Monitors won't go to sleep... Why?

[trparky]

I'm currently running Windows 10 version 17134.48 with nVidia driver version 391.35 with a GTX1060. My monitors won't go to sleep, I've come down to where my computer is and all night long the monitors have been on displaying the same thing which I can't help but to think is not good for the LCD screen itself. So here I am wondering just why the monitors won't go to sleep and just what I can do to troubleshoot this issue.

 

[ap4lifetn]

i am assuming that you have configured the power settings to enable the monitor/pc to sleep. If that's the case, there is likely something keeping it from going to sleep. you can find out what it is by doing the following:

Open CMD
Type "powercfg -requests", and see what comes up.

 

[Bill_Bright]

Is your computer still awake?
Also, if you go through the Windows power button and select Sleep (instead of just walking away) do the computer and monitors go to sleep then?

 

[trparky]

Is your computer still awake?

Yes, I tend to not turn off my computer at night. I've always subscribed to the concept that turning your system off and on again can shorten the age of the system due to thermal expansion and retraction.

Type "powercfg -requests", and see what comes up.

Spoiler: powercfg output

C:\WINDOWS\system32>powercfg -requests
DISPLAY:
None.

SYSTEM:
None.

AWAYMODE:
None.

EXECUTION:
None.

PERFBOOST:
None.

ACTIVELOCKSCREEN:
None.

 

[newtekie1]

I know it might sound strange, but have you tried turning your mouse off when you walk away from the computer?

I only say this because I've seen this happen a few times with the Logitech Laser mice, for whatever reason the sensors are always reporting a slight mouse movement to the computer. Flipping them over and turning them off when you aren't using them has fixed the issue in the past for me.

 

[trparky]

I know it might sound strange, but have you tried turning your mouse off when you walk away from the computer?

Never thought about that.

 

[Folterknecht]

I know it might sound strange, but have you tried turning your mouse off when you walk away from the computer?

I only say this because I've seen this happen a few times with the Logitech Laser mice, for whatever reason the sensors are always reporting a slight mouse movement to the computer. Flipping them over and turning them off when you aren't using them has fixed the issue in the past for me.

Can confirm that - my Logitech G500 sometimes does that too.

 

[windwhirl]

Maybe some application has asked Windows to not put monitors on stand by... For example, Foobar2000 (music player) has an option for that (literally "Prevent screensaver & monitor standby when playing"). Because of how it works, such requests only show up with "powercfg -requests" when Foobar2000 is actually playing something.

Check that there is nothing else running in background, turn off the mouse if possible (or disconnect it), and then leave the computer alone until the time for monitor standby is up (I'd set it up to wait one minute before the screen goes to sleep just to make it quick). If the monitor goes to sleep, you have an app that doesn't allow the screen to turn off or the mouse is the culprit. If the display is still on, then it might be some bug in Windows or Nvidia drivers.

Other than that, I can't really think of anything else.

 

[Hockster]

Some monitors need specific drivers to actually go to sleep. I had a couple Viewsonic monitors that had the same issue when using the generic Windows drivers.

 

[rtwjunkie]

Yes, I tend to not turn off my computer at night. I've always subscribed to the concept that turning your system off and on again can shorten the age of the system due to thermal expansion and retraction.

Honestly, this shouldn’t be a real problem. I had the major parts of my previous system for 6 years, started and shut down every day.

Unless you are keeping your parts 10 years or more, it’s a non-issue.

 

[Bill_Bright]

Yes, I tend to not turn off my computer at night. I've always subscribed to the concept that turning your system off and on again can shorten the age of the system due to thermal expansion and retraction.

That's a very old-time belief I used to subscribe to too for the very same reasons. In fact, I was taught that in tech school way back in the day. But that no longer applies to most electronics anymore because very little heat is generated when they go into standby mode. Thermal characteristic when in standby is essentially the same as when off.

That said, I never turn my computers off either and just let them go to sleep as well.

As for the mouse trick, I think flipping them over "or" turning them off does the same thing. But note this is likely only a problem if subject to vibrations. If you have a heavy desk sitting on a concrete floor, I doubt that is the problem - assuming this is not a brand new mouse.

But to that, if it is the mouse, that would be keeping the computer awake, not just the monitors. So I ask again, "is your computer still awake?"

Also, did it used to sleep properly?

If you computer is also away, and I suspect it is, that would have nothing to do with monitor drivers. Even with generic drivers, all PnP monitors will go to sleep when the signal is lost.

If using Samsung Magician, don't and see what happens. When I got my first Samsung SSD a few years ago, I used Magician and it prevented my systems from going to sleep. Windows does not need 3rd party tools to properly manage SSDs anyways. I understand Samsung fixed that sleep issue, but Windows still does not need it.

 

[cucker tarlson]

Weird, I've got a nvidia card, two monitors and also a logitech mouse and zero issues with monitor sleep (nor downclocking). Check your osd, they might have some sort of a setting for sleep.

What software is running ?

I've got afterburner,xtu,utorrent,samsung magician,uplay,steam,rtss,logitech software,irst,geforce experience and killer network app running 24/7, and usually youtube is running on autoplay when I go to sleep.

Mine is running 24/7 cause why not. I download a crapload of videos (tv shows mostly) and it does not shorten the lifespan of anything as long as the pc is idling fine (the cpu,gpu,ssds and monitors). My hdds are pretty much doing something 24/7 but the pc still turns off the monitor when I'm not touching the peripherials. Even when my phone and watch start recharging automatically it does not wake up the monitors.

 

[eidairaman1]

I'm currently running Windows 10 version 17134.48 with nVidia driver version 391.35 with a GTX1060. My monitors won't go to sleep, I've come down to where my computer is and all night long the monitors have been on displaying the same thing which I can't help but to think is not good for the LCD screen itself. So here I am wondering just why the monitors won't go to sleep and just what I can do to troubleshoot this issue.

Set a screen saver to start after a minute for testing, then set your monitors to turn off after 3 minutes, don't let a mouse cord be moving. Another thing could be that a program is set to prevent windows from sleeping even.

https://www.tenforums.com/tutorials/2843-change-power-plan-settings-windows-10-a.html

 

[GreiverBlade]

mmhhh maybe the same behavior as my screen...

"non native resolution" whenever i put it at 1440p60 it goes to sleep with the computer, if set on 1620p75 doesn't enter sleep, since i prefer 1620 over 1440 for some reason, i tend to shut down the monitor alone.

 

[Solaris17]

Do you have remote software like teamviewer?

 

[trparky]

All I'm asking is for my monitors to go to sleep, not the whole computer. I do have late night tasks that happen but they're background tasks; namely data backups via Macrium Reflect. But during the day I want to have the monitors go to sleep.

 

[Bill_Bright]

All I'm asking is for my monitors to go to sleep, not the whole computer.

I don't see how that is possible. If the computer is awake, a video signal will be sent to the monitors keeping them awake. Monitors go to sleep X minutes after no longer receiving a signal.

 

[trparky]

I guess that's what I'm trying to do, get the video card to stop sending a video signal to the monitor after a period of no user input.

 

[eidairaman1]

I guess that's what I'm trying to do, get the video card to stop sending a video signal to the monitor after a period of no user input.

I sent you a link to W10 forum on how to do this. If it fails after implementing that, you have a program preventing the monitor from turning off/going to screen saver, it could even prevent the rig from sleeping if you implement that at some point too.

Post your tasks/services/programs running, get a screenshot of msconfig and even services.msc and post them here, also whats running in the task bar.

 

[thebluebumblebee]

I don't see how that is possible. If the computer is awake, a video signal will be sent to the monitors

I've never allowed my systems to sleep, but I've always had them turn the monitor off.

 

[MrGenius]

...all night long the monitors have been on displaying the same thing which I can't help but to think is not good for the LCD screen itself.

You can think that. But you'd be wrong. Because, unless you're using a CRT, it doesn't matter. Other than the wasted electricity.

 

[FordGT90Concept]

My monitor properly went to sleep when plugged in via DVI but ever since I changed it to HDMI, it doesn't. Instead, it gives a check video signal display that never goes away. I think only DVI and DisplayPort properly support monitor sleep states. HDMI is designed for TVs and TVs generally don't sleep (at best, they dim).

 

[eidairaman1]

My monitor properly went to sleep when plugged in via DVI but ever since I changed it to HDMI, it doesn't. Instead, it gives a check video signal display that never goes away. I think only DVI and DisplayPort properly support monitor sleep states. HDMI is designed for TVs and TVs generally don't sleep (at best, they dim).

Works on a hdmi to dvi adapter where the monitor is dvi but the card is hdmi.

 

[trparky]

I have two monitors; one connected via DVI and the other via HDMI. Both monitors don't go to sleep though, both continue receiving a video signal and continue to stay awake.

 

[newtekie1]

You can think that. But you'd be wrong. Because, unless you're using a CRT, it doesn't matter. Other than the wasted electricity.

That isn't true. LCDs can definitely suffer from burn-in.