Using Vista Power Button: What’s Changed

Computer Repair and Consulting Service TIPS

Regardless of whether you are using a desktop computer or a mobile computer, the way the Power button works depends on the system hardware, the system state, and the system configuration:

• If the computer hardware doesn’t support the sleep state, the computer can’t use the sleep state, and turning off the computer powers it down completely.
• If the computer has updates installed that require a restart or you’ve installed programs that require a restart, the computer can’t use the sleep state, and turning off the computer powers it down completely.
• If you or an administrator has reconfigured the power options on the computer and set the Power button to the Shut Down action, the computer can’t use the sleep state, and turning off the computer powers it down completely.

To help differentiate between turning off and shutting down a computer, Windows Vista displays two different views for the Power button:

• An amber Power button, depicting a shield with a line through the top of it, indicates that the computer will turn off and enter the low-power sleep state.
• A red Power button, depicting a shield with a line through the middle of it, indicates that the computer will shut down and completely power off.

Because the computer is still drawing power in the sleep state, you should never install hardware inside the computer or connect devices to the computer when it is in the sleep state. The only exception is for external devices that use USB or IEEE 1394 (FireWire) ports. You can connect USB and FireWire devices without shutting down the computer.

Computer Repair,Computer Service
Computer Consulting,Computer Consultant
Computer Support