A driver has failed to complete a power IRP within a specific time (Windows 11)

Understanding and Addressing Windows 11 Driver Power IRP Failures: A Technical Overview

Experiencing recurring Blue Screen of Death (BSOD) errors upon waking your Windows 11 machine can be a frustrating issue, often linked to driver-related power transition failures. One common culprit is the DRIVER_POWER_STATE_FAILURE bug check, which typically indicates that a device driver has failed to complete a power IRP (I/O Request Packet) within a designated timeframe. Below, we delve into the technical details of such an issue, analyze a recent dump file, and outline potential steps for resolution.

Identifying the Root Cause: Driver Power State Failure (Bug Check Code 0x9F)

The bug check code 0x9F signifies a failure in handling power state transitions, especially during sleep or wake cycles. In your case, the minidump analysis reveals:

• Failure Context: The system encountered a DRIVER_POWER_STATE_FAILURE while attempting to transition power states, with the specific device object involved being associated with pci.sys, the PCI bus driver responsible for managing PCI devices.

• Relevant Arguments:

• Arg1: 0x3 – indicating a device object has been blocking an IRP for an extended duration.
• Arg2 & Arg3: Pointers to the device objects involved.

• Arg4: The IRP that was blocked.

• Stack Trace Highlights: The crash occurred within the function PopIrpWatchdogBugcheck, which monitors IRPs during power state changes, and the failure involved the pci.sys driver.

Implications of the Analysis

The crash dump points toward a PCI device or driver potentially causing delays or deadlocks during sleep/wake transitions. Since pci.sys is a fundamental component that enumerates and manages PCI devices, issues with hardware, driver conflicts, or outdated firmware can lead to this kind of failure.

Next Steps for Troubleshooting and Resolution

1. Update Device Drivers:

2. Ensure all hardware drivers, especially chipset, graphics, and network adapters, are up to date. Visit the manufacturer’s website for the latest drivers compatible with Windows 11.

3. Update BIOS/UEFI Firmware:

4. Firmware updates often address compatibility issues with newer operating systems and hardware components, which may resolve underlying PCI or power management conflicts.

5. Check Windows Updates:

6. Install all pending Windows updates to incorporate stability patches and driver improvements from Microsoft.

7. Run Hardware Diagnostics:

8. Use