Windows 8.1 refuses to sleep

[NCguy]

I don't think you can network on a home system without being in a home group. I'm not a network guru though.

That said, since leaving my home group, I can see any of my other systems on the network - to include my other two PCs' and my TV. So yeah, I need my home group back. I'll do that later on though.

@ NCguy, I too recently just built a Haswell system with Win 8.1 as the OS. See system specs. Anyway never had sleep issues under Windows 7. And though my laptop has 8.1 I never notice sleep issues because I usually just shut down after use or simply close the lid, so It's kind of hard to notice sleep issue there. Anyway looking at it now, it too may have sleep issues, but I just never noticed.

@ figorulz11, while yours seems to be driver related, most are network related. Point is, you fix may not be suitable for everyone here. However it is something to look at (driver issues).

Thanks

yes, you can network without homegroup but I don't think you can do both at the same time. I also don't know if you'll have sleep issues with standard networking - I kind of doubt it.

How to share folders without homegroups in Windows 7 - PC Advisor

It was me who said that. That said...

I already know how to share folders. However I prefer Home Group because of the flexibility it affords me. However as I've stated, I've not yet looked into re-establishing my Home Group setup but it is my hope that re-establishing it will fix my sleep issue. But, yeah, I could share folders, haven't tested to see if the sleep issue come back, but I prefer Home Group.

Thanks

Oh, and what do you mean by this.... "I also don't know if you'll have sleep issues with standard networking" ??? While all of my PC's are on the same network, since removing my PC from Home Group, no sleep issues.

I meant what you refer to as "share folders". It may also cause a sleep issue.

 

[sygnus21]

Here's something to think about. You should know that using a live account on Windows 8/8.1 automatically shares/syncs certain folders/files between two or more Windows 8/8.1 machines using the same live account.

So for example in addition to my desktop being Win 8.1, so is my laptop. So when I setup my desktop, Wind 8.1 automatically set up the same desktop wall paper as that used on my laptop... without me doing anything. It will also sync your apps. No it won't download them to your machine, but they will be in the store for your ready to download.

Anyway I bring this up because I noticed that my desktop would not sleep, even though I'm removed from home group, until I finished using my laptop. In short, as long as the laptop was up and running, my desktop wouldn't sleep. Once I shut the laptop off, the desktop went to sleep after it's allotted power setting time.

So now what?

 

[NCguy]

Here's something to think about. You should know that using a live account on Windows 8/8.1 automatically shares/syncs certain folders/files between two or more Windows 8/8.1 machines using the same live account.

So for example in addition to my desktop being Win 8.1, so is my laptop. So when I setup my desktop, Wind 8.1 automatically set up the same desktop wall paper as that used on my laptop... without me doing anything. It will also sync your apps. No it won't download them to your machine, but they will be in the store for your ready to download.

Anyway I bring this up because I noticed that my desktop would not sleep, even though I'm removed from home group, until I finished using my laptop. In short, as long as the laptop was up and running, my desktop wouldn't sleep. Once I shut the laptop off, the desktop went to sleep after it's allotted power setting time.

So now what?

Manually force sleep in this case? How often do you jump off one to switch to the other without enough time for the first to enter sleep?

If you don't want common between the two you could use different accounts?

That said, I agree sleep shouldn't be affected by another device. It's like Microsoft is over its head and hasn't really thought this thing out. Too much rush to market for features most people don't even care about.

 

[sygnus21]

I don't think I need to go through all of that because sleep isn't functioning the way it should.

With regards to forcing sleep, I do when I need to. As to jumping between machines I do it often, which is why I bought a laptop.

Anyway my posts are more informational than seeking help as there is no one fix that'll solve this other than Microsoft fixing whatever the issue causing the sleep problems under Windows 8.1.

Peace

 

[NCguy]

I don't think I need to go through all of that because sleep isn't functioning the way it should.

Agreed

 

[NCguy]

Anyway my posts are more informational than seeking help as there is no one fix that'll solve this other than Microsoft fixing whatever the issue causing the sleep problems under Windows 8.1.

Peace

There were enough sleep issues with W7. With eights added complexity I wouldn't be surprised if they continually fix/break it for years to come.

 

[Wynona]

Here's a what a friend in a private forum had to say about the sleep problem on his machines:

"I found that the "maintenance schedule" in Windows 8.1 is set to run at 3 AM, I changed that to some time in the day when I would be on the computer. Acronis, if installed also has a timer situation on it. Other than those two things my computers sleep without issue. I also have them set up with WHS 2011 so they wake up to be backed up and then go back to sleep.

"It takes a bit of snooping around to find out what is keeping it from staying asleep, I've been lucky I guess and have mine working."

BTW, for those who aren't familiar with it, WHS is Windows Home Server. Very good program for us home users, but Microsoft abandoned it two or three years ago. And as an aside, at least two people in this private forum are using WHS to back their computers up.

 

[sygnus21]

Anyway my posts are more informational than seeking help as there is no one fix that'll solve this other than Microsoft fixing whatever the issue causing the sleep problems under Windows 8.1.

Peace

There were enough sleep issues with W7. With eights added complexity I wouldn't be surprised if they continually fix/break it for years to come.

I've been using Windows 7 since pre beta release days and I can't remotely remember 7 having anywhere near sleep issues like 8.

Additionally I've been a member of the this site's sister forum (sevenforums.com) since Jan 2009 and can't remember seeing the amount of posts on this issue as posted here.

Yeah I'm sure there were some sleep issues, but nowhere near 8.1.

 

[linw]

@NCguy. Of course you can have a network without homegroup. How do you think we did this before homegroup?? If you also have XP or Vista comps they can't join homegroups so you have to do it the old-fashioned way!

Never used homegroups, myself, as I prefer to have manual control. I also have an XP and Vista comp here.

read the thread. I wasn't the one saying this couldn't be done. I was the one saying it could.

Ooops, sincere apologies. Must take more time figuring who said what.

 

[mesamitch]

now i am not no computer genius like the rest of you guys but i think i mite of found the problem i was going threw this for 3 days and it was eating my life to fix it

i did the whole command prompt powercfg -requests thing for me it was the razerzone.com 7.1 surround sound coming up so i deleted it and did it work nope!
then it poped in my head i noticed that every one who took a picture of the powercfg -requests it was always a audio / media / kind of thing showing up


so this is what worked for me don't know if its going to help you guys sure hope it helps every one because it was making me crazy

go to your control panel then go to your power saving options then go to advanced power options
scroll to the bottom to multimedia settings - when sharing media - switch it from prevent idling to sleep to allow the computer to sleep
and Bam! worked
Hope it works for you guys!

 

[NCguy]

now i am not no computer genius like the rest of you guys but i think i mite of found the problem i was going threw this for 3 days and it was eating my life to fix it

i did the whole command prompt powercfg -requests thing for me it was the razerzone.com 7.1 surround sound coming up so i deleted it and did it work nope!
then it poped in my head i noticed that every one who took a picture of the powercfg -requests it was always a audio / media / kind of thing showing up


so this is what worked for me don't know if its going to help you guys sure hope it helps every one because it was making me crazy

go to your control panel then go to your power saving options then go to advanced power options
scroll to the bottom to multimedia settings - when sharing media - switch it from prevent idling to sleep to allow the computer to sleep
and Bam! worked
Hope it works for you guys!

on mine seems like it was related to the audio. After updating the audio driver it seems to be now entering sleep and it's been working now for several days. (sort of)

During the day it works consistently all day but in the morning I find it awake and it needs to be rebooted to begin entering sleep again. So now it must be a maintenance task that is waking it in the night and preventing it from re-entering sleep. Unfortunately the system logs with 8.1 seem horrible compared with Windows 7. For some reason they just don't seem to capture a lot of important events and it's making it difficult to zero in on the overnight event that's causing the problem.

 

[johnpombrio]

Hi folks, a LOT of new stuff! Way back on a post I listed the MOST COMMON issues for sleep problems (post 168 on page 17). Unfortunately, a lot of you are rediscovering this list (and after a LOT of hard work). Let me again list the COMMON SLEEP ISSUES:

1. Changes are needed in the advanced power settings in the control panel:


These include changing/ disabling Hibernation and When sharing media in Multimedia settings.

2. In Device Manager in Control panel Change the Power management settings to disable the network, mouse, and any other devices to wake the computer. LEAVE THE KEYBOARD AS THE DEVICE TO WAKE THE COMPUTER: (Note, wireless mouse and keyboard combos cannot distinguish between the two)


3. Make sure that you do NOT have a Folder from another computer mapped to your libraries or computer as that link will remain active if both computers are running.

4. UPDATE DRIVERS. I cannot empathize this too much. Too many of you have said updating or changing drivers have fixed the sleep issue. That includes the mobo updates especially.

5. Quite a few programs were broken when Win8.1 was released as they did extensive changes in the guts of the op sys. Check for UPDATES to PROGRAMS as well.

6. Make sure under Change when the Computer Sleeps that you have not inadvertently turned this off. this has bit me a few times, heh.

I might add to this list as I think of them...

 

[johnpombrio]

Network issues. Hmm. I temporarily fixed my sleep issue for a few days by disabling Homegroup but it did not last. I also managed (using tutorials in a computer mag article) to set up a network without Homegroup but again this fix was temporary at best. MY first blush at why getting rid of Homegroup fixed it is that there is a shared folder or drive from another computer mapped to your machine. Windows does a lot of queries to that drive and would probably prevent sleep.
As for network being the sole issue, there are not enough people having this particular sleep issue to say that for certain. Even though a symptom was disabling the network cable, the fixes (like the power fix) has nothing to do with networking. You can keep fooling with network setting but I tried a BUNCH and none fixed the issue.

 

[sygnus21]

If you read through this thread and others throughout the net you'll see all sorts of "fixes"; but for the most part, the one overlaying cause seems to be around networking. So, while there are many issues that can cause sleep problems, most seem to be around networking. This to me suggest there is something in the way networking/syncing works in Windows 8.1 and is the root cause of sleep issues in a majority of Windows 8.1 machines.

That said, Microsoft needs to further investigate, fix, and provide the necessary information to properly set up a Window 8.1 machine to prevent sleep issues, especially with regards to networking.

My two cents.

 

[johnpombrio]

Here's a what a friend in a private forum had to say about the sleep problem on his machines:

"I found that the "maintenance schedule" in Windows 8.1 is set to run at 3 AM, I changed that to some time in the day when I would be on the computer. Acronis, if installed also has a timer situation on it. Other than those two things my computers sleep without issue. I also have them set up with WHS 2011 so they wake up to be backed up and then go back to sleep.

.

Wyn, good find! I never though about that as a possible sleep preventer. I just turned it off as I have another program that does maintenance:

 

[johnpombrio]

If you read through this thread and others throughout the net you'll see all sorts of "fixes"; but for the most part, the one overlaying cause seems to be around networking. So, while there are many issues that can cause sleep problems, most seem to be around networking. This to me suggest there is something in the way networking/syncing works in Windows 8.1 and is the root cause of sleep issues in a majority of Windows 8.1 machines.

That said, Microsoft needs to further investigate, fix, and provide the necessary information to properly set up a Window 8.1 machine to prevent sleep issues, especially with regards to networking.

My two cents.

Syg, I have been on this post from the beginning. There has been only ONE example of a network fix (besides disabling networking entirely!) ONE person disabled Homegroup and it seems to have fixed it (but by also causing the user a LOT of grief). If you can find ANY MORE Network "fixes" that worked for more than a few days, PLEASE POST THEM so the rest of us can evaluate how successful they were! I am not trying to say there is no issue with networking but if there is NO FIX that we can do, it does not really matter.

 

[sygnus21]

Please understand I never said only networking problems, nor did I say this was a guaranteed fix. You might re-read what I've been posting and saying.

That said, yes, the issue does for the most part seem to be related to some sort of networking problems to include home group, and or syncing, which is a way of networking.

And yes, as we've both said, no one fix works for all, or seems to stick for all; however, (for me) since leaving home group last week, I've yet to have sleep issues other than when my 8.1 laptop is on. When the laptop is in use, my 8.1 desktop will not sleep until I finish using my laptop. Once I finish with the laptop, my desktop will sleep as scheduled. This to me further points to a syncing issue as both Win 8.1 machines use my Microsoft account to log-in.

Outside of that, my machine goes to sleep without issue since leaving home group.

At any rate I firmly believe the issue, for the most part, is network related. Where? I don't know.

 

[NCguy]

Here's a what a friend in a private forum had to say about the sleep problem on his machines:

"I found that the "maintenance schedule" in Windows 8.1 is set to run at 3 AM, I changed that to some time in the day when I would be on the computer. Acronis, if installed also has a timer situation on it. Other than those two things my computers sleep without issue. I also have them set up with WHS 2011 so they wake up to be backed up and then go back to sleep.

.

Wyn, good find! I never though about that as a possible sleep preventer. I just turned it off as I have another program that does maintenance:

View attachment 34604

So with the scheduled maintenance apps is there something peculiar about them that the computer won't enter sleep again if they were awakened by the maintenance task?

 

[Wynona]

Wyn, good find! I never though about that as a possible sleep preventer. I just turned it off as I have another program that does maintenance:

View attachment 34604

Thanks, John, but it's not my find. I just passed on info given by a friend. Thanks for the "explanation" of why Automatic Maintenance may be at fault in the case of the computer being awake first thing in the morning. Now to find out why it won't take naps during the day . . .

 

[Wynona]

So with the scheduled maintenance apps is there something peculiar about them that the computer won't enter sleep again if they were awakened by the maintenance task?

It's logical to me, NC, mainly because my friend said he turned it off and his computer now sleeps. Those in the private group I got this info from are all much, much, much (ad infinitum) more knowledgeable than I.

Logic also tells me this won't be the final solution to the sleep problem in Windows 8.1. While I was using Windows 8.1, turning off the power options allowed my computer to sleep, but in the long run was much more inconvenient than a computer with insomnia.

As you know, fiddling with networking sometimes solves the problem . . . and we can go on and on and on . . .

Bottom line is that Microsoft got it wrong, and so far, none of us have stumbled upon the actual solution; maybe some one will trip over it in the near future. Or, maybe someone on the Windows Team at Microsoft will beat us to it. Whichever way it turns out, I wish they would hurry up. :huh: I'd really like to go ahead and put Windows 8.1 back on this system, but I'll hold off for awhile longer.