Get the Power Button to Do Nothing
The power button on your computer case serves one simple function: to turn on the computer. It serves one other function that you may not be aware of: when you press it once (in precisely the same manner as when starting the computer – not to be confused with holding the power button pressed for a few seconds to get the computer to forcefully shut down) it will shut the machine down. Modern keyboards with plenty of extra buttons on them most likely have a power button as well – when you press it (accidentally or not) the computer will shut down.
Pressing the power button on purpose is a great way to save. Even the keyboard shortcut Start + U + U is not as fast as a single press of the power button. But what if you accidentally pressed the button on several occasions and are getting tired of having your computer shut down on you? There is one simple solution: get the power button to do nothing when you press it. Here’s how you can achieve this goal in Windows XP:
Step 1. Minimize all open windows and all running apps.
Step 2. On the Windows desktop, right click an empty space -> in the dropdown menu select Properties. Alternatively you could follow this path: Start -> Settings -> Control Panel -> Display (in Classic View). In Category View you have to click Appearance and Themes -> Display.
Step 3. You should now be looking at the Display Properties window. Locate and click the Screen Saver tab.
Step 4. At the bottom of the Display Properties window there’s the Monitor power section. Click on the button that says Power.
Step 5. The Power Option Properties window should have popped up. Locate and click the Advanced tab.
Step 6. In the Power buttons section there are two dropdown menus. Select Do Nothing under When I press the power button on my computer.
Step 7. Click Apply -> then click OK (the Power Option Properties window closed). Now click OK to close the Display Properties window and you are done.
Tips and warnings
You can always revert the process by selecting Shut down instead of Do nothing (step 6).
It would be a good idea to select Ask me what to do. This way, the next time you accidentally press the power button, you have the option to select an action. If you press it intentionally, you can choose to shut down, restart or log off.
This will not disable the power button’s function of starting the computer; just the function to shut it down.
Tags: Microsoft, Windows, XP, Power
Pressing the power button on purpose is a great way to save. Even the keyboard shortcut Start + U + U is not as fast as a single press of the power button. But what if you accidentally pressed the button on several occasions and are getting tired of having your computer shut down on you? There is one simple solution: get the power button to do nothing when you press it. Here’s how you can achieve this goal in Windows XP:
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Step 1. Minimize all open windows and all running apps.
Step 2. On the Windows desktop, right click an empty space -> in the dropdown menu select Properties. Alternatively you could follow this path: Start -> Settings -> Control Panel -> Display (in Classic View). In Category View you have to click Appearance and Themes -> Display.
Step 3. You should now be looking at the Display Properties window. Locate and click the Screen Saver tab.
Step 4. At the bottom of the Display Properties window there’s the Monitor power section. Click on the button that says Power.
Step 5. The Power Option Properties window should have popped up. Locate and click the Advanced tab.
Step 6. In the Power buttons section there are two dropdown menus. Select Do Nothing under When I press the power button on my computer.
Step 7. Click Apply -> then click OK (the Power Option Properties window closed). Now click OK to close the Display Properties window and you are done.
Tips and warnings
You can always revert the process by selecting Shut down instead of Do nothing (step 6).
It would be a good idea to select Ask me what to do. This way, the next time you accidentally press the power button, you have the option to select an action. If you press it intentionally, you can choose to shut down, restart or log off.
This will not disable the power button’s function of starting the computer; just the function to shut it down.
Tags: Microsoft, Windows, XP, Power
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