Windows 11 25H2 – Unexpected Shutdown, GPU Errors, and Power Management Issues on ASUS ROG Strix G16 (2023)

Question

Dear all,

I am seeking your guidance regarding multiple persistent issues on my laptop.

System Information:

Device: ASUS ROG Strix G16 (2023)

Model: G614JU-N4200WS

OS: Microsoft Windows 11 Home Single Language

Version: 10.0.26200 (Build 26200)

Windows Version: Windows 11, version 25H2

Issues Observed

1. Unexpected Shutdown During Idle

If the system remains idle for approximately 20 minutes, it automatically shuts down, even when long YouTube videos are playing in the background.

Power Plan Settings:

Put the computer to sleep → Never (for both Silent & Performance modes)

Upon reboot, Armoury Crate displays the following message:

“The system did not go into sleep mode within the set time, so Armoury Crate helped to put it into hibernate mode.”

While recording video proof, I also encountered another error:

“ManipulateTargetInfo Error: A connect request was made on an already connected socket”

Kindly refer to the last part of Video1.mp4 for this occurrence.

(Attachments: image1.png, image4.png, video1.mp4)

2. Frequent GPUPowerSavingTrayIcon.exe Error

I frequently encounter the following error message:

GPUPowerSavingTrayIcon.exe – System Error

The code execution cannot proceed because mfc140u.dll was not found.

This occurs during both charging and battery usage.

(Attachment: image2.png)

3. Brightness State Not Maintained

Earlier, brightness levels remained consistent while switching between AC power and battery.

Now, brightness automatically drops after unplugging, requiring manual adjustment each time. I usually maintain brightness between 40%–50%.

(Attachment: video3.mp4)

Service Center Experience & Concern

When I contacted the ASUS service center, they stated that the issue is software-related and suggested performing a complete system format and OS reinstallation to diagnose the problem. They also mentioned that Windows Updates can sometimes introduce system-level conflicts or instability, potentially leading to such errors affecting the OS and third-party applications.

I pointed out that one of the recurring errors originates from ASUS Armoury Crate, which suggests a possible OEM software or driver-related issue. However, the service team strongly believes that the root cause is a Microsoft Windows update, and that reformatting the system is the only reliable method to troubleshoot and permanently resolve the issue.

However, the same service team already formatted my system 3–4 weeks ago, and in total, they have performed 5+ complete system formats in the name of troubleshooting. They are now suggesting yet another format, which concerns me due to:

1. Repeated data loss
2. Time spent reinstalling applications and restoring backups
3. Potential long-term impact on SSD and overall system health

Before proceeding with yet another OS reinstallation, I would sincerely appreciate clarity on the following:

Can Windows 11 updates (especially version 25H2 or recent cumulative updates) realistically cause such behavior?

Are there any known issues, patches, or mitigations related to:

1. Unexpected shutdown during idle
2. GPU tray icon / mfc140u.dll errors
3. Brightness power-state switching failures

• Is a complete OS reinstallation truly necessary, or can these issues be resolved through targeted troubleshooting and configuration changes?

Logs & Screenshots

All screenshots, error images, and videos are uploaded here:

Google Drive Link: https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1jCsGsvCvZO2lFAFqfsUt0HsNsWO8R3b1?usp=sharing

I would sincerely appreciate your technical guidance to help identify the root cause and avoid unnecessary repeated system formats.

Thank you very much for your time and support.

Answer 1

Thank you for sharing the report.

From the energy report, there is no clear sign that Windows itself is corrupted. The behavior looks more related to power management or ASUS software components such as Armoury Crate or GPU utilities rather than a problem directly caused by a Windows update.

Windows updates can sometimes reveal driver or OEM software conflicts, but they usually do not cause this type of issue by themselves.

A clean Windows installation is normally considered a last step. Many times these kinds of issues can be resolved by adjusting drivers, power settings, or ASUS utilities.

If the service center wants to completely rule out software conflicts, a clean installation of Windows with only the official ASUS drivers installed can help confirm whether the issue is software-related or something else.

Regarding the errors you mentioned and based on my search, “mfc140u.dll was not found” and the GPUPowerSavingTrayIcon.exe error are related to ASUS utilities or missing Microsoft Visual C++ runtime components, not Windows itself.

The “ManipulateTargetInfo” socket error usually comes from an application or service communication issue and is not a common Windows system error.

Please feel free to ask if you need further assistance.

Answer 2

Thank you for the clarification.

Since there are no new BSOD events, this appears to be related to power management behavior rather than a system crash.

Please open Command Prompt as Administrator and run:

powercfg /h off

Restart the system and leave it idle again for 20–30 minutes.

If the shutdown no longer occurs, this confirms that the system was entering forced hibernation rather than shutting down unexpectedly.

Then, in Command Prompt with Admin, run:

powercfg /energy

Wait 60 seconds for it to complete. It will generate a report, usually saved to C:\Windows\System32\energy-report.html. Please share that report via Onedrive or Google Drive. It can reveal hidden timeout policies, driver power misbehavior, or ACPI-related issues.

Answer 3

Thanks for sharing the minidump files.

The minidump files indicate nvlddmkm.sys file as a cause of the BSOD, which is related to the Nvidia Graphics card driver.

If you do have an Nvidia graphics card installed on your computer, try to uninstall its driver completely using this DDU free utility, then download/install the latest graphics card driver or a driver that is compatible with your computer from the manufacturer's official website:

https://www.guru3d.com/files-details/display-driver-uninstaller-download.html

If it did not help, install an older version of the graphics card driver. Sometimes, older versions work more smoothly than the latest ones.

If you are overclocking your PC, try running everything (CPU, GPU, system memory) at their stock speeds. See if the issue is still reproducible. Turn off XMP profile or set it to Auto.

If your computer still encounters BSOD, test the RAM with the free utility MemTest86, then run a full 8 pass scan to test your RAM for physical errors:

https://www.tenforums.com/tutorials/14201-memtest86-test-ram.html

Please do not hesitate to ask if you need further assistance.

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Standard Disclaimer: There are links to non-Microsoft websites. The pages appear to be providing accurate, safe information. Watch out for ads on the sites that may advertise products frequently classified as a PUP (Potentially Unwanted Products). Thoroughly research any product advertised on the sites before you decide to download and install it.

Answer 4

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Answer 5

Hi ,

I'm Dyari. Thanks for reaching out. I will be happy to assist you in this regard.

Please go to C:\Windows\Minidump and copy any minidump files you find to your desktop. Afterward, share these files through OneDrive or Google Drive so we can analyze them and identify the specific file that's causing the crash.

If the folder is empty, kindly share the Event Viewer logs:

https://www.yourwindowsguide.com/2017/12/how-to-share-event-logs-in-case-of.html

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Standard Disclaimer: There are links to non-Microsoft websites. The pages appear to be providing accurate, safe information. Watch out for ads on the sites that may advertise products frequently classified as a PUP (Potentially Unwanted Products). Thoroughly research any product advertised on the sites before you decide to download and install it.