Question How to switch on / off display to save power?

Try3 · Dec 13, 2022

I had not realised that we'd been having this conversation in another thread aswell.

Try3 said:
I suspect that your only solution is going to be setting your display to stay on always in Power options and then setting up a shortcut to a fairly dark screensaver that you can use to sort-of-turn-off the display when you want to.
No 'blank' screensavers are truly blank. You'll be able to tell that the display is actually on because there will be a slight glow from it even though it seems sort-of-black.

"only solution" is probably a bit strong. Unless one of the other posters' suggestions about third-party monitor control utilities works in your circumstances then using a dark screensaver might well be a good solution.

All the best,
Denis

Donk · Dec 13, 2022

I had not realised that we'd been having this conversation in another thread aswell.

Oops, me too. Sorry.

"only solution" is probably a bit strong. Unless one of the other posters' suggestions about third-party monitor control utilities works in your circumstances then using a dark screensaver might well be a good solution.

Yes, so one does not know whether I could cause the same circumstances here, respectively what the differences are. May be it is not possible with my notebook at all. Or...

Try3 · Dec 13, 2022

I have tested my screensaver idea and it works in my setup - laptop, external monitor with speakers.
The screensaver coming on blanks both screens yet the audio continues.
I can trigger the screensaver with a shortcut


C:\Windows\System32\scrnsave.scr

and it should behave the same way if set up to come on at a set time as well - this shortcut brings up the screensaver settings dialog [I can't remember how to get to it any other way]


C:\Windows\System32\rundll32.exe shell32.dll,Control_RunDLL desk.cpl,,1

So, I think it is a viable solution for you.

All the best,
Denis

Donk · Dec 13, 2022

Thank you very much! Also for testing!

Yes, indeed, regarding the handling by far the best, or just the first method working good at all, respectively, very easily to use, the best method at all.

The question is how effective it is. Does it save power at all (I assume) and how much less is the saving compared to switching off the display.

Ghot · Dec 13, 2022

Donk said:
Thank you very much! Also for testing!

Yes, indeed, regarding the handling by far the best, or just the first method working good at all, respectively, very easily to use, the best method at all.

The question is how effective it is. Does it save power at all (I assume) and how much less is the saving compared to switching off the display.

Probably the easiest way to find out, is to use a watt meter...

Watt Meter

Donk · Dec 13, 2022

Yes, if only I had one. That's something that you plug into the socket, into which you then plug in the plug from the power pack for the notebook?

At the moment I do not get any shortcut anymore with .lnks. They are just not executed or the old ones with a lnk are executed although deleted.

Ghot · Dec 13, 2022

Donk said:
Yes, if only I had one. That's something that you plug into the socket, into which you then plug in the plug from the power pack for the notebook?

Correct. It doesn't get much easier than that.
And you can use them on anything that plugs into the wall (in proper voltage range).

You should be able to find one on Amazon that will work with whatever voltage/amperage the wall (mains) provides.
Just search for "watt meter" on Amazon, in whichever country you're in.

Watt Meter - Germany

Watt Meter - Germany #2

watts = amperage x voltage

Try3 · Dec 13, 2022

Donk said:
Does it save power at all

I have never seen any analyses of monitor power saving as what they display varies.
I turn my display off so it's not staring at me while I get on with something else and have never considered any power-savings.

Donk said:
At the moment I do not get any shortcut anymore with .lnks. They are just not executed or the old ones with a lnk are executed although deleted.

I don't understand you.
- I don't know what you mean by, "do not get any shortcut anymore with .lnks".
- I don't see how a deleted shortcut can do anything.
If you right-click on something/anything & select Create a shortcut doesn't that shortcut open the something/anything concerned?

Denis

Ghot · Dec 13, 2022

Donk said:
Does it save power at all

The things in your home that use the most wattage will be things that change the temperature.

Things like...

Space heaters, refrigerators, electric stoves, air conditioners, blow dryers, irons, soldering irons, electric blankets,
and if they're electric... washers, dryers, water heaters, etc.

Power Consumption of Typical Household Appliances

List of the Power Consumption of Typical Household Appliances

www.daftlogic.com

Computer Monitor 25 to 30W

And if you have any CRT televisions... just throw them out and get a flat screen TV.

Donk · Dec 13, 2022

Thank you very much for the links. Do I have to turn off the notebook before plugging in such a Walt Meter? When plugging off the power plug from the notebook while it runs it automatically switches to the battery, I assume, like the one did I had have before and, I guess, like each notebook will do.

I turn my display off so it's not staring at me while I get on with something else and have never considered it as a power-saving measure.

Ah, OK, so the reason to darken the display just is that it somehow is unpleasant to just display.

I don't understand you.
- I don't know what you mean by, "do not get any shortcut anymore with .lnks".

Yes, sehr understandable, sorry. I guess, I meant something like: do not get any shortcut working anymore with .lnks (shortcuts, e.g. on the desktop).

- I don't see how a deleted shortcut can do anything.

Yes, indeed, I do either. May be I have a link somewhere else that I forgot. Is there a way to quickliy / easily find such (forgotten) shortcuts? With a program for example?

If you right-click on something/anything & select Create a shortcut doesn't that shortcut open the something/anything concerned?

I am not quite sure to understand exactly, rightclicking on e.g. an empty space on the desktop lets my find an option to make a new shortcut. And I can edit .lnks / shortcuts e.g. by pressing ALT+ENTER when one is selected.

Space heaters, refrigerators, electric stoves, air conditioners, blow dryers, irons, soldering irons, electric blankets,
and if they're electric... washers, dryers, water heaters, etc.

Yes, and screens, displays obviously, e.g. from TVs, the bigger the more generally.

Computer Monitor 25 to 30W

Yes, does not sound that much. But if it is running each day about 18 hours...don't know.

Ghot · Dec 13, 2022

Donk said:
Do I have to turn off the notebook before plugging in such a Walt Meter

The directions will be included with the watt meters.
As for the notebook... do you have to turn it off when plugging into the mains?
I honestly don't know. I'm not a notebook person.

If you plug a notebook into one of those watt meters, it will tell you how much wattage the whole notebook uses. Then, turn the display off, and see how much "less" wattage the notebook uses.

My "desktop" doesn't work at all, until it's plugged in.

Try3 · Dec 13, 2022

I still don't follow.
If you create a test folder on your Desktop & create a shortcut to it [select the test folder, right-click, Create shortcut], does the test folder open when you double-click on that shortcut?

Denis

Donk · Dec 13, 2022

If you plug a notebook into one of those watt meters, it will tell you how much wattage the whole notebook uses. Then, turn the display off, and see how much "less" wattage the notebook uses.

Yes, one time with the screensaver, one time with the display switched off, etc.

I have found one, a watt meter here, very curious about the consumption. OK, I will wait for the next time I have the notebook hibernating or shut off to plugg in the watt meter.

I still don't follow.

Very sorry. What exactly is not understandable?

If you create a test folder on your Desktop & create a shortcut to it [select the test folder, right-click, Create shortcut], does the test folder open when you double-click on that shortcut?

Yes, it does.

Try3 · Dec 14, 2022

Donk said:
Yes, it does.

So what did you mean by -

Donk said:
do not get any shortcut working anymore with .lnks (shortcuts, e.g. on the desktop).

Denis

Donk · Dec 14, 2022

Sorry for the bad expression.

When I press any shortcut (key combination) I have assigned to a *.lnk it just does not work (anymore), nothing seems to happen. When I change / move a lnk its shortcut (key combination) seems to be kept / available after. And I cannot use that shortcut (key combination) anymore, if I want to use it for another command. So it might be (I actually do not believe that) I have a copy of that lnk somewhere and / or created another lnk with the same shortcut (key combination).

So this

or any other shortcut (key combination) tried
does not open the folder. Clicking the lnk does open it.

I do not want to click a .lnk (with the mouse) each time I want the display to be switched off / darken. And clicking a .lnk (if needed at all) to turn the display on / make it not darken (what, I assume, is not possible anyway).

May be after a (complete) restart of the notebook these shortcuts (key combinations) work again. But if such occurred regularly or sometimes it would be not good.

With this setting

the sreensaver starts after one minute. The last times / sometimes / may be often the screensaver does not disappear immediately, but with a (big) hesitation, what makes it use unusable or less convenient, when I do an action (moving mouse, touch the touchpad, press a key). Is there a way to let it disappear immediately?

Try3 · Dec 14, 2022

I've never had much joy from keyboard combinations for shortcuts.
I always run shortcuts by double-clicking on them.

I've never noticed a screensaver hesitating to turn on or off.

Denis

Donk · Dec 14, 2022

I've never had much joy from keyboard combinations for shortcuts.

Why? But yes, neither have I, not much joy from keyboard combinations for shortcuts and (no joy at all) from Win.

The screensaver (until now) turns off immediately here, without hesitation. Switching the monitors ALWAYS have hesitation. It is a bit anoying because one never immediately knows if the command will be executed (when / after pressing a shortcut (key combination).

I always run shortcuts by double-clicking on them.

Isn't that a bit uncomfortable? So you have them in the system tray? How does one do it when the display is turned off / darken?

Try3 · Dec 14, 2022

When the display is dark because of the screensaver then pressing the keyboard will turn it back on.
Moving the mouse also does so for me but I understand that that does not apply to all computers.

Donk said:
Isn't that a bit uncomfortable? So you have them in the system tray?

My shortcuts are in my Taskbar Toolbar which makes accessing & using them very convenient.

I had to modify my Windows 11 setup in order to continue having Taskbar toolbars. There are lots of discussions about methods of doing this in the forum. I chose a method that required no third-party tools, the so-called Undocking method, but I understand that I'll have to use a different method once I update to 22H2 [I think True Launch Bar is one method & ExplorerPatcher is another].
My Taskbar setup [post #6] - ElevenForum
How to add QuickLaunch [my post #25] - ElevenForum

I have been using Taskbar toolbars for over a decade and would never want to be without them; they are my main Windows interface and I never have to use the Start menu.
Taskbar Toolbars - Creating and naming, customising, moving [post #20] - TenForumsTutorials

I also use my Taskbar toolbar shortcuts to switch between displays.

All the best,
Denis

Donk · Dec 14, 2022

When the display is dark because of the screensaver then pressing the keyboard will turn it back on.

Yes, of course, that's right. But if one turned off the display by switching the monitors...at the moment I use that method to turn off the display (with some drawbacks of course, one of them - I am not sure, but it seems to be caused by it - is that all of the volumes (shown in the Volume Mixer) each time / often completely are changed, after some restarts / hibernations / Win updates also, I assume, even on a new installation).

Moving the mouse also does so for me but I understand that that does not apply to all computers.

It always seems to work here as well. One can (de)activate it (mouse moving reaction / key press reaction) in those settings of the screensaver, also for the keyborad, if I understood / remember it right.

My shortcuts are in my Taskbar Toolbar which makes accessing & using them very convenient.

So you don't even have to keep a shortcut (key combination) in mind.

I had to modify my Windows 11 setup in order to continue having Taskbar toolbars. There are lots of discussions about methods of doing this in the forum. I chose a method that required no third-party tools, the so-called Undocking method, but I understand that I'll have to use a different method once I update to 22H2 [I think True Launch Bar is one method & ExplorerPatcher is another].
My Taskbar setup [post #6] - ElevenForum
How to add QuickLaunch [my post #25] - ElevenForum

Many thanks for the links! So you have to do it on every new installation again (may be even after every / some Win updates), I assume, if there is any export-, import option or another option to get once's settings to another Win / system.

Actually I do not like moving the mouse pointer (if at all) over cascaded menus (in a big structure of (many) nested items, cascades) to the target item. If leaving with the pointer the cascades / the menu in some programs (e.g. Firefox) they immediately (instead of with hisitation to let the pointer get back to the right path) close.

Might that be an alternative for QuickLaunch (portable version available): Quick Access Popup – “When feeling inspired and wanting to move fast and efficiently, QAP really helps the workflow.” – frew on Support page

Try3 · Dec 14, 2022

Donk said:
So you don't even have to keep a shortcut (key combination) in mind.

Correct.

Donk said:
So you have to do it on every new installation again (may be even after every / some Win updates)

I have never had to re-do them after updates on Windows 10, 7 or XP.
I have not had to re-do them after Cumulative updates on Windows 11 but, as I said, I have seen reports that my method will not work with Version 22H2 so I will have to use ExplorerPatcher or one of the other methods to restore the 'classic' Taskbar so that Taskbar toolbars can be used.
Using my current method, my Windows 11 Start button continues to appear but it is inert, clicking on it does nothing. It works as normal in Windows 10.
These refer to ExplorerPatcher:-
22H2 and Classic Taskbar - ElevenForum
How to Restore or Enable Classic Taskbar in Windows 11 (All Versions) – AskVG
New Version of ExplorerPatcher - ElevenForum
and I understand that many people who restore the 'classic' Taskbar go on to add Open-Shell to replace the Start button/Start menu but I don't bother [because my Taskbar toolbars contain everything I need].
OpenShell use to be called ClassicShell.
Classic Shell Returns For Windows 11 (with and_or without) ExplorerPatcher installed - ElevenForum
Welcome to the Open-Shell-Menu Open-Shell-Menu - GitHub
Classic Shell screenshots

Donk said:
So you have to do it on every new installation again

A new Windows 11 installation requires
- The same modification to enable the 'classic' Taskbar, and
- Copying the relevant folder [for me, D:\DataSettings\Menus] containing the whole set of Taskbar Toolbar contents, and
- Setting the Taskbar to display the Taskbar Toolbar [right-click, Toolbars, ... as explained in my earlier links]. There used to be a method for automating this step, Backup and Restore Taskbar Toolbars - TenForumsTutorials, but I never put it to the test [I've only got three active {Win10} computers + one {Win11} test computer and I'd always restore a system image rather than run a new installation on them].