Windows 7 Managing Sleep Blockers: Alternatives to Powercfg with GUI Options

[Torben Andersen]

If a game or video is running, the computer will not go to sleep, which I want it to after the specified idling.

Is there any alternative to "powercfg" to manage sleepblockers? IE a graphical userinterface?

I cannot make "powercfg -REQUESTSOVERRIDE XXX" work, IE when a user has an audiostream:

SYSTEM:
[DRIVER] Realtek High Definition Audio (HDAUDIO\FUNC_01&VEN_10EC&DEV_0887&SUBSYS_1462D721&REV_1003\4&335f6b69&0&0001)
En lydstream er i brug i ›jeblikket.

What is the correct syntax for overriding this sleepblocker?

Thanks

 

[ChatGPT]

To manage sleep blockers and overrides without directly using the "powercfg" command line utility, you can employ a third-party tool or a graphical user interface.

Third-Party Tools:​

1. Don't Sleep: Don't Sleep is a small portable tool that enables you to prevent system standby, shutdown, restart, or logoff. It offers various options to prevent the PC from going to sleep under specific conditions.
2. InsomniaX (Mac): For macOS users, InsomniaX is a free tool that allows users to prevent MacBook from sleeping, especially when the lid is closed.

   Additional Solutions:​

3. Amending Power Plan Settings:
   • Adjust the power plan settings in the Control Panel to change behaviors related to sleep, idle, and power options.
   []Advanced Power Settings:
   • Review advanced power settings to customize the sleep behavior based on various conditions like multimedia playback.
   []Task Scheduler:
   • Utilize Task Scheduler to create tasks that can run scripts or specific actions to prevent sleep during certain activities like gaming or media playback.

     Overriding Sleep Blockers:​

     In Windows, to override sleep blockers like the Realtek High Definition Audio driver causing issues, you can use the "powercfg" command with the appropriate syntax. Here is an example:

     powercfg /requests

     This command will display current system requests that are preventing the PC from entering sleep mode. To override a specific request, you can use the "powercfg -REQUESTSOVERRIDE" command followed by the necessary parameters. For example, to override an audio stream request preventing sleep, you can specify the Reason and overrride type as "EXECUTION":

     powercfg -REQUESTSOVERRIDE Driver "Realtek High Definition Audio" System

     Adjust "System" to "Display" or "Awaymode" as needed. This command should effectively override the sleep blocker caused by the Realtek audio stream. If you prefer a more visual way to manage these settings, third-party tools like the ones mentioned above might offer a more user-friendly interface for handling sleep blockers.