Windows 7 x64 freezes on sleep or shutdown

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Thunderfox

n00b
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Jun 9, 2012
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I built a new computer last weekend:


OS: Windows 7 64 bit (clean install from disc purchased when it was released in 2009)

MB: Asus P8Z77-V LX (Intel Z77 chipset)

CPU: Core i5 3570k (stock – no OC)

Memory: 16 gigs of Corsair XMS3 CMX8GX3M2A2000C9

SSD: Intel X25-M 80GB SSDSA2MH080G2K5

HDD: Western Digital Caviar 1TB WD10000LSRTL (aka WD1001FALS)

PSU: Antec Earthwatts EA-650

Video: Onboard CPU video for now, have not chosen a graphics card yet


The problem I am having is that this machine will neither sleep nor shut down properly. Telling it to do either results in the monitor and hard drive being powered down, but the fans keep running, and it will not wake up from this state. I have to hold the power button for ten seconds to force it to power off, and then when I turn it back on, it either boots normally if I was trying to shut it down, or it resumes from hibernation if I was trying to put it to sleep.

Turning off hibernation just causes an error message at startup saying the computer was not shut down properly. I tried powering it off in safe mode, and it just hung at the shutdown screen. I have also tried it without the HDD hooked up, so the only drive is the SSD. No difference.

When I first encountered this problem, I had several things missing drivers in device manager. Installing those drivers made no difference. I had already installed SP1, but in order to rule out some sort of problem with it, I first uninstalled it, and then completely reinstalled Windows. Neither made any difference. I have tried using the latest drivers found online for everything, and the ones on the included DVD. No difference.

I read about a problem which could cause something like this in the pre-sp1 version of Windows 7, and Microsoft had released a patch for it, so I tried that as well. No difference. I updated the bios to the latest version, but this as well changed nothing.

Following advice found online, I have played with the various settings in device manager and the power profiles page regarding which devices can wake the system from sleep, which devices are to have power cut during sleep, etc. Nothing makes any difference. Power to my USB devices is not cut during sleep, as the light on the mouse is still on when I try to put the machine to sleep, though it won’t respond to the mouse, keyboard or power button.

I used the POWERCFG tool to generate a report, and while it does give several errors about USB devices which won’t go into low power mode, I have eliminated this as an issue by unplugging all USB devices and disabling the USB hubs and controllers in device manager while attempting to put the machine to sleep. It still hangs and must be hard reset.

Aside from the USB issues (which obviously are not the root cause), the energy report also mentions this:

PCI Express Active-State Power Management (ASPM) has been disabled due to a known incompatibility with the hardware in this computer.

I do not know if that is the cause of the problem, but if it is then presumably there is nothing I can do about it.

Is there anyone out there who has an answer for this problem, or failing that, who has the same board and does not have this problem?
 
Have you checked the sleep settings in your BIOS? It should probably be set to S3. I had similar problems on an old rig until I noticed that it was set wrong.
 
I'm willing to bet the problem is S1/S3 BIOS setting not properly set for use with the SSD. SSD's require different settings from spinner HDs.

Try toggling between the S1/S3 sleep setting in your BIOS.

If you don't have AHCI enabled, you may need to change the AHCI settings in the BIOS from IDE to AHCI.

If you DID NOT have AHCI already enabled when you installed Windows, you will have to edit your registry before you make the BIOS change.

Different SSD from different companies require different settings. You need to research the settings needed for your exact drive.

I would suggest starting here.

To give you an idea what OCZ suggest for their drives, read this guide.
 
May sound odd, but try a different power supply. I had almost the same issue. After weeks of playing with settings in windows and the BIOS I tried a spare PS just for the hell of it, issue resolved.

Really was weird, as my system was rock solid when it was up. Was only when I powered off or tried to sleep it.
 
I haven't been able to find anything in the UEFI settings regarding which type of suspend to use. There are various power features related to overclocking, but I have set everything to defaults and disabled any special features. AHCI is enabled and has been from the beginning.

The OCZ and Intel pages mostly talk about setting up and troubleshooting the drives themselves. Nothing about suspicions that the drive is causing other problems.

Unfortunately I do not have another modern PSU to test at the moment, but I need to replace the one in my old computer anyway, so I may pick one up before this problem is resolved and use it to test the new machine just to see if it makes a difference.

Thanks for the suggestions, though.
 
You're simply going to have to experiment with the Sleep settings in the BIOS. Choose one, reboot, see if properly goes into sleep. If that doesn't work, then try the other.
 
Thanks, but as I said, I cannot find any mention of anything about Sleep, Suspend, Hibernate, or anything else of that sort in the UEFI menus. A search of the motherboard manual (PDF version) brings up nothing useful as well.

If such options exist in this bios, they are well obfuscated behind some sort of proprietary marketing terms or more modern terminology. Obviously if I could find any options related to sleep or hibernation, they would be the first thing I would try.

I am going to try installing Windows on a standard HDD to eliminate any potential issues with the SSD, and I will test this PSU in another machine, and possibly get another one to test in this machine. If none of that makes a difference, this board is going back. I must have gotten a dud, or every one in this forum would have the same complaints about this line of boards.

Any recommendations, preferably based on personal experience, for another Z77 board?
 
Thunderfox said:
Thanks, but as I said, I cannot find any mention of anything about Sleep, Suspend, Hibernate, or anything else of that sort in the UEFI menus. A search of the motherboard manual (PDF version) brings up nothing useful as well.

If such options exist in this bios, they are well obfuscated behind some sort of proprietary marketing terms or more modern terminology. Obviously if I could find any options related to sleep or hibernation, they would be the first thing I would try.

I am going to try installing Windows on a standard HDD to eliminate any potential issues with the SSD, and I will test this PSU in another machine, and possibly get another one to test in this machine. If none of that makes a difference, this board is going back. I must have gotten a dud, or every one in this forum would have the same complaints about this line of boards.

Any recommendations, preferably based on personal experience, for another Z77 board?
Click to expand...


UEFI does not have Sleep settings, these are all handed off to the OS where you can select what kind of sleep options you want.


Things that lead to S3 issues:


1) An overclocked system that is not completely stable.

2) Using multiple memory kits together and running them at timings that stress the IMC. Always buy a single kit at the rated density if you are looking for ease-of-use.

3) SSD firmware updates or issues with IRST drivers. Sometimes setting Hot Plug to enabled in UEFI and reverting to MS AHCI drivers helps. Some SSDs may need Hot Plug enabled also.

4) Peripheral/driver issues with low power or suspend modes. Might need a driver or firmware update.

5) PSU issues. Some Corsair AX 850 units have been known to present issues with S3 in the past.



-Raja
 
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