Standby Problem Dimension 8400

Question

whenever i try to put my system on standby, it gets stuck on the "preparing to go into standby" screen for an infinite amount of time, even when no users are logged on and no programs are running (except windows, obviously).

system specs are:

System Information report written at: 03/14/11 16:09:16
System Name: DELL8400
[System Summary]

Item Value
OS Name Microsoft Windows XP Home Edition
Version 5.1.2600 Service Pack 3 Build 2600
OS Manufacturer Microsoft Corporation
System Name DELL8400
System Manufacturer Dell Inc.
System Model Dimension 8400
System Type X86-based PC
Processor x86 Family 15 Model 3 Stepping 4 GenuineIntel ~3391 Mhz
BIOS Version/Date Dell Inc. A03, 10/11/2004
SMBIOS Version 2.3
Windows Directory C:\WINDOWS
System Directory C:\WINDOWS\system32
Boot Device \Device\Harddisk0\DP(2)0x2f10c00-…
Locale United States
Hardware Abstraction Layer Version = "5.1.2600.5512 (xpsp.080413-2111)"
User Name DELL8400\******
Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Total Physical Memory 4,096.00 MB
Available Physical Memory 2.62 GB
Total Virtual Memory 2.00 GB
Available Virtual Memory 1.95 GB
Page File Space 3.84 GB
Page File C:\pagefile.sys

RoHe · Accepted Answer

Correct - You don't need the XP CD to run PC Restore.

As soon as it's done, get your firewall and antiviral software running. Then go directly to the Microsoft update site to get SP3 and all the other Microsoft updates. Until all those updates are all installed, your system willl wide open to a malware attack.

I presume this will fix your problem, but we have to assume it wasn't a recent Microsoft update that broke it in the first place. In that case, you'll just be back where you started. So lets hope that's not what happened! :emotion-5:

Ron

RoHe · Accepted Answer

You need to update to XP SP3 because Microsoft is no longer supporting SP2. Without SP3 and all the updates, your system is open to malware again.

I shutter to think how much of your personal info has been hijacked and is floating around on the net!

And if you want light - free anti-malware software, try Microsoft Security Essentials. And make sure the Windows firewall is enabled too.

Why ask for trouble? :emotion-5:

Ron

RoHe · Answer

Is this something new, or has it always had this problem?

If it's new, you might try a System Restore to latest date available before the problem started.

Personal files will be ok, but you will have to reinstall any software or updates that were originally installed after the date used for the Restore.

Ron

ruckalaz · Answer

This is something new. Had the problem for about 4 months now. I have tried restoring my system no luck. I suspect a driver problem, though i'm not sure.

RoHe · Answer

Four months is hardly 'new'. And you wouldn't want to do a System Restore back that far because you'd have to reinstall a lot of Microsoft updates, assuming your system had a restore point that old. If you have a Windows XP SP3 CD, you could run a Windows System File Check (sfc) to replace any missing/damaged system files, which might fix the problem. Click Start>Run Type in: sfc /scannow Click OK Insert XP SP3 CD if requested, and reboot when sfc is done (~30+ min) Note: If you only have an XP SP2 CD, you won't be able to run sfc. It'll abort because files on the hard drive will be newer than on the CD. In this case you could make a slip-streamed CD with SP2 from your Dell CD and a free download of SP3 from Microsoft. There's a good tutorial on slip-streaming SP3 here. Ron

ruckalaz · Answer

Sorry, I have lost my cd with xp sp3 on it :( Will reinstalling windows fix the problem?

RoHe · Answer

If you're in the US and the registered owner of this system, you can request a set of disks from Dell which includes the full XP SP3 CD. This is a one-time only request, and Dell may charge you for them.

If you reinstall XP, you'll need the Windows CD. If you haven't previously replaced or reformatted the hard drive, you should have PC Restore which will reset the drive to exactly the way Dell shipped it in ~10 min.

Either way, all personal files and software will be lost forever, so you must back up on external media before you reformat/reinstall or run PC Restore. And you'll also have to install SP3 and all the other hotfixes and updates from Microsoft asap, after reformatting/reinstalling or running PC Restore.

Ron

ruckalaz · Answer

thank you very much.

RoHe · Answer

You're welcome. Run sfc when you get the XP SP3 CD and see if that fixes the problem. If not. post on the forum again and we'll see what else can be tried. Ron

ruckalaz · Answer

I am restoring my dimension 8400 to factory settings right now. All files already have been backed up. If this doesn't fix it, nothing will. :) But I don't have to have an xp cd, right?

ruckalaz · Answer

YAY IT WORKED!!!!!!!!!!!!!! MY PC CAN STANDBY AGAIN! PLUS, WHEN I USED MALWAREBYTES ANIT-MALWARE, THERE WERE 0 VIRUSES INSTEAD OF 119!!!!!!!!!!!! (yes, I really did have that many viruses before I did the system restore, that might have been the culprit).

RoHe · Answer

:emotion-21:

Now make sure you install all the Microsoft updates and fixes ASAP before you get re-infected! :emotion-5:

And if you had 119 malware items, then I have to question what firewall and what antiviral/antimalware software you're using, and whether you're installing the Microsoft updates as soon as they come out.

It sure sounds like you don't have good protection for your system and/or you're downloading stuff from unsafe sites.

Ron

ruckalaz · Answer

well, you see the only reason that I had 119 viruses was because I had the computer for nearly 7 years and disabled my antivirus and windows updates for nearly that long (I am an avid pc fps gamer, AVs annoyed me).. .. Bad decision, which is why I got AVG free antivirus up and running!

ruckalaz · Answer

true. I have tended to greatly underestimate online dangers, and I previously have thought them as near non-existent, which is why I disabled my firewall/AV/automatic updates because I thought they were annoying. Luckily, I do not think I stored any personal info on my pc.  I'll install xp sp3 right away, and keep auto updates/firewall on. Thanks for the advice.

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Standby Problem Dimension 8400

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