Dell INSPIRON 2600 - Manual (Page 43)

To access the Windows Power Options Properties window, see the following subsection that corresponds to your operating system.
In Windows XP
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.
In Windows 2000
1. Open the Control Panel.
2. Double-click the Power Options icon.
Power Schemes Tab
The Power schemes pull-down menu displays the selected preset power scheme. Depending on your operating system, typical power schemes are:
l Portable/Laptop
l Home/Office
l Always On
l Presentation
l Minimal Power Management
l Max Battery
Windows XP controls the performance level of the processor depending on the power scheme you select. You do not need to make any further adjustments to
set the performance level. Each preset power scheme has different time-out settings for entering standby mode, turning off the display, and turning off the
hard drive. For more information on power management options, see the Windows XP Help and Support Center (Windows Helpin Windows 2000).
Alarms Tab
The Low battery alarm and Critical battery alarm settings alert you with a message when the battery charge falls below a certain percentage. When you
receive your computer, the Low battery alarm and Critical battery alarm check boxes are selected. Dell recommends that you continue to use these settings.
See the battery section in the Tell Me How help file (see "
Accessing Help ") for more information on low-battery warnings.
Power Meter Tab
The Power Meter tab displays the current power source and amount of battery charge remaining.
Advanced Tab
The Advanced tab allows you to:
l Set power icon and standby mode password options.
l Depending on your operating system, program the following functions:
¡ Prompt user for an action (Ask me what to do).
¡ Activate standby mode.
¡ Activate hibernate mode.
¡ Shut down Windows and turn off the computer.
¡ Choose no action (None or Do nothing).
To program these functions, click an option from the corresponding pull-down menu, and then click OK.
Hibernate Tab
The Hibernate tab lets you enable hibernate mode by clicking the Enable hibernate support check box.
Intel SpeedStep® Technology Tab
Depending on your operating system and microprocessor, the Power Options Properties window includes the Intel SpeedStep® Technology tab. The Intel
SpeedStep technology allows you to set the performance level of the processor according to whether the computer is running on battery or AC power.
Depending on your operating system, typical options are:
l Automatic — The processor runs at its highest possible speed (Maximum Performance mode) when the computer is running on AC power. When the
computer is running on battery power, the processor runs in Battery Optimized mode.
HINT: Dell recommends that you use the Portable/Laptop power scheme to maximize battery power.
HINT: To enable audible alarms, click each Alarm Action button and select Sound alarm.
HINT: Windows XP controls the performance level of the processor depending on the power scheme that you select. See " Power Schemes Tab ."