Notification Area & Time and Date problem

I'm still in the learning phase as a Windows 8 user, having recenlty
bought this new HP Presario with Windows 8 pre-installed. I'm getting
along pretty well but there is one problem that still has me
mystified.

When I leave this computer unattended for a while it will go into
Sleep mode, then when I try to bring it back awake I usually have to
use the Ctrl-Alt-Del keys and follow up with a Restart process.

The Notification Area and the Time and Date area at the lower right of
the screen are gone. I notice this as soon as I move the mouse or
click a key and try to bring the computer out of sleep mode.

Nothing else can be done that I've discoverd, other than to use the
Ctrl-Alt-Del process to do a Restart. It will restart and the first
screen indicates that it is coming out of Sleep mode. Then the Lock
screen appears and everything goes normally from there on until the
next time I let this computer go into Sleep mode.

What can I do to avoid losing the Notification Area and the Time and
Date icons when this comptuer goes into Sleep mode, or how can I
recover them without doing a Restart? Gordon

On 11/23/2012 10:08 AM, Gordon wrote:
I'm still in the learning phase as a Windows 8 user, having recenlty
bought this new HP Presario with Windows 8 pre-installed. I'm getting
along pretty well but there is one problem that still has me
mystified.

When I leave this computer unattended for a while it will go into
Sleep mode, then when I try to bring it back awake I usually have to
use the Ctrl-Alt-Del keys and follow up with a Restart process.

The Notification Area and the Time and Date area at the lower right of
the screen are gone. I notice this as soon as I move the mouse or
click a key and try to bring the computer out of sleep mode.

Nothing else can be done that I've discoverd, other than to use the
Ctrl-Alt-Del process to do a Restart. It will restart and the first
screen indicates that it is coming out of Sleep mode. Then the Lock
screen appears and everything goes normally from there on until the
next time I let this computer go into Sleep mode.

What can I do to avoid losing the Notification Area and the Time and
Date icons when this comptuer goes into Sleep mode, or how can I
recover them without doing a Restart? Gordon

Control Panel
Power Options
Change plan settings

Notice the underlined _Change settings that are currently unavailable_.
As you might have to click this if you can't change a setting.

Expand Sleep
Expand the rest under sleep

And adjust as necessary. And that should do it. If you use other power
plans too, you might have to adjust each plan individually.


--
Bill
Gateway M465e ('06 era) - Thunderbird v12
Centrino Core2 Duo T7400 2.16 GHz - 4GB - Windows 8

On Fri, 23 Nov 2012 11:58:21 -0600, BillW50 wrote:

On 11/23/2012 10:08 AM, Gordon wrote:
I'm still in the learning phase as a Windows 8 user, having recenlty
bought this new HP Presario with Windows 8 pre-installed. I'm getting
along pretty well but there is one problem that still has me
mystified.

When I leave this computer unattended for a while it will go into
Sleep mode, then when I try to bring it back awake I usually have to
use the Ctrl-Alt-Del keys and follow up with a Restart process.

The Notification Area and the Time and Date area at the lower right of
the screen are gone. I notice this as soon as I move the mouse or
click a key and try to bring the computer out of sleep mode.

Nothing else can be done that I've discoverd, other than to use the
Ctrl-Alt-Del process to do a Restart. It will restart and the first
screen indicates that it is coming out of Sleep mode. Then the Lock
screen appears and everything goes normally from there on until the
next time I let this computer go into Sleep mode.

What can I do to avoid losing the Notification Area and the Time and
Date icons when this comptuer goes into Sleep mode, or how can I
recover them without doing a Restart? Gordon

Control Panel
Power Options
Change plan settings

Notice the underlined _Change settings that are currently unavailable_.
As you might have to click this if you can't change a setting.

Expand Sleep
Expand the rest under sleep

And adjust as necessary. And that should do it. If you use other power
plans too, you might have to adjust each plan individually.

Bill, I've tinkered around with this in every way I can come up with
but the problem hasn't been resolved. Any other suggestions. Gordon

Gordon wrote in
:

On Fri, 23 Nov 2012 11:58:21 -0600, BillW50 wrote:

On 11/23/2012 10:08 AM, Gordon wrote:
I'm still in the learning phase as a Windows 8 user, having recenlty
bought this new HP Presario with Windows 8 pre-installed. I'm
getting along pretty well but there is one problem that still has me
mystified.

When I leave this computer unattended for a while it will go into
Sleep mode, then when I try to bring it back awake I usually have to
use the Ctrl-Alt-Del keys and follow up with a Restart process.

The Notification Area and the Time and Date area at the lower right
of the screen are gone. I notice this as soon as I move the mouse or
click a key and try to bring the computer out of sleep mode.

Nothing else can be done that I've discoverd, other than to use the
Ctrl-Alt-Del process to do a Restart. It will restart and the first
screen indicates that it is coming out of Sleep mode. Then the Lock
screen appears and everything goes normally from there on until the
next time I let this computer go into Sleep mode.

What can I do to avoid losing the Notification Area and the Time and
Date icons when this comptuer goes into Sleep mode, or how can I
recover them without doing a Restart? Gordon

Control Panel
Power Options
Change plan settings

Notice the underlined _Change settings that are currently
unavailable_. As you might have to click this if you can't change a
setting.

Expand Sleep
Expand the rest under sleep

And adjust as necessary. And that should do it. If you use other power
plans too, you might have to adjust each plan individually.

Bill, I've tinkered around with this in every way I can come up with
but the problem hasn't been resolved. Any other suggestions. Gordon


Did you recently add a wireless mouse? I added a Microsoft 3500 nano
mouse to my in-law's Dell laptop last week, and the same thing happened.
Originally, I didn't install the mouse drivers, and just let Windows
add the device. After I went to the Microsoft site and added the
specific drivers for the 3500, all was well.

Just a thought.

"Gordon" wrote in message ...
I'm still in the learning phase as a Windows 8 user, having recenlty
bought this new HP Presario with Windows 8 pre-installed. I'm getting
along pretty well but there is one problem that still has me
mystified.

When I leave this computer unattended for a while it will go into
Sleep mode, then when I try to bring it back awake I usually have to
use the Ctrl-Alt-Del keys and follow up with a Restart process.

The Notification Area and the Time and Date area at the lower right of
the screen are gone. I notice this as soon as I move the mouse or
click a key and try to bring the computer out of sleep mode.

Nothing else can be done that I've discoverd, other than to use the
Ctrl-Alt-Del process to do a Restart. It will restart and the first
screen indicates that it is coming out of Sleep mode. Then the Lock
screen appears and everything goes normally from there on until the
next time I let this computer go into Sleep mode.

What can I do to avoid losing the Notification Area and the Time and
Date icons when this comptuer goes into Sleep mode, or how can I
recover them without doing a Restart? Gordon

When my laptop goes to sleep the screen goes all black. I don't have any
icons in the notification area or anywhere because the screen is totally blank.

On 11/24/2012 10:56 AM, Gordon wrote:
On Fri, 23 Nov 2012 11:58:21 -0600, wrote:

On 11/23/2012 10:08 AM, Gordon wrote:
I'm still in the learning phase as a Windows 8 user, having recenlty
bought this new HP Presario with Windows 8 pre-installed. I'm getting
along pretty well but there is one problem that still has me
mystified.

When I leave this computer unattended for a while it will go into
Sleep mode, then when I try to bring it back awake I usually have to
use the Ctrl-Alt-Del keys and follow up with a Restart process.

The Notification Area and the Time and Date area at the lower right of
the screen are gone. I notice this as soon as I move the mouse or
click a key and try to bring the computer out of sleep mode.

Nothing else can be done that I've discoverd, other than to use the
Ctrl-Alt-Del process to do a Restart. It will restart and the first
screen indicates that it is coming out of Sleep mode. Then the Lock
screen appears and everything goes normally from there on until the
next time I let this computer go into Sleep mode.

What can I do to avoid losing the Notification Area and the Time and
Date icons when this comptuer goes into Sleep mode, or how can I
recover them without doing a Restart? Gordon

Control Panel
Power Options
Change plan settings

Notice the underlined _Change settings that are currently unavailable_.
As you might have to click this if you can't change a setting.

Expand Sleep
Expand the rest under sleep

And adjust as necessary. And that should do it. If you use other power
plans too, you might have to adjust each plan individually.

Bill, I've tinkered around with this in every way I can come up with
but the problem hasn't been resolved. Any other suggestions. Gordon

Well eight of my Gateway computers here will go to sleep if I turn them
on and don't touch a key, mouse, touchpad, etc. after X amount of
minutes. I don't know if your HP is like that. Although if you actually
use it, then mine won't until you turn it back on again. But this
happens after you have been using it right? Say is this a laptop,
desktop, or what?

--
Bill
Gateway M465e ('06 era) - Thunderbird v12
Centrino Core2 Duo T7400 2.16 GHz - 4GB - Windows 8

On 11/24/2012 12:01 PM, Dave-UK wrote:

"Gordon" wrote in message
...
I'm still in the learning phase as a Windows 8 user, having recenlty
bought this new HP Presario with Windows 8 pre-installed. I'm getting
along pretty well but there is one problem that still has me
mystified.

When I leave this computer unattended for a while it will go into
Sleep mode, then when I try to bring it back awake I usually have to
use the Ctrl-Alt-Del keys and follow up with a Restart process.
The Notification Area and the Time and Date area at the lower right of
the screen are gone. I notice this as soon as I move the mouse or
click a key and try to bring the computer out of sleep mode.

Nothing else can be done that I've discoverd, other than to use the
Ctrl-Alt-Del process to do a Restart. It will restart and the first
screen indicates that it is coming out of Sleep mode. Then the Lock
screen appears and everything goes normally from there on until the
next time I let this computer go into Sleep mode.

What can I do to avoid losing the Notification Area and the Time and
Date icons when this comptuer goes into Sleep mode, or how can I
recover them without doing a Restart? Gordon

When my laptop goes to sleep the screen goes all black. I don't have any
icons in the notification area or anywhere because the screen is totally
blank.

Gordon is talking about something is putting his machine to sleep. And
he wakes it up by ALT-CTRL-DEL, etc. And then the notification area is
missing.

--
Bill
Gateway M465e ('06 era) - Thunderbird v12
Centrino Core2 Duo T7400 2.16 GHz - 4GB - Windows 8

On Sat, 24 Nov 2012 18:01:34 -0000, "Dave-UK" wrote:


"Gordon" wrote in message ...
I'm still in the learning phase as a Windows 8 user, having recenlty
bought this new HP Presario with Windows 8 pre-installed. I'm getting
along pretty well but there is one problem that still has me
mystified.

When I leave this computer unattended for a while it will go into
Sleep mode, then when I try to bring it back awake I usually have to
use the Ctrl-Alt-Del keys and follow up with a Restart process.

The Notification Area and the Time and Date area at the lower right of
the screen are gone. I notice this as soon as I move the mouse or
click a key and try to bring the computer out of sleep mode.

Nothing else can be done that I've discoverd, other than to use the
Ctrl-Alt-Del process to do a Restart. It will restart and the first
screen indicates that it is coming out of Sleep mode. Then the Lock
screen appears and everything goes normally from there on until the
next time I let this computer go into Sleep mode.

What can I do to avoid losing the Notification Area and the Time and
Date icons when this comptuer goes into Sleep mode, or how can I
recover them without doing a Restart? Gordon

When my laptop goes to sleep the screen goes all black. I don't have any
icons in the notification area or anywhere because the screen is totally blank.

THis is very much like my desktop HP Pavilion has been doing. The
screen is black but I can see the mouse white arrow head moving around
when I move the mouse. The task bar at the bottom of the blackened out
screen looks normal but the Notification Area and the Time and Date
box arent there until I punch the computer's off switch then punch it
a second time to bring it back alive. Then the missing Notification
Area and the Time and Date box are there, functioning normally until
the next time I let the computer go into sleep mode. Gordon

On Sat, 24 Nov 2012 12:13:00 -0600, BillW50 wrote:

On 11/24/2012 10:56 AM, Gordon wrote:
On Fri, 23 Nov 2012 11:58:21 -0600, wrote:

On 11/23/2012 10:08 AM, Gordon wrote:
I'm still in the learning phase as a Windows 8 user, having recenlty
bought this new HP Presario with Windows 8 pre-installed. I'm getting
along pretty well but there is one problem that still has me
mystified.

When I leave this computer unattended for a while it will go into
Sleep mode, then when I try to bring it back awake I usually have to
use the Ctrl-Alt-Del keys and follow up with a Restart process.

The Notification Area and the Time and Date area at the lower right of
the screen are gone. I notice this as soon as I move the mouse or
click a key and try to bring the computer out of sleep mode.

Nothing else can be done that I've discoverd, other than to use the
Ctrl-Alt-Del process to do a Restart. It will restart and the first
screen indicates that it is coming out of Sleep mode. Then the Lock
screen appears and everything goes normally from there on until the
next time I let this computer go into Sleep mode.

What can I do to avoid losing the Notification Area and the Time and
Date icons when this comptuer goes into Sleep mode, or how can I
recover them without doing a Restart? Gordon

Control Panel
Power Options
Change plan settings

Notice the underlined _Change settings that are currently unavailable_.
As you might have to click this if you can't change a setting.

Expand Sleep
Expand the rest under sleep

And adjust as necessary. And that should do it. If you use other power
plans too, you might have to adjust each plan individually.

Bill, I've tinkered around with this in every way I can come up with
but the problem hasn't been resolved. Any other suggestions. Gordon

Well eight of my Gateway computers here will go to sleep if I turn them
on and don't touch a key, mouse, touchpad, etc. after X amount of
minutes. I don't know if your HP is like that. Although if you actually
use it, then mine won't until you turn it back on again. But this
happens after you have been using it right? Say is this a laptop,
desktop, or what?

Yes, I'm talking about leaving the computer unattended for a half hour
or so while I'm doing something else. I have the go to sleep time set
for 30 minutes. I never have this problem whild I'm using this
computer and keeping it from going into sleep mode.

This is a desktop HP Presario with a Microsoft Ergonomic keyboard and
a wireless Logitec trackball mouse. I couldn't get adapted to the
conventional wired mouse that came with this computer so I bought a
Logitec Trackball Wireless Mouse and let Windows do an automatic
install for it. Could this be the source of the problem?

On Sat, 24 Nov 2012 17:24:12 +0000 (UTC), Boris
wrote:

Gordon wrote in
:

On Fri, 23 Nov 2012 11:58:21 -0600, BillW50 wrote:

On 11/23/2012 10:08 AM, Gordon wrote:
I'm still in the learning phase as a Windows 8 user, having recenlty
bought this new HP Presario with Windows 8 pre-installed. I'm
getting along pretty well but there is one problem that still has me
mystified.

When I leave this computer unattended for a while it will go into
Sleep mode, then when I try to bring it back awake I usually have to
use the Ctrl-Alt-Del keys and follow up with a Restart process.

The Notification Area and the Time and Date area at the lower right
of the screen are gone. I notice this as soon as I move the mouse or
click a key and try to bring the computer out of sleep mode.

Nothing else can be done that I've discoverd, other than to use the
Ctrl-Alt-Del process to do a Restart. It will restart and the first
screen indicates that it is coming out of Sleep mode. Then the Lock
screen appears and everything goes normally from there on until the
next time I let this computer go into Sleep mode.

What can I do to avoid losing the Notification Area and the Time and
Date icons when this comptuer goes into Sleep mode, or how can I
recover them without doing a Restart? Gordon

Control Panel
Power Options
Change plan settings

Notice the underlined _Change settings that are currently
unavailable_. As you might have to click this if you can't change a
setting.

Expand Sleep
Expand the rest under sleep

And adjust as necessary. And that should do it. If you use other power
plans too, you might have to adjust each plan individually.

Bill, I've tinkered around with this in every way I can come up with
but the problem hasn't been resolved. Any other suggestions. Gordon


Did you recently add a wireless mouse? I added a Microsoft 3500 nano
mouse to my in-law's Dell laptop last week, and the same thing happened.
Originally, I didn't install the mouse drivers, and just let Windows
add the device. After I went to the Microsoft site and added the
specific drivers for the 3500, all was well.

Just a thought.

Yes, as a matter of fact, I added the Logitec Wireless Trackball
Mouse. This new computer came with a conventional mouse but I like the
trackball and couldn't get used to the mouse that has to be moved
around. My desk space is very limited and there really isn't enough
room to use one like that. Gordon

On 11/24/2012 12:28 PM, wrote:
On Sat, 24 Nov 2012 12:13:00 -0600, wrote:

On 11/24/2012 10:56 AM, Gordon wrote:
On Fri, 23 Nov 2012 11:58:21 -0600, wrote:

On 11/23/2012 10:08 AM, Gordon wrote:
I'm still in the learning phase as a Windows 8 user, having recenlty
bought this new HP Presario with Windows 8 pre-installed. I'm getting
along pretty well but there is one problem that still has me
mystified.

When I leave this computer unattended for a while it will go into
Sleep mode, then when I try to bring it back awake I usually have to
use the Ctrl-Alt-Del keys and follow up with a Restart process.

The Notification Area and the Time and Date area at the lower right of
the screen are gone. I notice this as soon as I move the mouse or
click a key and try to bring the computer out of sleep mode.

Nothing else can be done that I've discoverd, other than to use the
Ctrl-Alt-Del process to do a Restart. It will restart and the first
screen indicates that it is coming out of Sleep mode. Then the Lock
screen appears and everything goes normally from there on until the
next time I let this computer go into Sleep mode.

What can I do to avoid losing the Notification Area and the Time and
Date icons when this comptuer goes into Sleep mode, or how can I
recover them without doing a Restart? Gordon

Control Panel
Power Options
Change plan settings

Notice the underlined _Change settings that are currently unavailable_.
As you might have to click this if you can't change a setting.

Expand Sleep
Expand the rest under sleep

And adjust as necessary. And that should do it. If you use other power
plans too, you might have to adjust each plan individually.

Bill, I've tinkered around with this in every way I can come up with
but the problem hasn't been resolved. Any other suggestions. Gordon

Well eight of my Gateway computers here will go to sleep if I turn them
on and don't touch a key, mouse, touchpad, etc. after X amount of
minutes. I don't know if your HP is like that. Although if you actually
use it, then mine won't until you turn it back on again. But this
happens after you have been using it right? Say is this a laptop,
desktop, or what?

Yes, I'm talking about leaving the computer unattended for a half hour
or so while I'm doing something else. I have the go to sleep time set
for 30 minutes. I never have this problem whild I'm using this
computer and keeping it from going into sleep mode.

This is a desktop HP Presario with a Microsoft Ergonomic keyboard and
a wireless Logitec trackball mouse. I couldn't get adapted to the
conventional wired mouse that came with this computer so I bought a
Logitec Trackball Wireless Mouse and let Windows do an automatic
install for it. Could this be the source of the problem?

Those same setting I told you to go in above... the one that says hybrid
Sleep... if off toggle on and if on toggle off. And just in case, reboot
(probably not necessary). Recheck to see if the settings stayed, but
don't change anything this time. And now see if it works ok. And I am
not too worried about the trackball yet. But we might get there yet.

--
Bill
Gateway M465e ('06 era) - Thunderbird v12
Centrino Core2 Duo T7400 2.16 GHz - 4GB - Windows 8

wrote in message ...
On Sat, 24 Nov 2012 18:01:34 -0000, "Dave-UK" wrote:


"Gordon" wrote in message ...
I'm still in the learning phase as a Windows 8 user, having recenlty
bought this new HP Presario with Windows 8 pre-installed. I'm getting
along pretty well but there is one problem that still has me
mystified.

When I leave this computer unattended for a while it will go into
Sleep mode, then when I try to bring it back awake I usually have to
use the Ctrl-Alt-Del keys and follow up with a Restart process.

The Notification Area and the Time and Date area at the lower right of
the screen are gone. I notice this as soon as I move the mouse or
click a key and try to bring the computer out of sleep mode.

Nothing else can be done that I've discoverd, other than to use the
Ctrl-Alt-Del process to do a Restart. It will restart and the first
screen indicates that it is coming out of Sleep mode. Then the Lock
screen appears and everything goes normally from there on until the
next time I let this computer go into Sleep mode.

What can I do to avoid losing the Notification Area and the Time and
Date icons when this comptuer goes into Sleep mode, or how can I
recover them without doing a Restart? Gordon

When my laptop goes to sleep the screen goes all black. I don't have any
icons in the notification area or anywhere because the screen is totally blank.

THis is very much like my desktop HP Pavilion has been doing. The
screen is black but I can see the mouse white arrow head moving around
when I move the mouse. The task bar at the bottom of the blackened out
screen looks normal

If you can see the mouse pointer or taskbar on the screen then your computer
(Pavilion, Presario or whatever it is) is not sleeping.

On Sat, 24 Nov 2012 19:30:02 -0000, "Dave-UK" wrote:


wrote in message ...
On Sat, 24 Nov 2012 18:01:34 -0000, "Dave-UK" wrote:


"Gordon" wrote in message ...
I'm still in the learning phase as a Windows 8 user, having recenlty
bought this new HP Presario with Windows 8 pre-installed. I'm getting
along pretty well but there is one problem that still has me
mystified.

When I leave this computer unattended for a while it will go into
Sleep mode, then when I try to bring it back awake I usually have to
use the Ctrl-Alt-Del keys and follow up with a Restart process.

The Notification Area and the Time and Date area at the lower right of
the screen are gone. I notice this as soon as I move the mouse or
click a key and try to bring the computer out of sleep mode.

Nothing else can be done that I've discoverd, other than to use the
Ctrl-Alt-Del process to do a Restart. It will restart and the first
screen indicates that it is coming out of Sleep mode. Then the Lock
screen appears and everything goes normally from there on until the
next time I let this computer go into Sleep mode.

What can I do to avoid losing the Notification Area and the Time and
Date icons when this comptuer goes into Sleep mode, or how can I
recover them without doing a Restart? Gordon

When my laptop goes to sleep the screen goes all black. I don't have any
icons in the notification area or anywhere because the screen is totally blank.

THis is very much like my desktop HP Pavilion has been doing. The
screen is black but I can see the mouse white arrow head moving around
when I move the mouse. The task bar at the bottom of the blackened out
screen looks normal

If you can see the mouse pointer or taskbar on the screen then your computer
(Pavilion, Presario or whatever it is) is not sleeping.

In Win 7, sleep and hibernate both turn the screen off, as you say. This
darkening of the screen except for the task bar sounds a bit like the
darkening in Win 7 when User Account Control is set to its maximum.
Could Win 8 have a similar darkening for some reason?
--
Robin Bignall
Herts, England

"Robin Bignall" wrote in message ...
On Sat, 24 Nov 2012 19:30:02 -0000, "Dave-UK" wrote:


wrote in message ...
On Sat, 24 Nov 2012 18:01:34 -0000, "Dave-UK" wrote:


"Gordon" wrote in message ...
I'm still in the learning phase as a Windows 8 user, having recenlty
bought this new HP Presario with Windows 8 pre-installed. I'm getting
along pretty well but there is one problem that still has me
mystified.

When I leave this computer unattended for a while it will go into
Sleep mode, then when I try to bring it back awake I usually have to
use the Ctrl-Alt-Del keys and follow up with a Restart process.

The Notification Area and the Time and Date area at the lower right of
the screen are gone. I notice this as soon as I move the mouse or
click a key and try to bring the computer out of sleep mode.

Nothing else can be done that I've discoverd, other than to use the
Ctrl-Alt-Del process to do a Restart. It will restart and the first
screen indicates that it is coming out of Sleep mode. Then the Lock
screen appears and everything goes normally from there on until the
next time I let this computer go into Sleep mode.

What can I do to avoid losing the Notification Area and the Time and
Date icons when this comptuer goes into Sleep mode, or how can I
recover them without doing a Restart? Gordon

When my laptop goes to sleep the screen goes all black. I don't have any
icons in the notification area or anywhere because the screen is totally blank.

THis is very much like my desktop HP Pavilion has been doing. The
screen is black but I can see the mouse white arrow head moving around
when I move the mouse. The task bar at the bottom of the blackened out
screen looks normal

If you can see the mouse pointer or taskbar on the screen then your computer
(Pavilion, Presario or whatever it is) is not sleeping.

In Win 7, sleep and hibernate both turn the screen off, as you say. This
darkening of the screen except for the task bar sounds a bit like the
darkening in Win 7 when User Account Control is set to its maximum.
Could Win 8 have a similar darkening for some reason?

I don't notice any darkening anywhere.

On 11/24/2012 3:03 PM, Dave-UK wrote:

"Robin Bignall" wrote in message
...
On Sat, 24 Nov 2012 19:30:02 -0000, "Dave-UK" wrote:


wrote in message
...
On Sat, 24 Nov 2012 18:01:34 -0000, "Dave-UK" wrote:


"Gordon" wrote in message
...
I'm still in the learning phase as a Windows 8 user, having recenlty
bought this new HP Presario with Windows 8 pre-installed. I'm getting
along pretty well but there is one problem that still has me
mystified.

When I leave this computer unattended for a while it will go into
Sleep mode, then when I try to bring it back awake I usually have to
use the Ctrl-Alt-Del keys and follow up with a Restart process.
The Notification Area and the Time and Date area at the lower
right of
the screen are gone. I notice this as soon as I move the mouse or
click a key and try to bring the computer out of sleep mode.

Nothing else can be done that I've discoverd, other than to use the
Ctrl-Alt-Del process to do a Restart. It will restart and the first
screen indicates that it is coming out of Sleep mode. Then the Lock
screen appears and everything goes normally from there on until the
next time I let this computer go into Sleep mode.

What can I do to avoid losing the Notification Area and the Time and
Date icons when this comptuer goes into Sleep mode, or how can I
recover them without doing a Restart? Gordon

When my laptop goes to sleep the screen goes all black. I don't
have any icons in the notification area or anywhere because the
screen is totally blank.

THis is very much like my desktop HP Pavilion has been doing. The
screen is black but I can see the mouse white arrow head moving around
when I move the mouse. The task bar at the bottom of the blackened out
screen looks normal

If you can see the mouse pointer or taskbar on the screen then your
computer (Pavilion, Presario or whatever it is) is not sleeping.

In Win 7, sleep and hibernate both turn the screen off, as you say. This
darkening of the screen except for the task bar sounds a bit like the
darkening in Win 7 when User Account Control is set to its maximum.
Could Win 8 have a similar darkening for some reason?

I don't notice any darkening anywhere.

Well I understand what Robin is talking about. And yes Robin, Windows 8
too can dim the display as well just like Windows 7. Now Dave, it is
possible that you never see this dimming of the display. But it does so
at certain times as the OS needs to user attention for something.
Normally a small window not dimmed (but everything else is) pops up.
This gives the user a choice to make depending on what it says.

Now both Windows 7 and Windows 8 (I never ran Vista much) can dim the
display if there is no activity in X amount of time and there is no
window too. This should be no big deal (I forget where this setting is)
as touching the mouse or keyboard should undim everything.

Now if Gordon thinks this dimmed state is sleeping, it really isn't. And
Gordon, if this is what you are thinking and seeing, it isn't in standby
mode. Something stopped it from going to Standby.

--
Bill
Gateway M465e ('06 era) - Thunderbird v12
Centrino Core2 Duo T7400 2.16 GHz - 4GB - Windows 8