FIX: Vista won't sleep while in High Performance profile

After noticing this phenomenon one night after gaming in High Performance power profile, I set out to fix this problem. I searched the net, only to findmany many posts about this, but no answers.

"What's the biggie?" some will say, but on my lappy at least, I game in High Perf. only, as it keeps any power mizing from kicking in during non-intensive sections of a game. Anyone whose lappy took a dump trying to re-enable faster link speeds etc when a zombie jumps out at you knows the drill. Anyways, I digress..

Well to any of you out there experiencing this problem here is the reason (to the best of my limited knowledge) and an oh so simple solution.

1. Open your Power Profile Configuration dialog.
2. 'Change plan settings' for High Performance
3. 'Change advanced power settings'
4. Scroll down and expand 'Multimedia settings'
5. Expand 'When sharing media'
6. Set to 'Allow the computer to sleep'

Apparently, Vista have a yet (as of SP2) unfixed bug which causes Vista to constantly believe it is sharing media even when it isn't, as long as High Performance is selected.

The downside to this fix is it messes with you if you really intend to share media across the network. My suggestion is to clone High Performance, Name it something like 'High Perf. w/ Media', then set 'When sharing media' to 'Prevent idling to sleep'.

Please, before posting that this is not a 'bug', search the net so you know what the 'Multimedia Sharing' section of the Power Management' console is for, what it does, and how it works. Hopefully this will prevent any more posts based on wrong guesses.

Hope this helps!

 

Why would you consider that a bug? Since the default setting can be changed to do exactly what you want, it's not a bug; in fact, considering what could happen if a system that was sharing media on a network but was otherwise idle went into sleep mode, it only makes sense that the default should be set to what it is - no sleep. The complaints would be much, much greater if it were the other way around.

 

Whether or not this fix achieves a goal doesn't remove the fact that that faulty operation of a feature made this fix necessary in the first place

The bug is that in High Performance the network adapter will not sleep (or so I've been told), so you must disable functionality ('When sharing media' power profile feature must be set to "Allow the computer to sleep" thus removing the ability to effectively stream), otherwise windows will constantly believe you are sharing media, even when you are not and sleep will not function. It isn't normal operation, so yes, I consider that a bug. Vista's 'When sharing media' feature does operate normally in any other power profile, which is to say setting it to 'Prevent idling to sleep' does just that, but ONLY when sharing media. In High Performance, that is moot as it falsely believes you ALWAYS are sharing. In a nutshell 'Prevent idling to sleep' is broken only in High Performance. Bug.

Do you get what I'm saying?

 

I don't get it really.
This is the basic function on Power Setting(agree with Shyster1).
This is obviously not a bug. This is only a normal function.
Which you manually adjust each profile(power saver, balanced, high performance).
Sleep = Useless stuff for me.
Hibernate and shutdown will be my choice. I always disable all sleep function in my power setting.

It seems you don't understand what is a FIX means.
For me(high expectation LOL),
FIX means can't be adjust or change using simple way but a harder way.
For example:
1. How to disable NAG screen for Avira
a. Navigate to C:\Program Files\Avira\AntiVir Desktop\avnotify.exe
b. Right-click avnotify; Go to Properties - Security - Advanced
c. Look under the Permissions folder for System.
d. Edit - Traverse Folder / Execute File - Deny - Click OK

2. How to stop CPU from throttling(harder), http://forum.notebookreview.com/showthread.php?t=393073

Conclusion for higher expectation people,
FIX are basically harder than changing of setting(which is obvious and easily know by everyone), however, there are some exceptional but it is rare.

 

OK, this post was meant for those who DO know what I, and they, are talking about.

Neither of you understand, fine, but apparently neither of you have actually looked into what I've said, or just skimmed it and are posting to appear smart. Don't know.

Re-read it and maybe even check it out yourself. The ability to sleep when NOT sharing media, but prevent it from sleeping when you ARE sharing is a power management feature. this feature is universal across all power profiles, EXCEPT HIGH PERFORMANCE, in which it's broken.

I don't know how neither of you understand this, but do me a favour, stay off my posts if you only wish to add a contradictory post without properly understanding the OP.

PS: FIX means just that, a fix. Good Grief.

Does Post Count = Knowledge or Common Sense? Apparently not.

 

I think I understand what you mean already. I can agree 100% it is a FIX but I can agree this is helpful.

Yea. Agreed. Post is Post. Knowledge is Knowledge. Common sense is Common sense.
As you mentioned above, PS: FIX means just that, a fix. Good Grief.

 

No, I don't; but then, that's probably because what you're saying doesn't make sense. _Vista is an inanimate object, and therefore cannot believe anything, so what, exactly, are you trying to get at when you claim that "windows will constantly believe you are sharing media"? Write it in objective, descriptive prose, without the rhetorical devices.

 

So basically, NoCashBob what you're saying is that even though you select "Allow Computer to Sleep" it will NOT sleep?

Nevermind Shyster1 and DarkSilver. Shyster1 is a smart and helpful guy but tends to find no fault in Vista's ways. We've had our tête-à-tête before too.

 

@Shyster

OK, you can go now lol

@htwingnut

No, when 'Prevent computer from idling' is set, Vista completely ignores whether or not your sharing media, and never allows sleeping period. In all other profiles this setting will allow sleeping provided you're not sharing across a network. It's a known issue, but one many out there couldn't seem to fix, so I thought I'd post this to help them out.

@forum

Again, hope this helps!

 

If I go Start>Sleep, my computer goes to sleep no matter what battery mode I'm in; I've never had an issue with that. My computer will even go to sleep automatically per my power settings (when on High Performance and on battery, after 30 min or so).

I'm not saying your "solution" is a bad one, but I personally have never heard much (if any) complaint about Vista not going to sleep when in High Performance mode.

 

@crash

Then this wouldn't apply to you of course

@forum
Geesh, what's with all the 'this doesn't help ME' and 'nope I think it's not a bug' posts?
Whatever happened to throwing some info out there for those it DOES apply to?
Sharing is caring people, grow up

 

I guess my question is, before you did this "fix", were you able to manually put the computer to sleep via the Start menu?

 

Using High Performance, never, as Vista always believes it is sharing on the network (someone told me it's a known bug preventing the nics from powering down, dunno if that's accurate tho)

Using any other power profile including custom, yes, absolutely.

 

Odd, I'll check when I get home to see what my Multimedia settings are. I'm pretty sure I didn't change them and I can still put Vista to sleep. Maybe you actually are sharing media all the time, which is why you can't put it to sleep? Do you use Windows Media Player?

 

Nope, and to add to that, the 'When streaming media' feature functions correctly as soon as the profile is changed.

The setting you want to have on to test is the 'When streaming media' setting, set to 'Prevent idling to sleep' (only when streaming of course).

 

Ohhh I see. So, NoCashBob is having such a problem. No wonder.
But we are having 0 problem even in high performance, the computer can be sleep easily by setting up how long the computer will sleep after idling. Just click on Power Option>Change Plan Settings>Put the computer to sleep>"select value"
Still, this is not a FIX but it does help don't worry(to some people even it is freaking rare).

 

You're posts are coming off as very antagonizing. You might not experience the same problem NoCashBob is experiencing (I don't either), so this might not be a fix for you. However, it is a fix for him (and might be for others) who are experiencing this issue.

He already stated that his computer doesn't go to sleep when idling or by using Start>Sleep when his computer is in High Performance mode. If you have nothing further to add to the thread, I suggest you stop here. NoCashBob is simply posting a fix for people with a very specific problem, and it if the problem doesn't exist for you, that does not mean it doesn't exist for others.

 

Nope. I didn't say his "FIX" doesn't help. I stated IT DOES HELP(for certain people who have this problem) DON'T WORRY.
I can't considered this as a FIX but it is not useless and very useful for people having this problem. I would say this is a semi-FIX.

@NoCashBob,
Sorry for my early post that show a little stupidity and rudeness. Hope you don't mind on me. Maybe my expectation is very high. So, some normal tricks or changing of setting might not considered a FIX for me.

 

[resolved with user]

Alright, back on topic...

 

Ok, I misread original post as a question, but it seems you have found a solution.

Sorry it had to get all discombobulated. Good info, and I'm sure it'll apply to more than just you!