around on the internet and have tried a couple different things (most notably, running Spybot S & D), but haven't been able to fix it.

Any help would be appreciated.

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Welcome to Geeks to Go!, csl

Standby problems which arise for no apparent reason are almost always caused by installing a device driver or an application which is not fully compatible with Windows power management features. As such, the cause can only be tracked down by trial and error, removing a driver (and it's associated device) one at a time and trying standby after each removal.

It would help of course by starting with the last device or driver you can remember installing, and working back from that. The same goes for applications which install virtual drivers such as cd-burning software. Patience will reward you I'm sure. Don't uninstall just anything in the hope that might fix it. Start with drivers or applications you've recently installed before the problem started.

Edited by phillipcorcoran, 29 March 2010 - 02:01 PM.

[phillipcorcoran]

Welcome to Geeks to Go!, csl

Standby problems which arise for no apparent reason are almost always caused by installing a device driver or an application which is not fully compatible with Windows power management features. As such, the cause can only be tracked down by trial and error, removing a driver (and it's associated device) one at a time and trying standby after each removal.

It would help of course by starting with the last device or driver you can remember installing, and working back from that. The same goes for applications which install virtual drivers such as cd-burning software. Patience will reward you I'm sure. Don't uninstall just anything in the hope that might fix it. Start with drivers or applications you've recently installed before the problem started.

Edited by phillipcorcoran, 29 March 2010 - 02:01 PM.

[Macboatmaster]

Go to Control Panel
Administrative Options
Event Viewer
Check Application - on left hand pane, then look at right hand and see if any warnings, if so click on them and read message.
Do the same with System on left hand pane.
If there are any messages, post them, NOT all of them, just any that are around the time of these errors.
Then when you activate Standby and it does not go, press Ctrl and Alt and delete..
This will take you to Task Manager, see what applications are running.
I think there will be more than the Standby, make a note and report that as well please

Edited by Macboatmaster, 29 March 2010 - 07:59 PM.

[csl]

Thanks for the responses.

@phillipcorcoran: I haven't installed any new programs recently or hardware recently (that I recall), other than an external hard drive that didn't require any drivers to be installed.

@Macboatmaster: I am seeing the following error messages coming up in the system section around the time I tried to put it into stand by:

***************************************************
Your computer was unable to automatically configure the IP parameters for the Network Card with the network address 0012F0634295. The following error occurred during configuration: The specified network resource or device is no longer available. .

For more information, see Help and Support Center at http://go.microsoft....link/events.asp.
***************************************************
Your computer was not able to renew its address from the network (from the DHCP Server) for the Network Card with network address 0012F0634295. The following error occurred:
The operation was canceled by the user. . Your computer will continue to try and obtain an address on its own from the network address (DHCP) server.

For more information, see Help and Support Center at http://go.microsoft....link/events.asp.
***************************************************

The source of the error messages is DCHP, and the event codes are 1006 and 1003, respectively.

When the computer attempts to go into stand by mode, the ctrl-alt-del function does not bring up the task manager, so I can't note what applications are running at the time.

Thanks again for all your help.

[Macboatmaster]

Are you connecting to the internet "wireless" with this Dell and is it working OK.
Is it the built in Wireless card or a USB wireless adaptor.
Go to control panel.
Network Connections.
Disable all connections, by right clicking and then click Disable, with left click of course.
Now try going to Standby.
Report results please.


Also have a read of this.
http://fivepercent.u...m-update-82008/

Edited by Macboatmaster, 30 March 2010 - 06:39 AM.