Sleep mode question

[trents]

The rig in my sig is not going to sleep reliably according to the parameters I have set in Windows Power Options. Occasionally it will enter sleep mode but most of the time just the monitor turns off. I've checked for any background activities that might be keeping it from entering sleep mode but found none.

I can reliably put it to sleep manually by choosing that option with the Wndows 10 Start button option which this afternoon I did. After I did that and woke it back up it started to work according to the parameters I have set in Windows Options. I noticed that when I put it in sleep mode manually with the Windows Start button there was an audible "click" noise that sounded like it was coming from the PSU. Not sure if this is normal or not but I don't get that click noise on my other rigs. They just silently enter sleep.

So my question is, is there a switch of some kind in the PSU that might be hanging up sometimes and not responding to the sleep signal from the motherboard?

 

[EarthDog]

There shouldnt be a 'sometimes' with that activity on the PSU.

Is this something as simple as not giving it enough time to sleep as opposed to shutting the monitor off? In other words, if you set it to sleep after an hour, are you sure it's been that long?

Edit: since ssds became a thing and maxed sata3 out....I've disabled sleep and simply shut down. 10-20s of boot time I dont mind and let's me avoid these potential hassles... and use less power.

 

[trents]

Time is not the problem. Power scheme is set to turn off display after 15 minutes of activity and sleep is set for 30 minutes of inactivity. I am away from it for way longer than 30 minutes and it hasn't entered sleep mode.

The problem is intermittent. After manually putting it into sleep mode earlier today it repeatedly entered sleep like it's supposed to after 30 minutes. But now it's reverted to misbehaving again and won't go to sleep unless I force it to with the Windows Start button. Then it will work like it should for a few cycles before reverting.

 

[Bill_Bright]

Occasionally it will enter sleep mode but most of the time just the monitor turns off. I've checked for any background activities that might be keeping it from entering sleep mode but found none.

Just to be sure we are on the same page, you say "occasionally" suggesting most of the time it works as suggested, right?

I hate intermittent problems.

Anyway, if so, that is common. Not right, but common and I have found it is typically due to one of two possible causes. (1) There is a program or service that failed to close/stop properly and is still running that somehow is preventing the OS to go to sleep. Or (2) some USB device that is, or your system thinks it is still connected and being accessed.

When this happens to me, I make sure no extra USB devices are connected - in my case, that leaves the wireless dongle for my mouse and keyboard. Then I do a "cold" reboot. By cold, I mean I shutdown Windows normally, then I unplug the computer from the wall or (if the PSU has one) I flip the master power switch on the back of the PSU. Wait 10-15 seconds the plug in (or flip on) and boot normally. Then see if it goes to sleep normally. And it almost always does.

So my question is, is there a switch of some kind in the PSU that might be hanging up sometimes and not responding to the sleep signal from the motherboard?

No. However, there could be relay that you hear but that would not be causing this. I don't see this being a PSU problem at all.

Note if you have an optical drive, they typically click when powering up too.

 

[trents]

Most of the time it doesn't work but if I manually put it to sleep with the Windows Power button menu then it will work for a while and then revert without making any other changes to the system. Good suggestion, though about USB devices as I have seen that myself. When I leave the USB game controller plugged in this happens for sure but that device is not normally plugged in.

One thing that occurred to me is that when I did this AMD build recently I did not do a fresh install of Windows. I did however manually install all the chipset drivers from MSI. The Intel board that was replaced had no problem with the sleep and all the same USB devices were plugged in.

 

[RollingThunder]

Most of the time it doesn't work but if I manually put it to sleep with the Windows Power button menu then it will work for a while and then revert without making any other changes to the system. Good suggestion, though about USB devices as I have seen that myself. When I leave the USB game controller plugged in this happens for sure but that device is not normally plugged in.

One thing that occurred to me is that when I did this AMD build recently I did not do a fresh install of Windows. I did however manually install all the chipset drivers from MSI. The Intel board that was replaced had no problem with the sleep and all the same USB devices were plugged in.

Trents,

I have no solution. I've never had consistent success with "sleep, Hibernation, etc." 'Sleep' would reset my BIOS to default with my old DFI boards and I never tried sleep again!

What can't you just 'Power Off?' I'll set drives and monitor to power off after 10 mins and just shake to mouse to awaken. I never turn my computers off unless we are away.

 

[Bill_Bright]

One thing that occurred to me is that when I did this AMD build recently I did not do a fresh install of Windows.

Yeah, I always do fresh installs on new builds. It takes longer but it seems there are fewer problems down the road.

I never turn my computers off unless we are away.

I don't either. I don't shut them down either - I just let them go to sleep and 99% of the time, no problems. But it seems if some time during recent sessions, if I plugged in a thumb drive, camera, Garmin, phone - then I end up doing that "cold" boot process. Note a cold boot is the only way to completely remove the +5Vsb standby voltages from all points on and all devices connected to the motherboard. And if using DDR4, a cold boot ensures all data [which is used by the sleep/wake functions] is completely purged from memory too.

Great username BTW, especially today.

 

[UltraTaco]

Maybe it went to sleep and woke up while you were way for too long? I remember my pappy doing the same because "allow wake timers" were enabled.

 

[trents]

As per Bill's suggestions, right now I'm working with the USB idea. I switched off my USB hard drive cradle and the sleep started working again but time will tell if that is coincidence or the real issue. Thanks for all your help.

Taco, I don't think something waking it up is the issue. When it does go to sleep it will stay that way indefinitely until I press the case power button.

 

[Bill_Bright]

Maybe it went to sleep and woke up while you were way for too long?

Lots of things, legitimate things, can wake a sleeping computer. Windows Update, defragging HDs, indexing, malware scanners all can and do. But even then when the task is done, the computer typically goes back to sleep.

But that is different from the computer not going to sleep in the first place.

 

[trents]

Well switching off the USB drive cradle when not in use definitely seems to have fixed the sleep problem. System now goes to sleep reliably. And wow! It was the first thing I tried when troubleshooting. How often does that happen?

 

[EarthDog]

Que seurte!

Glad you got it fixed up!

 

[UltraTaco]

Wonderful wonderful!! I knew it was the thing from the start!!

 

[RollingThunder]

And wow! It was the first thing I tried when troubleshooting. How often does that happen?

Never..........

 

[trents]

Que seurte!

Glad you got it fixed up!

Absolutely!

 

[Bill_Bright]

Well switching off the USB drive cradle when not in use definitely seems to have fixed the sleep problem.

No surprise there. Glad that seems to have resolved your problem.

And wow! It was the first thing I tried when troubleshooting. How often does that happen?

A lot - if you have seen it before. As noted above, it is pretty common.

 

[EarthDog]

I think he was speaking in general there, Bill.

 

[Bill_Bright]

As was I.

 

[trents]

In view of the fact that I have a plethora of USB devices connected to the back of the computer (including a 10 port USB hub with several USB devices plugged into it alone), to solve the issue by disabling the first USB device I tried I would call that que suerte.

 

[EarthDog]

I'll let the words in the post be the judge of that. Move on.