Member Avatar for compnutt

The power optons on my XP Pro SP3 IE8 laptop will not let me change the options back to default when I click on the standby or hybernation.
Want it to stay online while at idle & not ask me for a password everytime once it shuts down with the lid open. Tried System Restore to a later date & still no help.
Don't want to do a System Repair if not need be.
Tried all other options to get it to work but to no avail can I do it.
Not familiar with the power save options for laptop or the other power options to select.
Any help would be appreciated.
Its driving me crazy!!
Thank's!
David

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Dani AI

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Short summary and diagnostic framing: the symptom (Power Options changes not persisting; system always asks for a password after idle) can come from two separate problem tracks — system/policy/profile-level settings that reapply or block changes, and firmware/hardware oddities that produce unstable behaviour. has already pointed toward driver-level causes; has noted BIOS/beep symptoms on a related Gateway machine. Both avenues merit parallel, non‑destructive tests before any repair install.

A useful, prioritized checklist (non‑destructive):

  1. Isolate profile vs system: create a new local Administrator account and check whether power settings persist there. Persistence in the new profile points to a corrupt user profile or user-level policy.
  2. Isolate third‑party interference: perform a clean boot (msconfig) or try Safe Mode and then change the power options. If settings stick with non‑Microsoft startups/services disabled, a vendor utility or background service is enforcing the policy.
  3. Check local policy and applied policies: run gpedit.msc (User Configuration → Administrative Templates → Control Panel → Personalization) for any policies enforcing password-on-resume; use gpresult /r to see which policies are actually applied.
  4. Inspect registry controls and permissions: examine HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Control Panel\Desktop values such as ScreenSaverIsSecure and ScreenSaveActive, and confirm the registry key permissions allow changes to be saved.
  5. Look for OEM power-management software (Gateway utilities) and temporarily disable/uninstall it; review Event Viewer around the time settings revert; run System File Checker (sfc /scannow) as a repair attempt short of a full reinstall.

Firmware/hardware note: beep codes and a blank screen are BIOS/vendor specific. Reseating memory, testing an external display, disconnecting peripherals, and resetting CMOS are safe initial hardware checks. Avoid flashing the BIOS on an unstable system; consult Gateway support or the service manual if hardware symptoms persist. Back up important data before attempting repair installs.

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Member Avatar for Rik_

Have a look in device manager to see if you have a mising ACPI driver. Instructions -

Member Avatar for compnutt

Thank's Rik from RCE!
I am well aware of performing tasks in DM.
I repair computer's & I am a computer consultant in my spare time.
I'll have a looksee at the DM & see if there's something up with it soon.
Maybe it's an issue in the bio's as well.
I hope I explained my issue with the power options well enough.
I just can't reset the passward & go in & uncheck or check the box & make it work for me.
It will let me put a checkmark in the box or remove it but it goes back to everytime when the laptop is at idle to the password window after sitting for a while when i'm not using it with the lid open.
Tried putting the sceensaver to "none" just to be sure.
A Avira virus scan might be a solution too.
Thank's for your tips & link!
David

Member Avatar for Rik_

Hmmm, perhaps a third party screen saver is to blame???

Member Avatar for compnutt

Thank's!
No 3rd party screen savers. Don't like the email spam it sends to my inbox.
I get enough of that spam anyway.
Do have some desktop picture's from my pic folder that somehow gets put on my desktop selections.
Have to do somemore tinkering once I get my laptop to work.
My Gateway goes to work with me & back home everyday on a regular basis for working projects.

Member Avatar for Rik_

I also am a computer technician btw, if it was mine I'd give it a full scan with mbam to see if there are any nasties hiding somewhere!

Unrelated, I am rather pleased with myself. I have figured out how to repair the HP DV series laptops that have the Nvidia GPU fail on them. I now have 11 repaired with a %100 success rate! :) And it's an actual repair rather than replacing the mobo with another one that will fail at a later date too!

Member Avatar for compnutt

My post I have on here has all the details what my recent client's was experiencing but don't have access to the laptop now, so its sits at his house untouched with no fix for it for now till I figure the problem with it.
I'm at a point it's not the GPU at fault overheating but somehting to do with a corrupted bio's.
Makes random beeps 2 long & 1 short & hard to hear even with an external speaker & screen will not come up & no bio's screen present.
All power is present on keyboard.

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