Stuck/Freeze in Black screen when left idle by the time screen display is off.

As the title say, I am having this issue which I can't trace what's causing it. I have observed this when I got to sleep and leave my laptop on. Also like when I'm cooking and by the time I go back to my laptop it is stuck to the black screen.
NO BSOD which is why WhoCrashed program can't detect any errors.
My system:
- Window 10 1809 LTSC version
- I am using O&O Shut up 10, Windows Update Blocker and Windows Privacy Dashboard to block telemetry
- I have followed Spartan's Guide for tweaking the OS. The version I followed was when he uploaded a his video 1703 clean installation. @Spartan@HIDevolution maybe you can help me with this?
- I am using prema vbios to unlock GPU overclocking.
- I am using NOD 32 Antivirus and also have malwarebytes.

Programs installed in my laptop:


The last 2 program is wprime 2.10 and Zoom

Troubleshooting I have done as follows below:
-I have removed Throttlestop(undervolting), MSI Afterburner(GPU overclocking) and Custom Resolution Utility(Monitor Overclocking).
- I already have disabled Hibernation and Fast start up as guide by Spartan.
- I have have updated intel GPU driver and Nvidia Driver(Still using NVCleanstall to debloat)
- I am currently on windows 10 1809 build 17763.1852(Latest version)
- dot Netframework updated to the latest version as well which Papusan always shares in the forum.
- I have removed Adobe Flash Player via adobe website guide and also via windows 10 catalog update.
- I have tried Bios setting USB Wake disabled and enabled.
- All in device manager where power management tab there is a tick box about saving power. That is unticked and I dont care about saving power. I want performance.
- Power setting in windows is max performance and also USB selective suspend is disabled. The hard disk setting which suggest to turn off hard disk for x amount of time is set to 20minutes as I have a 2.5" hard drive still. Not all SSD.
- I have tried power drain, power cycle, reseting cmos as well.
- I have tried dells own diagnostic test and all passed.
- I have tried memtest for ram and all passed.
- I have tried disabling setting on wifi Wake on Magic Packet and also Wake on pattern match.
- I have tried sfc /scannow and no errors.
- All installed drivers are from manufacturer except for graphic card and wifi driver.
- I have disbaled the link power management in intel RST.
- I have checked event log in windows the only relevant in there is event id 41(due to not shutting down properly as I have to hold power button to manually turn off laptop), event id 15 ACPI which is The embedded controller (EC) returned data when none was requested. The BIOS might be trying to access the EC without synchronizing with the operating system. This data will be ignored. No further action is necessary; however, you should check with your computer manufacturer for an upgraded BIOS.(Not keen on updating bios as the latest version would lock me out from undervolting), event id 10005, 10010, 10016 which are DistributedCOM System which I have no idea, event id 56 application pop up(Also no idea what this is), event id 6008(related to unexpected shut down as I had to manually turn off the laptop).

***I have tried putting laptop on safe mode and guess what. The problem does not happen. Which made me lead to think it is a program causing it. Maybe? Hoping not a hardware issue.
***Work around is in power option, power settings, set Turn off display to NEVER. If I do this my laptop won't freeze or get stuck.

I can't think of anything else. I have not tried rolling back to previous backup as I forgot if this issue was occuring. Also I have not tried doing another clean install as I am concern that the cause of the problem is a software that I am not aware of and doing a clean install I might install it again and problem comes back. My very last resort is doing a clean install and only install the programs I use daily and observe but this is time consuming and very last resort which is why I am here asking for help. Hope someone could help me.
Thanks in advanced.
@Mr. Fox @Papusan HELP PLEASE!

 

Try removing the GPU drivers for a day or two and use only Intel graphics. If the black screen freezing stops, it's either the GPU failing or the drivers are garbage. If it continues to have the same problem using only Intel graphics, then we will need to look further.

 

I would say leave everything default and see what happens. This would tell you first if anything is causing a issue first. And if nothing then do your custom settings and see what happens. I do know 1909 for myself has been running without issue so far.

 

I'll try this when I'm sleeping and leave my laptop idle.

This is the last resort plan. Do a clean install and just install the programs needed. No overclocking and undervolting. I was hoping this was something known and someone can help me fix this. Seems not. I'll fiddle with this more when I have time.

 

Mr. Fox, I have followed your troubleshooting procedure and found out that If I install the intel GPU driver the black screen on idle happens. I have tried different graphic driver old ones new ones and even dell provided ones. Not one fixed the problem. Is this a sign of a faulty GPU? Hardware problem?

 

Update:
I have just realized opening GPU Z to check for issue. I have found out that the intel gpu have some grey out status as follows:
Revision = N/A
Die Size = Unknown
Transistor = Unknown
Bios Version = Unknown

What would this mean? Is it a sign of a faulty mobo faulty gpu? or maybe just a sign of bad flash bios update?
I am tempted to reload my current bios hoping to fix the problem but at the same time worried that if this is a hardware issue, flashing the bios again my brick my mobo this time around due to the hardware issue not able to complete the bios update. I'd rather live with this instead of a dead laptop.
Anyone got any idea about this.
Thanks in advance.

 

Have you confirmed that sleep and hibernation are disabled? It could be going to sleep and keeping a black screen because it is having problems recovering from an S3 state, which is VERY common for older laptops and desktop.

 

How to confirm? From my knowledge I dont have fast startup as an option in power setting as I did this command to disable hibernation: powercfg.exe /h off
Also Sleep is set to never. Turn off display is set to 20minutes.
Basically after 30 minutes or so the laptop is stuck on black screen. Unresponsive. Only option is to manually press power button for a few seconds to turn off the laptop.
@Papusan got any idea on this issue?

 

Update:
Reflashed Bios and still did not fix the problem. Im wondering if this is a hardware issue or a windows 10 issue. Next step, If I have time is to install latest windows 10 version.
If anyone has encountered this problem and have any idea help please.

 

Google up "god mode" for control panel.
Install it so you actually have some control over your laptop.
Go into power options and make sure hibernate is not active and temporarily disable hybrid sleep.
Now see what she does.

 

Thanks for the reply. From my understanding, God Mode is like a shortcut for easy access to windows 10 setting. Its a better version/UI for control panel. In regards to hibernation I have already disabled it using cmd command. What is hybrid sleep? How to locate that?
If you mean sleep in power setting. I have disabled it. What I did is set the laptop screen to turn off after 20 minutes. Once the screen turns off around 30 minutes, the black screen occurs where the laptop freeze up and unable to do anything from there. Have to hard reset by holding power button for a few mintues to turn the laptop off.

 

No, god mode opens the ability to have a true control panel with access to ALL settings instead of the limited few that win10 allows.
Try it, it's just a simple desktop shortcut you can always delete if you don't like it (absolutely zero chance of that once you see it in operation).
Hope this works...

Your issue is either sleep, hybrid sleep, or hibernate.
Been there before and I know that it is *something else* that is incompatible with the normal win10 operation of it....it's easier to tweak the settings than to find the real issue, and no harm can really come from it.

 

Hi, I did try the GodMode right away and said to my self why MS did not just do it this way instead of the new pc setting. What I meant when I said shortcut for easy access of windows 10 settings is like a better version of the control panel. So basically just a control panel which means what I can see in the power setting is the same. Any other ways of disabling hibernation, sleep etc that I have not done?(not sure if you have miss previous post of what I have done already) Remember if I change turn off display to a certain time like default 20 minutes, once the display turns off for a while(not on instant off) the problem occurs. That is why I have set it to Never for now. Put the computer to sleep has always been set to never.

 

It's strange that you have neither hibernate or hybrid sleep listed in your power options, maybe try using the option "balanced" on the top line there in power options.
I still have zero idea what laptop you're using. I'm assuming alienware because of the desktop wallpaper...but nothing is a given in this world.
Can you list out your laptop model, cpu, graphics, and anything else you think might be relevant ?

 

My system:
Alienware 17 r3 i7-6700HQ 970m with 16gb ram.
Bios version 1.8.0 which undervolting is still enabled.
Running windows 10 LTSC version.

From my understanding the reason why you can't see hibernate and hybrid sleep in the settings is because I have disbaled hibernation through cmd command. I ran this command powercfg.exe /h off to disable hibernation on a more deeper OS level. And also the reason why you can't see fast start up in the power settings.
This is the reason why I am wondering whats the cause of the problem. I am now thinking this might be related to Intel MEI firmware that needs updating to not create conflict with windows 10 latest update. My issue with updating the Intel MEI firmware is that I have to update bios. If I update bios it might block undervolting due to patching security update plundervolt vulnerabilities. I am hoping I am wrong that this is not a Intel MEI firmware issue and you might have a better idea or better solution. Maybe someone has encountered this issue who knows the proper solution. Sorry for the bad english and poor grammar.

 

I'm thinking it's more likely a bad install of windows.
The options should still be there but grayed out.
You're running someones hacked version of LTSC aren't you ? (Johnny Hondo's super special stripped down lean mean awesome version from a higher plane of existence ?).
Do you personally trust the guy that did the ripping ?
The whole thing about LTSC is that it doesn't need any trimming down that you can't do easily yourself, it's already the trimmed down version.
The version I'm running I got straight from a microsoft server and I only did minimal tweaking to get it to run perfectly with no tracking, no auto updates, and no BS.
It runs absolutely flawless.
Just sayin...

 

I am using the standard LTSC version with O&O shut up 10, WPD and Windows update blocker. I install updates manually. Have you tried the cmd command to disable hibernation? Maybe try it so you can see?
Your suggestions and input are greatly appreciated. Hope we can track this down and solve the problem.

 

Well, the only thing left I can think of is to clone your OS drive...then
Start uninstalling things one at a time, testing after each install until it works right.
Then put the clone back on your drive and uninstall that one thing that fixed it....and don't reinstall it again.

 

Update:
I have tried setting power settings to balanced mode and my laptop goes to sleep and can wake up. Basically no issue on balanced mode. Currently using balanced mode until I figure this out. If anyone has any idea besides a clean install or make a backup and gradually uninstalling 1 by 1 to find the problem please do chip in. I currently don't have time to do the clean install and unsintalling 1 by 1 option as of the moment.
@unclewebb would throttle stop figure this out? or not really as sleep is working fine. I thought might be a sleep issue or something.