I’m running an Dell 4700 desktop and I always place it into stanby when I am not going to be on it for a long while. Recently, went to start-turn off computer then I usually click the standby button…well it is now grayed out…Anyone know why this would happen?
Can I tag a question onto this: Does standby still use electricity?
If I’m not using my computer for a while I use shutdown.
I have a suspicion that standby is leaving your windows ‘on’ so all the stuff in memory goes back into memory when you come out of standby.
See this link http://www.fujitsu-siemens.co.uk/rl/servicesupport/techsupport/lifebook/General/RrestoreStandby.htm
Little bump…I tried the link and it didn’t work. No worries, I’ll try anything once 
Hiya. What operating system are you running? XP or Vista? I’d suggest going into Control Panel -> Power (Power Options in XP) and looking at your settings in there. It’s going to be the Standy/Hibernate options you need.
And to answer Lobsang, if Standby lets you shake the mouse and be back on inside 5 seconds it’s probably not a full shutdown. In XP the full memory-save and power-off is called Hibernate. In Vista it’s lots more complex 
tim
I’m running XP - and in the power options it only gives a time limit on when to standyby/hibernate…not a setting that I can see.
Related question - setting my monitors to turn off after so many minutes stops working after the computer’s been on for a few days with occasional use. I’m sure I have set the monitors to go off in the currently applied power scheme. Rebooting seems to reset this behavior. I suspect my Webroot or SpywareBlaster or NortonAntivirus, because I think one of their “see how hard I’m working for you” splash screens has always been on the screen when the monitors are stuck on. Any ideas?
This happened back on my old Dell Dimension 8200, i believe it was either a patch or an out dated driver. Try holding down shift when you are at that screen i beleive that changes some of the buttons around.