Got sound again. Now a problem switch.

[Don Henthorn Smithville, TX]

Tnanks to Help on the Creek, especially John Miliunas, I again have sound. Now my problem is the off on switch on the case. When I shut the computer down it gets to that last screen where it says it is safe to turn the computer off. Then if I push the switch to turn it off it just reboots. No matter how lightly I press on the switch it just reboots the computer. My question is about the switch. Are they fairly uniform in shape and size. That is, could I go to a computer shop and buy a swiitch that is likely to fit the front of my case.?

[Jason Roehl]

Tnanks to Help on the Creek, especially John Miliunas, I again have sound. Now my problem is the off on switch on the case. When I shut the computer down it gets to that last screen where it says it is safe to turn the computer off. Then if I push the switch to turn it off it just reboots. No matter how lightly I press on the switch it just reboots the computer. My question is about the switch. Are they fairly uniform in shape and size. That is, could I go to a computer shop and buy a swiitch that is likely to fit the front of my case.?

Shot in the dark here, but on my computer, the power and reboot switches are one and the same...I just have to hold the power switch in for 5 seconds to shut the computer off. But, it sounds like you didn't have this problem before with this computer and do now. In that case, you may be better off just using a power strip to turn off everything plugged into it, including the computer.

[John Miliunas]

Tnanks to Help on the Creek, especially John Miliunas, I again have sound. Now my problem is the off on switch on the case. When I shut the computer down it gets to that last screen where it says it is safe to turn the computer off. Then if I push the switch to turn it off it just reboots. No matter how lightly I press on the switch it just reboots the computer. My question is about the switch. Are they fairly uniform in shape and size. That is, could I go to a computer shop and buy a swiitch that is likely to fit the front of my case.?

Glad I was of some help to you, Don. On this latest issue, a couple things you may want to look at. First, in BIOS, you need to be sure that APM (Advanced Power Management) is enabled. In Windows, go to the Control Panel and select Power Options, Advanced and, at the bottom of that window, select Shutdown in the Power Buttons area. Let us know if that works on your rig... :cool:

[Don Henthorn Smithville, TX]

Glad I was of some help to you, Don. On this latest issue, a couple things you may want to look at. First, in BIOS, you need to be sure that APM (Advanced Power Management) is enabled. In Windows, go to the Control Panel and select Power Options, Advanced and, at the bottom of that window, select Shutdown in the Power Buttons area. Let us know if that works on your rig... :cool:

Strange. I have no option in BIOS to enable APM. However in Control Panel/Power Options there is an APM tab which allows the enabling of APM. There is no Power Buttons area under the the Advanced tab. I enabled the APM and then the computer rebooted without my even pushing the off button on the front of the computer. I dosabled the APM and I am back to where I was.

[John Miliunas]

Strange. I have no option in BIOS to enable APM. However in Control Panel/Power Options there is an APM tab which allows the enabling of APM. There is no Power Buttons area under the the Advanced tab. I enabled the APM and then the computer rebooted without my even pushing the off button on the front of the computer. I dosabled the APM and I am back to where I was.

Crapola! That's not good. I'm afraid you may be left with one of two things to do: 1) Do as Jason suggests and just use your power strip (a *good* anti-surge type, I hope!) to power down. I have an older unit, which my little girl uses with the same issue and that works just fine. 2) If you know the motherboard manufacturer and the model of it, go to their web site and see if they have an updated BIOS for it. Most OEM's provide a "flash" for the BIOS to fix problems or make enhancements to functionality, if/when available. APM is often one of those enhancements. Individual OEM's may have slightly different ways of performing the "flash", but that's usually outlined pretty well, either on their site or in a "Readme" file you download with the flash package. Most flash bins are quite small and easily fit on a bootable diskette.

Don't hesitate to give me a yell via email or PM, if you need further assistance. :cool:

[Ken Garlock]

Crapola! That's not good. I'm afraid you may be left with one of two things to do: 1) Do as Jason suggests and just use your power strip (a *good* anti-surge type, I hope!) to power down. I have an older unit, which my little girl uses with the same issue and that works just fine. 2) If you know the motherboard manufacturer and the model of it, go to their web site and see if they have an updated BIOS for it. Most OEM's provide a "flash" for the BIOS to fix problems or make enhancements to functionality, if/when available. APM is often one of those enhancements. Individual OEM's may have slightly different ways of performing the "flash", but that's usually outlined pretty well, either on their site or in a "Readme" file you download with the flash package. Most flash bins are quite small and easily fit on a bootable diskette.

Don't hesitate to give me a yell via email or PM, if you need further assistance. :cool:

Say John, doesn't the M/B and Power Supply need to be an ATX type to support turning off the system from the M/B?

OK Don, start thawing out some more of those frozen assets, AKA Bush promissory notes, I think I hear a new mother board over the horizon ;)

[John Miliunas]

Say John, doesn't the M/B and Power Supply need to be an ATX type to support turning off the system from the M/B?

OK Don, start thawing out some more of those frozen assets, AKA Bush promissory notes, I think I hear a new mother board over the horizon ;)

Right you are, Ken. Here I was making assumptions that someone running XP has newer technology than that required for AT boards. Indeed, there are still boards around, which will provide the necessary umph to run XP. If that is the case, Don, go back to Jason's original suggestion or do like Ken says and start spending some of that hard-earned cash on a new mo-bo, case, etc... :cool: