How to Fix DRIVER_POWER_STATE_FAILURE Error in Windows 10 and 11

DRIVER_POWER_STATE_FAILURE (code 0x0000009F) is one of the most common Windows Blue Screen of Death issues. This error usually appears on the login screen when you wake the PC from sleep, and sometimes while you’re working. This means that when it appears, the task you are working on disappears, and the session is lost because Windows offers only one option: to restart the PC. 

This guide explains why you encounter this BSOD, ways to identify the specific driver causing it, and step-by-step instructions on how to fix it. You will also find steps to follow across different devices, Dell, Lenovo, HP, AMD GPU systems, and VMware.

If finding the problem-causing driver is difficult for you. Jump to the Identifying the Problematic Driver section, where steps to find the culprit driver are explained in under 5 minutes.

What Is DRIVER_POWER_STATE_FAILURE (0x0000009F)?

This is a Windows Stop Error popularly known as a Blue Screen of Death, aka (BSOD). This error is followed by different codes, and the most common among them are 0x0000009F or driver power state failure 0x9f.

When Windows switches between power states, for example, sleep mode, waking up, or resuming from hibernation, signals are sent to every driver to act. When any driver ignores the signal, is slow in responding, or crashes, Windows displays this error message to keep the system and data safe. An unresponsive driver is inefficient in controlling hardware. 

In simple words, Windows gives the power state change information to each driver. When any one driver refuses to respond, run, or function properly, Windows stops. 

What Does 0x0000009F Stand For?  The stop code is usually accompanied by four parameters in the crash dump: Parameter 1 = 0x3  — It means a driver object flagged as ‘not ready’ was detected in the power transition queue. Parameter 2 = 0x4  — The driver took too long to complete its power IRP (I/O Request Packet). Parameters 3 & 4  — It points to the specific IRP and device object. You can check the details in WinDbg. Go to Start Menu > search for WinDbg > right-click it > “Run as administrator” and you have it opened.  Other ways in which the error is referenced to are:  DRIVER_POWER_STATE_FAILURE stop code driver power state failure driver power state failure 0x9F or 0x0000009F BSOD 9F

Signs of DRIVER_POWER_STATE_FAILURE

There is no specific time or pattern of the error, nor does it always look the same. Users across forums and Microsoft Community have shared different symptoms:

1. While trying to wake the PC up from sleep or hibernation, when system drivers fail to handle the request, a BSOD appears.
2. At the login screen, the BSOD appears when one of the drivers fails to initialize during startup.
3. After plugging in the USB, if you immediately witness the BSOD, the culprit is the connected USB or device driver.
4. Random BSOD errors are often triggered by power-saving settings that put the device to sleep while in
   Use.
5. Crash after a Windows or driver update is often caused when either of the updates brings a power management bug along..
6. BSOD keeps appearing even after a restart. This usually happens when the system can’t complete startup. To fix it, reboot the system in Safe Mode.
7. BSOD with error code driver_power_state_failure at login occurs due to failed driver initialization during Windows sign-in.

Causes For DRIVER_POWER_STATE_FAILURE

There is no one culprit on whom fingers can be pointed. When anything disturbs the driver’s ability to handle Windows’ power management signals, the BSOD is triggered. 

However, Wi-Fi adapters, USB controllers, and GPU drivers (especially AMD Radeon), and others listed below, are the most common reasons listed by users on community forums.

How is the driver power state failure 0x9F error triggered?

• An outdated or corrupt driver is unable to handle Windows power state switching.
  
• The installed driver update has a bug that is interfering with the sleep/wake cycle.
• Connected USB/peripherals are not functioning properly due to a driver or device issue.
  
• AMD or NVIDIA GPU drivers are unable to respond quickly as they depend on power management settings.
• If you are using VMware / Hyper-V, the virtualization layer is conflicting with the power state.
• Fast Startup is not letting the driver state reset.
• Aggressive power saving settings are configured.
• Third-party antivirus is interfering with driver power callbacks
• Outdated firmware/ BIOS is affecting ACPI power management
• Faulty or old RAM is causing memory instability during the sleep and wake cycle.

How to Access The Crash Dump? If you have technical expertise and you want to learn more about the error, you can access and read the minidump file. Windows saves this file automatically after the BSOD. Follow these steps to access it: In the Start menu, type Event Viewer and open it Now, click Windows Logs from the left pane > System Filter the results by Event ID 41 (unexpected shutdown) or 6008 You will be able to access the dump. Note : You will need a minidump reader to read the file and see the actual reason.

Ways to Identify the problematic driver

Finding and fixing the problematic driver on your own can take a lot of time. You can save yourself from this by reading this section and using the right method to identify and update the corrupt driver. 

Method A: Read the Minidump File

The easiest way to find the driver causing the problem is to read the dump. To do so, you will need a minidump reader. 

1. Download free BlueScreenViewer.
2. Run it, allowing it to look for Windows minidump files.
3. Go to the column labelled Caused By Driver, and here you can view a file with .sys extension.
4. Copy and paste it into your search engine to get more information about the device or software that it belongs to.
5. Now update the software and the related device driver.

Method B: Update Problematic Driver

1. Press Win + X > select Device Manager
2. Now unhide each category one by one.

     3. When you find a device with a yellow exclamation mark, stop there. It is the culprit.
     4. Right-click and update it.

Alternatively, you can update directly from the manufacturer’s site or can use a driver updating tool. 

Method C: Run powercfg Energy Report (CMD)

If the BSOD is caused by issues with power management, this report will help.

1. Run an elevated Command Prompt as Administrator.
2. Type powercfg /energy and press the Enter key.
3. Let the Windows analyze the system and generate a report.
4. Open the report. You can find it at C:\Windows\System32\energy-report.html
5. Read it to find the devices listed under Errors or Warnings. These are the ones causing issues; detach them and then reboot the system. See if it helps.

Tip: If You Can’t Boot Into Windows at All

If You Can’t Boot Into Windows at All: If you are unable to reach the login screen or Windows isn’t starting, boot into Safe Mode. To do so, follow these steps. 

Getting into Safe Mode, where only essential drivers load.

1. Hold the power button and force-restart your PC 3 times in a row.
2. This will boot Windows into Automatic Repair mode.
3. Go to Advanced Options > Startup Settings > Restart.
4. Press 4 or F4 to enter Safe Mode, or 5/F5 for Safe Mode with Networking.
5. Once in Safe Mode, roll back drivers causing issues, run SFC / scannow, or uninstall the software and update you installed recently.

How to Fix DRIVER_POWER_STATE_FAILURE in Windows [11+ Methods]

If the above fixes did not help, please follow these fixes in the given order.

Fix 1: Disconnect All Connected External Devices

Each device connected to the system has its own drivers. However, when the drivers of external devices like USB drives, printers, hard drives, docking stations, mice, and keyboards have a power management bug, BSOD can be triggered.

1. Shut down your PC and unplug all the connected devices, leaving the monitor, keyboard, and mouse attached to the computer.
2. Restart Windows, put it to sleep, and wake it. It should work normally.

If it does, reconnect each device one by one to find the culprit causing the BSOD.

Fix 2: Roll Back Latest Driver Update

If the 0x0000009F BSOD started appearing after a Windows Update or manual driver update, roll back the update. 

1. Press Win + X > select Device Manager to open it.
   
2. Look for the device category for which the driver was recently updated (check Display Adapters and Network Adapters first)
   
3. Right-click the device driver > Properties.
4. Click Driver tab > Roll Back Driver. If the option is greyed out, similar to me no older version of the driver is saved and you will have to visit manufacturer’s website to get the older version from the manufacturer’s website.
   

If it is highlighted click the Roll Back Driver button > select the reason when asked for > click Yes and wait for the process to finish.

Restart the PC to see if this helps. 

Fix 3: Update Drivers

It is not only the driver update that can cause the problem. Outdated drivers, too, can cause a BSOD error. 

1. To update GPU drivers, you can directly visit AMD.com or NVIDIA.com.

From here, download the latest driver for the model number you are using.

1. For updating WiFi/network, go to your laptop manufacturer’s support page, e.g., Dell Support, Lenovo Vantage, HP Support Assistant. Here, enter the device details, select the right operating system, and update the driver.
2. For other devices, you can go to Device Manager > right-click the device > Update driver > Search automatically.

As mentioned, this might not always give you the right information. Therefore, to keep the drivers updated, we suggest using a driver utility like Advanced Driver Updater. Once installed, you can use it to scan your PC for all installed drivers and flag the outdated ones. This is useful when you don’t know which or how to update the driver. 

All the driver updates shown by this tool are WHQL certified. 

Fix 4: Disable Fast Startup

To speed up boot time, Windows offers a feature called Fast Startup. However, when this feature fails to fully reset driver state, it leaves drivers in a bad power state on the next boot, causing a driver failure error. To fix this, disable fast startup and see if this helps:

1. Press Windows + I to open Windows settings.
2. Click System.
   
3. Click Power & sleep option in the left panel > Additional power settings from the right pane.
4. Click Choose what the power buttons do from the left sidebar.
5. Click Change settings that are currently unavailable.
6. Uncheck Turn on fast startup (recommended) > click Save changes.
   
7. Restart the system.

Fix 5: Disable Power Saving for Individual Devices in Device Manager

To conserve energy, Windows puts individual devices into a deep power-saving state, and when any of these devices can’t quickly wake themselves, a BSOD is triggered. To fix it, disable power saving. 

1. Press Windows + X > select Device Manager to open it.
   
2. Double click Network Adapters > right-click your WiFi adapter > Properties
   
3. Click the Power Management tab and uncheck Allow the computer to turn off this device to save power
   
4. Follow the same steps for Universal Serial Bus controllers > each USB Root Hub and restart the PC.
   

Fix 6: Change the Power Plan

Balanced and Power Saver plans put the device to sleep aggressively. Switch to High Performance to prevent sleep/wake driver conflicts.

1. Press Windows + I to open Windows settings.
2. Click System.
   
3. Click Power & sleep option in the left panel > Additional power settings from the right pane.
   
4. Click the arrow under Hide additional plans to view High Performance.
5. Select it and restart the PC.
   

Fix 7: Run SFC and DISM

When the system file responsible for managing power transitions is corrupted, updating the driver won’t work. In this case, the corrupted system files need to be repaired. SFC and DISM are the two commands that need to be used.

1. Open an elevated Command Prompt as Administrator.
2. Type the following command

         sfc /scannow

And press the enter key.

1. Wait for the scan to complete. If any issues are detected, restart the PC to fix them.
2. After the system restart, re-open the elevated Command Prompt and type the following command:DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth
3. Wait for the command to run. Since clean copies of damaged Windows system files are downloaded, the process may take time.
4. Restart the system.

Fix 8: Use System Restore

After updating the driver and fixing corrupted system files if the error appears, it seems a Windows Update, driver update, or a new application installation might be the cause. To undo these changes, perform a system restore. 

1. In the Start menu, type Create a restore point.
2. Click System Protection tab > System Restore.
3. Follow on-screen instructions and choose a restore point before the date the crash was triggered.
4. To know what will change, click Scan for affected programs and proceed
5. Click Next > Finish.
6. Restart PC and see if it helps.

Fix 9: Update Your BIOS / UEFI Firmware

Another reason why BSOD is triggered, especially on Dell, Lenovo, and HP laptops, is outdated BIOS firmware.  To fix it follow these steps:

Caution:  Follow this fix only when other fixes haven’t worked, as updating the BIOS incorrectly can damage the motherboard. Also, follow the manufacturer’s instructions exactly while updating BIOS, and never update it on a battery plugged in first.

1. Find the current BIOS version through System Information. In the search bar, type System Information, open it, and here you can find BIOS Version/Date.
   
   
   
2. Visit the PC manufacturer’s support website and look for the exact model number.
3. Download the latest BIOS update by following the manufacturer’s guide.

Fix 10: Check RAM

Faulty or unstable RAM can also trigger driver power state failure 0x9f error. If you have added a new RAM recently or the one you are using is older, check for problems via Windows Memory Diagnostic.

1. In the Start menu, search for Windows Memory Diagnostic.
   
   
   
2. Click Restart now and check for problems.
3. Windows will restart and run a full RAM test.
4. You will see the results when the system restarts.

Fix 11: Temporarily Disable Third-Party Antivirus

Some third-party antivirus software, including older versions of Avast, AVG, and some enterprise endpoint security tools, and security tools interferes with power management, triggering 0x9F crashes. Several forums have mentioned the same. If you have recently installed or updated antivirus software and soon after that the crash appears, try temporarily disabling the security application. 

• Right-click the AV icon in the system tray and disable it.

If crash stops appearing, you know who the culprit is.

Fix 12: Check Minimdump

Even after trying the above fixes, if the crash still triggers, it’s best that the exact driver causing the crash is identified. To do so, follow these steps: 

1. Type Event Viewer in the Start menu and open it.
2. Click Windows Logs from the left pane > System.
3. Look for critical errors with the date when you encountered the BSOD
4. You might see an error with ID 41 (Kernel-Power), which will have the name of the driver causing the error.
5. Now get a bluescreen viewer.
6. Open the minidump files from C:\Windows\Minidump\
7. Once opened, you will see a column where you can see the name of the driver that is causing the problem.
8. Search online for the filename to identify the hardware or software the driver belongs to. Update it, restart the system, and see if it helps. If it doesn’t uninstall the driver, let the generic driver get installed upon system restart.

Device-Specific Fixes: Dell, Lenovo, HP, AMD & VMware

If you use any of these devices, follow these fixes before applying the generic fixes above.

Dell laptops running Windows 10/11 encounter BSOD because of two specific drivers:

• The Intel Management Engine (ME) Interface driver
• The Thunderbolt driver.

Fix 1: Update Outdated Drivers

Outdated drivers cannot handle sleep/wake correctly. Hence, updating them via Dell Support Assist is suggested. To use it, follow these steps: 

1. In the Windows search bar, type Dell SupportAssist. Open it. If you cannot find it install it from dell.com/support and download SupportAssist for Home PCs.
2. Click Check for Updates, allowing SupportAssist to scan and list all outdated drivers.
3. Search for Intel Management Engine Interface, Intel Thunderbolt Controller, and Intel Dynamic Platform and Thermal Framework, and install all of them.
4. Restart the PC to apply changes.

Fix 2: Update BIOS

If the crash still appears, check the BIOS version and update the firmware driver. To do so, follow these steps: 

1. Press Win + R to open the Run window.
2. Type msinfo32 and press Enter.
3. Here you will see the BIOS Version/Date.
4. Now go to dell.com/support, search for the laptop model you are using, and click Drivers & Downloads.
5. Under Category, select BIOS. If an update is available, download it and run the .exe installer. During the update, keep the laptop plugged in.
6. Reboot the system, and the error should not reappear.

On Lenovo machines, the common causes of BSOD are:

• The Lenovo Energy Management driver
• The hotkey feature driver (LenovoHotkeyFeatures.sys).

Since these drivers directly interact with Windows’ power management, when outdated, they trigger the error. To fix it follow these steps:

Fix 1: Update Driver

1. In the Windows search bar, type Lenovo Vantage and open it. If not installed, install it.
2. Go to the Device section > Check for Updates.
3. Look for driver and firmware updates related to: Power Management, Hotkey Features, Thermal Management, or Battery.
4. Restart the system after installing the driver updates.

Fix 2: Disable Lenovo Energy Management

If the crash persists, follow these steps and disable Lenovo energy management.

1. Press Win + R to open the Run window.
2. Type appwiz.cpl, and press Enter to open Programs and Features.
3. Look for Lenovo Energy Management in the list. Right-click > Uninstall.
4. Restart the PC, put it to sleep, and wake it several times to ensure everything is in place.

HP users encounter BSOD due to two reasons:

• An outdated BIOS with ACPI bugs,
• The HP Power Manager power settings.

Fix 1: Update HP drivers and BIOS

1. Look for HP Support Assistant. If not there, download it from support.hp.com.
2. Click Updates to check for updates.
3. Install them, especially related to BIOS, HP Power Manager, Intel Management Engine, and chipset drivers.
4. Update drivers while the laptop is plugged into power.
5. Restart the PC to see if everything is in place.

Fix 2: Disable the HP Power Slider

1. Click the battery icon in the taskbar.
2. You will see an HP Power Slider with settings like Better Battery, Recommended, Better Performance, and HP Recommended.
3. Set it to Better Performance or HP Recommended.

Alternatively, uninstall HP Power Manager entirely via Control Panel > Programs and Features. To see if it helps. 

AMD Radeon drivers are amongst the most common reported causes of BSOD on Reddit and Microsoft Community forums. It is because some Adrenalin driver versions face difficulty in handling the power state transitions during sleep or wake. 

Downloading the tools 

1. Download the latest version of Display Driver Uninstaller (DDU).
2. Save it on your Desktop.
3. Visit amd.com/en/support to download the latest Adrenalin driver for the GPU model you have
4. Save the installer to your Desktop.
5. Next, boot into Safe Mode by pressing Win + R to open the Run window.
6. Type msconfig and press the Enter key.
7. Click the Boot tab. Under Boot Options, check Safe Boot and make sure Minimal is selected. Click OK.
8. Click Restart to boot the PC into Safe Mode.
9. Run Display Driver Uninstaller.exe to uninstall the AMD driver
10. Select GPU in the dropdown and AMD in the second.
11. Click Clean and restart.
12. DDU will remove all the files related to the AMD driver.
13. Restart your PC, open the Run window (Windows + R), type msconfig > Boot tab, uncheck Safe Boot, and click OK.
14. Restart normally.
15. Run the Adrenalin installer downloaded in Step 1.
16. Select Full Install.
17. Restart the PC after installation.
18. Put the PC to sleep and wake it. You should not face the BSOD any longer.

VMware Workstation / Hyper-V Users encounter this BSOD because of a conflict between the hypervisor’s kernel drivers and Windows’ power management. To fix it, follow the steps below:

1. Open VMware Workstation.
2. Go to Help > Software Updates. Install available updates and install VMware Tools
3. After updating the tool, restart both the virtual machine and the host PC.
4. If you have Hyper-V enabled alongside VMware, search for Turn Windows features on or off. Open it.
5. Scroll down to Hyper-V. Uncheck all the items and Virtual Machine Platform and Windows Hypervisor Platform if enabled.
6. Click OK > restart PC.
7. Open Device Manager, Windows + X > expand System Devices.
8. Look for Microsoft Hyper-V Virtual Machine Bus.
9. Right-click it > Properties > Power Management tab.
10. Uncheck Allow the computer to turn off this device to save power.
11. Click OK and restart.

Ways you can Stop This BSOD From Reappearing

After fixing the crash, to avoid encountering it again, follow these tips:

• Keep drivers updated
• Create a System Restore point before every major driver or Windows update.
• Don’t use sleep mode with USB devices connected.
• Disable Fast Startup permanently.
• Run powercfg /energy quarterly to fix power management issues.
• When you add new hardware, always check Device Manager for any warnings.

Frequently Asked Questions

Related Articles:

• How to Fix SYSTEM_SERVICE_EXCEPTION BSOD in Windows
• How to Update Device Drivers in Windows 10 & 11