Question

XP power schemes all gone, can't control power options

Asked by: bwruble

I have not installed any software or hardware. Only automatic Windows updates and Office updates have been installed.  All of the Control Panel|Power Options|Power Schemes are gone or grayed out.  System insists on putting the monitor into "power save", though I don't want it to.  As a clue, during the period when things changed, many desktop icons changed their design, as if a new set of icons came with one of the automatic updates.  

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Asked On
2009-07-01 at 09:12:41ID24536921
Tags

XP

Topics

Windows XP Operating System

,

Power Supplies / UPS

,

Personal Computers

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Answers

 

by: MYCUPosted on 2009-07-01 at 09:51:53ID: 24756138

 

by: nobusPosted on 2009-07-02 at 01:19:39ID: 24761282

a system restore  can get you back quickly !

 

by: bwrublePosted on 2009-07-02 at 04:55:41ID: 24762274

System restore always fails.

 

by: DuaneMizellPosted on 2009-07-02 at 07:05:15ID: 24763429

There's a command line option, powercfg.exe, that you can use to change power settings. If you open an ms-dos prompt and type "powercfg /?" It will give you a list of different things you can do, including changing the scheme or components within the scheme.
I would give that a shot.
-D

 

by: bwrublePosted on 2009-07-02 at 07:19:03ID: 24763578

That just brings up the same screen that comes up in the control panel --- with all the options grayed out.

 

by: DuaneMizellPosted on 2009-07-02 at 07:33:13ID: 24763763

Are you logged is as a local admin?
When I go to a command promp on a Windows XP machine and type "powercfg /?" I get this:

C:\Documents and Settings\xxxxxxx>powercfg /?
 
POWERCFG [/LIST | /QUERY [name] | /CREATE name | /DELETE name |
       /SETACTIVE name | /CHANGE name settings |
       /HIBERNATE {ON|OFF} | /EXPORT name [/FILE filename] |
       /IMPORT name [/FILE filename] | /GLOBALPOWERFLAG {ON|OFF} /OPTION flag |
       /BATTERYALARM {LOW|CRITICAL} [settings] |
       /DEVICEQUERY queryflags | /DEVICEENABLEWAKE devicename |
       /DEVICEDISABLEWAKE devicename | /?]
 
Description:
    This command line tool enables an administrator to control
    the power settings on a system.
 
Parameter List:
    /LIST, /L       Lists the names of existing power schemes.
    /QUERY, /Q      Displays the configuration of the specified power scheme.
                    If no name is specified, the configuration of the currently
                    active power scheme is displayed.
    /CREATE, /C     Creates a power scheme with the specified name.  The new
                    scheme is created with the properties of the currently
                    active scheme.
    /DELETE, /D     Deletes the power scheme with the specified name.
    /SETACTIVE, /S  Makes the power scheme with the specified name active.
    /CHANGE, /X     Changes settings of the specified power scheme. Additional
                    switches specify the changes as follows:
                        /monitor-timeout-ac <minutes>
                        /monitor-timeout-dc <minutes>
                        /disk-timeout-ac <minutes>
                        /disk-timeout-dc <minutes>
                        /standby-timeout-ac <minutes>
                        /standby-timeout-dc <minutes>
                        /hibernate-timeout-ac <minutes>
                        /hibernate-timeout-dc <minutes>
                        /processor-throttle-ac <throttle>
                        /processor-throttle-dc <throttle>
                    AC settings are used when the system is on AC power.
                    DC settings are used when the system is on battery power.
                    Setting a timeout to zero will disable the corresponding
                    timeout feature.  Supported throttle settings are NONE
                    CONSTANT, DEGRADE, and ADAPTIVE.
    /EXPORT, /E     Exports the power scheme with the specified name to a
                    file.  If no filename is specified, the default is
                    SCHEME.POW.  This additional parameter is supported:
                        /FILE <filename>
    /IMPORT, /I     Imports the power scheme from a file under the specified
                    name.  If no filename is specified, the default is
                    SCHEME.POW.  If a scheme with that name already exists, it
                    is replaced with the new one.  This additional parameter
                    is supported:
                        /FILE <filename>
    /HIBERNATE, /H {ON|OFF}  Enables/Disables the hibernate feature.  Hibernate
                    timeout is not supported on all systems.
    /NUMERICAL, /N  Allows the power scheme to be operated upon to be specified
                    using a numerical identifier.  When using this switch, in
                    place of the name of the power scheme on the command line,
                    specify its numerical identifier.  This switch may be used
                    in combination with the /QUERY, /DELETE, /SETACTIVE,
                    /CHANGE, /EXPORT, and /IMPORT commands.
    /GLOBALPOWERFLAG, /G {ON|OFF}  Turns one of the global power flags on/off.
                    Valid flags (to be used after "/OPTION ") are:
                         BATTERYICON:    Turns the battery meter icon in the
                                         system tray on/off.
                         MULTIBATTERY:   Turns on/off multiple battery display
                                         in system Power Meter.
                         RESUMEPASSWORD: Prompt for password on resuming the
                                         system.
                         WAKEONRING:     Turn on/off wake on ring support.
                         VIDEODIM:       Turn on/off support for dimming video
                                         display on battery power.
    /AVAILABLESLEEPSTATES, /A  Reports the sleep states available on the
                    system.  Attempts to report reasons why sleep states are
                    unavailable.
    /BATTERYALARM, /B {LOW|CRITICAL}  Configures the battery alarm.  The
                    following switches can be specified:
                        /activate <on|off>
                            Enables or disables the alarm.
                        /level <percentage (0 - 100)>
                            The alarm will be activated when the power level
                            reaches this percentage.
                        /text <on|off>
                            Turns the text notification on or off.
                        /sound <on|off>
                            Turns the audible notification on or off.
                        /action <none|shutdown|hibernate|standby>
                            Specifies the action to take when this alarm goes
                            off.  Not all actions are always available.
                        /forceaction <on|off>
                            Force stand by or shutdown even if a program stops
                            responding.
                        /program <on|off>
                            Specifies a program to run.  schtasks.exe /change
                           may be used to configure the program.
    /DEVICEQUERY <queryflags> will return a list of devices that meet the
                    criteria specified in <queryflags>.  Possible values
                    for <queryflags> are:
                    wake_from_S1_supported - return all devices that support
                             waking the system from a light sleep state.
                    wake_from_S2_supported - return all devices that support
                             waking the system from a deeper sleep state.
                    wake_from_S3_supported - return all devices that support
                             waking from the deepest sleep state.
                    wake_from_any - return all devices that support waking
                             from any sleep state.
                    S1_supported - list devices supporting light sleep states.
                    S2_supported - list devices supporting deeper sleep.
                    S3_supported - list devices supporting deepest sleep.
                    S4_supported - list devices supporting system hibernation.
                    wake_programmable - list devices that are user-configurable
                             to wake the system from a sleep state.
                    wake_armed - list devices that are currently configured to
                             wake the system from any sleep state.
                    all_devices - return all devices present in the system.
                    all_devices_verbose - return verbose list of devices.
    /DEVICEENABLEWAKE <devicename> enable the device to wake the system from a
                    sleep state. <devicename> is a device retrieved using
                    the '/DEVICEQUERY wake_programmable' parameter.
    /DEVICEDISABLEWAKE <devicename> disable the device from waking the system
                    from a sleep state. <devicename> is a device retrieved
                    using the '/DEVICEQUERY wake_armed' parameter.
    /HELP, /?       Displays information on command-line parameters.
 
Examples:
    POWERCFG /LIST
    POWERCFG /QUERY scheme
    POWERCFG /QUERY
    POWERCFG /CREATE scheme
    POWERCFG /DELETE scheme
    POWERCFG /SETACTIVE scheme
    POWERCFG /CHANGE scheme /monitor-timeout-dc 15
    POWERCFG /CHANGE scheme /monitor-timeout-dc 0
    POWERCFG /HIBERNATE on
    POWERCFG /EXPORT scheme /file file
    POWERCFG /QUERY number /NUMERICAL
    POWERCFG /GLOBALPOWERFLAG on /OPTION BATTERYICON
    POWERCFG /AVAILABLESLEEPSTATES
    POWERCFG /BATTERYALARM low
    POWERCFG /BATTERYALARM critical /ACTIVATE on /LEVEL 6 /ACTION hibernate
    POWERCFG /DEVICEQUERY wake_armed
    POWERCFG /DEVICEENABLEWAKE "Microsoft USB IntelliMouse Explorer"
                                              
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by: johnb6767Posted on 2009-07-05 at 00:23:00ID: 24779088

start>run>cmd

powercfg /create "Name Of Profile"
powercfg /setactive "Name Of Profile"
powercfg /change /monitor-timeout-ac 0
powercfg /change /monitor-timeout-dc 0

Does the monitor stay on? And is it set properly with the new Power Scheme?



 

by: PCBONEZPosted on 2009-07-05 at 03:45:25ID: 24779529


It's uncommon but not unheard of for Malware to slip in with MS's updates. [Automatic or not.]
I've gotten a virus's on fresh installs that way twice.
Once back around 2004. Once in June 2009.

 

by: bwrublePosted on 2009-07-05 at 05:24:32ID: 24779774

I get an error message for those commands "Windows cannot find [command]. Make sure you have typed it correctly."

Thanks anyway.

 

by: bwrublePosted on 2009-07-05 at 05:48:42ID: 24779855

Entering powercfg/? from a DOS prompt gives me all that info, but it won't accept commands.  I get "unable to create new power scheme"  It seems that power schemes are files of the form *.pow  A search of the computer finds no *.pow files.

 

by: nobusPosted on 2009-07-05 at 08:35:44ID: 24780288

maybe time to run sfc /scannow, or a repair install :http://www.michaelstevenstech.com/XPrepairinstall.htm      

 

by: johnb6767Posted on 2009-07-05 at 23:42:52ID: 24783029

Try replacing powercfg.exe from a known good machine. Delete the WFP copy in c:\windows\system32\dllcache first.....

 

by: PCBONEZPosted on 2009-07-05 at 23:43:15ID: 24783031

>> I get an error message for those commands "Windows cannot find [command]. Make sure you have typed it correctly." <<

Yes, that's -exactly- why I suggested what I did.
Malware often affects "start>run>cmd>whatever" in strange ways.

.

 

by: johnb6767Posted on 2009-07-05 at 23:47:53ID: 24783047

You are right, I was just interested in that single file. SFC often causes too many problems in just trying to get it to work, if your system has had a Service Pack installed, installed form a CDRom/HDD etc....

Thats why I was offering the single fix, and not all of them. Definately not trying to take away from the validity of your comment....

 

by: bwrublePosted on 2009-07-08 at 10:43:01ID: 24806261

There is no folder "dllcache" in Windows\system32\

What is a "WFP copy"?

 

by: bwrublePosted on 2009-07-08 at 11:30:02ID: 24806696

Installing clean powercfg.exe made no difference

 

by: MYCUPosted on 2009-07-08 at 16:17:19ID: 24809395

Have you tried the site I listed in the beginning?

 

by: bwrublePosted on 2009-07-08 at 16:57:34ID: 24809563

Not yet.  i found it a little scary and a little hard to figure out.

 

by: MYCUPosted on 2009-07-08 at 17:18:39ID: 24809659

All you have to do is go to the kelly's corner site that it is referencing and do a search for your issue. Just type in "Power" and navigate thorugh until you see the right one. Click on that file and save it. The instructions for what to do with the file are located at the top of the site.

 

by: bwrublePosted on 2009-07-09 at 07:18:32ID: 31598830

This site had the fix --- line 204 on the right:
http://www.kellys-korner-xp.com/xp_tweaks.htm

20120131-EE-VQP-002

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