Sleep issues

[sethm1]

Win 7 64 Bit Home Prem Sp1 - desktop

I use the sleep mode pretty much 3 times a day, though at nite typically a full shut down.
About one a week or so - or maybe every few weeks- when I tap the space bar to wake up the PC, the desktop screen appears and then within seconds the screen goes blank and the PC itself is unresponsive. the front lite of the tower is on & I hear humming - but nothing.

I end up doing a complete shut down (holding the power button till the PC shuts down).
Then I wait a few seconds and turn the PC back on.
The Windows Error Recovery screen pops up and I choose Start Normally.

Is there a setting - whether in BIOS or Registry or somewhere else that needs adjustment?

Thx

 

[davehc]

Can you post the figures you have set under Sleep mode; Hibernation and the screen saver?

 

[sethm1]

pardon?
Not sure what you mean (and from where) do you mean "figures"
If say from the registry- its been so long I forget where.

 

[Ace]

I think he might be referring you to the "Change advanced power settings" link in the power options.

For an easier route, type "Sleep" as a keyword in your start menu text area.

You'll see an option near the top with something like "Change when the computer sleeps"... Click that

Then click the link for "Change advanced power settings" in the Explorer window that pops up. Make a screenshot.

 

[davehc]

That's correct. I am not aware of what window you will see if you type "sleep" as suggested. I do not have the search function enabled so cannot test it. But the window I am referring to is Control Panel (icon mode) - Power options - "Balanced" - "Change plan settings" - "Change advanced power settings". Your "sleep, hibernation etc are all customiseable there. And do you have a screensaver set?

 

[sethm1]

OK - made one change - "Allow Wake Timers" was disabled, now is enabled.

Attaching 2 screen shots

Anything else?

 

[Ace]

I personally don't ever use sleep mode as there's been lots of bugs with it and windows. Even in the past with Vista.

In "Power Buttons and lid" what is your sleep button action set to? You're running Home premium so you don't have all of the 4 options I have under the "Sleep" expander, but i'm curious to see what you'd have it set to.

My Current Settings:

 

[sethm1]

I only have the 2 options:
1. Sleep after
2. Allow wake timers

 

[Ace]

I know, I saw your preview image. You won't have the options I have unless you run a Professional or Ultimate version of Windows 7 I believe.

I was asking though if you could provide me with a screenshot or a typed out text setting for the value of your Sleep button action though. It's located under the USB Settings expander. Press the "+" beside "Power buttons and lid"

 

[sethm1]

was not trying to be snippy.

Here is another screen shot, which I think is what you mean...

 

[Ace]

Alright, you don't have other options there do you? I have hibernate, but i'm not sure what Home Basic has. You could try that option as well, if sleep doesn't work for you.

 

[davehc]

I don't think the problem is related in any way to your power settings. It looks more like a hardware problem.
When it reverts to the black screen, try Ctr Alt Del and see if you get the desktop back? This obviously is not a solution - idf it works!
Try unplugging as many devices as many active devices as you can and see if the problem persists. It seems that something is overloading the Computer on resume. First thought, assuming the above does nothing, is to examine, physically, your ram an graphics card and make surethey are seated securely.

 

[Ace]

If it's a dos screen that is being displayed he might not get his desktop back with that method, but if it's just a blank screen not displaying the desktop then it's worth a shot.

If you don't get your desktop right away, check to see if explorer.exe is started. If not, start it with a new task. It could be that you aren't getting explorer.exe to load upon waking your computer

File > New Task (Run...)

Type "explorer.exe" and press enter.

 

[sethm1]

Yes, I do not get a DOS screen.
Its just blank.

Will try to see if all internal hardware (graph card...) is seated properly.

Thanks for all the assist.
(since this issue does not repeat daily, then I'll be 'gone' for awhile).

Take care.

 

[Ace]

Wait... By blank do you mean you get a plain white/black screen? Or you get the desktop area, without anything on it. If you see the desktop, then you just need to start the explorer.exe process.

 

[davehc]

Good point. Maybe seth can clarify this? In your first post, you said you got the desktop, which then went to a black screen. This was a normal Windows desktop? And is this what is still happening?

 

[sethm1]

When I 'wake up' the PC, the desktop displays momentarily, then the screen goes blank (black - not DOS).
The keyboard is unresponsive.
I do hear humming in the tower (a fan?).
Thus, then a reboot and then the during the reboot the windows did not start properly message (paraphrasing).

 

[Ace]

Hmm, is your driver up to date for your graphics card?

 

[sethm1]

No.
Just checked - thanks.
Have v 11.5. Newer version is available - 11.6 must have just come out recently.

Have a Radeon HD 4870.