Solved Windows 8.1 Sleep Issue

Sometimes, our Windows 8.1 desktop will not go to sleep. The monitor will, but the tower will not.

Nucci sent me a thread, but I really didn't understand it. I have to have someone explain to me clearly how to do these things.

So, can someone help me fix this sleep issue?

It seemed as if it was going to sleep before I installed Avast! I have automatic updates turned on for Avast!, so could that be what's keeping it from going to sleep? It was doing fine the day before.

Help would be greatly appreciated!

The power management features of a system need the correct Chipset drivers. Just to make sure, go here:

Acer | Download

for your Windows 8.1 64-bit drivers for your Acer Aspire XC-603 motherboard - they seem to be very recent:


Once the drivers have downloaded and installed, reboot and see if you can get your system to behave as you need.

The safest rule is to stay with your OEM's latest driver versions - there may be more recent drivers available from other sources, but they may not be fully compatible with your system.

I would not recommend using Avast or Panda Antiviruses while you are having difficulties - the inbuilt Windows Defender security is sufficient - unless you take undue risks by visiting unsafe internet sites, and download dubious materials - to which the solution is -don't!

Okay...Will do!

It's still not going to sleep. I don't know.

I don't visit unsafe sites, and rarely download anything. I download event pictures when I create events for my church. But, I would prefer having a premium antivirus like Avast!

Don't know how you missed this 190+ page thread on this issue but - http://www.eightforums.com/general-support/28226-windows-8-1-refuses-sleep.html

Anyway what I did to fix mine some time back was to disable Home Group. Note however that this doesn't work for everyone, and some even reported the issue returned, even after disabling home group.

My personal experience is that though I did disable home group, I wound up later re-enabling it and my PC still slept. Also I just recently reinstalled my OS because of other issues, plus I added a new SSD drive and wanted a clean start, at any rate I've still not experienced any sleep issues.

My Point? No one has found the "common" thread on what causes the sleep issues, nor a common fix for all that "solves" it. Thus that 190+ page thread.

Good luck.

sygnus21 said:

Don't know how you missed this 190+ page thread on this issue but - http://www.eightforums.com/general-support/28226-windows-8-1-refuses-sleep.html

Anyway what I did to fix mine some time back was to disable Home Group. Note however that this doesn't work for everyone, and some even reported the issue returned, even after disabling home group.

My personal experience is that though I did disable home group, I wound up later re-enabling it and my PC still slept. Also I just recently reinstalled my OS because of other issues, plus I added a new SSD drive and wanted a clean start, at any rate I've still not experienced any sleep issues.

My Point? No one has found the "common" thread on what causes the sleep issues, nor a common fix for all that "solves" it. Thus that 190+ page thread.

Good luck.

Click to expand...

It finally went to sleep. I've shut it down for the night now. If it doesn't sleep tomorrow as its scheduled to do, I will follow the link you sent me.

It's finally going to sleep. I guess it had to adjust to the new driver update.

williamsjesse17 said:

Sometimes, our Windows 8.1 desktop will not go to sleep. The monitor will, but the tower will not.

Click to expand...

Right. My Windows 8.1 monitor will go to sleep, but the computer itself stays on and will not go to sleep even though I've put it on a 5 minute timer.

The thing is, it was going to sleep when I bought the computer a few weeks ago. Then, suddenly, a few days ago, I noticed that the computer was not going to sleep, only the monitor was.

Thanks again.