Computer locking up when idle/prior to sleep

[Covert50]

I've been trying to search for a solution to this issue without success.

I've had my custom-built desktop set to "sleep" automatically after 25 minutes, and this was working perfectly normally for years. Lately it has not gone to sleep but has instead become completely unresponsive. The screen will turn off first (as it is supposed to) and after some time when it should go to sleep, it instead stays running (i.e. my fans and lights are all still active, power light still on) but it won't respond to input (i.e. moving the mouse or tapping a key). Hitting "caps lock" does not register on the keyboard, and the only way to get it going again is to restart the computer (hard shutdown).

I've never had any issues while actually using the system, and I've been playing some pretty intensive games (albeit for not terribly long duration) with no ill effects.

When the computer is restarted, event viewer shows errors tracing to the time I perform the hard shutdown:

Session "Microsoft Security Client OOBE" stopped due to the following error: 0xC000000D​

The most recent changes to the computer were the addition of the Radeon 7950 (it was working fine for months after that) and then the addition of a 128 GB Samsung Pro 840 SSD (again, the errors didn't start until months after that).

My specs are as follows:

OS: Windows 7 Pro x64
Processor: Intel Core i5-750 Lynnfield 2.66 GHz
Graphics: Powercolor AMD Radeon HD 7950 3 GB
Motherboard: ASUS P7P55D-E Pro
Memory: G.SKILL Ripjaws 4GB DDR3 1600
Primary (OS) HD: Samsung 840 Pro 128 GB SSD
Secondary (Storage) HD: Hitachi Deskstar 2TB 7200 RPM
Case: Antec Three Hundred Illusion Black
Power Supply: Antec EarthWatts EA750 750W

I reinstalled Windows when I got the SSD in late April and the problems didn't start until a week or so ago. I tried to uninstall Microsoft Security Essentials and run AVG instead; of course MSE keeps re-creating a folder and throwing a new "EppOobe.etl" in there anyway. I'm not sure if it's a hardware or software error?

I tried switching from "hybrid sleep" to "hibernate" and I thought that had worked around the issue, but it did the same thing to me yesterday (became unresponsive instead of hibernating, had to restart to fix). It still seems fine when I'm using it day-to-day. Any suggestions/diagnostics I should run?

 

[Bubbaleone]

Go to Control Panel>Performance Information and Tools>Advanced Tools, then click on "Generate a system health report". That runs a 60 second diagnostic on the entire system and then creates a detailed report that will list any errors and their causes. As this is a recent event, the health report is a good place to check first for any obvious hardware or software issues that may be contributing to the problem.

 

[Covert50]

Thanks for the tip. I ran those diagnostics and everything came up green - all basic system checks passed. Under "performance," I did get a "busy" under the "disk" category, with my SSD reading at > 500/sec utilization (appears to be coming from AVG).

I have been running Sapphire's TRIXX software to control my GPU fan. I'm going to try disabling that and see if that helps.

 

[sm625]

Perhaps your bios settings got hosed and reverted to defaults and this is the only thing that doesnt work. Check your sleep-related settings (C6, C1E, etc). For what its worth, my i5-750 system with Asus motherboard fails to wake up from hibernate about 5-10% of the time.

 

[$panky]

Hanging up while trying to sleep is usually a driver or incompatable hardware problem, but since you say you haven't changed anything that begs the question wtf? A few things stand out to try.

1: Can you run linux off a dvd or thumb drive? If it has problems in linux too its probably hardware, if not probably drivers.

2: Are you sure you haven't updated any drivers?(a gamer with a new graphics card... Yes I'm looking at you! )

3: If a power supply doesn't provide the right voltage for a low power state it can cause problems. Do you have another one to test with?

4: Make sure your bios is set to s3 sleep and try turning hybrid sleep off in windows.

 

[Covert50]

Hmm...

I have been updating my graphics drivers at various times, but I think I had been running these for at least a week or so before the problem developed. AMD's drivers suck, but that may be a separate issue.

Haven't tested Linux. I have gotten a portable build before, but without being familiar with Linux what would I be looking for? Does it have a similar sleep mode? I haven't had any stability issues with the PC in Windows while I'm using it. I don't have another power supply available.

BIOS seems to have all my same settings, set to S3 sleep. I did go and disable "hybrid sleep," although I still have it set to hibernate rather than sleep.

 

[$panky]

Hmm...

I have been updating my graphics drivers at various times, but I think I had been running these for at least a week or so before the problem developed. AMD's drivers suck, but that may be a separate issue.

Haven't tested Linux. I have gotten a portable build before, but without being familiar with Linux what would I be looking for? Does it have a similar sleep mode? I haven't had any stability issues with the PC in Windows while I'm using it. I don't have another power supply available.

BIOS seems to have all my same settings, set to S3 sleep. I did go and disable "hybrid sleep," although I still have it set to hibernate rather than sleep.

Yes linux uses the same s3 low power state as windows. The difference being it does not write memory contents to disk like hybrid sleep and hibernate. I would try linux mint 14 cinnamon. Its very similar to windows ui and generally has good driver support. I'm not sure it will work but I believe it supports your graphics card. If it does sleep in linux at least you will know there is not a hardware fault.

If it does have problems sleeping in linux that would rule out something weird with your ssd since it wouldnt be using it. Then you could maybe change graphics cards, or try another driver and see if that is the culprit since you can't change power supplies.

Going from hybrid sleep to hibernate doesn't really tell you anything except it's not your memory having issues. They are essentially the same, I think, except hibernate doesn't keep the ram powered up. Regular sleep ONLY keeps ram alive and does not write to disk, so it would help eliminate your ssd from not playing nicely.

 

[Bubbaleone]

.....When the computer is restarted, event viewer shows errors tracing to the time I perform the hard shutdown:

Session "Microsoft Security Client OOBE" stopped due to the following error: 0xC000000D​

.....I tried to uninstall Microsoft Security Essentials and run AVG instead; of course MSE keeps re-creating a folder and throwing a new "EppOobe.etl" in there anyway. I'm not sure if it's a hardware or software error?

The "Session "Microsoft Security Client OOBE" stopped due to the following error: 0xC000000D" is caused when Windows is not shut-down properly (hard reboot) and you'll see that error in event viewer, regarding Microsoft Security Essentials, every time you hard reboot. That's to be expected, but the fact that you're (apparently) unable to uninstall MSE raises a red flag and suggests a corrupt installation, which can definitely create havoc with hibernation and sleep modes (not just MSE, but any misbehaving AV product).

Are you actually unable to successfully uninstall MSE via Programs and Features? If so, download the fully functional 30-day free trial of Revo Uninstaller Pro and completely uninstall MSE, then reboot. In Power Options select Balanced, click "Change plan settings">"Restore default settings for this plan">"Save changes". Close Control panel and reboot. Now test if there's any change.

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