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Have you ever encountered the blue screen of death (BSOD) with the alarming error message, "DRIVER_POWER_STATE_FAILURE," on your Windows computer? If you have, you're not alone. This frustrating issue can interrupt your workflow, but the good news is that it's often fixable with some troubleshooting steps. In this guide, we'll explore what causes this error, and more importantly, how to resolve it.
DRIVER_POWER_STATE_FAILURE is a type of Blue Screen of Death (BSOD) error that usually occurs when there’s an issue with your computer’s power settings or drivers. The error is often related to drivers that fail to transition between power states—like going from sleep mode to full operation, or vice versa.
When a driver doesn't respond correctly to a power state change, Windows throws up the DRIVER_POWER_STATE_FAILURE error to prevent further damage to your system.
Understanding the root causes of the DRIVER_POWER_STATE_FAILURE error can help in diagnosing and fixing it effectively. Here are some common reasons why this error might occur:
1. Outdated or Corrupted Drivers: The most common cause is a driver that is either outdated or corrupted. When drivers don't work as intended, they may not respond correctly during a power state transition, leading to this error.
2. Power Settings Issues: Sometimes, your computer’s power settings can cause conflicts with your hardware, particularly when waking from sleep or hibernation mode.
3. Incompatible Hardware or Software: Newly installed hardware or software that isn’t fully compatible with your system can cause the DRIVER_POWER_STATE_FAILURE error.
4. Faulty Device: In rare cases, a hardware component, such as a faulty graphics card or a malfunctioning peripheral, might be the culprit.
Now that you know what might be causing this error, let’s walk through several methods to fix it. These steps range from simple fixes to more advanced troubleshooting.
Since outdated or corrupt drivers are the most common cause, updating your drivers should be your first step.
How to Update Drivers Manually:
- Step 1: Press `Windows + X` and select Device Manager.
- Step 2: In the Device Manager window, you'll see a list of all hardware components. Look for any devices with a yellow triangle—this indicates a driver issue.
- Step 3: Right-click on the device and select Update driver.
- Step 4: Choose Search automatically for updated driver software. Windows will look for the latest drivers and install them if available.
- Step 5: Restart your computer to ensure the changes take effect.
Alternatively, you can visit the manufacturer’s website of your hardware (like your graphics card or network adapter) and download the latest drivers from there.
Using Windows Update to Update Drivers:
- Step 1: Go to Settings > Update & Security > Windows Update.
- Step 2: Click Check for updates. Windows Update will search for any available updates, including driver updates.
- Step 3: If updates are found, install them and restart your computer.
If updating drivers didn’t solve the problem, the next step is to check your power settings. Windows allows you to tweak these settings to avoid power state issues.
How to Adjust Power Settings:
- Step 1: Open Control Panel and go to Power Options.
- Step 2: Click on Change plan settings next to your selected power plan.
- Step 3: Choose Change advanced power settings.
- Step 4: In the advanced settings window, expand the PCI Express section, then set Link State Power Management to Off.
- Step 5: Expand the Wireless Adapter Settings and set Power Saving Mode to Maximum Performance.
- Step 6: Click Apply and then OK to save the changes.
Restart your computer to see if this resolves the DRIVER_POWER_STATE_FAILURE error.
Sometimes, corrupted system files can cause the DRIVER_POWER_STATE_FAILURE error. Windows has built-in tools like the System File Checker (SFC) and Deployment Imaging Service and Management Tool (DISM) to fix these issues.
- Step 1: Type `cmd` in the search bar, right-click on Command Prompt, and select Run as administrator.
- Step 2: In the Command Prompt, type `sfc /scannow` and press Enter.
- Step 3: Wait for the scan to complete. If it finds any corrupted files, it will attempt to repair them.
- Step 1: Open the Command Prompt as an administrator (same as above).
- Step 2: Type the following command and press Enter: `DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth`.
- Step 3: Let the process complete. This might take a while.
Once you’ve run these tools, restart your computer and check if the error persists.
If the DRIVER_POWER_STATE_FAILURE error started occurring after installing new hardware or software, the new addition might be the cause.
How to Uninstall Recent Changes:
- Step 1: Go to Control Panel > Programs > Programs and Features.
- Step 2: Find the recently installed software, click on it, and select Uninstall.
- Step 3: If you’ve recently installed hardware, go back to Device Manager (as shown earlier), find the hardware device, right-click it, and select Uninstall device.
- Step 4: Restart your computer.
If the error no longer appears, you’ve found the culprit.
A clean boot helps you start Windows with a minimal set of drivers and startup programs. This can help you determine if background programs are causing the DRIVER_POWER_STATE_FAILURE error.
- Step 1: Type `msconfig` in the search bar and press Enter.
- Step 2: Go to the Services tab, check Hide all Microsoft services, and click Disable all.
- Step 3: Next, go to the Startup tab and click Open Task Manager.
- Step 4: In Task Manager, disable all startup items by right-clicking each one and selecting Disable.
- Step 5: Close Task Manager and return to the System Configuration window. Click OK and then restart your computer.
If the error doesn’t appear after a clean boot, one of the disabled services or startup items is likely the cause. You can re-enable them one by one to identify the problematic software.
Ensuring your Windows OS is up to date can sometimes resolve the DRIVER_POWER_STATE_FAILURE error, as updates often include patches for known issues.
How to Check for Windows Updates:
- Step 1: Go to Settings > Update & Security > Windows Update.
- Step 2: Click Check for updates.
- Step 3: Install any available updates and restart your computer.
If all else fails, there may be an issue with your hardware. A faulty component could be causing the DRIVER_POWER_STATE_FAILURE error. If you suspect hardware is the issue, you may need to:
- Step 1: Run diagnostics on your computer’s hardware using built-in tools or third-party diagnostic software.
- Step 2: Check for overheating issues, particularly with the CPU or GPU.
- Step 3: If you’ve recently upgraded hardware, try reverting to the old component to see if the error persists.
If a specific piece of hardware is causing the issue, replacing or repairing it may be necessary.
The DRIVER_POWER_STATE_FAILURE error can be frustrating, but with patience and systematic troubleshooting, you can resolve it. By updating drivers, adjusting power settings, and checking for hardware or software issues, you can often fix the error and prevent it from reoccurring.
If you’re still experiencing problems after trying these solutions, it might be time to seek professional help. In rare cases, more complex underlying issues might require a technician’s expertise. But for most users, these steps should be more than enough to get your system running smoothly again.
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