Nobody likes getting a random Blue Screen of Death. These errors are scary and usually don't give you much detail. Usually, there is a code or error message on the screen. If you see the Driver Power State Failure blue screen error message, don't worry. This is one of those errors that you can usually fix and fix yourself. All you have to do is know where to start.
Common Causes of Driver Power State Failure Error
Based on the name, you might think this blue screen error has something to do with your driver or power supply. Both could be true. While it would be nice if Windows is giving you more things to go on, you should find out the exact cause, which could be one of the following.
- Wrong power setting
- Driver problem
- Hardware not compatible
Windows will give you this error when the system tries to build the driver for a specific device, but it doesn't respond. This usually happens when you boot, restart, or wake your computer from Sleep Mode. This can also occur if the device is in use and the driver suddenly stops responding.
As you know, this is usually a driver issue, although it can mix with two other common causes. No matter which of the three is the root cause, there are ways to diagnose and fix it.
Narrow Your Search for Main Causes
Follow the steps below to help narrow down the root cause of the Driver Power State Failure blue screen error on your Windows 10.
- Remove any external hardware, such as external drives, keyboards, and more.
- Then boot your computer and see if you still get the error. If not, then the driver for one of your external devices has been corrupted.
- The next step is to connect each device one by one to see which one is giving you this blue screen error.
- Then, when you find the problematic device, remove the device and reboot your PC.
- Reconnect the device when your system boots.
- Then press Win key + X or right-click Start and select Device Manager.
- Right-click the device name and select Uninstall device.
- Restart your computer and let Windows reinstall the device properly.
If you are still experiencing errors, visit the manufacturer's website to download the latest drivers and follow the included instructions to install them.
Look for Errors in Device Manager
If you can restart your computer normally, do so. Otherwise, boot into Safe Mode. This will let you skip the blue screen of death Driver Power State Failure error.
- Press Win key + X or right-click Start and select Device Manager.
- Then look for any device that may have a yellow exclamation mark next to it. This flag indicates an error in the driver for the device.
- Right-click the device that is experiencing the error and select Update Driver.
- If nothing is found, right-click the device and select Uninstall device.
- You can then right-click your computer's name and select Scan for Hardware Changes or reboot your system. Both will automatically try to reinstall the correct driver.
If you continue to have problems, reinstall the drivers, starting with your latest hardware. If you've recently installed something new and are beginning to get this error, then that's most likely the cause.
Customize Power Save Plan
If you are using a laptop, you may have optimized the power settings to reduce energy consumption. This is fine for most of the time but can break some of your device drivers. Instead of letting Windows wake the device as it should, your system cuts off power, resulting in a Driver Power State Failure error.
Even though your computer may be using more battery, you should avoid this blue screen error by making quick changes to your power plan.
If you can't boot normally, boot into Safe Mode to do so. Otherwise, boot normally.
- Open Control Panel by pressing Win + R, then type control and press Enter. You can also search for it in the Start menu. In the Control Panel window, select Power Options. If you don't see it, type Power Options in the Search box at the top right.
- Choose Power Options to open your current power plan settings.
- Select Change Plan Settings and click Change Advanced Power Settings.
- Driver Power State Failure errors often stem from incorrect power settings with your wireless adapter and PCI express drivers.
- Start by expanding Wireless Adapter and Power Saving Mode. Make sure both options are set to Maximum Performance. This prevents the power-saving plan from turning off the wireless adapter to save energy.
- Do the same process for PCI Express. Then click Apply and OK when you are done.
- Then, click Save Changes when you return to the Edit Plan Settings window.
- Now restart your PC to see if this fixes your error.
Hopefully, this tutorial is helpful for you. Hopefully, it can help you solve the Driver Power State Failure error on your Windows 10. Don't forget to leave your comments below to share your experience in following this tutorial. Thank you.