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    Laptop won't stay awake when sharing video

    Discussion in 'Windows OS and Software' started by heywheelie, Apr 29, 2013.

  1. heywheelie

    heywheelie Notebook Geek

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    I have an Alienware M18xR2 with Windows 8. Power Profile is set to Balanced. I've changed the "Multimedia -> when sharing video" settings to "Prevent idling to sleep" but it doesn't work. After 30 minutes my laptop goes to sleep and the other users of my LAN get disconnected.

    I want my laptop to sleep if it isn't being used but not when someone is watching video files of TV I've recorded.

    Is there any way I can make my laptop stay awake while other users are watching video files I am sharing?

    cheers
     
    heywheelie, Apr 29, 2013
    #1
  2. Prostar Computer

    Prostar Computer Company Representative

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    Did you try Away Mode in the power plan settings (under Multimedia -> When sharing media)? Both should prevent sleeping from occurring, but perhaps there is a hiccup with the power plan settings. Sometimes the change has to be made from a command prompt; I know some couldn't prevent devices from waking the PC from the GUI change, but the command in a prompt fixed that.
     
    Prostar Computer, Apr 29, 2013
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  3. heywheelie

    heywheelie Notebook Geek

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    Yes I tried away mode but it didn't work either. Strange thing is that Prevent idling to sleep always worked on my desktop computer but not on this laptop.

    How do I change the settings from the command prompt?

    EDIT: Just checked my current settings at the command prompt using POWERCFG and it is indeed set to Prevent from idling to sleep.
     
    heywheelie, Apr 29, 2013
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  4. tijo

    tijo Sacred Blame

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    A workaround would be to create a new powerplan for sharing and switch to that when you're sharing, it's much easier to change power plans than change the powerplan settings.
     
    tijo, Apr 29, 2013
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  5. heywheelie

    heywheelie Notebook Geek

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    How would I create a powerplan for sharing? What settings would I use that I'm not now?
     
    heywheelie, Apr 30, 2013
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  6. Prostar Computer

    Prostar Computer Company Representative

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    Assuming it will work, just go to your Power Options in the Control Panel, then on the left column adjacent to the plans available, click on the "Create a Power Plan" link. You'll have options to choose from, so go with whatever seems to suit your needs best by default, name it, and then adjust the that plan's specific settings.

    If it works, great! If not, see if this reoccurs on another Windows user account.

    Also, make sure you don't another piece of software overriding your Windows power scheme.
     
    Prostar Computer, Apr 30, 2013
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  7. tijo

    tijo Sacred Blame

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    Personally, I would just completely disable sleep and set it back to balanced when done.
     
    tijo, Apr 30, 2013
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  8. heywheelie

    heywheelie Notebook Geek

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    I don't understand why it worked on my desktop but not on this laptop. Anyway I decided to just switch to High Performance mode whenever I'm sharing video.

    Thanks for the advice.

    cheers
     
    heywheelie, Apr 30, 2013
    #8