Why do apps wake XP from standby?

[lestertrad]

Hello to all. I've been struggling with the problem of my computer resuming from standby when I don't want it to. I'm running XP Pro SP3. What I want is for the computer to go into S3 state - fans off, hard disks off, session saved to RAM - and stay there until I press a key. But when I put it into Standby, it wakes up after a period ranging from a few minutes to an hour or so.

I've followed all the advice one finds when searching the forums for this problem. I've done the usual checks of the BIOS settings and USB device settings. The next step seems to be to find any resident process that sends commands that cause the system to wake up - for example, I disabled Norton Antivirus's LiveUpdate feature. That seemed to work for a while... But the problem always returns. I've run antivirus and malware scans. I even tried disabling AutoSave in Word and automatic e-mail checking in Outlook Express (these are the two applications I have running 95% of the time - plus FireFox). Still no happiness...

But then I got to thinking: Maybe I'm missing the whole point of the thinking behind the S3 standby state.
To me, logically, when I put the system on Standby I want it to stay that way. I want it to do things like check for updates and e-mail when it's running, which to me means after I press a button - be it the ON button or a key on the keyboard when it's in S3 state. I don't want applications deciding when to wake the system up, unless I expressly tell them to. Logically, not only should hardware be programmable to wake or not wake the computer, but so should software. MCE (which I'm not running on this computer) needs to do that, of course, to record TV, but that still boils down to the user *telling* it to wake up and record a certain program, and then go back to sleep.

So my question is, is my thinking wrong? Am I asking too much in expecting the computer to go to sleep when I tell it to, and wake up when I tell it to? Or am i doing something wrong? It seems to me that if I have to disable anti-virus updating, automatic document saves, and e-mail checks, I might as well go ahead and hibernate or shut the cotton-pickin' computer down.

What's the point of S3 standby state, after all?

[BC_Programmer]

I recommend replacing norton with a real AV program.

chances are Norton is causing the issue; even with updates turned off.

[lestertrad]

Thanks for answering. So you agree that in general, apps shouldn't bring a system out of S3 standby? I'm not being unreasonable in my demands?

[BC_Programmer]

Thanks for answering. So you agree that in general, apps shouldn't bring a system out of S3 standby? I'm not being unreasonable in my demands?

no- you aren't. As you said, that's kind of the point! 

In fact- technically software programs cannot bring it out of sleep/standby.

Did you disable Wake on Lan (WOL) in your BIOS?

[lestertrad]

<<Did you disable Wake on Lan (WOL) in your BIOS?

Aha! I was going to mention that. Yes, I did, and I also disabled it in Device Manager. I notice that ALL of the advice being given out about this problem starts by telling you to disable Wake On Lan. But wait a minute - what if somebody actually wants Wake On Lan, wants their computer to wake when a packet is addressed to it... but ONLY then? It seems to me there's a general admission that WOL just plain doesn't work in XP.

From there I started to draw the conclusion that maybe Standby is also in this same category of features that simply don't work right and never will (but isn't XP supposed to be fully mature now?)

Meanwhile, I've eliminated Outlook Express as the culprit. So, as you suggest, maybe Norton is at fault after all. But won't other AV suites do the same thing?

[BC_Programmer]

Other AVs might, but Norton digs itself deep into everything, hooking function calls, attaching to everything- including power events.


If it's any consolation the power management on my laptop while running XP is despicable. It will sleep, and wake-up... but the CPU stays at 16Mhz as opposed to 2Ghz... NOT fun...


It's not that WOL doesn't work with XP but rather that the whole premise behind WOL is flawed. Since routers/hubs broadcast all packets, each network adapter receives the packets- and needs to turn the computer on before being able to investigate the Address the packet was destined for. At which point it's a little late to stay asleep.

WOL was first created a long time ago and I haven't seen it work properly ever.

Another possibility is malware...

[lestertrad]

I'm currently on a trial of Norton. Before that I used Kaspersky, and before that, Nod32. I'm open to any suggestions as to what to try next (for a full security suite that lets you get your hands under the hood and gives you some idea of what it's doing).

What I'll do is eliminate other possible causes, then replace Norton and see if it makes a difference. I hope it's not impossible to uninstall...

You mean your CPU is at 16 mHz while asleep and then stays that way when it wakes up?

[patio]

My long running package:
AVG FREE

Spybot

AdAware

Stnger ( on demand trojan scan )

Win Patrol

MBAM

This has kept me infection free for years now...all of the above are FREE.

P.S. Do you have any HP products on that machine ? ? Also deeply rooted as Norton is and they LOVE to phone home 100 times a day...

[Broni]

If it's not laptop, I'd advice to forget about Windows power saving features altogether.

Votum separatum on AVG/Spybot/Ad-aware here.

[lestertrad]

Thanks. Did you incude a link? I didn't get it. (I'd like to read any threads comparing AV suites).

This morning when I came down, my computer had gone into Standby and stayed there until I pressed a key. Exactly the behavior I want. Now if only I could find out what's waking it up sometimes. I'll continue experimenting.

________________ Later - Not working again

Was working great for a while, then I installed the two latest XP security updates, and it quit working. I uninstalled them, but it did no good. Now the 'puter wakes after about five minutes, even with no applications running (except Norton). I'll continue experimenting (including disabling Norton) and report back.

[lestertrad]

After spending a lot of time eliminating applications and services, I found out that this is a recognized bug in my motherboard (Intel DG45ID). Intel's tech support proposes a solution - just unplug the network cable. Believe it or not, that's what they told me.

It's time to review Intel's reputation as a serious motherboard maker.