Vista: Driver_Power_State_Failure

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Guest

Running Vista, latest and greatest Ultimate w/all the frills and laces. No
compromises (...or so I used to think). I keep getting this
"Driver_Power_State_Failure" BSOD most of the times (always?) when I wake my
computer out of sleep via mouse. I razed my computer, and went out and bought
a new Microsoft mouse, just so nobody can complain that I am using a
non-Microsoft mouse (the first one was a Logitech, not a very recent model,
using native Vista drivers nonetheless). Clean Vista install (the 8-th clean
Vista install in a month's interval!). Well, guess what, I am getting the
same BSOD! Microsoft mouse and all. Microsoft all the way. This last time,
however, I did activate my Vista, so I won't be able to do a clean install,
as I assume they'll give me some serious s**t for attempting to activate
Vista w/the same key. (Bastards!)

Another sleep-related issue: after waking the computer up from sleep the CPU
fan goes crazy (4000 rpms and up), as it tries to keep the CPU temperature
around 25C. Note that I did *not* toy w/the power plan settings, so all power
settings are the default ones.

As you can see, only trouble accompanies this sleep state. Will they ever
get it right? So far sleep/stand by in Windows always gave me trouble,
regardless of the Windows version, and I've been using Windows for the past
10 years.

Suggestions please!
 
HrundiBakshi,

I neglected to also say that you should check a Vista report for specific
errors and corrective measures to take: Click on Start (icon) and select All
Programs. Then, select Maintenance > Problem Reports and Solutions. When
that report opens, select from among the Tasks on the left margin. Here you
can see specific information about what caused your problem, which likely is
an offending driver. But, take a look and get rid of it.
 
Thanks for the replies. No, "Problems Reports and Solutions" doesn't give any
solution. And as far as the driver is concerned, I very much suspect the
mouse drivers, though there's not much I can do about it until Microsoft get
their act together and write good drivers for their own hardware.

Otherwise, I seem to recall vaguely that I had no such issues before
installing Norton Internet Security, although I couldn't swear that that was
the case. I think I just avoided using the mouse to get the computer out of
the sleep state.

At any rate, for now I am done experimenting. Not feeling like doing the
16th clean Vista install. I'll probably revisit the issue later on, when I
have more time.

Thanks for the replies,

HB
 
HrundiBakshi,

Your choice. Just a word of caution. These issues usually don't resolve
themselves by fixing something that may "appear" to be the problem. That is,
for instance, when you move the mouse, the system crashes. The normal
reaction is to think that the mouse is at fault. This conclusion likely
would be a mistake. What typically happens, in this example, is that moving
the mouse triggers some action elsewhere that actually causes the crash. The
problem is in finding that "other" action which triggers the crash or that
produces the error one sees. Your condition likely is a case such as this
example. You need to resolve this in an informed and systematic manner.
 
You need to resolve this in an informed and systematic manner.

This certainly deserves a systematic approach, which, unfortunately, I have
no time and energy left to devote to. Identifying the driver at stake is a
very time consuming enterprise, what with having to uninstall them gradually
etc. Installing Vista fresh and then installing drivers one by one would
probably be more expediant, however I am all "installed out," as it were
(note that all the drivers I am using are all WHQLed, so such a gigantic
enterprise should have been undertaken by Microsoft in the first place). For
now, I am content with the present state, and will try to avoid using the
sleep state or, at least, try to avoid waking the computer up by mouse.

Also, note that the second aspect of the "sleep affair" I was complaining
about (the CPU fan going postal when returning from sleep) is pretty much
something I noticed before installing any drivers.

Thanks for your replies.
 
HrundiBakshi,

OK, here is an easy way to check for unsigned drivers. For background, these
drivers have been known to cause mysterious crashes and other problems.
Microsoft insists that vendors submit their drivers to Microsoft for testing
to ensure they run properly. When Microsoft verifies the reliability of
drivers, it refers to this process as "signed drivers." You likely are aware
of this process. Anyway, to check, open the Run app under Start (icon in
Vista). In the area provided, enter this command: sigverif.exe and press
OK. Vista will provide a list of unsigned drivers. Shut down, one at a
time, each program running with unsigned drivers. If the problem you have
stops, you've found it. Not all unsigned drivers cause problems.
 
OK, here is an easy way to check for unsigned drivers.

Alright, I did check for unsigned drivers. I found some with the nv prefix,
which I assume means nVidia. So it looks as if my videocard drivers are
unsigned, despite the fact that they have been advertised as WHQLed, and
despite the fact that the Device Manager itself displays tham as such. Not
much I can do about it, as nVidia has been lagging when it comes to drivers
for Vista.
 
HrundiBakshi,

You can use google to search for descriptions of the unsigned drivers to
make sure you know what they do.
 
You can use google to search for descriptions of the unsigned drivers to
make sure you know what they do.
Click to expand...

I'll do that, although they all sound like having to do w/the nVidia control
panel.

Thanks
 
HrundiBakshi,

When the installer asks for the driver disk, direct it to where the driver
is located. When you viewed the driver in Control Panel > Printers > File >
Server Properties, I think it also shows the location. Try that before you
do anything else.

If that doesn't work, and when it wants the driver CD, insert the Vista DVD
because that's where the driver came from in the first place. This is
something I'd try just to determine whether something good will come out of
it. Free to try.

In addition, I wouldn't read and interpret an .inf file, unless I was
trained to do so. If the system wants to see an .inf file, show it to the
system and let it decide whether it likes it or not.

If nothing else gets the job done, go with contacting HP. I agree with that.
 
HrundiBakshi,

Ignore my above post. The post is intended for another area and I posted it
here by error. Sorry.
 
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