How to Change the Power Plan Settings in Windows 7
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This will show you how to change the settings for the power plan that you have selected to reflect how you want your Windows 7 computer to manage power usage.
Here's How:
1. Open the Start Menu, and type powercfg.cpl in the search box and press enter.
3. Click on the Change plan settings link to the right of the power plan that you want to change the settings for. (See screenshot below) NOTE:Normally you will be changing the power plan that you have selected as your default power plan.
4. To Only Change the Basic Power Plan Settings
A) Choose how many minutes to wait for the Turn off display and Put the computer to sleep settings, or select never if you do not want to use a setting. (See screenshots below) NOTE:If you have a computer with a battery (ex: notebook) or on a UPS, then you will see the right screenshot to adjust the options for when you are on battery or plugged in.
B) When done, click on the Save changes button. (See screenshots above)
C) Close the Power Options window. (See screenshots below step 3)
D) You're done.
5. To Change the Advanced Power Plan Settings
A) Click on the Change advanced power settings link. (See screenshots below)
B) Click on the Change settings that are currently unavailable link. (See screenshot below) NOTE:You will need to be logged in as an administrator account to be able to click on this option. This option allows you to change the power plan settings that are grayed out by default.
C) Make changes to the power plan settings below to suite your needs. (See screenshots below) NOTE:If you have a computer with a battery (ex: notebook) or on a UPS, then you will see the right screenshot to adjust the options for when you are on battery or plugged in. See the tables below for some recommended settings for Sleep, Hybrid Sleep, or Hibernate. The settings that are not included in these recommendations are settings that you can set to whatever you like. These are only recommendations, you can choose to do what you want instead of course.
Recommended Settings for SLEEP -
Sleep saves any open documents and programs to memory only, and then puts the computer into a low-power state. If you lose power to the computer, you will also lose what is in memory.
CATEGORY
SETTING
RECOMMENDED SETTING
Hard Disk
Turn off hard disk after
If turned on, set to at least 1 minute before the computer is set to sleep.
Sleep
Sleep after
This is for the computer. Set to at least 1 minute after Hard disk and Display is set to turn off.
Sleep
Allow hybrid sleep
If listed, set to Off.
Sleep
Hibernate after
If listed, set to Never.
Display
Turn off display after
If turned on, set to at least 1 minute before the computer is set to sleep. Usually set this as the same as the Hard disk time.
Multimedia settings
When sharing media
Set to Allow the computer to sleep to prevent it from waking up the computer.
Recommended Settings for HYBRID SLEEP -
Hybrid sleep saves your open documents and programs to memory and to the hard drive, and then puts the computer into a low-power state. After the Hibernate after time you set, it will then put the computer into hibernation. This requires that hibernate is enabled.
CATEGORY
SETTING
RECOMMENDED SETTING
Hard Disk
Turn off hard disk after
If turned on, set to at least 1 minute before the computer is set to sleep.
Sleep
Sleep after
This is for the computer. Set to at least 1 minute after Hard disk and Display is set to turn off.
Sleep
Allow hybrid sleep
Set to On.
Sleep
Hibernate after
Set to at least 1 minute before the computer is set to sleep, and at least 1 minute after Sleep after is set for.
Display
Turn off display after
If turned on, set to at least 1 minute before the computer is set to sleep. Usually set this as the same as the Hard disk time.
Multimedia settings
When sharing media
Set to Allow the computer to sleep to prevent it from waking up the computer.
Recommended Settings for HIBERNATE -
Hibernation is a power-saving state that saves your open documents and programs to the hard drive and then turns off your computer. This requires that hibernate is enabled.
CATEGORY
SETTING
RECOMMENDED SETTING
Hard Disk
Turn off hard disk after
If turned on, set to at least 1 minute before the computer is set to sleep.
Sleep
Sleep after
Set to Never.
Sleep
Allow hybrid sleep
Set to Off.
Sleep
Hibernate after
Set it to at least 1 minute after Hard disk and Display is set to turn off.
Display
Turn off display after
If turned on, set to at least 1 minute before the computer is set to hibernate. Usually set this as the same as the Hard disk time.
Multimedia settings
When sharing media
Set to Allow the computer to sleep to prevent it from waking up the computer.
D) When done, click on OK. (See screenshot below step 5C)
E) Close the Edit Plan Settings window. (See screenshot below step 5A)
6. Change your Start menu power button to do the action that you want it to do. NOTE:You can choose from Switch User, Log Off, Lock, Restart, Sleep, Hibernate, or Shutdown when you click on the power button in the Start menu.
System Manufacturer/Model Number ASUS P8P67 OS Windows 7 x64 sp1, XP x86 sp2 CPU i7 2600k Memory 8Gb G.Skill Graphics Card ASUS GTX460 Sound Card Creative Audigy4 PCI Screen Resolution 1680x1050
PSU 800Watt Fractal Design Case Chieftech BX01 Hard Drives Vertex 3 Raid
That's what I've read elsewhere but just want to verify. Doesn't make sense to me since in all the years I've been sitting in front of a monitor I've never heard of having too much memory could cause a machine to malfunction?
All I know is on my new HP model p6347c which out of the box with 6G memory works great except for this one nit. I've always used hibernate instead of 'sleep' because it uses pretty close to zero power when hibernated.
A large number of users are experiencing sleep issues due to non-compliant USB devices; some of which, ironically are various flavors of Microsoft wireless mice. The article listed how to get the report of failing devices using powercfg /energy in an elevated CMD window; but, left out the steps to fix any problem devices found. If you simply type powercfg -devicedisablewake "(the exact name of the device)"<enter> in that same CMD window for each device listed in the report, it will solve the problems of not going to sleep or sporadically waking up.
I would not suggest using this on internal devices and there is a downside; the device may not be present when you wake the system up unless you unplug and replug it. It also seems counterintuitive that disabling the devices ability to wake up the system is the problem; but, it is.
Last edited by Brink; 28 May 2010 at 10:48 AM..
Reason: added link
So you mean what we set above only take effect if we let the pc on into low power mode On its own? It does not affect anything when we select "sleep" through the start menu?
The computer will do what you have set above if you let it go to sleep on its own or click on "Sleep" in the Start Menu. If you click on "Hibernate" (if turned on) in the Start Menu, then the computer will go straight to hibernate.
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