Won't ask for password when waking up from hibernation.

Okay, I was forced to buy a new computer two days ago (my old XP Pro Dell is
dead - so sad...)

Anyway I'm a new Vista user and still setting up the new machine (HP
Pavilion dv2911us) to my preferences and I have already encountered a
problem. Starting yesterday, Vista no longer asks me for a password when I
wake the computer up from hibernation. Then it wouldn't boot at all. I did
the "system restore wizard" (which didn't really seem to do anything at all)
but I'm booted up again. Still, it does not ask for my password when waking
up from (although it did when I started.) I am a bit afraid to shut down
again!

The account IS password protected, and in the power management settings, the
option to ask for password after sleep/hibernate is indeed selected.

What is going on?

And (as a side note) what the heck is going on with this forum - I had the
darndest time posting my question at all...