Win98SE Standby and ScreenSaver conflict

[Tiger-Heli]

This isn't arcade related, but you guys usually have the answers.

I recently discovered Suspend to Ram mode.  This shuts down all the system fans.

Previously, I was having my ScreenSaver come on after 4 minutes, the monitor shut off after 25 minutes, and the HD shut off after 30 minutes.  This left the PS and CPU fan running continuously.

I was playing with the Desktop Properties, Screen Saver, Advanced TAB and found I could set the System Standby time to one minute and Windoze popped up a msg box about going to Suspend in 15 seconds - Suspend Now / Cancel, and then went into STR.  This was great.

However, if I set System Standby to later than the screen saver, then the screen saver stayed on and the system never entered Standby mode.

I would like the screen saver to come on after 4 minutes, and then go to STR mode after 25 minutes.

But it looks like I can either not use a screen saver and automatically go to STR, or have the screen saver, but then have to activate STR manually.

Any recommendations on how to get STR running automatically after the Screen Saver?

[Howard_Casto]

windows 98 power managment features are flawed, they don't work right, so don't use em.    I would like to say that 2000/xp are better but they aren't by much.  

[Spaced Invader]

While installing a new operating system might work...I find it a bit excessive. I'm not running 98 so I can't troubleshoot and my searches haven't been real fruitful.

 I do think there is a work around using a smart shutdown utility. It defaults to running at a highter priority than the screensaver and shouldn't interfere or be fooled into thinking your machine is active. Here's a link (if you use it let me know how it works--I'm always curious).  

http://www.slawdog.com/products/smartsd/

[Howard_Casto]

Who suggested installing a new os?  I suggested not using power managment features all together.  

[Spaced Invader]

Chill, Howard...I tease. And I believe I was the one who mentioned installing a new operating system.  

And for what it's worth I agree with your assesment of windows power management in gereral and in 98 specifically.

Edit: Me spell bad

[Tiger-Heli]

While installing a new operating system might work...I find it a bit excessive. I'm not running 98 so I can't troubleshoot and my searches haven't been real fruitful.

 I do think there is a work around using a smart shutdown utility. It defaults to running at a highter priority than the screensaver and shouldn't interfere or be fooled into thinking your machine is active. Here's a link (if you use it let me know how it works--I'm always curious).  

http://www.slawdog.com/products/smartsd/

Actually, with the right hardware, I have no problems with how power management works (if I can get it to activate on it's own.

That smartshutdown program looks like it could do what I want.  Bad thing is it's another TSR to cause conflicts, etc.

I'll give it a shot though and let you know.

Thanks!!!

[Spaced Invader]

Bad thing is it's another TSR to cause conflicts, etc.

Agreed, I hate adding software to solve software problems...eating away at my precious processor time...my p-r-e-c-i-o-u-s. OK, sorry...yes, I'm a geek.

[Howard_Casto]

I'm sorry I think you took what I said the wrong way.  Let me explain a little better.  What you are wanting to do is turn off everything but hte processor and cpu right?  Well those are the only two things on your system that take any real juice (monitor excluded, but you can blank that out via the screensaver)  or are stressed if they are constantly running are the processor and cpu fan.  In other words you really aren't saving any energy and you really aren't saving your system components any wear and tear.  As a matter of fact the spin-up spin-down of disk drives are what wear them down, so you might actually be making things worse.


It's just my opinon but I think you'd be better off leaving everything on.  

[Tiger-Heli]

I'm sorry I think you took what I said the wrong way.  Let me explain a little better.  What you are wanting to do is turn off everything but hte processor and cpu right?  Well those are the only two things on your system that take any real juice (monitor excluded, but you can blank that out via the screensaver)  or are stressed if they are constantly running are the processor and cpu fan.  In other words you really aren't saving any energy and you really aren't saving your system components any wear and tear.  As a matter of fact the spin-up spin-down of disk drives are what wear them down, so you might actually be making things worse.

Read again, I am talking about Suspend to RAM,  all the current settings are saved in RAM, the CPU fan shuts down, the CPU temp drops to ambient, even the PS fan shuts down and the PS only supplies a trickle of power to the RAM to keep the contents current, and a trickle of power to flash the case LED's.

When you wake it up, everything comes up the way you left it, and you don't have to wait through the whole boot process.  I don't think you even have to spin up and down the HD's.

It's debatable whether spinning up and down the CPU and PS fans are more harmful than leaving them running, but it's no worse than powering the system on and off, and the silence is golden.

BTW, I haven't tried the software yet, but it looks like it should work fine for what I need.  The problem with this is having it smart enough to know when to activate and not activate.  For example, I want it to override my screen saver, but probably not my defrag program .  .  .

Will post back after I test it.

[Tiger-Heli]

I set up the program last night and was very impressed with it.  I didn

[Spaced Invader]

No problem...thanks for the review. I may have to download this one. You guys are such willing test subjects...mwaaa ha ha ha...er...I mean thanks for tryin it out.  

[Tiger-Heli]

Writing from where I installed the program, so I can be more accurate.

(Different commands for each function, example show main menu on left click, standby on double click, pop up menu on right click.)

Edit: There are only two Systray action options, not four - There is a left and a right click option.  Either one can be activated by either a single or double-click, if that makes sense.  I set left-click for Standby and Right-click for Systray pop-up menu and it works well.

 
The option to exit the program is off a side menu of the systray pop up menu.  I would prefer it to be up on the main list of options, but it is to the side, under Program Options, I think.  Once you find it, there aren

[Tiger-Heli]

Spaced Invader - Check your Private Messages.

[Spaced Invader]

Thanks...

[slawdog]

Dear Tiger-Heli,

Thank you very much for your feedback.
Nobody has ever given us such a lot of feedback.
Some things a really hard to implement though.....
I'll remember all those suggestions during design of future versions.
Thanks, thanks, thanks...

Best Regards,
Archie Cashin, Smart Shutdown developer... Slawdog E-Solutions

[Tiger-Heli]

Dear Tiger-Heli,

Thank you very much for your feedback.
Nobody has ever given us such a lot of feedback.
Some things a really hard to implement though.....
I'll remember all those suggestions during design of future versions.
Thanks, thanks, thanks...

Best Regards,
Archie Cashin, Smart Shutdown developer... Slawdog E-Solutions

Thanks for the reply.  I'm surprised no-one else commented.

I assume you saw my other post at:
http://forum.slawdog.com/yabb/YaBB.cgi?board=products_tech;action=display;num=1069527125

The two main features I need are keyboard (and/or USB/Joystick port) monitoring for idle activation, and for my inactivity timer settings to be retained after first activation.

If this were implemented, the program would be fantastic and my other suggestions would just be gravy.

Thanks again.