DRIVER_POWER_STATE_FAILURE is Windows 10 bug check 0x0000009F. It appears when a device driver does not complete a power transition such as sleep, hibernate, shutdown, or resume. Start with Safe Mode if Windows is unstable, then use recent-change history, Device Manager, Event Viewer, manufacturer updates, and (when necessary) a crash dump to identify the driver instead of replacing components at random.
What the Windows 10 stop code means
Microsoft defines this blue-screen error as bug check 0x0000009F. Its technical description says the driver is in an inconsistent or invalid power state. In practical terms, Windows sent a power request to a driver and the request did not finish correctly. Microsoft’s documented example allows usually about 10 minutes for a driver to complete a power IRP before Windows stops the system. That timeout is an example from the operating-system diagnostics, not a promise that every computer will wait exactly that long.
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The code does not identify one universal failed part. The responsible component may be a graphics, chipset, storage, network, Bluetooth, USB, audio, or other driver; the exact culprit depends on the stop-code parameters and the memory dump. A blue screen that happens only when a laptop wakes from sleep points toward a power-transition path, while a crash during shutdown may involve a different device handling the same type of request.
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- A blue screen appears while entering sleep or hibernate, during shutdown, or immediately after resume.
- The computer hangs for several minutes during a power transition and then restarts.
- The same stop code returns after a particular peripheral, Windows update, driver update, or firmware change.
- Windows starts normally only intermittently, making it difficult to update or roll back the suspected driver.
1. Protect access and enter Safe Mode
Save work and disconnect nonessential USB devices before testing. If Windows can reach the desktop, create a restore point or at least record current driver and BIOS versions so you can reverse a change. If the computer crashes before you can sign in, use Windows Recovery Environment (WinRE); Safe Mode loads only a limited set of drivers and is the safest place to undo a recent change.
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From a working Windows 10 desktop
- Open Settings and choose Update & Security.
- Select Recovery, then under Advanced startup click Restart now.
- At the blue recovery menu choose Troubleshoot > Advanced options > Startup Settings > Restart.
- When the numbered list appears, press 4 or F4 for Safe Mode. Choose 5 or F5 only if you specifically need networking.
When Windows will not stay running
Interrupt startup two or three times by holding the power button during the spinning-dot phase. Windows should open Automatic Repair; choose Advanced options and follow Troubleshoot > Advanced options > Startup Settings > Restart. A Windows 10 installation or recovery USB can reach the same menu through Repair your computer. If BitLocker is enabled, WinRE may request the recovery key.
Safe Mode is a recovery environment, not a permanent solution. If the stop code disappears there, that is useful evidence that a normal-startup driver, service, or device is involved.
2. Record what changed immediately before the first crash
Write down the first date and exact trigger you remember. Include a Windows update, a graphics or chipset driver installation, a new antivirus or utility, a BIOS/UEFI flash, a dock or USB device, a storage upgrade, or a change to sleep settings. Note whether the failure occurs on sleep, hibernate, shutdown, wake, or ordinary use. This timeline narrows the search and gives a technician something testable.
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Microsoft’s stop-error guidance recommends removing or updating a driver or service that was added just before the problem and checking newly installed hardware. Do one change at a time and test the same transition after each change; changing several drivers together removes the evidence needed to know which action helped.
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3. Inspect Device Manager for the implicated device
- Right-click Start and open Device Manager.
- Expand categories such as Display adapters, Network adapters, Storage controllers, Bluetooth, Universal Serial Bus controllers, Sound, video and game controllers, and System devices.
- Look for a yellow warning icon, an unknown device, or a device whose status changed after the first crash.
- Right-click the candidate, choose Properties, and read the General tab’s device status. On the Events tab, note installation, configuration, or failure timestamps. The Driver tab shows the provider, date, version, and available actions.
Choose the least destructive driver action
- Update driver: use this when the vendor has published a newer version that addresses power management or the problem began with an older release. Prefer the computer or component manufacturer’s package.
- Roll Back Driver: use this when the failure began immediately after an update and the button is available. Rollback is easier to undo than deleting the device.
- Disable device: in Safe Mode, temporarily disable a suspect adapter or peripheral to confirm whether the crash stops. Do not disable storage or other hardware required to boot unless support instructions tell you to.
- Uninstall device: reserve this for a clearly implicated driver and have the correct manufacturer package ready. Restarting lets Windows redetect the hardware, but it does not guarantee that the right vendor driver will be restored.
Do not install a random “driver pack” or replace every driver at once. A warning icon is a clue, not proof that the device caused a 0x9F crash; correlate it with the timing, events, and dump data.
4. Correlate the crash with Event Viewer
- Press Windows key+X, select Event Viewer, and expand Windows Logs > System.
- Choose Filter Current Log… and select Critical and Error levels. Review the minutes before the unexpected restart and the time of the blue screen.
- Open each relevant event and record its Source, Event ID, device or service name, and timestamp. Use Save Selected Events to create an
.evtxcopy for support.
Event Viewer may show a device, service, or power-framework failure even when the blue-screen text names only 0x9F. It can also contain generic Kernel-Power events that merely report an unexpected restart. Treat those generic entries as timing evidence, not as identification of the faulty driver.
5. Apply Windows, driver, and firmware updates from the right source
Windows Update
In normal mode or Safe Mode with networking, open Settings > Update & Security > Windows Update, select Check for updates, install applicable updates, and restart. If the problem began directly after a Windows update, use View update history and the available uninstall option for that specific update only after recording its identity.
Manufacturer driver packages
For a laptop or prebuilt desktop, use the support page for the exact model. For a separately installed component, use its manufacturer’s support page. Prioritize chipset, storage, network, graphics, Bluetooth, and USB drivers because they commonly participate in power transitions. Confirm that the package matches Windows 10’s edition and architecture before installing, and create a restore point when possible.
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BIOS, UEFI, and device firmware
Check the computer or motherboard manufacturer for BIOS/UEFI and firmware updates whose release notes mention sleep, resume, power management, stability, or the affected device. Firmware changes are less reversible than a driver rollback: connect AC power, close other applications, follow the vendor’s exact procedure, and do not interrupt the flash. If no release note relates to the symptom, record the current version and ask the manufacturer before updating.
6. Isolate sleep, hibernate, shutdown, and resume transitions
If the crash has a repeatable power trigger, temporarily change only the setting associated with that trigger. Open Control Panel > System and Security > Power Options. Select Change plan settings, then Change advanced power settings. Test one setting, reproduce the transition, and restore it after the test.
- For a sleep-related crash, test a plan with sleep set to Never temporarily and disable hybrid sleep under Sleep if that option is present.
- For a hibernate-related crash, use an elevated Command Prompt and run
powercfg /hibernate offto remove hibernation as a test. Re-enable it later withpowercfg /hibernate on. - For a shutdown or resume failure, test Turn on fast startup under Choose what the power buttons do; clear it only for diagnosis, then restore the original preference.
- For a network, Bluetooth, or USB device, open its Device Manager Power Management tab and temporarily clear Allow the computer to turn off this device to save power when that checkbox exists.
These changes isolate a transition; they do not repair a defective driver. If disabling one power feature stops the blue screen, keep the result as evidence while looking for a newer vendor driver or firmware release.
7. Disconnect recent hardware and run the manufacturer’s diagnostics
Power off, remove a recently added dock, USB adapter, external drive, expansion card, or other peripheral, and test the same sleep or resume sequence. If the crashes stop, reconnect devices one at a time. Replace the device or seek a vendor patch only when the repeated test and logs implicate it. For a laptop or prebuilt system, run the hardware diagnostics supplied by the computer manufacturer; record any test code rather than assuming a diagnostic failure automatically explains 0x9F.
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Do not use a generic charger, registry cleaner, or replacement RAM as a universal answer. A power-state bug check is about a driver’s transition; hardware replacement is justified only when diagnostics, repeated isolation, or manufacturer support point to a physical fault.
8. Check memory when failures are broad or inconsistent
When crashes occur during unrelated tasks, not just one power transition, run Windows Memory Diagnostic to exclude physical-memory problems. Press Windows key+R, enter mdsched.exe, and choose Restart now and check for problems or schedule the check for the next boot. Review the result after Windows starts; if it is not displayed, open Event Viewer and look under Windows Logs > System for the MemoryDiagnostics-Results source.
A clean memory test does not prove the driver is healthy, and a reported error does not prove that RAM alone caused 0x9F. Treat the test as an exclusion step. Follow the computer or motherboard maker’s instructions for reseating or replacing memory only after the result is repeatable and the system’s warranty and configuration are understood.
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1Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minute2Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problems3Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitches9. Analyze a minidump with WinDbg (advanced)
Windows commonly writes small crash dumps in C:WindowsMinidump. Copy the newest files somewhere accessible before changing drivers. If no dump exists, check Control Panel > System > Advanced system settings > Startup and Recovery > Settings; under Write debugging information, select a small memory dump and verify that the paging file is on the boot volume.
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- Install WinDbg from Microsoft’s current debugging-tools distribution and open the application.
- Choose File > Open dump file and select the minidump. Allow symbols to load before interpreting names.
- In the command window run
!analyze -v. Record the bug-check parameters, the blocked power IRP information, and any driver repeatedly identified in multiple dumps. - Use
!stackswhen you need to inspect waiting threads. Microsoft also documents power-framework extensions for tracing the device and request that is waiting. - Compare the result with Device Manager’s driver provider and version. A module such as
ntoskrnl.exeappearing in the report is not, by itself, evidence that the Windows kernel is defective; it is often where the system detected the failure.
Dump analysis is strongest when the same third-party driver appears across multiple crashes and matches the transition that triggers the stop. If symbols are missing, the dump is incomplete, or different drivers appear each time, preserve the files and escalate rather than guessing.
10. Compare troubleshooting paths before choosing one
| Path | Safety | Evidence quality | Scope | Reversibility |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Safe Mode, Device Manager review, and rollback | High; avoids broad system changes | Moderate to high when timing and events agree | Usually one device or driver | High; rollback and re-enable are straightforward |
| Event Viewer and minidump analysis | High; diagnostic only | Highest when a recurring driver and power IRP are identified | Specific request, thread, or device path | Fully reversible |
| Temporary power-setting change | High when documented and limited to testing | Moderate; shows which transition matters but not always the driver | System-wide sleep, hibernate, shutdown, or resume behavior | High; restore the previous setting |
| Manufacturer driver or BIOS/UEFI update | Driver updates are generally manageable; firmware requires extra care | Moderate; strongest when release notes match the symptom | One device driver or platform firmware | Driver rollback is usually possible; firmware rollback depends on the vendor |
| Removing hardware | High if the device is external and power is off | Moderate to high after repeatable A/B testing | One peripheral or expansion device | High for external devices; internal changes may require service |
11. Escalate with a complete evidence package
Contact the computer, component, or driver manufacturer when the error returns after the relevant rollback or update, when firmware is involved, or when the machine cannot remain stable long enough to test. Provide:
- The exact stop code
0x0000009Fand the action that triggers it. - The newest minidump files and the output or notes from
!analyze -v, if available. - The suspected driver’s name, provider, version, and date from Device Manager.
- Device Manager event details and Event Viewer timestamps surrounding the crash.
- A timeline of Windows updates, driver or service changes, new hardware, and BIOS/UEFI version.
- Results from Windows Memory Diagnostic and the computer maker’s hardware diagnostics.
Keep the original dumps unchanged and make copies for upload. Support can use the stop-code parameters and blocked power IRP to distinguish a waiting driver from a broader platform problem.
Quick Recap
What to remember
0x0000009Fmeans a driver failed during a power transition; it is not a diagnosis of one specific component.- Safe Mode is the recovery route when normal startup is unstable.
- Recent-change history, Device Manager, Event Viewer, and minidumps provide stronger evidence than random driver replacements.
- Rollback, temporary disabling, and temporary power-setting changes are generally easier to reverse than firmware changes.
- Manufacturer drivers, BIOS/UEFI updates, and hardware diagnostics are appropriate follow-up checks when the evidence points that way.
As an optional shortcut after the manual checks, Outbyte Driver Updater can scan more than 100 devices for outdated, corrupted, or missing drivers, show current and recommended versions, install official drivers, and provide backup, restore, and scheduled scans. It runs on Windows 11, 10, 8, and 7 and offers a 2-day free trial without a credit card before subscription; results vary, and no utility repairs every crash.
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