Windows 8.1 won't automatically sleep - what about making my own timer?

[MamaBear2017]

I've tried everything in the forums, to get Windows 8.1 to sleep automatically and have failed.

But I did manage to rig up a manual sleep, for when I want to leave, where I hit Ctrl-Alt-0.

So is it possible to make some kind of inactivity timer, like Windows is SUPPOSED to do, to invoke that sleep mode, instead of the OS one?

 

[Silverhand92]

Check out the Power Options in the Control Panel, and look for Change Plan Settings.
You should be able to set sleep options in there, based on power usage and power conservation.

 

[MamaBear2017]

Check out the Power Options in the Control Panel, and look for Change Plan Settings.
You should be able to set sleep options in there, based on power usage and power conservation.

Oh I tried that months ago. Nothing works. Did all the DOS window checks - everything. It's crazy.

The OS timer has always been set to sleep after 30 minutes. It doesn't work. I tried all the DOS queries and could never find out what's keeping it awake, and stop it.

Only forcing it to sleep with my key macro will work, and I just need to put an inactivity timer on that.

 

[Silverhand92]

I see that your system is a desktop. Does it have more than one HDD?

 

[MamaBear2017]

I see that your system is a desktop. Does it have more than one HDD?

No.

 

[Silverhand92]

OK. So, looking through what you've said, if you've checked the power options and your system still doesn't sleep, I'd say, double-check the following:

First up, hit Windows + Q and search for "Power Options"
Click on the icon that shows the battery and power connector.
Go into "Change Plan Settings" on one of the power plans and check for the "Change advanced power settings"

Now, here's the fun one.

+ Hard disk - expand this; then expand
"+ Turn off hard disk after"
If this timer is set to "Never" this may be keeping the system from going into sleep mode.

Next, look in this panel for "Display"
+Turn off display after
Setting (Minutes)

In there, let's try 10 minutes.


Save these settings.
Here's the fun one. If this computer is UEFI enabled, you can navigate your BIOS with a mouse.
If the system is Legacy BIOS, you will have to navigate the system with a keyboard.
You'll want to go into Boot Settings or Power Management. In this menu, you'll want to look for Standby Mode (S1, or S3.)
Most likely, you'll want this set to S3, which is a sleep-state. There may also be a setting in this mode for Hard Drive or HDD Sleep State. Set this to S1.

Most BIOS systems from this point will have an option to Save and Restart (often the F10 key) See if this works.
Hopefully at this point, you should be able to get yourself a cup of coffee, and hopefully your computer will go to sleep within 10 minutes.

 

[MamaBear2017]

OK. So, looking through what you've said, if you've checked the power options and your system still doesn't sleep, I'd say, double-check the following:

First up, hit Windows + Q and search for "Power Options"
Click on the icon that shows the battery and power connector.
Go into "Change Plan Settings" on one of the power plans and check for the "Change advanced power settings"

Now, here's the fun one.

+ Hard disk - expand this; then expand
"+ Turn off hard disk after"
If this timer is set to "Never" this may be keeping the system from going into sleep mode.

Ok, that was set to 20 minutes.

Next, look in this panel for "Display"
+Turn off display after
Setting (Minutes)

In there, let's try 10 minutes.

That was set for 5 minutes.

Here's the fun one. If this computer is UEFI enabled, you can navigate your BIOS with a mouse.
If the system is Legacy BIOS, you will have to navigate the system with a keyboard.

I used to get into boot settings from the boot screen, by pushing escape or delete ( forgot, it's been so long ) when it first starts booting. Is this available via the Windows GUI now? Not sure how to get into it.

You'll want to go into Boot Settings or Power Management. In this menu, you'll want to look for Standby Mode (S1, or S3.)
Most likely, you'll want this set to S3, which is a sleep-state. There may also be a setting in this mode for Hard Drive or HDD Sleep State. Set this to S1.

Most BIOS systems from this point will have an option to Save and Restart (often the F10 key) See if this works.
Hopefully at this point, you should be able to get yourself a cup of coffee, and hopefully your computer will go to sleep within 10 minutes.

Confused...

 

[Silverhand92]

The instructions I had posted above have to do with going into your system's firmware environment, a type of Basic Input/Output System, or BIOS, for short.
These settings can be complicated if you're not familiar with them. If this doesn't seem like something you would know how to do, or feel comfortable with doing, you could do your research online, via search engines like Google,
or you could also ask a friend who is familiar with your type of system.

Sadly, I don't have any other ideas how to help with this question you have asked.

 

[MamaBear2017]

The instructions I had posted above have to do with going into your system's firmware environment, a type of Basic Input/Output System, or BIOS, for short.
These settings can be complicated if you're not familiar with them. If this doesn't seem like something you would know how to do, or feel comfortable with doing, you could do your research online, via search engines like Google,
or you could also ask a friend who is familiar with your type of system.

Sadly, I don't have any other ideas how to help with this question you have asked.

Well I've done BIOS tweaks in the boot menus, in the past ( I'm a former electronics R&D technician and have always maintained my own PC ) , but don't know how to get to these ones you mentioned, via the Windows GUI.

Thanks.