SOLVED: Windows 8 Refuses to Stay in Sleep Mode

This is a problem with dozens of potential solutions, but in my experience 75% of the time it is the network card that is walking up a Windows PC and the solution is fast and simple.

If you want to find out what is causing your PC to wakeup from sleep mode, that is also very simple:

1. Bring up a CMD prompt
2. Type POWERCFG -LASTWAKE

To disable the network cards ability to wake up your PC:

1. Bring up DEVICE MANAGER (in Windows 8’s TILES screen just type the word DEVICE MAN)
2. Find your network card and either:
   1. UNcheck ALLOW THIS DEVICE TO WAKE THE COMPUTER, or
   2. CHECK, ONLY ALLOW A MAGIC PACKET TO WAKE THE COMPUTER

If you still have issues there are several other processes you should follow:

1. Update device drivers, and I don’t mean from Windows Update.  Go to the manufacturers website and download / install the most current drivers.  Go to intel.com/support/detect.htm and run the CHECK YOUR SYSTEM FOR LATEST DRIVERS.
2. In Windows bring up your POWER OPTIONS and check that they are as you expect.  When in doubt click the RESTORE DEFAULT SETTINGS FOR THIS PLAN
3. Play with the settings in the command line POWERCFG.  Bring up a CMD prompt and type POWERCFG /? to see all the options
4. Run a Windows Update and patch everything