How to get screen to blank and windows 8.1 to nap

[MasterChief]

No, Logitech removal not necessary. The drivers are good and sleep/hibernation/monitors off all work well on multiple machines here, as expected.

You can run the tool in Brink's thread then attach the results, and we will see what can be improved in the system further than how it has been improved already.

 

[shmu]

that little plug-in chip for your wireless mouse is a prime suspect for this kind of problem. I couldn't get my desktop PC to sleep when I had such a chip plugged into my front USB ports. It was a no go.

but you could experiment with different USB ports, maybe you will find one that is wired a little differently and won't interfere with sleep.

you should know that automatic sleep is one of window's weak points. there are so many things that can interfere with it. a reinstall is not guaranteed to solve the problem because there might be something hard to pin-point in your windows environment that is causing the problem.

 

[Gloosecap]

I took out the wee Logitech chip / plugin but the computer is not going to sleep. Something totally weird and wonderful is happening deep inside this thing and it's difficult to know what it is. One on another forum said he / she was going to keep a Fire Extinguisher close to their laptop & I think I'll do the same perchance this goes up into a ball of flame!
Any further instructions will be quite welcome. Do type slowly in order for me to follow the directions. Thanks!

 

[shmu]

after you do a fresh restart, and you don't have any apps that started up, do you have the same problem? (If you have apps that start up automatically, shut them down just for the sake of the test.) If sleep works okay in this scenario, then I would blame the problem on a certain app or two. To enable sleep, you will have to shut down the troublesome apps.

If your computer won't sleep even with all apps closed, and with no peripherals connected, then you got me... I don't know what the problem is.

One more thing, I am sure you already checked this: in the power and sleep options, you have it set to shut off the monitor, and to go to sleep, after a certain number of minutes, right? Just check the settings over there to make sure they didn't get messed up somehow. If everything is okay over there, then I don't have any more tricks up my sleeve.

 

[Gloosecap]

A fresh Restart with nought running doesn't do the trick. All the settings in the Power Options are in sync. I've been looking at this problem on various sites and it's narrowing down that not a few have this problem with no fix. Some are even daring to blame Bill Gates (that's a new one) so synonymously saying "Yes, yes, (or aye in some countries) that this is a bug in Windows 8.1!!!" I find that hard to believe.
Ok, back to the sleeves or pantlegs for other suggestions. Is there anyone on this forum that is having the same joy?

 

[DustSailor]

Hey mate, I asked and our resident alien gave me some helpful tutorials for you.
For this one, skip the first two options (you should have already completed them): Power Options and Sleep Mode Problems

This is a way to read the event log to see what is keeping the computer awake: Wake Source - Read Event Viewer Log - Windows 7 Help Forums

Here is one specific to media center: Windows Media Center Updates - Enable or Disable Waking Computer - Windows 7 Help Forums

Now I recommend going back and slowly looking through all my posts to see if there are any tutorials you missed. If there are, try them out.

Not saying it is, but if it was the problem, Norton antivirus would have had to be uninstalled in a very particular manner. Control panel will not uninstall everything, so you would have had to use an uninstaller or uninstall tool to remove it completely. Did you?
After such an uninstall, you would have to restart the computer.

At this point in time, I would recommend uninstalling EVERY program that you don't really need or want. Especially uninstall anything with coupon in the title, toolbars, non-windows cleaners and defragmenters, etc.

Run an SFC scan: http://www.eightforums.com/tutorials/3047-sfc-scannow-command-run-windows-8-a.html

Make sure you have all important and recommended updates for windows, and I think you already did, but you will want to make sure that all drivers, especially graphics, are updated to the latest.

After going through and making sure you completed all the tutorials I posted, post back to let me know:
a. the steps that you did not want to take for whatever reason, listing them, and
b. that you are finished and ready for more help, or problem solved

ASUSTeK Computer Inc. -Support- - are you sure you looked up the correct drivers? This is a good tool to find your motherboard, and search asus support according to what your motherboard is: System Info - See Your System Specs - Windows 7 Help Forums

 

[Gloosecap]

Dusty, you've given me three weeks homework. I'll report back once I sift through and try and carry out all your commands. After all this and if nothing works, I'll lean towards defective warp coils. And yea, I've done the complete uninstall of Norton - done it too many times - Advanced Uninstaller / Norton Removal Tool / then tearing full speed right into the Registry myself and snipping those little tykes left behind that even the Norton Removal Tool etc decides to leave behind - and that proves to me that Norton is not the culprit that some like to believe it is.
I'm sure Microsoft will be right on top of this little critter (some call it a bug) ... :-}

 

[DustSailor]

bwahahaha!

Nah man, take your time. This is most likely not an issue specific to Microsoft, because most computers do not seem to have the problem. Sometimes old hardware is used with widows 8, or certain programs don't play nice, and that makes problems pop up. Even if Norton isn't the problem, you might as well leave it off until we can find what the problem is. use defender for now. I am not opposed to you putting Norton back on, but just to be safe, it is best you don't. Perhaps the best option would be to install Norton once again, and use Revo uninstaller free to remove it again. I don't trust uninstaller tools from antivirus companies

If it was a well-known (older) bug, MS would have issued an update a while ago.

Let me know when you finish the 'assignments', and we'll work from there

 

[DustSailor]

Forgot to mention, if you've installed any antiviruses or had them installed previously (other than Norton), let me know. Some components of those products might be clashing as well.

only use windows firewall for now. Make sure your computer is free of non-Microsoft optimizers and cleaners (other than uninstallers).

How's the weather up there mate? Not the icy wasteland I was taught it to be in school, is it?
Joking, I visited Canada, thought it was quite a lovely sight (Vancouver, BC)

 

[Gloosecap]

No other Antivirus programs than Norton. Old Hardware is not the problem, or shouldn't be. This ASUS is only several months old. Came with Windows 8 and I upgraded to Windows 8.1 after that. Even then, the Laptop flipping off into a nice light coma presented no problems. Something horrific must have happened within the last couple weeks to cause this rig to have a slight nervous breakdown.
Stay tuned to a computer near you (or someone else) for furthered updates. Perchance you don't see this reply, do let me know immediately!
(Weather is cold right now and snow. But something's telling me that August will remedy this whole thing! )

 

[DustSailor]

I like snow. I live in a desert region that gets little rain and barely any snow. But the temps can still get uncomfortably high or low, so 'perfect' is rare.

Can you remember anything that happened during that time, such as program installations or updates? Something like an update may be hard to track. Your event viewer may give good insight into what is causing 'power' issues, to which I've posted a tutorial.

Good luck! I would like to visit Canada again sometime. Had a fancy up there who still lives there, and we still talk, so she might even let me stay over for a bit. But of course, I would pick a better month to visit. Eat some moose burgers, ketchup chips and poutine, eh?

 

[MasterChief]

No, Logitech removal not necessary. The drivers are good and sleep/hibernation/monitors off all work well on multiple machines here, as expected.

You can run the tool in Brink's thread then attach the results, and we will see what can be improved in the system further than how it has been improved already.

^^^ Jut curious, since the info wasn't given in order to fix the machine: Has Norton really been completely uninstalled as stated?

 

[shmu]

hmmm, the windows search started finding my files again. this is a very fickle tool indeed. when it works, it's great, but you can't rely on it. Avast just updated its software for me, I don't know it that is a coincidence, maybe Avast was interfering with windows search, and they fixed it with an update? just conjecturing.

 

[Gloosecap]

No new programs - Norton completely removed (as stated earlier) and as far as updates, I cannot of course say one way or the other. Of course Windows updates itself and so doesn't Norton - if either of these produced the problem, we are not going to know.

 

[MasterChief]

No new programs - Norton completely removed (as stated earlier) and as far as updates, I cannot of course say one way or the other. Of course Windows updates itself and so doesn't Norton - if either of these produced the problem, we are not going to know.

lol we would know, and WU can not causes problems.

 

[Gloosecap]

You would?
And what is WU? This does not mean Chinese food by any means, does it?

 

[MasterChief]

Yes, most likely, with requested info given first.

WU = Windows Update.

 

[Gloosecap]

Ok guys - this is going to be far out of my league and waaaaaay to time consuming for me to complete what is given here. I'm going to call it quits till something a lot more simple comes up.
Appreciate the input - thanks a bunch. Let's call this a closed case!