
Why does the computer wake up or not go to sleep and what should I do?
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The computer automatically wakes up from sleep mode, or the inability to bring the system to this state, is due to the malfunction of the eXtensible Host Controller. This problem is common on computers with Windows 8, 8.1, and 10. Occasionally, it also occurs in earlier versions.
Auto wake-up can be caused by various errors related to corrupted system files, processes running in the background, OS issues, and malware. In this guide, we will go over all the ways to fix the problem.
Solution 1: run the power troubleshooter
The first and standard step for many system crashes is to run the built-in Windows utilities to automatically repair damaged files. In particular, the power troubleshooter can solve the voiced problem.
- Open Control Panel by pressing Win + X and selecting the appropriate item.
- Go to the Troubleshooting section and select Power Optimization.
- In the next window, run the diagnostics by clicking Next.
- Wait for the operation to finish and check if this fixed the problem.

Solution 2: Perform a clean boot of the system
To fix the Extensible Host Controller issue preventing Windows from going to sleep, you need to perform a clean boot.
- Press the Win + X keyboard shortcut and select Run.
- In the window that opens, paste the MSConfig command and click OK.
- When the System Configuration window opens go to the Services tab.
- Check the box: Do not display Microsoft services.
- Disable the remaining processes by clicking: Disable all.
- Then go to the Startup tab and open the Task Manager.
- Disable any unnecessary services.
- Restart your computer and check if the problem is gone.
Solution 3. Check your computer for viruses
As mentioned at the beginning, one of the reasons for the system waking up from sleep mode may be viruses that, as a result of their activity, do not allow the computer to go into sleep mode, or bring it into a working state. It is necessary to perform a system scan with a built-in defender or alternative antivirus software.
- Go to the Control Panel again as described above.
- Select the Windows Defender section.
- Check the box next to Full scan and start scanning.
In addition to the usual computer scan with specialized software or the built-in Windows Defender, you can conduct a more in-depth scan in Safe Mode, where malware, like most other additional applications, does not work. To do this, go to Safe Mode, as described in the previous option, and run a Windows Defender scan.
Solution 4. Restore power settings
The problem with hibernation may be changing the power settings at the system level. They should be restored to their previous values.
- Right-click on the Windows icon and select Command Prompt (Admin).
- Copy and paste the following into the system window:
- powercfg –restoredefaultschemes
- Press Enter and then close Command Prompt.
Solution 5. Disable wake timers
If wake timers are configured in the power options, the computer will wake up from sleep mode following those settings. Therefore, it is necessary to disable all timers and see if that solves the problem.
- Open Control Panel and select the Power Options section.
- Click on Power Scheme Settings.
- Then go to the subsection: Change advanced power options.
- In the new window, scroll down the list of settings to the Sleep option.
- Expand: Allow wake-up timers.
- Disable all active timers.
- Click Apply and Ok.
Solution 6: Check for driver updates
In some cases, the problem is with outdated or damaged drivers. It is necessary to check if this is the case and fix it, if any.
- Press the Win + X keyboard shortcut and select Device Manager.
- Expand each of the sections and see if there are drivers marked with an exclamation mark.
- Update each of the found ones by right-clicking on it and selecting the appropriate item.
- Next, select Search automatically for updated drivers.
- Wait for the installation to complete.
- After updating all required applications, restart your computer.