My computer doesn't start back up again after I have put it to sleep, or after I leave it alone for a few hours, what is wrong with it?

A problem like this can be caused by many things. The main problem is usually a problem with the drivers that tell Windows what kind of hardware is inside the computer.

When Windows goes to sleep or into stand by, as opposed to being shut down, it reduces the number of items it uses and starts shutting off pieces of the computer. I there is a problem with a piece of hardware, or a driver, or Windows itself.

With so many problems it can be very hard to fix so you can have the computer go to sleep and come back to the way you left it.

Instead it is far easier to turn off the sleep feature and use other power saving methods to solve the problem.

Windows 95 

Click on the Start button and go up to Settings then go across and choose Control Panel

Inside the control panel double click on Power

Click on the "Disk Drives" tab in the Power Properties window.

Untick the box next to "When powered by AC power" by clicking in it.

Click on "OK" 

Windows 98

Click on the Start button and go up to Settings then go across and choose Control Panel

Inside the control panel double click on Power Management

Choose a time for "Turn off monitor" that is roughly more than you are likely to sit at the computer without doing anything.

Select "Never" for "Turn off hard disks"

Click on the Advanced tab

From the drop down menu under "When I press the power button on my computer" choose "Shut down"

From the drop down menu under "When I press the sleep button on my computer" choose "Do nothing"

Click on "OK" 

Windows XP

Click on the Start button and go up to Settings then go across and choose Control Panel, or go directly to control Panel if you are using the new look Start menu.

If you have the classic Control Panel go to Power Options. If you have the new look control panel you will have to go to "Performance and Maintenance" and then "Power Options" 

Choose a time for "Turn off monitor" that is roughly more than you are likely to sit at the computer without doing anything.

Select "Never" for "Turn off hard disks"

Select "Never" for "System standby"

Click on the Advanced tab

From the drop down menu under "When I press the power button on my computer" choose "Shut down"

From the drop down menu under "When I press the sleep button on my computer" choose "Do nothing"

Click on "OK"

Windows Vista 

Click on the Start button

Type "power". This will display the Power Options at the top of the start menu.

Click on "Power Options"

Under the name of the plan with the dot click on "Change plan settings"

Make sure "Put computer to sleep" is set to never in the drop down list next to it.

Then click on "Change advanced power settings" under it.

In the new Advanced settings window open all the options with a + in the box to the left of them and change all the options to "Never", "Disabled", "Off", or "Shut Down" depending on what options you are given

Click on "OK" and then click on "Save changes"

Following all these steps will make you computer use more power when you are not using it than it would if you put it to sleep/stand by but it should continue to work even if you leave it alone for a few days.