I'm trying to diagnose a monitor power saver function in order to save
on room heating when the 21" Dell P990 tube is in screen saver mode.
Have changed a number of things to try an remedy, but still have a
hardware device "ACPI Fixed Feature Button." Maybe it should be
uninstalled too?
Any other suggestions on how to re-enable the power saver pulldowns in
the Display Properties box? I've checked in the system BIOS and ran SFC.
The OS is Win 2000 Pro. Need to get this working soon!!
> Have changed a number of things to try an remedy, but still have a
> hardware device "ACPI Fixed Feature Button." Maybe it should be
> uninstalled too?
This is your computer's power button. I don't see any reason why you can't
remove it (Windows should just detect it again, along with all the other
power management stuff you might have removed) but I doubt it will solve
your problem.
> Any other suggestions on how to re-enable the power saver
> pulldowns in the Display Properties box?
You might see if Windows knows what type of monitor you have. Venturing into
the "Advanced" button on the Settings tab of the display control panel might
prove helpful.
Advanced Button > Monitor Tab > Properties Button > Driver Tab > Update
Driver > Display a list of the known drivers for this device...
From there you can try selecting the "Plug and Play monitor" choice or "Show
all hardware of this device class" radio button. See if your particular
monitor is listed. If it isn't, the PnP monitor choice is a fairly good one.
Also check to be sure that your video drivers are properly installed.
On Fri, 02 May 2008 22:53:36 GMT, "William R. Walsh"
<newsgroups1@idontwantjunqueemail.walshcomptech.co m> brought the
following to our attention:
>Hi!
>
>> Have changed a number of things to try an remedy, but still have a
>> hardware device "ACPI Fixed Feature Button." Maybe it should be
>> uninstalled too?
>
>This is your computer's power button. I don't see any reason why you can't
>remove it (Windows should just detect it again, along with all the other
>power management stuff you might have removed) but I doubt it will solve
>your problem.
Of course.. the power button. )
>> Any other suggestions on how to re-enable the power saver
>> pulldowns in the Display Properties box?
>
>You might see if Windows knows what type of monitor you have. Venturing into
>the "Advanced" button on the Settings tab of the display control panel might
>prove helpful.
>
>Advanced Button > Monitor Tab > Properties Button > Driver Tab > Update
>Driver > Display a list of the known drivers for this device...
>
>From there you can try selecting the "Plug and Play monitor" choice or "Show
>all hardware of this device class" radio button. See if your particular
>monitor is listed. If it isn't, the PnP monitor choice is a fairly good one.
>Also check to be sure that your video drivers are properly installed.
Yep.. if finds a Dell P990 monitor, and this system with Dell OEM nVidia
graphics card worked just find before. I recently switched out another
nVidia board that I was trying and put the OEM back. Loaded the tried
and true drivers, and still no monitor power saver selections. The
monitor itself might be on the fritz because it has been acting
strangely.
How "fixed function" it really is depends upon the BIOS. Windows can
tell when you press the button and can take action based on that.
However, the BIOS may try to get involved if it "sees" that button
being pressed. This may lead to Windows and the BIOS both trying to do
something when the power button is pressed.
> Loaded the tried and true drivers, and still no monitor
> power saver selections. The monitor itself might be
> on the fritz because it has been acting strangely.
Well...there is one thing. I wanted to bring this up not because I
don't think you know where the power saver settings are, but rather
because something tells me I should mention this. (That something
could be--and likely is--wrong, so please do not take offense.)
On Windows 2000, the monitor powerdown settings are not in the display
control panel. They are in the power control panel instead. So if
you're not seeing them in the display area, a trip to the power
control panel might be worthwhile.
On Sat, 3 May 2008 09:25:57 -0700 (PDT), wm_walsh@hotmail.com brought
the following to our attention:
>Hi!
>
>> Of course.. the power button. )
>
>How "fixed function" it really is depends upon the BIOS. Windows can
>tell when you press the button and can take action based on that.
>
>However, the BIOS may try to get involved if it "sees" that button
>being pressed. This may lead to Windows and the BIOS both trying to do
>something when the power button is pressed.
>
>> Loaded the tried and true drivers, and still no monitor
>> power saver selections. The monitor itself might be
>> on the fritz because it has been acting strangely.
>
>Well...there is one thing. I wanted to bring this up not because I
>don't think you know where the power saver settings are, but rather
>because something tells me I should mention this. (That something
>could be--and likely is--wrong, so please do not take offense.)
>
>On Windows 2000, the monitor powerdown settings are not in the display
>control panel. They are in the power control panel instead. So if
>you're not seeing them in the display area, a trip to the power
>control panel might be worthwhile.
>
>William
Thanks.. but same thing really. Right-mouse on the desktop, click
Properties, click Screen Saver, click Power button.
In the Power Options Properties, on the Power Schemes and Hibernate
tabs.. ALL of the fields are either greyed-out or totally black (solid
grey color).
So I may go back and check the system BIOS at boot-up. I might even call
Workstation Support since Dell is very good about that, was anyway! )
<gabbey.maps@bkwds.dynanet.com> wrote in message
news:5sop14t7o96s09ql1bqfa44340mc0m45vk@4ax.com...
> On Sat, 3 May 2008 09:25:57 -0700 (PDT), wm_walsh@hotmail.com brought
> the following to our attention:
>>Hi!
>>
>>> Of course.. the power button. )
>>
>>How "fixed function" it really is depends upon the BIOS. Windows can
>>tell when you press the button and can take action based on that.
>>
>>However, the BIOS may try to get involved if it "sees" that button
>>being pressed. This may lead to Windows and the BIOS both trying to do
>>something when the power button is pressed.
>>
>>> Loaded the tried and true drivers, and still no monitor
>>> power saver selections. The monitor itself might be
>>> on the fritz because it has been acting strangely.
>>
>>Well...there is one thing. I wanted to bring this up not because I
>>don't think you know where the power saver settings are, but rather
>>because something tells me I should mention this. (That something
>>could be--and likely is--wrong, so please do not take offense.)
>>
>>On Windows 2000, the monitor powerdown settings are not in the display
>>control panel. They are in the power control panel instead. So if
>>you're not seeing them in the display area, a trip to the power
>>control panel might be worthwhile.
>>
>>William
>
> Thanks.. but same thing really. Right-mouse on the desktop, click
> Properties, click Screen Saver, click Power button.
>
> In the Power Options Properties, on the Power Schemes and Hibernate
> tabs.. ALL of the fields are either greyed-out or totally black (solid
> grey color).
>
> So I may go back and check the system BIOS at boot-up. I might even call
> Workstation Support since Dell is very good about that, was anyway! )
>
> -G
>
>
Try this: if you have administrative access on the box, go into Control
Panel and create a new user account (which you can delete later).
Boot to desktop with the new user profile. Check the power options. If
they're available, it could be that your current user profile is hosed.
On Sat, 3 May 2008 20:09:48 -0500, "S.Lewis" <Gossamer@interesting.com>
brought the following to our attention:
>> Thanks.. but same thing really. Right-mouse on the desktop, click
>> Properties, click Screen Saver, click Power button.
>>
>> In the Power Options Properties, on the Power Schemes and Hibernate
>> tabs.. ALL of the fields are either greyed-out or totally blank (solid
>> grey color).
>>
>> So I may go back and check the system BIOS at boot-up. I might even call
>> Workstation Support since Dell is very good about that, was anyway! )
>>
>> -G
>
>
>Try this: if you have administrative access on the box, go into Control
>Panel and create a new user account (which you can delete later).
>
>Boot to desktop with the new user profile. Check the power options. If
>they're available, it could be that your current user profile is hosed.
>
>Won't hurt to try this.
>
Ok.. I'll try that out too. Have a vacation week coming up and will be
doing some major backups and other time consuming PC activities.
Thus far the plan is to 1) check system BIOS again.. 2) connect known-
working energy saving monitor.. 3) create new user account.
Many laugh at the ol' 610 Workstation (manufactured in May 99) with dual
500 MHz Zeons and dual Seagate 10k Cheetahs, but this thing is robust
and still cranks!! (cost ~5k$ tho)
-G
note in above post.. should read "totally blank", not "totally black"
ACPI Fixed Feature 
)
Linear Mode
