I built this Windows PC about three years ago, and it works normally for hours while I'm using it. The problem only happens when the system enters power-saving mode and the monitors shut off: the computer restarts and shows the Windows login screen. If I leave it alone after that, it restarts again roughly 10 minutes later. Once I sign in and keep using the PC, everything seems normal. I haven't changed the BIOS settings recently, and this behavior only started a short time ago. What should I check?
3 Answers
Look in Windows Reliability Monitor and Event Viewer around the exact time of the restart. They may show a kernel power event, driver failure, or other clue about whether the restart was caused by a crash, power interruption, or sleep-state problem.
Check the BIOS power-management settings, especially options related to sleep, hibernation, ACPI, and wake behavior. Even without an error message, an incorrect or unstable setting can cause a restart while Windows is changing power states.
Start by testing the Windows power settings. Try changing sleep to hibernation, adjust the display and sleep timers to short intervals, and configure the power button so you can manually trigger sleep or hibernation. This can help identify whether the problem is tied to a particular power state. If it continues, run a memory test and inspect the BIOS sleep or hibernation settings. A failing power supply is another possibility, although that’s harder to confirm without a spare unit.
I haven’t changed the BIOS settings in years, and this only began recently, but I’ll test those settings and the memory anyway. Thanks.
What specific BIOS setting should I look for? There aren’t any error messages when it happens.