Hard disk would not turn off

Question

My laptop is Inspiron 6400 and it runs Windows XP. I have set the power options to turn off the monitor after 20min, turn off the hard disk after 20min, enter standby after 25min and never hybernate. However, the hard disk never turns off as I can still hear it running after many hours even though the screen is blank... I would appreciate any assistance on this issue. Thanks.

Balaji Ramanath · Answer

When a computer enters standby, it is as good as being turned off (it still requires a little power because the RAM has to be kept refreshed).  During standby, the fans should turn off, the disk should stop spinning and the power light should flash on and off.  Is the computer not entering standby at all?  Can you put it in standby fromt he start menu just to check whether the computer can go into standby correctly?  If you can hear anything from the computer after the 25 minute mark when it is supposed to enter standby, something is wrong.

User77 · Answer

Thanks for the advice. I put it in standby from start menu and indeed, it entered into standby as suggested, ie blank screen, no hard disk noise, and flashing power light. However, when leaving it for 20 minutes, only the screen goes blank, but the hard disk can still be heard and nothing else happens after 25 minutes or more. It looks like the laptop has the capability to enter standby and stop the disk, but somehow the setting of the power options doesn't take full effect. Any other suggestion?

Balaji Ramanath · Answer

Do you have a piece of software on your taskbar called Dell Quickset?  If so, open it and see if it has power options in it.  Set the power options in Dell quickset to also put the computer on standby at some point and check to see if that helps.  I have a Vostro 1500 and in addition to the regular power options in the control panel, the Dell quickset also has power options (and the timings and options are not the same).  I have no idea which takes precedence over which when conflicting settings are used in the control panel and Dell Quickset.  I have noticed that my laptop will sometimes not even blank the screen after long periods of disuse.  It will do it correctly after a fresh reboot, but after a while, it just seems to forget its power settings and will do whatever it chooses to do as far as keeping the screen lit, keeping the hard drive spun up, etc.  I have just gotten used to this behavior since I never found out how to get it to behave reliably.  And the laptop is less than a month old!

User77 · Answer

Indeed I found Dell QuickSet and configured it with my custom scheme using the wizard. I then opened Power Options in Control panel and it actually showed my new custom scheme above. It was really encouraging, at least in the sense that these two were not going to fight against each other. However, when I tried it, only the display went blank at the right time, while the hard disk turn off and the stanby never materialised. I wonder if this has got something to do with the fact that I am connected to a broadband Internet connection through a wireless modem. It feels like some background application doesn't allow it to turn off... Thanks anyway...

User77 · Answer

More on the same issue. I was adviced to check if there is any setting in the BIOS that may affect the settings in Power Options, which I did, but again, to no avail. I also found out that a friend with the same laptop model has precisely the same problem. I just wonder if this isn't a more widespread issue, perhaps largely undetected, possibly because not many users are trying to use this feature. I am particularly interested in stopping the hard disk because my laptop is turned on for extensive periods of time, mainly for receiving Skype calls, and I would like to prevent the associated wear and waste of energy. I would encourage other users with the same issue to join the discussion, and hopefully a competent Dell advisor will eventually provide a proper solution.

Wise-Leader · Answer

Do you have the battery installed? I had the same problem and found this thread while researching it. I had tried everything mentioned here and no success. Then it occurred to me that it may have something to do with the fact that I don't have my battery installed. I replaced it recently but decided to leave the new one out when using my laptop as a desktop PC. So I put the old battery back in and now it goes into standby automatically every time. Incidentally, the old battery is totally dead and will not charge, so you don't even need to install a good battery.

Good luck!

User77 · Answer

I am always working with the battery installed. Incidentally, it is the second battery for this laptop as the first failed after less than a year. Obviously it doesn't help in my case, but I wonder if the new battery may not be missing some functionality. Have you ever managed to enter standby with your new battery?

Wise-Leader · Answer

You make an interesting point.  The old battery I keep installed when plugged in is the Dell original.  As I said, I don't normally leave my new battery (not from Dell) installed while the laptop is plugged in.  I understand that's one reason they wear out so fast.  In any event, I don't know if it will go into standby with the new one or not.  When I get a chance, I'll install the new battery and report the results on this thread.  Meanwhile, if you still have your Dell original battery, why not give it a try?

User77 · Answer

I don't have the old battery as it was taken by the service guy who replaced it. Since it was done within the warranty service period the new one might still be a Dell battery. By the way, when I read about these lithium batteries, I learned that one reason they often fail is when they are discharged down to their last bits of capacity (which is what I probably did with my first battery while trying to test the total working time with no mains).

I am still intrigued by the fact that the laptop enters standby mode through the Start button, but refuses to enter the same mode through power management settings. Anyway, for the time being I can only stick to my dream that one day a Dell engineer will step in and resolve this issue...

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Hard disk would not turn off

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