homeducks
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Docked/Undocked Profiles
I recently started getting an undocked profile alert on my Dell Laptop ( XP Pro). It has never used any kind of docking device but the only profile shown is listed as undocked and triggers an alarm when I start it. That is the only problem - everthing works fine after this occurs but it is annoying. How do I re-establish the setting so that this alrm etc. goes away?
ASKER
When the laptop starts - a message screen and 6 tone alarm comes up saying it is undocked and to choose the profile to use but the undocked profile is the only one listed. If you hit enter it goes awyw and continues to boot up and start with no other problems.
Ok, it's worth simply trying to recreate that hardware profile, to see if the problem goes away.
Right-click My Computer, select Properties, then select the Hardware tab. Click on the Hardware Profiles button (the bottom one), and you'll see a list of hardware profiles (probably with only one listed).
Select the one, click Copy, and give the new profile a new name (Docked New or something). Also worth checking what setting you have for how to select profile - i.e. 'Wait until I select..." or choose a timeout period (you may be able to set 0 seconds, I'm not sure!).
Ensure that the new profile you created is at the top of the list, then restart and see what happens.
If it asks you to select again, ensure you select the newly created profile, then follow the first few steps above to get back into hardware profiles, and delete the old one completely.
If you didn't try this originally, also try setting a 0 second timeout to select the profile at the top of the list.
Let me know what happens? :)
Pete
Right-click My Computer, select Properties, then select the Hardware tab. Click on the Hardware Profiles button (the bottom one), and you'll see a list of hardware profiles (probably with only one listed).
Select the one, click Copy, and give the new profile a new name (Docked New or something). Also worth checking what setting you have for how to select profile - i.e. 'Wait until I select..." or choose a timeout period (you may be able to set 0 seconds, I'm not sure!).
Ensure that the new profile you created is at the top of the list, then restart and see what happens.
If it asks you to select again, ensure you select the newly created profile, then follow the first few steps above to get back into hardware profiles, and delete the old one completely.
If you didn't try this originally, also try setting a 0 second timeout to select the profile at the top of the list.
Let me know what happens? :)
Pete
Sorry, meant "Undocked New" or whatever for the profile name, not that it matters what you call it, as long as you can recognise it as the one you just created! :)
ASKER
I will try that tonite and see what happens.
ASKER
Pete- I tried that but got the same results
Punky - There is no docking station listed in my DM
Punky - There is no docking station listed in my DM
Ok, if you go back into Hardware profiles, select your single profile, and select 'Properties' - What does the check box show for the docked status for that profile? Docked/Undocked/Unknown? (as attached)
HardwareProfile.JPG
HardwareProfile.JPG
ASKER
I think it said unknown
You may have guessed that I'm sort of stabbing in the dark here, but it may be worth setting it specifically to 'undocked', and also looking at what that other tick box is set to ("Always include this profile as an option...") also shown in the pic above.
I'm guessing from your most recent post that this is a PC you currently don't have access to?
Pete
I'm guessing from your most recent post that this is a PC you currently don't have access to?
Pete
ASKER
I don't think it is set to allow that change ( Grayed out). It is on my laptop at home and I am currently at work today. Thabks for your efforts.
Yes sorry, that would be because that's the profile currently in use - You'd have to do another 'copy', then make the changes in the new profile (sort of 'force' undocked) and then restart, and select the one you just created!
Again, may at that point be worth removing the 'old' profile so the 'undocked' one is the only one remaining, and restart again.
If that fails, might be worth doing similar but creating a new profile completely, instead of using the copy function?
Let me know how you get on!
Again, may at that point be worth removing the 'old' profile so the 'undocked' one is the only one remaining, and restart again.
If that fails, might be worth doing similar but creating a new profile completely, instead of using the copy function?
Let me know how you get on!
ASKER
How do I create a new profile?
I think the copy issue is just replicating the corrupted one?
I think the copy issue is just replicating the corrupted one?
Hmmmm, I spoke before checking, and it appears the only way to create new profiles is using the copy command...
Did you already try the rest of that post? Forcing the 'undocked' selection?
Did you already try the rest of that post? Forcing the 'undocked' selection?
ASKER
I tried what you suggested but both are already listed as undocked and the choices are grayed out. There is one other issue. When I open a window the mouse is locked to one location in the window. like on the turn-off box it is locked to standby and won't let you click on turnoff or restart. It is like this for any of the windowa tha open. The focus is locked to one box. Any suggestions? I run McAfee security and have checked for viruses, etc.
Ok, I may well have overlooked a potentially obvious reason why this is happening - I think you have a dodgy keyboard!
You see pressing the space bar during the start up process will force the hardware profile selection menu to appear. From what you've said about the strange behaviour in windows, it also sounds like the sort of thing you see when a key is stuck down on your keyboard.
So, firstly, check your space bar - press it many times quite firmly, and if you're comfortable doing so, pop the 'bar' off completely and check that nothing is sticking it down underneath (i.e. a liquid spillage, any random crumb or whatever!).
If you can't see a problem there, I would definitely try another keyboard - I have just tried holding down my space bar and navigating around Windows, and I get a very similar situation that you have - I can't change selections etc. I also restarted my machine and held down the space bar, and for the first time ever, I was prompted to select a hardware profile!
Please give this a try, as having read your post and tried it myself, it seems like the most likely cause!
Hope that helps,
Pete
You see pressing the space bar during the start up process will force the hardware profile selection menu to appear. From what you've said about the strange behaviour in windows, it also sounds like the sort of thing you see when a key is stuck down on your keyboard.
So, firstly, check your space bar - press it many times quite firmly, and if you're comfortable doing so, pop the 'bar' off completely and check that nothing is sticking it down underneath (i.e. a liquid spillage, any random crumb or whatever!).
If you can't see a problem there, I would definitely try another keyboard - I have just tried holding down my space bar and navigating around Windows, and I get a very similar situation that you have - I can't change selections etc. I also restarted my machine and held down the space bar, and for the first time ever, I was prompted to select a hardware profile!
Please give this a try, as having read your post and tried it myself, it seems like the most likely cause!
Hope that helps,
Pete
Another test by the way, would be to simply get into Windows, and then disconnect your keyboard completely - Then test to see if your windows start behaving normally and allowing you to select Turn Off / Restart etc.
That should prove it one way or another quite quickly! :)
That should prove it one way or another quite quickly! :)
lol, just dawned on me that you're using a laptop, and probably not with an external keyboard right? :(
Either way, I'm still confident the keyboard is the cause of your problems, if it occurs without any external keyboard connected then obviously the built-in keyboard is the suspect, which unfortunately is not as easy to just swap out, due to the fact that you can't just buy those keyboards in the shops!
Well let me know what you find, it may be as easy as 'un-sticking' the space bar...
Either way, I'm still confident the keyboard is the cause of your problems, if it occurs without any external keyboard connected then obviously the built-in keyboard is the suspect, which unfortunately is not as easy to just swap out, due to the fact that you can't just buy those keyboards in the shops!
Well let me know what you find, it may be as easy as 'un-sticking' the space bar...
ASKER CERTIFIED SOLUTION
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Can you elaborate on the 'alarm' you're referring to? Is it just a baloon from the system tray telling you what profile you're using? Or something else? A screenshot may help... :)
Thanks!
Pete