Question Monitors going to sleep randomly but PC is still on and active ?

[Soulreaper005]

I am recently going through an issue where my computer...with no descernable pattern will have all of my monitors go into sleep mode, but the kicker is my computer is still on, and responding the what I am doing on it, I have a second computer that I share the same mouse and keyboard from my system that has the issue via Synergy and I can drag my mouse over and see it appear on the other screen and still type and interact with the second system. I can also hear myself doing certain things on the desktop of the system thats having the issue.

So, a few possibilities from what I have read, it could be a failing GPU or a failing PSU. My computer never fully shuts off from what I can tell, the displays just cut. When I restart the computer sometimes the displays will not wake up again from power saving mode, and sometimes they will for a second for the POST screen while the system is loading, and sometimes I will get fully booted and 2 minutes into browsing my desktop it will happen again.

I was able to "mitigate" this issue it seems but swapping PCIe slots with my GPU, but it only works for a little while and sometimes now it doesnt want to seem to work very fast if at all. Many, many, many restarts later and I can finally get to my desktop and the system appears to be stable, games run fine and Im crushing through what I usually play with great performance. Im watching my temps and my GPU never goes over 84 degrees.

The GPU drivers are currently up to date with driver version 522.25 and I did a clean install on the last driver update. I am completely at a loss and I am now scared to ever shut down my computer or let it go to sleep in case the monitors dont come out of Power Saving mode, any advice would help to diagnose the issue.

System Specs:
Ryzen 9 5900x
32GB Corsair 3200mhz RAM
MSI RTX 3080Ti (driver version 522.25)
EVGA 850watt power supply
Windows 11 version 22H2

 

[Ralston18]

How old is the PSU? Condition: original to build, new, refurbished, used?

Make and model monitors? How connected?

Look in Reliability History and Event Viewer for any error codes, warnings, or even informational events being captured just before or at the time of the monitors going to sleep. There may be something else going on.

Start with Reliability History. Much more user friendly and the time line format may prove helpful.

Event Viewer is more difficult to use and understand.

FYI:

http://www.tomshardware.com/faq/id-3128616/windows-event-viewer.html

Check both. Take your time, no need to rush. You can click any given error to obtain additional details. The details may or may not be helpful.

First look for errors/error codes. Post what, if anything you find.

Then, on your system and monitors turn off all power and/or screen savers etc.. Does doing so help?

Test directly by removing the KVM to see if doing so makes any difference.

Determine if the problem ends or changes. Continue observing via Reliability History and Event Viewer.

 

[Soulreaper005]

How old is the PSU? Condition: original to build, new, refurbished, used?

Make and model monitors? How connected?

Look in Reliability History and Event Viewer for any error codes, warnings, or even informational events being captured just before or at the time of the monitors going to sleep. There may be something else going on.

Start with Reliability History. Much more user friendly and the time line format may prove helpful.

Event Viewer is more difficult to use and understand.

FYI:

http://www.tomshardware.com/faq/id-3128616/windows-event-viewer.html

Check both. Take your time, no need to rush. You can click any given error to obtain additional details. The details may or may not be helpful.

First look for errors/error codes. Post what, if anything you find.

Then, on your system and monitors turn off all power and/or screen savers etc.. Does doing so help?

Test directly by removing the KVM to see if doing so makes any difference.

Determine if the problem ends or changes. Continue observing via Reliability History and Event Viewer.

The PSU is new.
I have three monitors, one is an older Acer 1080p monitor I got a few years ago connected via Displayport to HDMI cable, one is an ASUS 1440p 75Hz monitor that I have also had for a couple years connected via Displayport, and one is a 1440p 144hz Samsung monitor I got within the last couple years also connected via Displayport. I have rearranged and switched out cables to ensure it wasnt a cabling issue and I still have the issue with straight HDMI to HDMI connections as well. I have also tried turning all monitors off and only having one or two and switching which ones are plugged in to try to help mitigate the issue. Also, I am not using a dedicated KVM, just a program that uses my LAN connection to control another system no additional hardware.

In regards to the Reliability history all that seems to be there mostly is a lot of Windows was not properly shutdown from the days of the events due to me constantly power cycling and just flipping the switch on my power supply to turn the computer off and then do a restart.
The same goes for Event viewer as well, just kernel power saying "The system has rebooted without cleanly shutting down first. This error could be caused if the system stopped responding, crashed, or lost power unexpectedly." or another where it says "The previous system shutdown at (Time) was unexpected." around the time of the events from me spam force shutting down and restarting, nothing before the even that could lead or kind of show why it might be happening.

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[Ralston18]

This:

"In regards to the Reliability history all that seems to be there mostly is a lot of Windows was not properly shutdown from the days of the events due to me constantly power cycling and just flipping the switch on my power supply to turn the computer off and then do a restart. "

Using the PSU power supply switch to shutdown the computer should be a last resort. However, sometimes there is no other choice.

One side effect of doing a forced shutdown (versus using the normal Windows power icon) is that Windows does not get the opportunity to properly shut down and get set up for the boot up. Files can be corrupted as well.

Try running the built in Windows Troubleshooters along with "sfc /scannow" and "dism".

References:

https://www.lifewire.com/how-to-use-sfc-scannow-to-repair-windows-system-files-2626161

How to use DISM command tool to repair Windows 10 image | Windows Central

Also:

"just a program that uses my LAN connection to control another system no additional hardware. "

What program?

 

[Soulreaper005]

Using the PSU power supply switch to shutdown the computer should be a last resort. However, sometimes there is no other choice.

I was using the power supply to quickly shut the system off as sometimes holding the power button would get a little weird and the computer would auto restart sometimes by itself when I was making it force shut down.

Try running the built in Windows Troubleshooters along with "sfc /scannow" and "dism".

I have also ran sfc /scannow through CMD and done DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /CheckHealth and DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /ScanHealth all of which showed no issues and no corruptions.

Also:

"just a program that uses my LAN connection to control another system no additional hardware. "

What program?

The program is called Synergy, I've been using it for a couple years now. Here is a reference link: https://symless.com/synergy

 

[Ralston18]

Could be that the power button is starting to falter and/or fail in some manner. Check the connections and consider if the power button can be replaced.

How many other computers are you controlling via the KVM? All you should need is the KVM switch, the applicable cable connections. No software involved.

Are you familiar with Remote Desktop connection? That is another way to control, run, and use other computers.

Use Task Manager and Resource Monitor (use both tools but only one tool at a time).

Work as normal and watch for any change or changes that occur when the monitors go to sleep. Determine if Synergy is somehow involved.

Process Explorer (Microsoft, free) may prove useful as well.

https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/sysinternals/downloads/process-explorer

Not saying no to Synergy or otherwise disparaging Synergy. The objective simply being to determine if Synergy is involved or perhaps being affected in some manner.

 

[Soulreaper005]

Could be that the power button is starting to falter and/or fail in some manner. Check the connections and consider if the power button can be replaced.

The power button is fine, and the system when it has the issue is never fully shutting off, like I said the computer is still fully awake and functioning just no displays on any of my monitors.

How many other computers are you controlling via the KVM? All you should need is the KVM switch, the applicable cable connections. No software involved.

Just one other computer. I do not use a hardware KVM because it doesnt suit my needs as well as Synergy, synergy allows me to setup other computers as "extended monitors" so that I can just drag the mouse to the edge of my screen...like having multiple monitors, and then be on the screen of the secondary computer. No button presses, all nice and easy.

Are you familiar with Remote Desktop connection? That is another way to control, run, and use other computers.

Yes Im familiar with Remote Desktop, that does not suit my needs.

Work as normal and watch for any change or changes that occur when the monitors go to sleep. Determine if Synergy is somehow involved.

I am watching for changes, ever since the last happening it has not happened again. Again, I have no related errors having to do with Synergy or any thing else that may be fishy because when I force shutdown the computer because my screens are black/In power saving mode. I will keep a lookout.

 

[Ralston18]

The objective being that you can move the mouse directly and actively to any displayed monitor in the working environment without monitors going to sleep, going black, etc...

"Synergy, synergy allows me to setup other computers as "extended monitors" so that I can just drag the mouse to the edge of my screen...like having multiple monitors, and then be on the screen of the secondary computer. "

If you are using multiple computers as "extended monitors" that is not "just one other computer". Is that "one computer" a network computer (wired or wireless)?

My tally is 2 computers and 3 monitors - is that correct? No physical KVM - just Synergy.

Are you able to sketch out a simple diagram showing computers, monitors, and the connections/cables between them? Audio, video, network, power (surge protectors power strips, etc..)

Also reading back, Reliability History is showing some Minecraft errors beginning on 10/22. Add some information about your Minecraft environment. Did you make any changes on or about 10/22?

System stability certainly dropped on that date. If you look at the various technical details what error codes do you see? The error codes may or may not be meaningful nor helpful. However, the codes (errors, warnings, information) and the listed source should be included for the record.

 

[Soulreaper005]

My tally is 2 computers and 3 monitors - is that correct? No physical KVM - just Synergy.

Almost, the second computer also has its own dedicated monitor. So total is 2 computers and 4 monitors. Here is the example

Also reading back, Reliability History is showing some Minecraft errors beginning on 10/22. Add some information about your Minecraft environment. Did you make any changes on or about 10/22?

That is due to a DLL injector im using for minecraft I believe, so there would appear to be some odd things my computer is thinking is going on with it.

 

[Ralston18]

System 1 thus being the server portion of Synergy and System 2 a client.

System 1 and System 2 both being part of the same network via wired or wireless connectivity - correct?

DLL Injector: Who knows where and what it may be doing.

Depends largely on the address space where the code is being injected.

The starting point is to remove that DLL Injector. Determine if the Synergy/Monitor problem(s) end.

 

[Soulreaper005]

ystem 1 thus being the server portion of Synergy and System 2 a client.

System 1 and System 2 both being part of the same network via wired or wireless connectivity - correct?

Yes exactly, a server and client setup.

LL Injector: Who knows where and what it may be doing.

Depends largely on the address space where the code is being injected.

Also it is essentially a cheats injector which off the rip may sound fishy like i got something from the internet that is messing with my computer, but it is from a reputable source and I still have it on my computer and have had no issued with it. Also, the issue doesnt appear to happen when using it either, I actually havent had the issue while playing minecraft, it is sometimes when my system is idle, or on startup sometimes. Also, it happened one time while I was mid game on Overwatch.

 

[Ralston18]

I will have to defer to others with knowledge about DLL injector.

Take a look in Task Manager, Resource Monitor, and Process Explorer (Microsoft, free). There could be some unexpected or unknown app running in the background. Possibly being launched at Startup but could be triggered via Task Scheduler.

https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/sysinternals/downloads/process-explorer

And even if some app or utility has worked in the past that does not mean that it will continue to do so if something else changes on the host system(s).

October 22: Does Update History reveal any failed or problem updates just before or on that date?

Be sure to do all of the checks, tests, etc. on both System 1 and System 2.

Wired or wireless network? If the problem is random and intermittent then that suggests some loss of connectivity may be involved.