
	Home > Enterprise Desktop Tips > > PC running Windows XP won't go into hibernation

Enterprise Desktop Tips:

EMAIL THIS

TIPS & NEWSLETTERS TOPICS

PC running Windows XP won't go into hibernation

Serdar Yegulalp, Contributor
04.09.2007
Rating: -4.00- (out of 5)

Expert advice on Windows-based systems and hardware

Digg This! StumbleUpon Del.icio.us

To paraphrase Strother Martin in the movie Cool Hand Luke, "What we have here is a failure to hibernate." Here's what to do if you get the "insufficient system resources" warning while trying to hibernate your PC. I prefer to hibernate my desktop machine rather than shut it down completely. Since most computers come up out of hibernation much faster than they can reboot, my system is set to sleep after one hour of inactivity, then hibernate after two hours.

I've noticed that sometimes—not always, but often enough to be a problem—when I try to send the computer into hibernation it doesn't work. Instead of the hibernation screen, I get dumped back to the Desktop with a warning balloon popping up from the System Tray that reads: Insufficient system resources exist to complete the API.

Bewildered, I set out to find out what it might mean. As it turns out, Microsoft has documented this failure to hibernate as a known bug. It turns up under the following circumstances:

Evidently the memory fragmentation issue is the key; many times, hibernation failed after I'd already run a number of other programs.

Digg This!

StumbleUpon

Del.icio.us

RELATED RESOURCES

	2020software.com, trial software downloads for accounting software, ERP software, CRM software and business software systems
	Search Bitpipe.com for the latest white papers and business webcasts
	Whatis.com, the online computer dictionary

Sometimes I was able to get hibernation to work again after logging off (i.e., after freeing up some of the memory in use), but that didn't always work either.

Microsoft has a fix for this, ostensibly set to go into the next Service Pack for Windows XP, but if you want to address it now you can call Product Support Services and ask for a free hotfix as referenced in the above article (909095). There's no charge for this call.

Note: Vista does not suffer from this issue.

About the author: Serdar Yegulalp is editor of the Windows Insight, (formerly the Windows Power Users Newsletter), a blog site devoted to hints, tips, tricks and news for users and administrators of Windows NT, Windows 2000, Windows XP, Windows Server 2003 and Vista. He has more than 12 years of Windows experience under his belt, and contributes regularly to SearchWinComputing.com and SearchSQLServer.com.

More information on this topic:

Tip: Hibernate or shutdown? Windows protections are the same either way
Topics: XP performance

RSS: Sign up for our RSS feed to receive expert advice every day.

Rate this Tip
To rate tips, you must be a member of SearchEnterpriseDesktop.com. Register now to start rating these tips. Log in if you are already a member.

DISCLAIMER: Our Tips Exchange is a forum for you to share technical advice and expertise with your peers and to learn from other enterprise IT professionals. TechTarget provides the infrastructure to facilitate this sharing of information. However, we cannot guarantee the accuracy or validity of the material submitted. You agree that your use of the Ask The Expert services and your reliance on any questions, answers, information or other materials received through this Web site is at your own risk.

Enterprise Desktop Security - Virus Protection, Malware Protection, Intrusion Detection

SEARCH

TechTarget provides technology professionals with the information they need to perform their jobs - from developing strategy, to making cost-effective purchase decisions and managing their organizations' technology projects - with its network of technology-specific websites, events and online magazines.


TechTarget Corporate Web Site \| Media Kits \| Site Map All Rights Reserved, Copyright 2008 - 2009, TechTarget \| Read our Privacy Policy