Power Options greyed-out in 610 workstation

I have a dual-Xeon 610 Workstation and a Dell P990 monitor. The nVidia
video card was supplied by Dell also. In the past 6 months or so, the
monitor energy saver feature hasn't worked. With summer coming around
again, I need to get this working!!

Have run SFC (system file check) and looked in the system BIOS as well.
What is disabling the `Turn off monitor´ fields in Display Properties?

-G

<gabbey.maps@bkwds.dynanet.com> wrote in message
news:8ajc14dmvb83g3phrtk2bd3s6mhm7vbsl5@4ax.com...
>
> I have a dual-Xeon 610 Workstation and a Dell P990 monitor. The nVidia
> video card was supplied by Dell also. In the past 6 months or so, the
> monitor energy saver feature hasn't worked. With summer coming around
> again, I need to get this working!!
>
> Have run SFC (system file check) and looked in the system BIOS as well.
> What is disabling the `Turn off monitor´ fields in Display Properties?
>
> -G
>

For S&G, run a CHKDSK on the hard disk.

My Computer/right-click on the drive/properties/tools/error-checking/check
now/check "automatically fix file system errors" as well as "scan for and
attempt recovery of bad sectors".

You'll be prompted that the check can't be performed on a locked volume;
click OK, and then reboot and allow the CHKDSK to run.

It will most likely not correct the problem but won't hurt anything.

Sadly, a Windows system restore at the time of the loss of PM function might
have addressed the issue.

If the CHKDSK does no good, then my guess is that a Windows XP repair
install might be in order - or a clean install.

On Mon, 28 Apr 2008 18:27:26 -0500, "S.Lewis" <Gossamer@interesting.com>
brought the following to our attention:
>
><gabbey.maps@bkwds.dynanet.com> wrote in message
>>
>> I have a dual-Xeon 610 Workstation and a Dell P990 monitor. The nVidia
>> video card was supplied by Dell also. In the past 6 months or so, the
>> monitor energy saver feature hasn't worked. With summer coming around
>> again, I need to get this working!!
>>
>> Have run SFC (system file check) and looked in the system BIOS as well.
>> What is disabling the `Turn off monitor´ fields in Display Properties?
>>
>> -G
>>
>
>For S&G, run a CHKDSK on the hard disk.
>
>My Computer/right-click on the drive/properties/tools/error-checking/check
>now/check "automatically fix file system errors" as well as "scan for and
>attempt recovery of bad sectors".
>
>You'll be prompted that the check can't be performed on a locked volume;
>click OK, and then reboot and allow the CHKDSK to run.
>
>It will most likely not correct the problem but won't hurt anything.
>
>Sadly, a Windows system restore at the time of the loss of PM function might
>have addressed the issue.
>
>If the CHKDSK does no good, then my guess is that a Windows XP repair
>install might be in order - or a clean install.
>

I'll run a chkdsk but doubt that will fix PM as you have said.
BTW I'm running Win2K Wkstn.

-G

On Mon, 28 Apr 2008 21:27:13 -0400, "Christopher Muto"
<muto@worldnet.att.net> brought the following to our attention:

>perhaps you added a drive or something and disabled power management on that
>device which effectively defeats it for all...
>this is a nice summary of the basic issues... perhaps it will help.
>http://www.annoyances.org/exec/show/article07-044

Thinking of it more.. I installed a four port USB-2 board in a PCI slot
with four ports. The machine seemed to work strange after that. I tried
two additional nVidia cards and am now back to the Dell OME. Maybe
uninstall the new USB adapter?

-G

><gabbey.maps@bkwds.dynanet.com> wrote in message
>
>>
>> I have a dual-Xeon 610 Workstation and a Dell P990 monitor. The nVidia
>> video card was supplied by Dell also. In the past 6 months or so, the
>> monitor energy saver feature hasn't worked. With summer coming around
>> again, I need to get this working!!
>>
>> Have run SFC (system file check) and looked in the system BIOS as well.
>> What is disabling the `Turn off monitor´ fields in Display Properties?
>>
>> -G
>>
>

that is certainly worth a try. but you first might want to simply unplug
the devices that are connected to it... i wonder if the usb card has a via
chipset. i have found all sorts of problems with them. the ones with a nec
chipset a reliable and only a couple of dollars more.

<gabbey.maps@bkwds.dynanet.com> wrote in message
news:fg1d14tnoe6ndgf2mjf5m99gidve28rtnv@4ax.com...
> On Mon, 28 Apr 2008 21:27:13 -0400, "Christopher Muto"
> <muto@worldnet.att.net> brought the following to our attention:
>
>>perhaps you added a drive or something and disabled power management on
>>that
>>device which effectively defeats it for all...
>>this is a nice summary of the basic issues... perhaps it will help.
>>http://www.annoyances.org/exec/show/article07-044
>
> Thinking of it more.. I installed a four port USB-2 board in a PCI slot
> with four ports. The machine seemed to work strange after that. I tried
> two additional nVidia cards and am now back to the Dell OME. Maybe
> uninstall the new USB adapter?
>
> -G
>
>><gabbey.maps@bkwds.dynanet.com> wrote in message
>>
>>>
>>> I have a dual-Xeon 610 Workstation and a Dell P990 monitor. The nVidia
>>> video card was supplied by Dell also. In the past 6 months or so, the
>>> monitor energy saver feature hasn't worked. With summer coming around
>>> again, I need to get this working!!
>>>
>>> Have run SFC (system file check) and looked in the system BIOS as well.
>>> What is disabling the `Turn off monitor´ fields in Display Properties?
>>>
>>> -G
>>>
>>
>

"i wonder if the usb card has a via chipset. i have found all sorts of problems
with them. the ones with a nec chipset a reliable and only a couple of dollars
more." THAT is useful information worth remembering. Thank you... Ben Myers

On Mon, 28 Apr 2008 22:56:27 -0400, "Christopher Muto" <muto@worldnet.att.net>
wrote:

>that is certainly worth a try. but you first might want to simply unplug
>the devices that are connected to it... i wonder if the usb card has a via
>chipset. i have found all sorts of problems with them. the ones with a nec
>chipset a reliable and only a couple of dollars more.
>
><gabbey.maps@bkwds.dynanet.com> wrote in message
>news:fg1d14tnoe6ndgf2mjf5m99gidve28rtnv@4ax.com.. .
>> On Mon, 28 Apr 2008 21:27:13 -0400, "Christopher Muto"
>> <muto@worldnet.att.net> brought the following to our attention:
>>
>>>perhaps you added a drive or something and disabled power management on
>>>that
>>>device which effectively defeats it for all...
>>>this is a nice summary of the basic issues... perhaps it will help.
>>>http://www.annoyances.org/exec/show/article07-044
>>
>> Thinking of it more.. I installed a four port USB-2 board in a PCI slot
>> with four ports. The machine seemed to work strange after that. I tried
>> two additional nVidia cards and am now back to the Dell OME. Maybe
>> uninstall the new USB adapter?
>>
>> -G
>>
>>><gabbey.maps@bkwds.dynanet.com> wrote in message
>>>
>>>>
>>>> I have a dual-Xeon 610 Workstation and a Dell P990 monitor. The nVidia
>>>> video card was supplied by Dell also. In the past 6 months or so, the
>>>> monitor energy saver feature hasn't worked. With summer coming around
>>>> again, I need to get this working!!
>>>>
>>>> Have run SFC (system file check) and looked in the system BIOS as well.
>>>> What is disabling the `Turn off monitor´ fields in Display Properties?
>>>>
>>>> -G
>>>>
>>>
>>
>

and it explains why they sell for 99¢ on ebay
the nec sell for 2.99.
the via cards generally do work, but with certain devices or motherboards
they demonstrate odd behavior that will drive you mad searching for an
explanation well before you likely think to suspect to the card...

"Ben Myers" <ben_myers_spam_me_not@charter.net> wrote in message
news:954d1492sub00fhc3gn4k91t7v8h24bt22@4ax.com...
> "i wonder if the usb card has a via chipset. i have found all sorts of
> problems
> with them. the ones with a nec chipset a reliable and only a couple of
> dollars
> more." THAT is useful information worth remembering. Thank you... Ben
> Myers
>
> On Mon, 28 Apr 2008 22:56:27 -0400, "Christopher Muto"
> <muto@worldnet.att.net>
> wrote:
>
>>that is certainly worth a try. but you first might want to simply unplug
>>the devices that are connected to it... i wonder if the usb card has a
>>via
>>chipset. i have found all sorts of problems with them. the ones with a
>>nec
>>chipset a reliable and only a couple of dollars more.
>>
>><gabbey.maps@bkwds.dynanet.com> wrote in message
>>news:fg1d14tnoe6ndgf2mjf5m99gidve28rtnv@4ax.com. ..
>>> On Mon, 28 Apr 2008 21:27:13 -0400, "Christopher Muto"
>>> <muto@worldnet.att.net> brought the following to our attention:
>>>
>>>>perhaps you added a drive or something and disabled power management on
>>>>that
>>>>device which effectively defeats it for all...
>>>>this is a nice summary of the basic issues... perhaps it will help.
>>>>http://www.annoyances.org/exec/show/article07-044
>>>
>>> Thinking of it more.. I installed a four port USB-2 board in a PCI slot
>>> with four ports. The machine seemed to work strange after that. I tried
>>> two additional nVidia cards and am now back to the Dell OME. Maybe
>>> uninstall the new USB adapter?
>>>
>>> -G
>>>
>>>><gabbey.maps@bkwds.dynanet.com> wrote in message
>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>> I have a dual-Xeon 610 Workstation and a Dell P990 monitor. The nVidia
>>>>> video card was supplied by Dell also. In the past 6 months or so, the
>>>>> monitor energy saver feature hasn't worked. With summer coming around
>>>>> again, I need to get this working!!
>>>>>
>>>>> Have run SFC (system file check) and looked in the system BIOS as
>>>>> well.
>>>>> What is disabling the `Turn off monitor´ fields in Display Properties?
>>>>>
>>>>> -G
>>>>>
>>>>
>>>
>>

<gabbey.maps@bkwds.dynanet.com> wrote in message
news:fg1d14tnoe6ndgf2mjf5m99gidve28rtnv@4ax.com...
> On Mon, 28 Apr 2008 21:27:13 -0400, "Christopher Muto"
> <muto@worldnet.att.net> brought the following to our attention:
>
>>perhaps you added a drive or something and disabled power management on
>>that
>>device which effectively defeats it for all...
>>this is a nice summary of the basic issues... perhaps it will help.
>>http://www.annoyances.org/exec/show/article07-044
>
> Thinking of it more.. I installed a four port USB-2 board in a PCI slot
> with four ports. The machine seemed to work strange after that. I tried
> two additional nVidia cards and am now back to the Dell OME. Maybe
> uninstall the new USB adapter?
>
> -G
>


That would've been helpful to know. Sure, pull the card.

On Mon, 28 Apr 2008 22:56:27 -0400, "Christopher Muto"
<muto@worldnet.att.net> brought the following to our attention:

>that is certainly worth a try. but you first might want to simply unplug
>the devices that are connected to it... i wonder if the usb card has a via
>chipset. i have found all sorts of problems with them. the ones with a nec
>chipset a reliable and only a couple of dollars more.

I pulled the 4-port USB board and it was in fact a VIA chipset,
however all of the energy saver features are still greyed out in
the Display Properties box. There's one strange device that's
still showing up, and it's called "ACPI Fixed Feature Button."
So what is THAT supposed to be? Any other suggestions on
what might have disabled my `turn off monitor´ function?

-G