If your system powered itself down after a shutdown in Win98, it may or may not function correctly under Windows 2000. Microsoft's standard for power management is ACPI. During installation, your hardware is checked against the Auto-Enable ACPI list. If its there, ACPI is enabled and an ACPI tab is present in the Power Options tool in Control Panel. There is a Disable ACPI list. If your computer is found in that list, ACPI support is not installed and there is no ACPI tab. ACPI is a newer standard than APM. Unless you computer is relatively new, it will not be ACPI compatible. W2K compatibility tests are more rigourous than Win9x tests.

If ACPI compatibility is not present, W2K installation will attempt to install APM drivers. There is an Auto-Enable APM list and a APM disable list. If your computer does not appear in either list, it is considered neutral. Your PC is not tested for APM support, the APM tab is present but APM is not enabled. If its on the Auto-Enable APM list, APM is enabled and there should be an APM tab. If your computer is on the Disable APM list, there will be no APM tab and APM support will not be installed. (this will also happen if APM BIOS support is turned off during install)

If your PC does not power off after a shutdown (or reboots), the first thing to check is whether there is an APM tab under Power Options in Control Panel. If there is not, your PC was in the APM disable list and your options are to get a newer BIOS from the motherboard manufacturer or get a motherboard on Microsoft's compatibility list. If the APM tab is there, you may be in luck. Your PC fell into the neutral list and APM support is installed but disabled. To test whether APM works:

• In Control Panel, double-click Power Options
• On the APM tab, click Enable Advanced Power Management Support

• In Device Manager, select View, show hidden devices
• Under NT APM/legacy support, check NT APM/legacy interface node
• Enable node if disabled

If this doesn't fit your setup, a number of W2K users are solving their shutdown problems by uninstalling a hidden device driver for TPkd. I am unfamiliar with what TPkd is. There is no hits under Microsoft's kb. I have received information via email that its part of Installshield. Another email says it part of Pace's Anti-Piracy software. In any case, the newsgroup has a fair number of successes reported when the device driver exists. Disable the service to see if it is the culprit. Disabling random device drivers W2K installed is dangerous. If it resolves the problem leave it disabled or uninstall it. If it has no effect or causes problems, re-enable. You can uninstall using Device Manager. This approach works for a certain subset.

OK, none of this works. Your hardware or BIOS probably is not compatible for this W2K function. Well, there is one other test. Boot under safe mode. If your PC powers down after shutdown, there is a decent chance that there is a device driver problem. Get updated drivers from your vendors. Check video drivers first.

Microsoft does not recommend enabling APM support on a computer that is not detected as APM 1.2 compliant. If you experience problems after enabling APM support, disable APM, and contact the manufacturer for an updated BIOS. APM support is only supported on Windows 2000 Professional.

An installation gotcha!: APM support must be enabled in the BIOS when Windows 2000 is installed. A non-ACPI system that has APM disabled in the BIOS will not have power-management capabilities installed under Windows 2000. Guess what. To get APM support, you have to reinstall W2K with APM support enabled in the BIOS.

I have also been advised by readers of this page that if the computer still doesn't shutdown correctly, even in safe mode, replace the power supply.

Related tips:

APM Support for Windows 2000 Professional
How Windows 2000 Determines ACPI Compatibility
ACPI BIOS Lists and Test Matrix
-->Hardware Compatibility Tests for ACPI -->
IBM ThinkPad 770 non-E, ED, X, XD, and Z hardware does not support ACPI
Update on Windows 98 Retail Upgrade for ACPI Systems
Apmstat.exe utility diagnoses Advanced Power Management
Hot Docking Support in Windows 2000
Computer Does Not Resume from Standby Mode in Windows 2000

Having this book right next to your machine gets you background data on key W2K features, and detailed step-by-step instructions for W2K protection and system management. It contains informative illustrations, tables, tips and techniques for W2K configuration. The CD includes all example projects from the book, code for managing the Windows 2000 Directory, and command line scripts that can be adapted by readers for their own use. 744 pages Book + CD-ROM edition (July 27, 2000)