hi there, i've been spending the last few days try to figure out how to completely power down the computer when halt. as you probably expected, it has to do with either APM or ACPI.
while i was searching for solution, i found something interest, i wanted to share with you guys in hope that i'll be closer to the solution.
i downloaded MoviX from
http://movix.sourceforge.net/Docs/MoviX/0.8.0/
just to mess around with my linux box. the kernel is comes with is:
linux kernel v2.4.20
(movix is a linux kernel w/ mplayer built in, no actual OS in there, all u can do is load linux up do whatever mplayer can do

)
when using kernel from Movix, i was able to to completely power down the system when i choose: shutdown -h now, which i am not able to with the kernel that come with mandrake 9.0.
here's the kenrel that is able to power down my box when halt:
=======================================================================
CONFIG_APM=m
CONFIG_APM_IGNORE_USER_SUSPEND=y
# CONFIG_APM_DO_ENABLE is not set
# CONFIG_APM_CPU_IDLE is not set
# CONFIG_APM_DISPLAY_BLANK is not set
# CONFIG_APM_RTC_IS_GMT is not set
# CONFIG_APM_ALLOW_INTS is not set
# CONFIG_APM_REAL_MODE_POWER_OFF is not set
CONFIG_PM=y
# CONFIG_ACPI is not set
============================
=====================================================
here is the kernel (from mandrake 9.0) that is unable to completely power down the machine when halt:
[root@localhost boot]# cat config | grep APM
CONFIG_APM=y
# CONFIG_APM_IGNORE_USER_SUSPEND is not set
CONFIG_APM_DO_ENABLE=y
CONFIG_APM_CPU_IDLE=y
# CONFIG_APM_DISPLAY_BLANK is not set
CONFIG_APM_RTC_IS_GMT=y
# CONFIG_APM_ALLOW_INTS is not set
# CONFIG_APM_REAL_MODE_POWER_OFF is not set
[root@localhost boot]# cat config | grep ACPI
# CONFIG_HOTPLUG_PCI_ACPI is not set
# CONFIG_ACPI is not set
==================
=====================================================
as you see, both don't support acpi. so its obvious is APM issue related. question i have here is, what's diff between this 2 kernel base on the msg you reading here? (let me know if you want more info)
i'm showing both are:
# CONFIG_APM_REAL_MODE_POWER_OFF is not set
which isn't suppose to mean u can't completely power down the machine when using halt? how come i'm able to power down with linux kernel v2.4.20 and i can't power down using mandrake 9.0 kernel?
there must be additional infomation i'm missinghere.
p.s: my /etc/lilo.conf
i got append="apm=on apm=power_off"
still can't get the sucker power down my machine heheh
thanks for your help in advance
-sirpelidor