The Critical Alarm Action Is Never Performed When the Low Battery Alarm Is Set to Standby (281911)


The information in this article applies to:

  • Microsoft Windows 2000 Server
  • Microsoft Windows Millennium Edition
  • Microsoft Windows 98 Second Edition
  • Microsoft Windows 98
This article was previously published under Q281911

SYMPTOMS

When a laptop computer is in Standby mode, all battery alarms may be ignored, and unless the computer is taken out of standby, the computer may remain in standby until the battery runs out of power. This problem also occurs with the Low and Critical alarms; if the Low alarm is set to standby, the critical alarm is ignored no matter what setting it has.

CAUSE

This problem occurs when a laptop goes into standby, because Windows 98, Windows Millennium Edition (Me) and Windows 2000 have no mechanism that allows the battery to wake the computer to properly shut down. Consequently, the computer stays in standby until the battery runs out of power.

WORKAROUND

To work around this problem, set the low power alarm to "Sound alarm" or "Display message" instead of standby, and then set the critical power alarm to hibernate or shutdown.

STATUS

Microsoft has confirmed that this is a problem in the Microsoft products that are listed at the beginning of this article.
Modification Type:MinorLast Reviewed:12/20/2004
Keywords:kbenv kbPowerMan kbprb KB281911
©2004 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved.