Computer Driving me nuts...Easy fix but need some help

I am rolling with Win XP on a dell inspiron E1505.

My issue is with my power schemes. I try to adjust my power properties all the time and my computer never reacts to it. I like falling asleep listening to my XM radio on my laptop or listening to a podcast. Also when I fall asleep to a DVD.

Now...I do not like my computer either staying on all night ect or playing my radio all night. My laptop gets hot and or I will wake up with the music still on.

I thought I could use the power properties and/or the power schemes like a "sleep timer" on a TV. No matter what I change my CPU will not react to it and it is starting to drive me nuts lol confused

 

I believe the power schemes only work if comp is idle. Which if you are playing music it is not idle and may be preventing it from shutting down.

 

Even if I run like a twenty minute podcast once it is done it just sits idle all night and doesn't react to what I selected in my schemes.

 

Not familiar with podcast. But it sounds like something must running to prevent the power scheme from coming on. Are the settings still as you had set when you go back and check?

 

it would be like me falling asleep listening to ONE song and the player that the song was playing on stopping after that song was done...however my computer just stays on and ignores going to standby

 

You could try any of these shutdown timers. I don't have any experience with them but they should do what you need. http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&q=shutdown+timer+xp&btnG=Google+Search