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Sometimes, I come back to my computer to see it look like it's sleeping, but I'm unable to wake it up (either with the keyboard/mouse or with the power button). The power light on the front of my computer is blinking like it's sleeping, while every USB device connected to it is off (most of them have lights). In addition to my keyboard and mouse, a microphone and tablet are connected to the computer via the back ports. A webcam and a PS4 controller is connected to the front.

Unfortunately, I have never witnessed my computer actually enter this state, but I feel like it enters it after it normally goes to sleep (I make it sleep manually with the power options)

I feel like there could be a lot of factors in this problem, but here's some computer options that I changed (off the top of my head) that might be relevant, maybe:

  • Automatic Maintenance is off
  • Power Options are on the High Performance preset

Most of the time when it does this I usually have these programs open (usually not all at once)

  • Firefox
  • Intellij
  • OBS (Open Broadcaster Software)
  • Hexchat
  • Skype
  • Steam
  • Google Drive
  • Rainmeter
  • Comodo Internet Security (my antivirus)
  • Adobe Illustrator / Photoshop

Feel free to ask about any relevant things about my computer if it'll help diagnose the problem.

PS: maybe it might help to point out that if I try to click my mouse to turn the computer on in this state the lights on the mouse do turn on, though the computer still doesn't do anything.

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  • So is this a desktop unit or a laptop? Is the keyboard also "dead"? Is it possible the box has gone into hibernate (which usually requires a tap of the power button to wake up from)?
    – Daniel R Hicks
    Commented Oct 24, 2014 at 12:17
  • It's a desktop. I'm pretty sure the keyboard doesn't light up when I press something like the mouse does. Pressing the power button does not turn it on, and I usually have to hard-shutdown the computer (holding down the power button) to turn it off. I should go update the question with this.
    – octopod
    Commented Oct 24, 2014 at 12:19
  • I would suspect bad RAM.
    – Daniel R Hicks
    Commented Oct 24, 2014 at 12:20
  • @DanielRHicks I would say that the computer enters this state maybe 40-50% of the time I put it to sleep (it does sleep normally most of the time). Would you still say it might be bad RAM? I could go reseat them in different slots later or something if so.
    – octopod
    Commented Oct 24, 2014 at 12:23
  • I'd suggest you run a memory test program, though that may not diagnose the problem. When the computer sleeps RAM refresh is put into a different mode, and the RAM may be not handling that mode, especially if you've added RAM (of a different type) since you bought the box.
    – Daniel R Hicks
    Commented Oct 24, 2014 at 12:29

1 Answer 1

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I have encountered this with many laptops I was using and also with one desktop PC. It was never present when they were new but it started after one or two years. It was present randomly with increasing frequency, regardless of their OS (Windows XP, Windows 7, Windows 8) or make (no-name, IBM Thinkpad, Dell, Lenovo).

After all, I think I found the cause: try replacing CMOS battery (that is, small battery attached to motherboard which is backing up your PC clock and BIOS settings). Please let me know the results.

I'm still not 100% sure about the cause yet, but I've observerd it is not dependent of specific hardware, software or OS updates. It seems to be dependent only on age of the computer. I've worked in team where laptops of some people were having the same issue. We've never figured out the cause that time. Currently I can see chance of failure depends on temperature (carrying laptop in colder weather) and some other factors. Plugging laptop into mains before waking up decreases the chance of the issue. I will get the battery replaced and see.

Workaround: Hibernate your PC instead of sleeping. This way, PC can restore its state even if it has multiple failures in a row because hibernated image can survive those failed wake-ups/start-ups. You can set hibernation as default method of energy saving (or as action on closing the lid of the laptop). This is what I'm successfully doing now. (Users with laptops with spin HDD's: do not move your laptop until it has finished the hibernation. Classic HDD's can get damaged when physically moved during their power-on state.)

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