Hi,
I took the exam today (feel free to read about my experiences in the posting called "I choked (570)".
Originally, I thought that I'd have to mouse-click on the timer to get it started, but it automatically defaulted and was running as soon as I took it.
I took it at the Prometric Center on Clark in downtown Chicago. The timer counts down for each of four sections. I thought I'd only have 25 minutes for the first essay, but it showed that I had 30 minutes. Other times exactly like the PowerPrep. The breakdown went like this:
**computer registration process (time seems unlimited here, but not sure)**
Essay I (timer: 30 min)
Essay II (timer: 30 min)
**5 minute optional break**
Quantitative (timer: 1 hr 15 min)
**5 minute optional break**
Verbal (timer: 1 hr 15 min)
** after-exam survey and confirm or deny results**
On each of the four timed sections once the time left hits 5 minutes, it'll count down the seconds as follows: 4:59 min... 4:58 min... 4:57 min... 4:56 min. Additionally, the 5 minute optional breaks do minute and second countdowns.
Hope this helps. As for the PowerPrep showing a time estimate for every question, I haven't found this feature to exist. So, maybe I've just never known it existed, or you have a faulty copy, perhaps.