Hibernation mode just locks computer

ianrob1201

Hi, I'm a new poster to these forums but I've been having a really annoying problem with my laptop for a while now and I was wondering if anyone could help me. Basically, every time I tell my laptop to hibernate it just locks my computer instead (ie. just asks me for password again and then returns my computer to exactly how it was). I've had this laptop for two or three weeks now and it was always hibernating with no problems. The only thing I can think of that might have caused it is that I recently did a full backup of my PC using Macrium Reflect. It went fine and returned no errors but it was around that time that the error occured.

I was just wondering if this was something that anyone else has encountered before. I've looked online and found nothing of any use. Using powercfg on the command line shows that I should be able to hibernate my laptop - backed up by the fact that I used to be able to and the fact that the command still exists on the options list comming off the start menu. This seems a really strange error to me and I would be really gratefull for any help anyone could give me.

Strider

Hi,

Welcome to the community.

First of all how much RAM do you have? Is enough hard disk space available in the drives to store the hibernation file?

Also for hibernating are you using the Power button of the laptop or the Hibernate option from start menu?

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bakuryu

Disable hibernation and then enable it again and then try hibernating.

Also see your event logs and find if you get any errors regarding hibernation.

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ianrob1201

I've got 4GB of RAM and more than 160GB free on the hard drive so that shouldn't be the problem. And it's both the power button, which is set up to hibernate when pressed and the hibernate option on the start menu as well, they both do exactly the same thing.

I've just tried disabling and then enabling it and there's no change. Where do I find this event log?

Strider

Check this out:

Working with Vista's new Event Viewer

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ianrob1201

Thanks for that, never knew that there was anything like that built into windows. I've had a look at it and there are no critical errors and only one error (that's happened multiple times) that could be linked to this problem. It has something to do with something called WMI. And gives this error message:

WMI is listed under the application log rather than the system log which makes me think that it is probably unrelated, but thought that I'd post it anyway incase it's at all helpful.

In the mean time - I've tried both sleep and hybrid sleep modes. Sleep mode works as expected but hybrid sleep has exactly the same problems as hibernate does.

bakuryu

No, I think that is more related to processor. do You have any warnings, errors etc in the event log when you tried hibernating/hybrid sleep ? (note down the time and look for logs during that time)

Is your Vista updated and are you using Service pack 1 ?

The backup program shouldn't have had any effects on hibernating. if you have system restore enabled, try restoring to a previous restore point before you took the full backup.

ianrob1201

Just looked through the logs and nothing that matches an attempt to hibernate, so windows doesn't seem to be making a log for it. Tried system restore like you said and it had no affect, and yeah it's fully updated with SP1.

I didn't think that the backup program should make any difference - but still thought it worth mentioning.

bakuryu

Turn off "require a password on wake up" for your account, and then try hibernating.

From the command prompt type :
Also another reason could be due to the backup service that perhaps have a scheduled task registered for backup. Open Task Scheduler (start menu, type "Task Scheduler") and look for non-Microsoft Scheduled tasks.

ianrob1201

Ok, I've disabled the password on wake up, but it still won't hibernate. Now it just blanks the screen for a second and then returns me to my computer as if I didn't ask it to do anything. Looked under the scheduled taks and there doesn't seem to be anything not my microsoft in there. By the way, thanks a lot for this help I really appreciate it.