Solved Machine not going to sleep properly

[bug67]

The machine is the MAINGEAR machine listed in my system specs.

The screen is going blank after the set 30 minutes but, the machine isn't going to sleep. I can make it go to sleep by choosing "sleep" from the start menu but it won't go to sleep automatically like it's supposed to.

I started noticing this behavior after I changed the computer's name from "WINDOWS7DESKTOP" to "MAINGEAR-desktop". I received a message telling me the name was too long and it would automatically be shortened as needed and something else about what problems might occure. I guess I should've paid a bit more attention to the warning.

Now, the machine won't go to sleep like it's supposed to.

The reason I think the name change might be related is, I was trying to edit one of my created events in the Task Scheduler. I couldn't edit the event because it was associated with with the old name. I hade to delete the event and re-make it.

Anyone know what I might have caused by changing to machine's name and how I might be able to fix it?

EDIT:

I guess I could maybe just change the name back? I don't really want to do that. I have multiple machines (2 X WINDOWS7DESKTOP) and I need distinct descriptors.

 

[cluberti]

If you choose something 15 chars or less, you should be OK - although I've never heard of simply changing a machine name causing this issue, I suppose anything's possible. Would be worth a check just to be safe, of course.

 

[bug67]

I've never heard of simply changing a machine name causing this issue, I suppose anything's possible.

What could cause it?

 

[cluberti]

Hard to say, especially if forcing sleep works. More than likely, it's something keeping it awake, but what that something is isn't necessarily easy to figure out. You could run powercfg -energy and let that run to see if it finds any devices that will hamper sleep or hibernate, though, as a first step.

 

[bug67]

Will do as soon as I get home. But, to clarify, Start>Run>powercfg -energy? Or do I just type powercfg -energy into to search field and hit enter?

 

[gregrocker]

Open an Elevated Command Prompt to type it in.

Have you checked optional Windows Updates for newer drivers? This issue is almost always Display driver so try a newer or different one.

You can also find clues by checking your Performance log: troubleshooting steps

 

[bug67]

Results of powercfg -energy:

Energy efficiency problems were found.

23 Errors
2 Warnings
20 Informational

See C:\Windows\system32\energy-report.html for more details.

I've attached the energy-report as a .txt file

Looks like some USB device(s) but how in the world do I know what?

Also the note about ACPI _PSD Object Failed Validation and needing to update my BIOS kinda freaks me out.

I just did a clean install on this system less than a month ago. :shock:

EDIT:

OK, this is what really ticks me off! I look in the device manager and see yellow triangles on 2 USB devices and 1 on the 80211 n WLAN device. I see the message that says, "The drivers for this device are not installed. To find a driver for this device, click Update Driver." I do so, but am returned with the message, "Windows could not find driver software for your device." Or, the one I really like, "Windows has determined that the driver software for your device is up to date." Then why is it telling me I need to update the darn thing? Grrr!

EDIT 2.0:

I got the Wireless driver installed and that yellow triangle for that went away. I have no idea where to start with the USB stuff.

EDIT 3.0:

Have you checked optional Windows Updates for newer drivers?

The only optional update available was for MSE definitions.

 

[maxseven]

Well, FWIW I don't think that changing PC names is at issue here either, though as cluberti said "anything's possible". Windows 7 Sleep functionality can be the most aggravating aspect of Windows ever...

Look at your Power Options under Advanced settings and see under USB settings if you have selective suspend disabled. In any case change that setting and test some more--maybe you'll get lucky.

I have set the Sleep timer to 1 minute and then babysat the PC while killing running programs, processes, and services (in that order). Good luck.

 

[bug67]

Thanks for the reply, maxseven. However, after having looked at the powercfg and a wellness report as suggested by cluberti and gregrocker, I think I may have other issues. I'm wondering if I should start another thread to address those?

What gets me is, everything was working fine.

BTW, I changed the machine name back to what it was in the beginning but, I don't think that mattered in the first place.

 

[maxseven]

As you doubtless know, the problem with Windows is you can get started down a path ("fixing" stuff) and end-up making things worse. Before you do that is there any chance you have a System Restore Point you can revert to?

 

[gregrocker]

EDIT:

OK, this is what really ticks me off! I look in the device manager and see yellow triangles on 2 USB devices and 1 on the 80211 n WLAN device. I see the message that says, "The drivers for this device are not installed. To find a driver for this device, click Update Driver." I do so, but am returned with the message, "Windows could not find driver software for your device." Or, the one I really like, "Windows has determined that the driver software for your device is up to date." Then why is it telling me I need to update the darn thing? Grrr!

EDIT 2.0:

I got the Wireless driver installed and that yellow triangle for that went away. I have no idea where to start with the USB stuff.

What are the exact USB devices? Are they connected devices or is it the controllers themselves?

Browse for them on the Support Downloads webpage for your model computer or the Device itself.

But first I would try the excellent suggestion to revert to a System Restore Point before the sleep problems began.

What are your other Display driver options? Look on the computer or Device's Support Downloads webpage for newer or other drivers, then google the Display device model to check there as well. You may need to try several of these if System Restore doesn't work.

 

[bug67]

I've been looking for drivers all night. Thought I got them all. I still have yellow triangles on 2 USB devices. I have no idea how to identify what they are. I'm going to bed and then to work all day tomorrow and will resume this BS tomorrow. Thanks for helping

 

[maxseven]

An easy thing to do is simply to unplug all your USB devices, use Device Mgr with "show hidden" checked and uninstall all of the greyed ones, and start over (Windows will reinstall drivers). A very nice tool to help in this regard is Uwe Sieber's DriveCleanup. I have used it on numerous occasions and it's only fixed stuff for me (never hurt a computer).

 

[bug67]

Thanks. I'll give that a shot when I get home from work.

It's been suggested I do a System Restore. I would do that but, wouldn't that roll me back to a time before I started having problems and then, once I started doing whatever updates become available, be back in the same boat? I'm not saying I'm not for it, I'm just saying I'd really rather actually fix the problem or I've got a feeling I'll be right back here later on.

On a side note, the damn machine went to sleep by itself last night. Now I don't know if this is an intermittent problem or what! And, to top it all off, the trigger I have set for launching Pandora as an alarm clock isn't waking the machine from sleep. I do have it set to wake the machine from sleep and to do so weather I'm logged in or not.

Sooooo, what the heck? I'm not too far off from operation Clean Sweep and starting over. Time is the hindering factor here.

 

[gregrocker]

System Restore is nothing to fear but is one of the best tools to resolve a problem like this.

If Updates are causing the problem then the way the problem is fixed is to install them in small groups, if one causes the problem then use it's System Restore point to go back and install those Updates singly until you find the problem update, post it up here in our Updates forum or open a Windows Update email support case.

I'm not sure why you're unhappy with Sleep finally working last night. I would test it's reliability by setting Power Options to sleep at 1 minute and Hibernate at 2 minutes, then observe it thorough several cycles to see how it functions. Getting Pandora to wake it is another issue from getting WIn7 to sleep which may be solved now.

 

[bug67]

I'm not sure why you're unhappy with Sleep finally working last night.

Because I'm not sure it wasn't a fluke. Because now, I have other issues. I've grown weary of all my time with this machine being sucked up by trouble shooting. That's not what I got it for.

But, I guess I'll continue.

I obviously still have driver issues
I now have machine not waking issues.

Forgive my frustration.

 

[gregrocker]

You can trace the exact hardware for any missing drivers using this tool: Hardware Identification

 

[bug67]

Cool. Thanks for that. I wish I could give all this a run in real time instead of in 12-14 hour intervals.

 

[gregrocker]

I would try System Restore first to a point before the problem began. Then deal with the other issues and you may not have the problem reoccur.

If it does it will be due to something which happens after the REstore.

If its Updates, they will each have a Restore point to use.

 

[bug67]

OK. I have no idea how far back to go but, this is a fairly recent clean install (less than a month). I guess my new plan is to go as far back as I can and do a system restore and then, gradually (like, one at a time) begin adding Windows updates. Also, unplug all USB devices and go from there. I'll report back when accomplished. Sound like a plan?

It's noonish here now. I get home from work around 5 pm. Among all the other stuff I need to do, I'll wrassle with this mess some more.