Windows XP has a very smart and efficient power management system that lets you configure the system “power on/off” button. By default, when the power on/off button is pressed, the system automatically performs the “Turn off computer” action. Pressing the Power button on the keyboard to shut down you system is very convenient. But sometimes it can be a nuisance or even risky because an accidental key press will shut down all applications and then the machine itself.

Here is what you can do to change the default behavior and stop Windows from automatically shutting down when the power button is pressed.

• Right click on the desktop and select Properties.
• Click on the Screen Saver tab and then go to the option Power at the bottom of the window.
• Under the Power setting click on Advanced.
• Go to Power buttons and select the first option “When I press the power button on my computer“.
• The default action is set to “shutdown“. You can change it to other option like “stand by” or “ask me what to do” and click on Apply.

Next time you accidentally press the power button, rest assured that you computer won’t shut down abruptly.