How to find out why your PC refuses to go to sleep
By Ed Bott
How do you treat a Windows computer that's suffering from insomnia? If you've double-checked the power options and confirmed that they're set correctly, it's time to pull out the obscure but useful Power Settings command-line tool, Powercfg.exe.
As a command-line tool, Powercfg doesn't offer any dialog boxes or buttons. Instead, you open a Command Prompt or PowerShell window and type the command Powercfg, followed by a space, a forward slash (or hyphen), and a supported command-line switch.
These three switches are especially useful in diagnosing sleep problems:
Powercfg /systemsleepdiagnostics Running this command generates an HTML-based report (System-sleep-diagnostics.html) with details about any recent sessions where the machine might not have slept when the user expected it to.
Powercfg /energy Use this command to generate a separate HTML-based report (Energy-report.html) that is especially useful for identifying services that are preventing normal sleep.
Powercfg /lastwake If your system goes to sleep but then awakens too soon, use this command, which can help pinpoint a device, app, or driver that caused the most recent wake event. Microsoft Surface Go: What the pros need to know Microsoft has unveiled its first 10-inch tablet in three years. While it avoids lock-in problems of previous models, the Surface Go might not be for everyone. Your Path to a Lucrative IT Career Starts with The Ultimate (12 Courses, 140+ Hours!) IT Certification Training Guide. |
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