When a Blue Screen of Death (BSOD) happens on your Windows computer system, you might be inclined to think the worst. However, in many cases, a BSOD is a sign of difficulty that can easily be fixed with some common system maintenance steps, such as a system update or repair.

One BSOD that some users will infrequently see is a driver power state failure issue. Often created by a faulty device driver, troubleshooting this problem is relatively straightforward and rarely impossible to fix. If you’re seeing a driver power state failure BSOD issue in Windows 10, here’s what you’ll need to do to fix it.

What Causes a Driver Power State Failure BSOD Error? 

A stop code driver power state failure blue screen of death issue is usually caused by a power control issue with a device connected to your PC. If the device switches to sleep mode when using it or fails to come out of sleep mode when you try to utilize it, Windows assumes this is a critical error and displays a BSOD message.

There are several reasons why this might occur. If a device driver is out-of-date or faulty, Windows’ capacity to control power settings for connected devices might be affected. Updating your drivers (or downgrading to the last working driver) might solve the issue.

However, this isn’t the only possible cause. If system files are corrupted, you can repair the issue using the System File Checker tool. Changing your device’s power settings (including disabling sleep or hibernation mode) can also stop specific devices from entering a low-power or sleep mode.

However, if all else fails, you may require to look at removing any devices that are causing this issue. Typically, external peripherals (such as USB or Bluetooth devices) or specific high-powered internal components (such as your graphics card) are behind this issue.

Updating Your System Drivers 

A driver power state failure BSOD is most frequently caused by a problem with the installed device drivers. Unless your device is configured to install new driver updates automatically, you may require to install new drivers manually.

You can normally do this through Windows Update, which will search for (and install) any suitable drivers for your PC.

1. To check for new driver updates using Windows Update, right-hit the Start menu and select the Settings option.
2. Select Update & Security > Download or Download and Install if drivers are available in the Settings menu. If Windows doesn’t search for drivers automatically, choose to check for Updates first.
3. Enable Windows time to download and install new updates (if available). Once installed, restart your PC to complete the process.

While Windows Update does have most device drivers available, you may also require to consider downloading drivers from the manufacturer’s website and installing them manually. For instance, much newer NVIDIA graphics drivers are available from the NVIDIA website than the drivers available through Windows Update.

Likewise, particular chipset drivers for internal motherboard components (such as built-in WiFi) may require you to download the drivers from the manufacturer, especially if you’ve built your PC.

Running the System File Checker Integrity Tool

In some instances, a power issue (such as a driver power state failure BSOD) is made by corrupted or missing system files. To resolve this issue, you can use the System File Checker (SFC) tool. This checks the integrity of your Windows system files and, if any files are missing or altered, the tool will fix them automatically.

• To run the SFC tool, right-hit the Start menu and select Windows PowerShell (Admin).
• In the new PowerShell window, enter sfc /scannow and select the Enter key.

Allow some time for the SFC tool to perform a scan of your PC. If it identifies any missing files, this should automatically repair them.

Removing Recently Installed Drivers

While updating a device driver is usually the best way to install new bug fixes, the more recent driver may have bugs that can cause this issue. If this is the case, you’ll require to roll back the driver to the latest working version.

You may require to restart Windows in Safe Mode first to roll your drivers back successfully.

• To begin, right-click the Start menu and choose Device Manager.
• In the Device Manager window, find and select the driver you believe is causing the BSOD error from the list. This is most likely a newly installed or updated device. If you’re unsure, check your BSOD dump logs for more data. Once you’ve located the device, right-hit it and select Properties.
• Select the Driver tab in the Properties window, then choose the Roll Back Driver option.
• Windows will ask you to verify why you’re rolling back the device. Select one of the appropriate options, then choose Yes to confirm.
• Windows will remove the concerned driver and return to using the last installed driver. Before you restart your system, however, you can help to prevent this BSOD error from occurring in the future by disabling the power-saving mode for your device. If the option is available, choose the Power Management tab and disable the Allow the system to turn off this device to save power checkbox.
• Select OK to save your settings. With the device driver rolled back, restart your system to complete the change by right-clicking the Start menu and selecting Shut down or sign out > Restart.

Disabling Sleep or Hibernation Mode

Because a power issue usually makes a driver power state failure BSOD, changing your PC’s power settings can stop it from happening. If you can’t disable your device’s power management settings directly, you’ll need to prevent your PC from entering sleep or hibernation mode as a last resort.

• The quickest method for disabling hibernation is to use Windows PowerShell. Right-hit the Start menu and select Windows PowerShell (Admin).
• In the new PowerShell window, type powercfg.exe /hibernate off and choose the Enter key.
• To disable sleep mode, you’ll require to open the Windows Settings menu. Right-hit the Start menu and select Settings.
• In the Settings menu, choose System > Power & sleep. In the Sleep section, make sure to choose Never from the drop-down menus.