How to Fix DRIVER_POWER_STATE_FAILURE in Windows 11

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Ankit Kumar
Windows 11BSODTroubleshootingFixDrivers

The Problem

Your PC blue-screens with DRIVER_POWER_STATE_FAILURE (technical code 0x0000009F), almost always going into sleep, waking from sleep, or shutting down. A driver failed to respond when Windows asked it to change power state, so the kernel gave up waiting.

Wi-Fi adapters, graphics drivers, and SSD/NVMe controllers cause the overwhelming majority. Laptops see this far more than desktops.

PC won't sleep at all rather than crashing? That's a different fix: sleep and hibernation not working. Crashing at shutdown only? See Windows 11 not shutting down or restarting.

Symptoms

  • Blue screen reading DRIVER_POWER_STATE_FAILURE on lid close, sleep, or wake.
  • Laptop is hot and the fan is running when you open the lid — it crashed inside the bag.
  • Event Viewer shows Kernel-Power event 41 with a bugcheck code of 0x9f.

Step 1: Find the Driver That Stalled

  1. Open Event Viewer → Windows Logs → System and open the BugCheck entry from the crash time.
  2. Or read the filename on the blue screen itself: Netwtw*.sys (Intel Wi-Fi), nvlddmkm.sys (NVIDIA), stornvme.sys / iaStorAC.sys (storage), usbxhci.sys (USB controller).
  3. Generate a power report for extra detail — in Terminal (Admin): 
    powercfg /energy /output C:\energy-report.html
    Open that file and read the Errors section.

Step 2: Stop Windows Powering Down Your Network Adapter

This one setting fixes a large share of cases.

  1. Right-click Start → Device Manager → expand Network adapters.
  2. Right-click your Wi-Fi or Ethernet adapter → Properties → Power Management tab.
  3. Untick Allow the computer to turn off this device to save power → OK.
  4. Repeat for every network adapter, and for USB Root Hub entries under Universal Serial Bus controllers.

Step 3: Update the Wi-Fi, Graphics, and Storage Drivers

  1. Download drivers from the laptop or motherboard manufacturer's support page for your exact model — generic Windows Update versions are often the problem.
  2. Install chipset first, then Wi-Fi, then graphics, then storage. Restart between them.
  3. For graphics, remove the old driver cleanly: clean install GPU drivers with DDU.
  4. Background reading: how to update outdated drivers.

Step 4: Turn Off Fast Startup

Fast Startup mixes shutdown and hibernation, and drivers that mishandle it crash here.

  1. Control Panel → Power Options → Choose what the power buttons do.
  2. Click Change settings that are currently unavailable.
  3. Untick Turn on fast startup (recommended) → Save changes → restart.

Step 5: Reset the Power Plan to Defaults

  1. Open Terminal (Admin) and run: 
    powercfg -restoredefaultschemes
  2. Then Control Panel → Power Options → Change plan settings → Change advanced power settings.
  3. Set PCI Express → Link State Power Management to Off.
  4. Set Wireless Adapter Settings → Power Saving Mode to Maximum Performance.
  5. Apply and restart.

Step 6: Update the BIOS and Chipset

Sleep and wake behaviour is largely firmware. On laptops especially, a BIOS update often fixes this outright.

  1. Find your exact model on the manufacturer's support site.
  2. Install the latest BIOS/UEFI and chipset package, following their instructions exactly.
  3. Keep the laptop plugged in for the whole update.

Step 7: Disable Hybrid Sleep and Test

  1. Control Panel → Power Options → Change plan settings → Change advanced power settings.
  2. Expand Sleep → set Allow hybrid sleep to Off and Hibernate after to Never.
  3. Test sleep and wake several times. If it is now stable, reintroduce one setting at a time.

Step 8: Repair System Files

  1. In Terminal (Admin): 
    sfc /scannow
  2. Then: 
    DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth
  3. Restart. See repair Windows 11 with SFC and DISM.

What Not to Do

  • Don't just disable sleep and call it fixed — a laptop that never sleeps drains its battery and cooks in your bag. See laptop battery draining fast.
  • Don't install drivers from third-party updater apps. Use the manufacturer's page.
  • Don't skip the BIOS update on a laptop. It is the single most effective fix for power-state bugs.

Still Not Working?

If crashes continue with defaults, current drivers, and updated firmware, suspect the SSD — failing NVMe drives stall on power transitions. Check it with SSD and hard drive health, then consider reinstalling Windows without losing data.

Related stop codes: IRQL_NOT_LESS_OR_EQUAL, DPC_WATCHDOG_VIOLATION, and SYSTEM_SERVICE_EXCEPTION.

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