BleepingComputer.com: New Computer Questions

Hello,
I have a new HP computer with Windows Vista. I have three questions.

1. The screen saver interferes with the sleep operation. After I place it on sleep, a few moments later the screen saver starts and I can hear the computer running; I thought the computer should be silent and in sleep mode, what causes this?
Now the only way I can get it to work properly, is to shut down screen saver.

2. If there are any vibrations or bumps onto the computer desk, this wakes up the computer from sleep. How to solve this?

3. When scheduling tasks, what happens if the first task is not finished and the next task wants to start on its scheduled time?

1) I don't think it's in sleep if the screensaver activates - although it's possible that there is something else running at the time.

2) It's likely that, if this is a desktop, that the bump moves the mouse - and then the mouse wakes the system out of standby. To stop this (which will stop you from using the mouse to wake the computer) - first check to see if you can wake the computer from sleep with the keyboard. If not, then you won't have any way to wake the computer!

If so, then go to Start and type in "devmgmt.msc" (without the quotes) and press Enter.

Then, click the + sign next to "Mice and other pointing devices" - then right click on your mouse and select "Properties". Then click on the Power Management tab and uncheck the box that says "Allow this device to wake the computer". Click OK to accept the changes.

3) The next task will still run. If the tasks conflict, then there can be problems - so it'll depend on what tasks are running.

Thanks and both problems now seem to be solved. I usually check the task bar for any running programs and I found that HP has one running on startup called HP Advisor and it was at the very top of screen and not taking up much space and I thought it was part of the Icons on the left side. So I disabled it and I also allowed the screen saver to work. But this time, after putting it on sleep, screen saver did not come on (after allowing for the ten minute time out) which I expected to happen. Now the computer stayed on sleep until I caused a bump or vibration on the desk. To solve this second problem, I did as you suggested and disabled the mouse from waking up the computer. Now these two problems are solved.

I have scheduled "Disk Cleanup", Defragmentation" and "Disk Check" to run after midnight, once a week. When I first ran all three of these operations, they run way longer then when I had XP and it may be caused by my Kaspersky Antivirus program. I"ll look further into this. I believe I can disable Kaspersky to run only when I am online. So I will have to stay up past midnight to see what happens when these programs start and finish. Thanks for your tips.