Stand By setting in Windows XP

[Me2]

I have my computer set to go to stand by after a certain length of time. However the fan stays about as loud as it normally is when it goes into standby automatically. However when I go to Turn Off Computer in the start menu and click stand by the fan cannot be heard. Is there a way to get the fan to be quieter when the computer goes into standby automatically?

[rkawakami]

My guess would be that when your system automatically goes into "standby", it's really only the screen saver kicking in. Standby should power down the system into a sleep mode where the memory is still active but the hard drive has spun down, the display turned off and the fan not spinning. Furthermore, the "quarter moon" icon on the Thinkpad should be lit indicating standby/sleep. The only way to wake up the system in this mode is to press the Fn key for a second; pressing any of the keyboard's keys or moving the cursor around with the trackpoint/touchpad will do nothing to restore power to the system.

If your system seems to only turn off the display during this automatic standby and pressing any key or moving the cursor around makes the screen light up again, then what you're seeing is just Window's screen saver utility.

[dr_st]

Or just the monitor turning itself off.

[Me2]

I have it set to go to standby after 25 minutes. However the fan remains loud as normal after the 25 minute mark.

[GomJabbar]

Yes, it sounds like the monitor is going into Standby or Power Saving mode, but not the system. Look in Control Panel > Power Options for changing settings. If you have Power Manager or Battery Maximizer installed, you should be able to change those settings from the battery icon in the task tray or from Start > ThinkVantage > Power Manager or Battery Maximizer (if I remember correctly).

For monitor power saving settings, you can them by right-clicking on an open area of the desktop and choosing: Properties > Screen Saver > "Power..." button under "Monitor power".

EDIT: If you are talking about a ThinkPad, the crescent moon icon under the LCD display should light when the system goes into Standby (or Suspend). If you go into Hibernation, the crescent moon icon will not be lit. You can enter Standby by pressing Fn+F4. You can enter Hibernation by pressing Fn+F12. To come out of Standby, press the Fn key. To come out of Hibernation, press the on/off button.