computer won't go into standby mode

Mseim,

Thank you for using the Dell Community Forum.
1.First start by turning off all other power management features.
Power management features interfere with each other, so just use one.
Set the standby time, and turn the screen saver and other PM features off.
2.Try stopping all background applications.
3.Try installing the latest video driver.
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Stopping background programs and applications.

**Clearing the Startup Folder.**
Click on (Start,Programs,)
Find the (Startup) folder, and right click the mouse button over it.
You should get a small gray windows.
Go down to "Explore" and left click on "Explore"
You should get a "Startup" window that is split in two.
High light and delete all the icons on the right hand side of the Window.

**Using MSconfig to stop all background programs.**
Click Start, and then click Run.
In the Open box, type msconfig, and then click OK.
The System Configuration Utility starts.
Click the General tab, and then click Selective Startup.
Under Selective Startup, click to clear the following check boxes:
Process SYSTEM.INI file
Process WIN.INI file
Load Startup Items

Then...
Click the Startup tab.
Uncheck every entry.
Left-click on "Apply" and then left-click on "OK."
A message will appear stating that "For the changes to take place, the system must be restarted." Left-click on the "OK" button, and the system will begin the restart.

If the problem stops, you must then isolate the cause of it.
Using msconfig again, to back to the startup tab.
Recheck one entry click Apply, OK, and reboot the system.
Keep using this process until you find the entry that is causing the problem.
Once you have found that entry, leave it unchecked and recheck everything else.
Click Apply, Ok, and reboot the system for the last time.
"Process of elimination"...

If having problems with an application or driver, it is best to try and reload
the application or driver. If reloading the application or driver does not fix the
problem, then you may want to leave it unchecked under the startup tab.
You may also want to check and see if there is an updated version of that
application or driver.

Msconfig can be used to stop all programs from loading at startup to free up system resources.
The true intention of MSconfig is to be used as a troubleshooting tool to isolate programs that may be causing problems.

**Delete old dos/legacy configuration files.**
Search the system for these files, delete them.
Autoexec.bat
Config.sys
Win.ini
-Delete "All" the files and folders in the ( C:\Windows\Temp ) and
( C:\Windows\Temporary Internet Files ) folder.
Search the system for any ( *.TMP ) files, and delete them.

To restore the computer to use a normal startup, start the System Configuration Utility, click the General tab, click Normal Startup - load all device drivers and services, click OK, and then click Restart.
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I don't know if this is relevant to Standby or not but since I have never had a problem with Standby in 3+ years using Millenium and XP it might be. I have never used a screensaver.