1. Quarter moon stand by button not working ? 2. Text gets smaller.

[Arcadian]

Hi everyone, still quite new to Win 7 but having a couple of small but annoying problems.

First. The quarter moon stand by button on the keyboard has stopped working for some reason ? I don't think the keyboard's at fault so would appreciate any advice what to do....

Second. The laptop's connected to a 24 inch screen so I like to work with the lid closed, but occasionally when I open the lid for something then close it again the screen goes dark and the text becomes very small. I've tried a few simple suggestions in troubleshoot but still no luck. Again very much appreciate any help....

Grateful thanks in advance.

 

[alphanumeric]

Control Panel > Power Options > Choose what the power buttons do. Set the "When I press the sleep button" option to what you want to happen when you press the half moon button. If its disabled you may need to change your Power Plan to one that supports hibernation/sleep. Or go into the Change when the computer sleeps and see if its disabled (set to never).
Somewhere in there is a setting for "When I close the lid". I'm on my desktop PC so its not listed for me. You'll need to look at those settings for item no 2.

 

[Arcadian]

Thanks a lot ! Solved the half moon problem which was strange though as I hadn't altered it to begin with, still it's working fine now.

But couldn't find anything about altered text sizes or similar when I looked through "Closing the lid" only different sleep settings....??

 

[alphanumeric]

The changing text size may be because of a resolution change due to a monitor switch when the lid is closed. That was my guess as I didn't have access to those settings on my desktop PC. I'm on my laptop now as can see those settings. It looks like that's not the place to look. I'd set them to do nothing though. Are you set to duplicate, extend or second screen only. Windows key + the P key gets you those options. I believe if your laptop goes to "duplicate" the resolution will default to that of the smallest screen. That may make everything smaller on the bigger screen. Try "extend" or the "second screen only" setting and see how it goes. Just remember to switch back to PC screen only when need be.

 

[Arcadian]

Thanks and very interesting as I didn't know about the Windows key + P option. Also forgot to mention to begin with that to avoid eye strain I use Firefox's zoom buttons to quite a high level.

Anyway it all got very confusing after clicking on all 4 options but finally narrowed it down to Duplicate which was fine with the lid open but when closed it kept reducing down to about 2/3rds size on the 24 inch screen, and when I checked the 4 options again it had gone back to some other option presumably the default size ?

Finally managed to get a temporary fix by rebooting, closing the lid the moment I switch on and it's fine, so it would seem never open the lid will do it. Obviously I don't need to open the lid at all really but there have been occasions in the past when something or other required it so I guess this temporary fix of rebooting every time will have to do ?

Thanks for your kind help !

 

[mitchell65]

Not wishing to jump in on this thread but reading through I noticed that you appear to be using the Laptop rather like a desktop. Separate monitor amd as you have the lappy lid closed you probably have a USB mouse amd keyboard attached? That being so one of the dangers of this set up is that we often don't realise just how long the machine is on. This can cause one of the major problems of laptops and that is one of overheating. To combat this may I suggest that you sit the laptop on something like wire cake stand so creating a good airflow underneath, I would take the battery out and leave the battery cover off as well just to create a bit more space. Then if you occasionally blow out the vents with a can of compressed air specially made for the job that will redice the overheating risk a fair bit. Just an idea for you! Put the battery in say once a week to charge it up and use the laptop from the battery every now and again.

 

[Arcadian]

Hi and thanks indeed for the tips !

Yes I am using the laptop like a desktop with a mouse and keyboard attached, however I'd checked some of what you've said out the day after I bought it, particularly the overheating problems. First thing was to buy from Homebase 4 rubber chair leg tips which has raised the laptop up by about an inch and a half off of a cold large solid plastic base and I'm always running my hand underneath the vents to make sure they're cool which they are. Only snag is it's a bit wobbly so you're idea of a wire cake stand's a much better one so will get one asap !

I had wondered about the battery though, especially the big black box (converter ?) which I've suspended from a cupboard handle close by so it's never more than warm, but hadn't got any further so great I'll remove it asap too and charge it up once a week or so.

I had thought too about the idea of a fan stand underneath for cooling reasons so as to avoid damaging anything by blowing air in, are they any good do you know ?

Only having had the laptop for about 6 weeks or so, I'd eventually intended removing dust build-up using the thin plastic end attached to the hose from the vacuum cleaner and run it across the plastic surfaces of all the vents/ grilles every now and again, as I'd read somewhere that blowing air in as against "gently" sucking it out might also disturb the delicate innards ?

Great thanks again from North Devon decent weather at last - proper job !

 

[mitchell65]

Hi and sorry for the delay in responding, Saturday is busy domestically!
When you say "big black box (converter ?)" Do you mean where you plug into the mains socket (Do they have electricity in Devon yet?) and the other end goes into the AC power socket on your laptop. If you do that is the AC adapter and it is quite normal for it to get warm. It is a transformer and all transformers emit heat.
I would not recommend getting the mains hoover anywhere near the lappy as there is always a danger of static electricity which is dangerous for computer components. Some disagree with that but we all have differing opinions.
A small fan near the machine is quite a good idea too!
I am interested as to why you prefer to close the lid whilst working, whats's your thinking on that?
return greeting from Kernow!

 

[Arcadian]

And greetings from Exmoor !

I was thinking of everything and anything that could overheat but yes I should have said the adapter, problem is there’s so many wires and cables at the back I’d thought by mistake it was linked into the battery as well. They do get warm as you say.

I’d read of the static electricity issue with hoovers I think it was on ehow, but they said provided you keep the grill on and move the thin nozzle attachment (down the sides of cushions and settees etc.) to and fro across the surface, it’s ok and enough to suck up most of the dust, which incidentally I think can also cause overheating too.

Cooling fans actually go underneath the laptop so in this sort of warm weather, even in winter with central heating close by it’s not a bad idea to have one. As it looks as though we’ve both got the same laptop check the Amazon link below as they’re quite cheap, though I’ve no idea yet which is the most suitable.

Amazon.co.uk: Products tagged with laptop cooling pad

Due to increasingly limited space it’s the first time I’ve ever had a laptop as my old bulky Win XP console finally packed up a month or so ago, the basic reason I like it closed being to avoid eyestrain. On top of which having been used to a mouse and keyboard for years, after an hour or so to begin with wearing my fingers out trying to move the cursor which didn’t want to, trying to read microscopic print on keys in all the wrong places, squinting at a screen that was even smaller than my old Windows 95 big box screen, and an optician who’s a born pessimist I dug out my 24 inch again and now everything’s just perfect. Oh and it’s very useful to put sticky reminders on top too…

Lordy we’ve had electricity for ages why you’m still be on candles then…. ?

 

[mitchell65]

Hi there
I only have a very old laptop that still has Windows 98 installed. I only ever use it for connecting to a projector which it still does very well.
As you say dust and fluff in a laptop are the main cause of overheating.
When you say "the basic reason I like it closed being to avoid eyestrain." do you mean if the laptop is open you can still see the screen lit up as normal?

Lordy we’ve had electricity for ages why you’m still be on candles then…. ?

Nah! were on Radon! Actually where i live was the first town in the West Country to get gas street lighting!

 

[Arcadian]

When you say "the basic reason I like it closed being to avoid eyestrain." do you mean if the laptop is open you can still see the screen lit up as normal?

Yes but as the prime object is to avoid all unnecessary squinting, peering or straining on the eyes, why I've got a 24 inch screen combined with Firefox's useful zoom + and - options so why I keep the tiny laptop screen closed as much as possible. It's also pointless having two screens open anyway, so I see it all as having the best of both worlds with no bulky heavy console taking up extra space either....

 

[mitchell65]

But you can turn the laptop screen off and keep the external monitor going. there is then no need to close the lid. Much better to leave it open as the heat will disperse much better with the lid open. There is much more surface area to disperse heat with the lid open>

 

[Arcadian]

Ah how do you do that ?

 

[alphanumeric]

Windows key and the P key then select, "projector only".

 

[Arcadian]

Great thanks

 

[mitchell65]

Morning Arcadian
So perhaps just one more idea to make life a little easier. Instead of using the Magnifyer have you tried increasing the overall size of Type and icons. To try this;
Right click on a blank space on your desktop. Click "Personalize" Then at bottom left of window that opens click Display. Of the three options if you are on Small click on Medium and click apply. See how that looks. If you are already on Medium try Larger 150% then Apply. See how that goes. You can access this via the Start button but sometimes, on some setups when you click "Larger" it makes the taskbar with the Start button disappear off the screen. Don't panic if this happens just right click in an open slace and you can then change back to Medium. Try it and let us know how you get on.

 

[Arcadian]

Morning Mitchell65

Thanks. Yes since I bought the new 24 inch screen I'd already sorted these options out on my old XP before it packed up and settled for 125% as any larger went off the screen as you said. Otherwise everything's working just fine this morning just a wire mesh cake tray to buy and perhaps a cooling pad as well....

Really great to have found this forum as there's bound to be a few more things to grapple with I expect !

Thanks again