Windows 8.1 Power settings changing and stuff

Discussion in 'Operating Systems' started by Halloween Jack, Sep 20, 2014.

  1. Halloween Jack

    Halloween Jack Maha Guru

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    Hi folks

    2 things...

    In power options I have PC set to go to sleep after 20mins.

    Every couple of days the setting suddenly changes to never. Really annoying.

    I've tried making new plans.

    It's usually the same even after turning off and on , but then it will suddenly turn whatever setting I'm on to never sleep.

    Secondly, I have Windows update set to auto. Same thing here. It stays put for a while then suddenly changes to never update. Not really a problem. But I don't like things when they just change like that. It worries me on some level.

    Never had this with Win 7, but did have different hardware then.

    Any ideas?
     
  2. mbk1969

    mbk1969 Ancient Guru

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    After some internet searching I can say that any program which performs benching can switch power plans and even revert to default settings. And one such program is a part of Windows - winsat.exe. As I remember winsat`s start is scheduled in Task scheduler for a maintenance purposes. Go to Task scheduler, find winsat task and disable it.
     
  3. sykozis

    sykozis Ancient Guru

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    Some malware will disable Windows Update.....
     
  4. Halloween Jack

    Halloween Jack Maha Guru

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    Thanks guys. I've disabled WinSat, let's see what happens....

    Hopefully not malware. It doesn't seem seem quite efficient enough. I mean it goes for a week without change.

    Also sometimes it's flagged in Action Centre but then it's fine in Control Panel/Power settings.

    Hasn't done it for a while, maybe it's stopped.

    Anyway, thanks again.
     

  5. mbk1969

    mbk1969 Ancient Guru

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    You can burn antivirus rescue CDs (ESET, Bitdefender and Kaspersky have free ISO for downloading) and check.
     
  6. Halloween Jack

    Halloween Jack Maha Guru

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    Check for malware you mean?

    It's still doing both... just reset to never and auto updates off :(
     
  7. Halloween Jack

    Halloween Jack Maha Guru

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    Ok so I've got premium malware bytes and run that and it shows nothing.

    I've got bitdefender total security and it finds nothing.

    I created a kaspersky rescue CD and that also found nothing.

    I also uninstalled the asus ai suite 3 (think that's what it's called - it's the mobo
    suite) as I though a setting there might be overriding the settings.

    And it's still doing it.

    Any ideas?
     
  8. mbk1969

    mbk1969 Ancient Guru

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    How that copy of Win8.1 was installed - by you, or by OEM? If by you then where did you get installation image?
     
  9. Halloween Jack

    Halloween Jack Maha Guru

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    It was oem from overclockers.com
     
  10. mbk1969

    mbk1969 Ancient Guru

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    I would try another image. Who knows whether they messed with it.
     

  11. Halloween Jack

    Halloween Jack Maha Guru

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    Sorry, how do you mean, another image?

    It was a OEM DVD.
     
  12. mbk1969

    mbk1969 Ancient Guru

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    So what? Installation image can be additionally configured, new components can be injected, current components can be removed. Any specialist, OEMs can take original OS installation image and do with it what they want.
    I bought and downloaded Win8.1 image directly from Microsoft and my rig doesn`t demonstrate strange behavior. You can try any other image you find.
     
  13. Halloween Jack

    Halloween Jack Maha Guru

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    Ah I see, install another copy of windows...

    So you think the copy of windows I used might be odd.

    I was kind of hoping something else was affecting the machine. Some clash or corrupt file perhaps.

    I don't want to have to buy another copy of windows or reinstall. Guess I'll have to live with it.

    Thanks anyway.
     
  14. mbk1969

    mbk1969 Ancient Guru

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    I can make script for you which will set all settings you want to desired values. I don`t know about Windows Update (I can check whether it is possible by script means). But for a power settings it is possible. I am almost sure.

    For one setting 'sleep after 20mins' no need for a script. You can add task in Task scheduler which will set this 20 mins timout value by means of powercfg.exe

    Edit:
     
    Last edited: Oct 17, 2014
  15. Halloween Jack

    Halloween Jack Maha Guru

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    Sorry for late reply I've been tied up w stuff for a few days.

    This is a desktop, I'm not worried about windows updates, and the screen goes to sleep fine. So it is just sleep after 20mins.

    So I guess I just need powercfg -change -standby-timeout-ac 25

    I haven't done this before but I put this in a bat file and put it in the start folder.

    Now I've read up on it a bit and hopefully scheduled it to run once a day.

    Hope that will work :)

    Thanks for your help.
     

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