Microsoft KB Archive/913622

Knowledge Base

Power scheme options are unavailable on a Windows XP-based computer

Article ID: 913622

Article Last Modified on 3/24/2006

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APPLIES TO

• Microsoft Windows XP Professional
• Microsoft Windows XP Home Edition

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SYMPTOMS

You open the Power Options item in Control Panel on a Microsoft Windows XP-based computer. However, the power scheme options that appear on the Power Schemes tab are unavailable.

CAUSE

This issue may occur if some or all the registry entries that are related to the power scheme options have been deleted.

RESOLUTION

To resolve this issue, restore the registry entries that are related to the power scheme options. To do this, use one of the following methods.

Note To use Method 1 or Method 2, you must have Windows XP Service Pack 2 (SP2) installed. These methods use the the Powercfg.exe utility. The the Powercfg.exe utility is included in Windows XP SP2. For more information about how to obtain Windows XP SP2, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

322389 How to obtain the latest Windows XP service pack

Method 1: Use the Powercfg.exe utility to restore the default power scheme

You can use the Powercfg.exe utility to copy the power scheme from the Default Userprofile to the user who is currently logged on. You can do this because power schemes are uniquely associated with individual user accounts. To copy the power scheme from the default user by using the Powercfg.exe utility, follow these steps:

1. Click Start, click Run, type cmd, and then click OK.
2. At the command prompt, type the following command, and then press ENTER:
   

powercfg /RestoreDefaultPolicies

Method 2: Use the Powercfg.exe utility to import a power scheme from another Windows XP installation.

You can use the Powercfg.exe utility to export power schemes from a parallel Windows XP installation or from another Windows XP computer and to import to the original Windows XP installation. To do this, follow these steps:

1. On a new parallel installation of Windows XP, or on another Windows XP computer, follow these steps:
   1. Click Start, click Run, type cmd, and then click OK.
   2. At the command prompt, type the following command, and then press ENTER:

      powercfg /export scheme /file file

      Note In this command, scheme represents the power scheme that you want to save. Also, file represents the path of the file name with which you want to save the power scheme. In the current scenario, save the file to the location where the original Windows XP installation files are saved.
2. On the original Windows XP installation, follow these steps:
   1. Click Start, click Run, type cmd, and then click OK.
   2. At the command prompt, type the following command, and press ENTER:

      powercfg /import scheme /file file

      Note In this command, scheme represents the power scheme that you want to import. Also, file represents the file name for the power scheme. In the current scenario, specify this file as the file that you saved earlier in this procedure.
3. Repeat all the previous steps if you want to export and import more power schemes.
4. Verify that the power schemes that you imported are now available on the Power Schemes tab.

For more information about how to use the Powercfg.exe utility, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

324347 How to use Powercfg.exe in Windows Server 2003

Method 3: Perform an in-place upgrade of Windows XP

For more information about how to perform an in-place upgrade of Windows XP, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

315341 How to perform an in-place upgrade (reinstallation) of Windows XP

Keywords: kbtshoot KB913622

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