A DC converter with a halt mode setting is disclosed for preventing the
occurrence of over-current while alleviating the increase in the size of
circuits, along with a method for setting up such a halt mode. The DC
converter includes a semiconductor switch, a clock generator for
outputting a clock signal to a gate of the semiconductor switch to be
utilized for controlling an on/off time of the semiconductor switch such
that a predetermined power is output from the generator, and a drive
circuit for switching the semiconductor switch to the continuous-on state
according to a halt mode setting requirement regardless of the clock
signal, when the semiconductor switch, normally repeating on/off
operations responsive to the clock signal, is in its off-state.