Windows XP no longer resumes from standby

August 16, 2007 9:49 AM

Suddenly my Gateway notebook computer won't come out of standby (that is, sleep mode or hibernate mode).

In the past I was able to press the power button to make it resume from standby. This problem started after I reinstalled Windows XP.

Now, whenever the computer is in standby, if I press the power button, I hear the usual reassuring gurgle from the hard drive, but nothing happens after that, and I'm forced to press the power button for 4-5 seconds till the computer shuts down completely, and then do a cold boot.

I'm using an Admistrator account and the computer is currently up to date with all Microsoft patches including XP SP2 and all model specific drivers via the manufacturer (the problem occured both before and after the installation of the model specific driver updates). Since the problem appeared immediately after the Windows XP re-installation, I wouldn't expect a BIOS problem to be causing it.

Any suggestions?

posted by bbranden1 to computers & internet (4 comments total)

This is going to sound crazy, did one of those hardware specific driver updates include video card?

I ask this because when I do a fresh install of xp it wont let me hibernate/standby till I have a proper Graphics Driver. This may have nothing to do with it but its better than a poke in the eye with a sharp stick.

I used to get that issue with my Toshiba p30 but it was because there were literally ghosts in that computer this coming from a computer tech. This machine was as unstable as a troubled child on crack. All that I would do is try the hold the power button down and if that failed pull the plug and the battery, wait ten seconds or so for all the residual power in the system to deplete and power it back up.

Oh one more thing if rolling back your video card driver doesent work you can all ways try running "SFC /SCANNOW" in a command window. Be sure to have your windows install disk on hand don't do this if your laptop only came with a "Restore Disk" This command scans through your windows filesystem and compairs each file to the one on your install disk this may not effect the drivers but it should fix any windows xp specific issues.

If you dare dabble in "SFC /SCANNOW" go to Run in your start menu OR Hold down the "WINDOWS KEY" and press R once the run dialog box pops up type in "CMD" into the field box. You should get a command prompt (black screen with some text) just type in "SFC /SCANNOW" without quotes and hit enter

Dont include the quotes in any commands there or they wont work.

I hope this works for you...
posted by Chamunks at 10:29 AM on August 16, 2007

Yes, one of the drivers was a video update, but the standby problem was happening before I installed any new drivers. (I only updated the drivers in anticipation of someone suggesting that old drivers might be the problem.)

Re SFC /SCANNOW, interesting idea, but unfortunately, my computer only came with a restore disk. BTW, why do the manufacturers do that, when including the Windows installation disk would only cost about 25 cents more?

Thanks for your thoughts.
posted by bbranden1 at 11:04 AM on August 16, 2007

You most likely need to install the Power Management drivers/software from Gateway.

The same issue happened to my dad's laptop, where it wouldn't sleep when his friend reinstalled XP on it.
posted by mphuie at 3:25 PM on August 16, 2007

mphuie: I searched the support section of Gateway for Power Management drivers for my model MX3228 and couldn't find anything. Is there somewhere else on the site that I should be looking?
Thanks.
posted by bbranden1 at 5:42 PM on August 16, 2007