Windows 8.1 refuses to sleep

[johnpombrio]

I really would like to know how to do uninstall. Is there a way short of hacking it out or nuke and pave?

EDIT 2014-04-14 Deleted this part of this post that was inappropriate against other posters.

Boulder and for others who are trying standby helper, give the program time to sleep. It took my computer a 3-4 minutes before it decided to sleep once the timer was up. Also make sure that the sleep function in the power setup for Win8 is close to the same or earlier.as what Standby Helper is set for. for instance, a one minute setting in standby helper should be matched like this:



Try this and get back to us with the results.

EDIT 2014-04-14 Deleted this part of this post that was inappropriate against other posters.

 

[caperjack]

not really following this thread ,and I'm not about to read all the post to see what's been suggested ,this site I have been reading has a few suggestions and some seem to work for some of the people who replied ,its likely you all have tried everything its suggest ,but I'll post it anyway hope it helps someone ,
Windows 8.1 won't sleep | fixedByVonnie

 

[NCguy]

I really would like to know how to do uninstall. Is there a way short of hacking it out or nuke and pave?

Hippie threw a huge fit over a program he didn't even bother to try. There is no "install" on Standby helper. It is just an executable program stored in a folder. You either run it or you don't. Nothing is installed into any part of windows like the registry. AlexB said it best. Just don't run it and delete the folder. it's as benign as you can get.

Boulder and for others who are trying standby helper, give the program time to sleep. It took my computer a 3-4 minutes before it decided to sleep once the timer was up. Also make sure that the sleep function in the power setup for Win8 is close to the same or earlier.as what Standby Helper is set for. for instance, a one minute setting in standby helper should be matched like this:
View attachment 40849


Try this and get back to us with the results.

As for Hippie saying that I own this post, he is partially correct. NCGuy, Lin, Wyn, and other major helpers are the true owners, the ones that busted their butts trying to figure out what was wrong and found good workarounds or successful fixes and work hard to help others. What truly pisses me off are the arrogant posters who say its our fault since they don't have an issue and give "advice" (pages and pages of it) that does not help anyone. This forum can ban me but I will be damned before our hard work is dismissed so cavalierly without bitterly complaining about it. As for being off topic, I beg to differ. We are relentless and extremely focused here on exactly one problem and have been from the beginning of the post. We have made progress and have helped many a reader. Unfortunately, it certainly is getting HUGE, isn't it?

I do intend to try it and I appreciate you and others that have further explained the configuration. I agree, there is a massive database of collected info here, and, like them or not, many workarounds for those unable to to actually tackle it.

 

[linw]

Good rant, John. Certainly gets my back up being told it is our fault because their system works fine! I've got a laptop that works fine, too, but that is irrelevant when it comes to my PC or anyone else's computer.

 

[johnpombrio]

not really following this thread ,and I'm not about to read all the post to see what's been suggested ,this site I have been reading has a few suggestions and some seem to work for some of the people who replied ,its likely you all have tried everything its suggest ,but I'll post it anyway hope it helps someone ,
Windows 8.1 won't sleep | fixedByVonnie

Yep, the post's suggestions are all mentioned here at some point or another. And many of them have their problems. If you turn off IPV6, Homegroup is disabled and I use homegroup a ton. Powercfg was dissected here line by line, heh. A lot of the power settings shown are for a laptop so does not pertain to most of us. Finally, we tried pinning sleep and open Metro apps together without success. Frankly, I have a feeling that Vonnie read through our post but did not pick up the side effects or the lack of success we had with his suggestions. There is nothing new here, but considering the massive size of this post, I don't blame folks for not reading all the way through it.

 

[Wynona]

not really following this thread ,and I'm not about to read all the post to see what's been suggested ,this site I have been reading has a few suggestions and some seem to work for some of the people who replied ,its likely you all have tried everything its suggest ,but I'll post it anyway hope it helps someone ,
Windows 8.1 won't sleep | fixedByVonnie

Yep, the post's suggestions are all mentioned here at some point or another. And many of them have their problems. If you turn off IPV6, Homegroup is disabled and I use homegroup a ton. Powercfg was dissected here line by line, heh. A lot of the power settings shown are for a laptop so does not pertain to most of us. Finally, we tried pinning sleep and open Metro apps together without success. Frankly, I have a feeling that Vonnie read through our post but did not pick up the side effects or the lack of success we had with his suggestions. There is nothing new here, but considering the massive size of this post, I don't blame folks for not reading all the way through it.

After reading the article, I scrolled down and read the responses. Softlion posted a Device Manager "fix" that I don't remember seeing in this thread; however, even if it's been mentioned, proposing it again can't hurt and might help someone.

============
"Don't turn off IPv6 or HomeGroup.


Instead disable "Allow this device to wake the computer" by unchecking the box in Device Manager > Network Adapter > (your network adapter's name) > Properties > Power Management.


You can also, in "Advanced" (instead of "Power Management"), set the "Shutdown Wake-on-lan" / "Wake on packet magic" / "Wake on pattern match" propertie values to "Disabled"."
=============


This is a very serious problem to those who have it. That said, a little sliding off topic can sometimes create some comic relief (StarFerret thinks so) and can give our minds a rest. If someone stumbles in and asks a question that seems to be a tad bit off topic, it can give us a little more to think about.

Sometimes a break in routine will help . . . And now that the air is cleared, it would be good if Hippsie and John virtually shake hands and agree to disagree. As for those who stumble in here and say, "My computer doesn't have that problem, so it's your fault you have it" . . . well, I don't know what to do about them, but we can't let them continue to give wrong information, now can we. Not a fixable problem, eh?

 

[bru]

take it back , I thinks it a 3rd party win8 driver or device issue not win8

I saw it mentioned that driver updates can effect sleep, especially video drivers. I did a ton of updates out of the box to get to Win 8.1. I seem to remember an update for the Intel HD Graphics but I don't see one in Windows Update history or Installed Updates. When I check Device Manager the driver is dated 1/22/14 so it has to be an update since the computer was manufactured in 2013. It doesn't give me the option to roll back driver.

I wonder if that driver update is the culprit. But again since my computer sleeps after a restart, until it doesn't I would think its not related to a driver. I don't know.

 

[NCguy]

I really would like to know how to do uninstall. Is there a way short of hacking it out or nuke and pave?

There is no "install" on Standby helper. It is just an executable program stored in a folder. You either run it or you don't. Nothing is installed into any part of windows like the registry. AlexB said it best. Just don't run it and delete the folder. it's as benign as you can get.

John, I just noticed that the instructions someone posted for Standby helper said to point a shortcut to the executable from the start menu. Not sure how this loads into memory but this would have it load for each successive login of that user during the same machine session. Does it also fully unload on a log out? If not the same user could be loading it multiple times. Would it potentially make more more sense to load it one-time through a bootup startup task as opposed to the login start menu?

 

[linw]

My comp has that driver as well, bru. It had sleep problems before AND after the update!

 

[johnpombrio]

Win and NCGuy, Win, Turning off the network adapter's "allow to wake" was posted and a image of it was done as long ago as post 77.
NCguy, think of Standby Helper as a on/off icon, like Steam. There is only the one icon in the notification field, and when you close the one copy, it's closed. Don't read anything more into it, some programs are just that simple. I strongly suggest running it to see how it works and how to turn it off. It does use some MS programs to run, but it is a script after all. I trust it to do absolutely no harm.

 

[Wynona]

Win and NCGuy, Win, Turning off the network adapter's "allow to wake" was posted and a image of it was done as long ago as post 77.

Aw, shucks . . . that's what happens when you pass 75, I guess. First your memory and then . . . ummm, errr, I forgot . . .

I was surely hoping I'd stumbled onto something when I copied Softlion's post here.

 

[bru]

In the article I quoted in my last post there is this:

"The command is now called Sleep, and it doesn’t present those problems anymore. First, drivers and applications are no longer allowed to interrupt the Sleep process."

Really? Numerous posts here refer to drivers interfering with sleep. Do they or don't they?

 

[Gork]

take it back , I thinks it a 3rd party win8 driver or device issue not win8

My computer slept fine with Win8 and stopped sleeping correctly, with no hardware changes, with Win8.1. I am also not the only person who has posted in this thread in the exact same situation. I have also tried installing Win8.1 from scratch, without upgrading from Win8; same results.

In the article I quoted in my last post there is this: "The command is now called Sleep, and it doesn’t present those problems anymore. First, drivers and applications are no longer allowed to interrupt the Sleep process."

Sorry if I missed it - I did try to look back at your posts. But can you share the link where you obtained this quote please?

 

[caperjack]

take it back , I thinks it a 3rd party win8 driver or device issue not win8

My computer slept fine with Win8 and stopped sleeping correctly, with no hardware changes, with Win8.1. I am also not the only person who has posted in this thread in the exact same situation. I have also tried installing Win8.1 from scratch, without upgrading from Win8; same results.

In the article I quoted in my last post there is this: "The command is now called Sleep, and it doesn’t present those problems anymore. First, drivers and applications are no longer allowed to interrupt the Sleep process."

Sorry if I missed it - I did try to look back at your posts. But can you share the link where you obtained this quote please?

win8 and win8.1 are two different OS's, lots of people have/had issues with there computer and device makers having drivers for 8 but not 8.1 ,and people had issues with the 8 driver not working in 8.1 ,and so and so on, sorry I cant explain it any better than that . as I cant explain why both my computer will sleep with 8.1 if I set it to .I now have 8.1.1 installed so will check sleep with that to ,and im going to stat using sleep all the time to save power .
good luck with you issues

 

[orbitalfenestra]

My computer sleeps fine! It's your fault nah nah nah! Lol Just kidding!

The only thing I could say is depending if you install Windows 8.1 offline (until you reach the desktop for the first time) or online, the OS will behave very differently. As for me, it solved the problem long ago. In the welcome section of the installation, I've unchecked everything in the 3rd page about privacy options except for Defender but I don't think it's mandatory. Choose "don't update automatic" for windows updates.

After that, plug the internet and cmd prompt admin then slui 3 to activate windows, then update drivers. I got Realtek for ethernet so I've downloaded the most recent driver on their site, then UNINSTALLED the driver before reinstall it just to be sure. Do the same with the sensible ones such graphic cards, etc. Once it's done, go to win updates and force them all. After that you can set them to "automatic". If you do that in that order, you should do a perfect score (no failed updates). Note: the first time you search for updates, it will glitch so you need to reboot then start over again.

After that, make some tests about your sleep and solve the common ones. It should do the trick. Go to file history and make an disk image, so you could re-image windows as you please under 20 minutes if something go wrong.

Note 2: if you have SSD before installing a fresh copy of windows you should check the firmware on it and update it if available. You need to go to the manufacturer website to do so and you need another windows to do it since you can't do that if you have windows on the same disk. Note: there is a bug windows sometimes tries to defrag SSD instead of TRIM but that's another story...

OKAY! Once you have your image disk, ONLY then, you can reactivate file sharing, homegroup, microsoft account, onedrive, etc and see what cause the random sleep issue. If something goes wrong, just use your image to return to the "offline" state.

To be honnest, I stayed in the "offline" state and I don't experience the random sleep issue anymore. I don't care to format frequently and don't need the online features and homegroup. But with this receipe at least it works. The main point is to gain the image disk with all the sync crap turned off then try to activate what you need after that.

Good day to all of you!

 

[johnpombrio]

Orbital, I have 4 computers, all with Win8.1. I used a Win8.1 Pro USB stick that I installed every one on a Samsung EVO or Pro SSD. 3 sleep fine, one does not. I used the same offline settings and check boxes (except for name) on all four. I do auto updates on all and log into Windows on only one. I don't see how the method of installing could be related to anything since my errant computer now is sleeping with both Win8.1.1 and StandbyHelper running.
I guess someone could nuke their machine to follow your example, but my gut feel is that it wouldn't help.

 

[orbitalfenestra]

Orbital, I have 4 computers, all with Win8.1. I used a Win8.1 Pro USB stick that I installed every one on a Samsung EVO or Pro SSD. 3 sleep fine, one does not. I used the same offline settings and check boxes (except for name) on all four. I do auto updates on all and log into Windows on only one. I don't see how the method of installing could be related to anything since my errant computer now is sleeping with both Win8.1.1 and StandbyHelper running.
I guess someone could nuke their machine to follow your example, but my gut feel is that it wouldn't help.

It is really bizarre I must admit. Well if it works now you should stay that way as I do!

 

[johnpombrio]

Oh Lordy, I hope the April 8th update does not break anyone else. My computer seemed to have lapsed into errant sleep habits after I updated the leaked release, with Standby Helper filling in those sleepless nights. I donno if this forum post could handle much more!

 

[Wynona]

Oh Lordy, I hope the April 8th update does not break anyone else. My computer seemed to have lapsed into errant sleep habits after I updated the leaked release, with Standby Helper filling in those sleepless nights. I donno if this forum post could handle much more!

We'd probably all run off gibbering, John! Hate to say it, but I'm kind of reluctant to get the 8.1.1 update for the sleep reason alone.

This from one who's been beta testing for 20 plus years including Vista and Windows 7 (among many other things) and couldn't wait for the next bits to come out so I could try to tear things up! Now I'd just like to have something that works like it should. Sigh . . .

 

[caperjack]

I have 8.1.1 on 2 drives[enterprise and pro both 64bit ] duel booting and no issues for me so far ,computer sleeps and wakes when asked with the click of my mouse