# [SOLVED] Is steam waking my computer?



## lkadlec (Apr 23, 2010)

I have just recently started having the problem that my laptop (running Windows 7) is waking up for hibernation in the early morning hours (around 3:45am). I've had the computer for around 6 months, and this is a brand new issue. I haven't changed any power settings. The only thing that is new on the computer since before this issue started happening is that I installed Civilization V and therefore had to also install Steam. I have tried doing powercfg -lastwake, but I don't get any information. I've tried Windows event viewer, and it reports the computer waking, but the wake source is "unknown." This morning when I got out the computer and started it up it appeared that it had - again - woken up from hibernation on its own, but it had later shut down (either because the battery had run down or because it overheated as it was in my backpack's laptop sleeve). In any case, when I started Windows up at that point, I got the Steam window and it was telling me that Steam had finished downloading Civilization V (presumably some update). At that point it occurred to me that the waking problem is new since installing Civ V & Steam, and I started looking into Steam as a source of waking.

If this *is* the problem, I think I should just be able to exit Steam before I hibernate my computer, but I figured I'd see if anyone here had seen this/knows about such an issue.


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## bwolfje (Jul 26, 2010)

*Re: Is steam waking my computer?*

Hi,

I think to find out for sure, since you havent changed a thing and also happens without a network cable plugged, you should exit steam on hibernate.

Then take a look in the morning if it woke up again.

If not then its steam.

if it still wakes up then post it up here.

edit: dont leave it in your backpack with this issue it can seriously damage your laptop due to overheating.


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## lkadlec (Apr 23, 2010)

*Re: Is steam waking my computer?*

Thanks for the reply. A couple of things:

1) The lack of a network cable isn't really an issue in this case, as I have a wireless network at home to which my laptop will connect when it's running.

2) Yes, I can do what you've suggested, as I said in my original post! My plan was to do exactly that (keep laptop out of bag and plugged in, exit steam, hibernate, check computer in the morning). I was just trying to see if anyone here already knew of this as a potential issue with Steam. 

3) Obviously I will not continue to leave my laptop hibernating in my backpack overnight while I'm having/testing this issue. At the time, the unexpected waking had only happened once that I knew of. I then brought my laptop to work and left it hibernating on a counter in my office all day. Hibernation seemed to be working fine, so I figured that the mystery wake-up was probably just one of those random power management glitches you get from time to time. It wasn't until I found it this morning and looked more closely at the situation that I realized that this seems to be a) recurring, and b) happening at a particular time during the night.


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## bwolfje (Jul 26, 2010)

*Re: Is steam waking my computer?*

Hi,

the network cable was applied to the hibernating, if you have a cable plugged in some routers can send a Wake on Lan signal wich wakes your laptop, thats why i said you dont have a network cable connected 

You could check the settings in steam if it has an automatic update function, if it has then maybe you can set it to manually or change the time when it can update.


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## lkadlec (Apr 23, 2010)

*Re: Is steam waking my computer?*

I see what you're saying, although the "allow this device to wake the computer" is unchecked for both my network and my wireless adapter.

I did look for settings for automatic updates in steam, and was unable to find them.

I will run the "turn steam off, then hibernate" test tonight.


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## lkadlec (Apr 23, 2010)

*Re: Is steam waking my computer?*

Update: Before I had a chance to run the "exit steam, then hibernate" test, I found a reference to one other thing to do for unwanted wake-ups in Windows 7. There is a setting in the advanced settings for power management profiles, under the sleep category, called "wake timers," which can be enabled or disabled. One article I read said that the default should be disabled, but I've never messed with that setting on my computer and it was enabled.

So...I both disabled wake timers *and* turned off steam, and since doing so my computer has yet to wake up on its own. I could do further testing to see which of the changes was the fix, but things are working right now. If I find any reason why I would want wake timers enabled, I guess I'll turn them back on, keep steam off, and see what happens, but for now all is working.


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