Getting the Computer into Standby Mode after preset time

Since I bought my present computer, I have never been able to make it "Standby" after a preset time, until last week, when I read the the various Tek Tips posts and the Help file in the Win98 Resource Kit which contained the following information:

"During Windows 98 Setup, ACPI is installed only on systems that are listed on the retail compact disc as good ACPI systems. However, if you have had the system BIOS updated to a fully functioning ACPI BIOS, you can have ACPI installed by using the following procedure.

To install ACPI

Flash the BIOS to the latest rev.
Run Regedit.
Under HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Detect, add a String value called ACPIOption, and set it to 1.

In Control Panel, click Add/Remove Hardware and have it run full detection."

When I checked the Registry there was no ACPIOption, so I added it as per instructions and ran full detection.

Next I set the AMIBIOS Power management entries as follows:
IPCA Function: Yes (Activate ACPI)
ACPI Standby State: S3/STR (Everything off except memory)
All other settings in the Power Management section were left as found or default.

In the AMIBIOS Integrated Peripherals Section set the following:
Keyboard PowerOn Function: Any Key
Mouse PowerOn Function: Left-Button
All other settings in the Integrated Peripherals section were left as found or default.

Right Click on a empty part of the Desktop, select Properties and click on the Screen Saver tab.
Set Screen Saver box to (none)
Next select the Settings button in the Energy saving section.
Set Power Schemes to Home/Office
Set System Standby to your chosen time (short at first whilst testing)
Turn off monitor: Never
Turn off hard disks: Never


Run MSCONFIG, select the Startup tab, make a note of all the ticked items, then untick everything except SYSTRAY.
Add each of the items that were ticked back in one at a time, until Standby fails to operate. I have found that Still Image Monitor and one or two other startup programs can cause problems with Standby operation, also a lot of useless programs are loaded into the Startup folder at installation time that do not benefit the user whatsoever.

The above configuration has worked perfectly for me since I set it up, I just walk away from the computer and it goes into Standby after 15minutes, everything shuts down, monitor, hard disk. It wakes from any key stroke or double mouse click within seconds.

My system is an AMD1400mhz processor, Microstar K7T266 Pro mother board, American Megatrends BIOS, 512mb of DDR memory, Nvidia Geforce 2 mx 400 64mb video board, NEC Multisynch 5FG monitor (old, but energy compliant).

The following programs load from the startup folder into the system tray without affecting the Standby setup, Cacheman, Norton Firewall, Norton AVirus, Logitech Cordless Mouseware and the MS Volume Control.