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My PC is a custom-build. It runs Windows XP Pro and works like a dream. However, it acts incredibly strangely in regard to power.

Let me explain : Normally, in the usual use of the PC, to shut it down I go to the start menu and choose shut down and then the pc does its stuff BUT when it gets to the final screen "Windows is shutting down..." I have to PRESS AND HOLD the power button on the tower to turn the power off. Similarly, if I Restart the PC from the Start-menu then when it gets to that last screen I have to PHYSICALLY PRESS THE RESTART BUTTON in order for the restart to happen.

Now, this doesn't bother me too much except that it means I can't use the Stand-By function available, as again I can only physically restart or turn-off, it won't automatically stand-by (and I know it's capable of doing so re. the advanced power settings etc.)

My attention has mainly been brought to this as when using the PC in SAFE MODE (as I have had to recently to get rid of some nasty little bugs), the PCs power functions work ABSOLUTELY FINE. By this I mean that I don't need to hold and press the power button at all to turn it off, and it will restart autonatically (the other difference being that Stand-By is unavailble in safe mode, but I presume this is just a regular safe-mode-thing).

So is there a way of getting my PC's power functions to operate the way they are doing in Safe Mode, so that I don't have to keep waiting for it to shut-down in order that I manually restart or turn off?

Advice I've been given in the past is to Repair Install Windows XP, but this is a pain in the ... and would require alot of backing up and risky business, and not only that but I don;t see how a repair would change anything if the functions are working in Safe Mode anyway!?!

Hope you can help. Thanks in advance.

Oh, and this is my first post on this Forum site, so hello everyone!

Hi alpinemonkey,

Welcome to PC Help Forum mate! We have a great team here, who will no doubt be able to solve the majority of your problems.

Regarding this problem, I have done a bit of browsing and come up with this. Courtesy of askdavetaylor. If you can have a little browse through this, and let us know if it's a solution mate.

Thanks for that one, Scouse. Unfotunately the links provided on that page lead me to places I've been before.

It's a mystery to me is this. And the wierdest thing of all is that everything works fine in safe-mode but not in 'normal' mode. This is why I've got nowhere with the above advice. Unless I'm being stupid. For example, if it IS because of some external device or other, and this device is NOT being loaded in Safe Mode, then how would I find out which one this would be? Also, WHY would a device not be loaded in Safe Mode?

Anyway I'm just :o