Top Techniques for Putting Windows on Hold

[mycrisoft]

You can use a number of techniques in Windows XP and 2000 to save power or help protect your privacy every time you leave your system unattended. It depends on what you want to do - and how often you want to do it. Try these scenarios:

Lock it up: If you just want a way to screen your PC from prying eyes, the fastest way is to press <Windows>-I, which takes you back to the Welcome or log-in screen (Windows XP only). Note: Some older keyboards don’t have the <Windows> key.

One-button magic: If saving power is a concern, consider using either standby mode or hibernate mode. Standby is fast, whereas hibernate is slower but safer. First, standby mode: When you put your computer on standby, your PC essentially enters a low-power state that turns off your monitor and hard drive. This is useful for saving energy during brief periods of inactivity – when you leave your PC to grab a sandwich, say. But be aware that any changes you made to your open files prior to entering standby mode aren’t just saved to your hard drive; your PC still relies on limited power to the system to preserve your work. If a power failure occurs while your PC is on standby, you could lose any unsaved data. Second, hibernate: If you want to save your data to disk, play it safe and use the hibernate feature, which stores your system’s state (everything currently in RAM) to your hard disk; doing this, as you might expect, takes longer than going into standby. The simplest way to get to standby mode is to convert your PC’s power button into a button that goes directly there: In the address bar in any Windows Explorer or Internet Explorer window, type control panel\power options and press <Enter>. Then click the Advanced tab in the Power Options Properties dialog box. Under Power Buttons, click the drop-down list labeled ‘When I press the power button on my computer’ and choose Stand by.

If you’re a laptop user, you’re likely to see additional options, such as a drop-down list labeled ‘When I close the lid of my portable computer’ that lets you send the system into standby with that simple gesture.
Some PCs even have their own sleep button (or a sleep function that you activate by holding down a <Fn> key, as in the case of many IBM ThinkPads). Configure this button by using the ‘When I press the sleep button on my computer’ drop-down list. For a more secure standby mode, click the Advanced tab and make sure Prompt for password when computer resumes from standby is checked in the Options section. On the other hand, if you want to go right back to work without the password bother, remove the check mark. When you’re done, click OK. From now on, pressing the power button on your machine will force the PC into standby mode – it will not shut off all the power.