Setting Up and Using Your Computer 29
  NOTE: Windows XP Professional includes security and networking features not available in Windows XP Home 
Edition. When a Windows XP Professional computer is connected to a network, different options related to security 
and networking appear in certain windows.
Standby Mode
Standby mode conserves power by turning off the display and the hard drive after a time-out. When the 
computer exits from standby mode, it returns to the operating state it was in before it entered standby 
mode.
To set standby mode to automatically activate after a defined period of inactivity:
1
Click the 
Start
 button and click 
Control Panel
. 
2
Under 
Pick a category
, click 
Performance and Maintenance
. 
3
Under 
or pick a Control Panel icon
, click 
Power Options
. 
To immediately activate standby mode without a period of inactivity, click the Start button, click Turn 
Off Computer, and then click Stand by.
To exit from standby mode, press a key on the keyboard or move the mouse. 
  NOTICE: If your computer loses power while in standby mode, it may lose data.
Hibernate Mode
Hibernate mode conserves power by copying system data to a reserved area on the hard drive and then 
completely turning off the computer. When the computer exits from hibernate mode, the desktop is 
restored to the state it was in
 before it entered hibernate mode.
To activate hibernate mode: 
1
Click the 
Start
 button and click 
Control Panel
. 
2
Under 
Pick a category
, click 
Performance and Maintenance
. 
3
Under 
or pick a Control Panel icon
, click 
Power Options
. 
4
Define your hibernate settings on the 
Power Schemes
 tab, 
Advanced 
tab, and 
Hibernate
 tab.
To exit from hibernate mode, press the power button. The computer may take a short time to exit from 
hibernate mode. Pressing a key on the keyboard or moving the mouse does not bring the computer out of 
hibernation, because the keyboard and the mouse do not function when the computer is in hibernate 
mode.
Because hibernate mode requires a special file on your hard drive with enough disk space to store the 
contents of the computer memory, Dell creates an appropriately sized hibernate mode file before 
shipping the computer to you. If the computer’s hard drive becomes corrupted, Windows XP recreates 
the hibernate file automatically.