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Most desktop users learned long ago to steer clear of standby mode, while notebook users tend to avoid it unless absolutely necessary. But Media Center PCs live and die by standby; it's the TV equivalent of off. Unfortunately, every time you put your system to sleep, there's a risk it'll wake up...dead. OK, maybe not dead, but crashed--and therefore unable to record scheduled shows. Sometimes the problems are less severe, such as a lost Wi-Fi connection. Even so, it's enough to make you long for your old VCR. At least it never crashed.

Steps to overcome or prevent problems.

1. Ditch Wi-Fi.

System crashes can keep Media Center from recording TV shows. Regular rebooting can keep problems to a minimum. Click to enlarge

Media Centers with built-in (or PCI card-based) Wi-Fi tend to have fewer problems than those that rely on external USB Wi-Fi adapters. For whatever reason, USB devices and standby mode don't always cooperate. But even onboard Wi-Fi can get stuck in the mud, leaving you without access to Internet radio, EPG updates, and so on. The solution? Ditch Wi-Fi and run an Ethernet cable from your Media Center to your router or modem. Either that or...

2. Reboot regularly. We've noticed that standby-related crashes and Wi-Fi outages tend to occur after our system has been running for several days. By rebooting regularly, we've been able to reduce the frequency of these problems. You can automate this process with a utility such as AutoShutdown (www.barefootinc.com), which will resume and restart your system at a scheduled time. (Just make sure that time doesn't conflict with a scheduled recording.)

Tune in next month for another Tech Nightmare!