Windows XP Partition Password

Running XP Home. A short while ago, a 'guru' partitioned the hard drive on my Dell Dimension E510. He 'split' the drive into "Darryl1" and "Darryl2". I use Darryl2 most often. If I leave the PC for a few minutes, it goes back to the startup screen (standby?) and when I go to use the drive, I have to enter the password every time. I have tried to adjust the power options so that standby won't take effect for a long time; but the PC just seems to ignore that. Also the box to "Prompt for password when computer resumes from standby" is UN checked. Is there any way I can avoid having to type the password each time I 'wake' up the PC??? Thank you!

 

So what is on Darryl1 and Darryl2? Do you have XP Home on both? It does sound like it.

If that is the case, and the 'guru' has simply set up a Microsoft style dual boot, where every OS can see every other, then in all likelihood Darrl2 is using Darrly1's power settings.

The answer, if this is the situation, is to use a boot manager that can hide other operating systems when booting. I use Grub4DOS to dual boot XP and Vista. It is simple to set up and configure and completely avoids any cross-OS interference.

 

Earthling:
Yes, XP Home on both. Mostly, same programs on each partition! It was set up this way because we us a CRM program, Maximizer in our business, and, for some reason Darryl1 was causing problems accessing Maximizer. So...Darryl2 was set up. Will Grub4DOS work in this situation?

 

Yes, Grub4DOS would cater for this situation - as would a number of other boot managers. However there are quite a few things that have to be considered before making fundamental changes of this sort, the most important being your data files. Do these two XPs share data files, or is each a discrete and completely independent system?

 

I believe they share data files.

 

Then the key question is where these data files are located. If they are on either of the two XP partitions then, while it would certainly be possible to make changes that would enable OS separation to work, it is probably beyond the scope of a forum such as this to take you through all that would be involved.

OTOH, if a separate data partition has been created, which both systems are reading/writing from/to, then it could be done.

However it is to be done, if these two systems are using the same software, and sharing data files, then a separate data partition would be highly desirable. But if this is the situation, is there really a need to have parallel systems at all?

 

I'm not computer knowledgeable enough to fully understand. All I am trying to avoid is to have to type the password each time the PC goes to "stand by". Isn't there a Control Panel instruction that I could give the HD to NOT GO ON STANDBY??

I truly appreciate your help!!

 

Understand. You seem already to have set the correct power options in Darryl2. I can only suggest you try identical settings in Darryl1, which might or might not sort it.