I am unable to adjust my power settings

heynownow

New Member
Hey everyone,

Thanks in advance for any help.

My Windows Vista isn't letting me adjust my power settings.


Here is what the problem:

1. I click the battery icon in the bottom right of the start bar. Then I click "More Power Options"

2. On the left panel of Power Options window, I click "Choose when to turn off the display"

My computer tells me "Your power plan information isn't available" with a red X next to it.

The same thing happens when I try to adjust any other power setting as well.

3. I click on the "Why can't Windows retrieve this information?" and it says stuff about my system administrator making changes, and that doesn't apply to me. I am the only user of the computer and my account is the administrator. I've never tinkered with any of these files to my memory.

It also says "Some of your power management settings, or the registry keys that are associated with those settings, have been deleted or corrupted. For more information, contact your system administrator." But I am the only administrator of this computer and the nice people at Microsoft never instructed me about this when I bought my computer.

I've done a SFC scan and it said "Windows Resource Protection did not find any integrity violations."

I've also tried searching for an answer on other forums but I either don't understand the solutions, which usually involve registry edits...or the problems I've found aren't exactly on target and involve people who did system restores.

I also installed uniblue registry booster from some site and it did a search and told me I had lots of registry errors but of course it asked to pay. I mentioned it on the Microsoft forums and people told me that's a scam. Hopefully I didn't make the problem worse...

How can I fix this? All I want to do is edit the power settings of my computer. Thanks for any and all help.
 

My Computer

Download malewarebytes and run it.

Malwarebytes

It is safe to use.

But before you do that try a system restore point to before you installed uniblue.
This will show how if you do not know
http://www.vistax64.com/tutorials/76905-system-restore-how.html?filter[11]=Backup Restore
The reason I want you to run malewarebytes is to rule out maleware that
the uniblue program could have installed.
Just a note stay away from stuff like that.

Jimmy
 
Last edited:

My Computer

System One

  • Manufacturer/Model
    Gateway
    CPU
    intel core 2 Extreme QX6700
    Motherboard
    intel
    Memory
    3 gigs
    Graphics Card(s)
    NVIDA
    Sound Card
    Creative SB X-FI
    Monitor(s) Displays
    Gateway 24 HD Monitor
    Screen Resolution
    1920 by 1200 pixels
    Hard Drives
    2-500 gigabyte hard drive
    Western digtal
Thanks. I did run malwaybytes already as soon as I uninstalled. I should be clear: this problem came before I installed uniblue registry booster.

For the record, here is what I did:

1. Someone on Microsoft Forums told me to come to this forum here:
http://www.vistax64.com/tutorials/63567-power-options-sleep-mode-problems.html?filter[11]=Power%20Management

2. If you don't have an ad blocker in your browser, at the top of the page is a well disguised advertisement that says "Recommended Fix: Click here to fix Vista errors and optimize Vista Performance"

I clicked that and it brought me here: Registry — RegistryBooster — Top Rated Registry Cleaner

According to Norton, it's a safe website
Norton Safe Web, from Symantec - report for liutilities.com

3. Thinking this was legit software, I downloaded it and installed and ran it and it found like 400 registry errors. And it said it would repaid 15 of them for free, which I had it do. Then I deleted it because it asked me to pay to repair the remaining 385 errors.

Should running malwarebytes be the end of it or should I do more virus scans?

This whole problem is kind of off topic anyways because I still can't adjust my power settings! Thanks.

Edit: I also did a system restore to a point I believe was before I installed the resgistry booster. The system keeps your documents in place, right? Thanks again!
 
Last edited:

My Computer

System restore will not touch your documents. If you do decide to try System Restore use a very early restore point, to be sure it is prior to any possible infection.
 

My Computer

System One

  • Manufacturer/Model
    Dell XPS420
    Memory
    6 gig
    Graphics Card(s)
    ATI Radeon HD3650 256 MB
    Sound Card
    Intergrated 7.1 Channel Audio
    Monitor(s) Displays
    Dell SP2009W 20 inch Flat Panel w Webcam
    Hard Drives
    640 gb
    Cooling
    Fan
    Keyboard
    Dell USB
    Mouse
    Dell USB 4 button optical
    Other Info
    DSL provided by ATT
Thanks,

I am pretty much 100% sure I did. I got the advice to even go to the webpage that had the advertisement to download the uniblue registry booster 6 hours ago, and I restored to a point 10 hours ago. Thanks again.

Any advice or solutions on this power settings thing?
 

My Computer

My Computer

System One

  • Manufacturer/Model
    Dell XPS420
    Memory
    6 gig
    Graphics Card(s)
    ATI Radeon HD3650 256 MB
    Sound Card
    Intergrated 7.1 Channel Audio
    Monitor(s) Displays
    Dell SP2009W 20 inch Flat Panel w Webcam
    Hard Drives
    640 gb
    Cooling
    Fan
    Keyboard
    Dell USB
    Mouse
    Dell USB 4 button optical
    Other Info
    DSL provided by ATT
Seems as if you could have a corrupt user profile.
The way to correct that would be to make a new account
and give it admin rights.
You could also try it first to see if your power options work in the new
account. If so then that is your problem.

One other thing you can try before all that is boot into safe mode.
see if it works there.

Jimmy
 

My Computer

System One

  • Manufacturer/Model
    Gateway
    CPU
    intel core 2 Extreme QX6700
    Motherboard
    intel
    Memory
    3 gigs
    Graphics Card(s)
    NVIDA
    Sound Card
    Creative SB X-FI
    Monitor(s) Displays
    Gateway 24 HD Monitor
    Screen Resolution
    1920 by 1200 pixels
    Hard Drives
    2-500 gigabyte hard drive
    Western digtal
Well, I created a new user for my computer. Same problem, same message that I can't change any settings. Any further advice? Thanks for the help, I really appreciate it.
 

My Computer

I do not have anymore ideas.
Sorry I can not help any further.
I am at a loss just like you.
You could try the link that richc46 gave you
in the new account.

Sorry again I could not be of more help.

Jimmy
 

My Computer

System One

  • Manufacturer/Model
    Gateway
    CPU
    intel core 2 Extreme QX6700
    Motherboard
    intel
    Memory
    3 gigs
    Graphics Card(s)
    NVIDA
    Sound Card
    Creative SB X-FI
    Monitor(s) Displays
    Gateway 24 HD Monitor
    Screen Resolution
    1920 by 1200 pixels
    Hard Drives
    2-500 gigabyte hard drive
    Western digtal
Thank you for trying. Does anyone have any other ideas? I've seen on other forums people made some registry edits and adjustments to fix this problem. Can anyone walk me through that? Or do you have any other ideas? Thanks.
 

My Computer

My Computer

System One

  • Manufacturer/Model
    Gateway
    CPU
    intel core 2 Extreme QX6700
    Motherboard
    intel
    Memory
    3 gigs
    Graphics Card(s)
    NVIDA
    Sound Card
    Creative SB X-FI
    Monitor(s) Displays
    Gateway 24 HD Monitor
    Screen Resolution
    1920 by 1200 pixels
    Hard Drives
    2-500 gigabyte hard drive
    Western digtal
Thanks a ton I will let you know how those options go.

I found a guide online for the same problem and the first step of the guide is to start your computer in Safe Mode and then try and adjust power settings. I did that, and it worked...I could adjust my power settings in safe mode. But then the guide said "If that doesn't work, go to Step 2."

But what if it does work!? What does me being able to adjust my power settings in safe mode mean? How can I fix it so it works during my normal use of the computer?

Thanks.
 

My Computer

My Computer

System One

  • Manufacturer/Model
    Dell XPS420
    Memory
    6 gig
    Graphics Card(s)
    ATI Radeon HD3650 256 MB
    Sound Card
    Intergrated 7.1 Channel Audio
    Monitor(s) Displays
    Dell SP2009W 20 inch Flat Panel w Webcam
    Hard Drives
    640 gb
    Cooling
    Fan
    Keyboard
    Dell USB
    Mouse
    Dell USB 4 button optical
    Other Info
    DSL provided by ATT
Thanks, but are you sure clean boot does the same as safe mode? When I follow the clean boot instructions, I still get the problem. But when I start in safe mode, I don't get the problem.

I've looked into it further and it looks like Safe Mode = starts minimum drivers and background programs, while Clean Boot = only starts minimum backgrounds, but doesn't affect drivers. So I think this is a drivers issue.
 

My Computer

Safe mode and clean boot are not exactly the same, but in any event the clean boot has helped, everything that was removed from startup can now be disregared as a possible cause. As you have said, it may be a driver. Make sure that all your drivers are up to date. Go to device manager and look for any yellow markers indicating that there may be a problem with a driver.

In addition, make sure that the graphics card is up to date and working properly.
 

My Computer

System One

  • Manufacturer/Model
    Dell XPS420
    Memory
    6 gig
    Graphics Card(s)
    ATI Radeon HD3650 256 MB
    Sound Card
    Intergrated 7.1 Channel Audio
    Monitor(s) Displays
    Dell SP2009W 20 inch Flat Panel w Webcam
    Hard Drives
    640 gb
    Cooling
    Fan
    Keyboard
    Dell USB
    Mouse
    Dell USB 4 button optical
    Other Info
    DSL provided by ATT
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