System unresponsiveness during power state transitions, such as suspending or resuming operations, can lead to operational failures. This typically manifests as a system halt or timeout after attempting to enter or exit a low-power state. A common example is a computer failing to resume from sleep mode, requiring a hard reboot. This can be due to hardware or software issues, including driver conflicts, firmware problems, or power management settings.
Reliable power state transitions are essential for optimizing energy consumption, preserving system state, and enabling rapid resumption of work. Inability to efficiently transition between power states can negatively impact productivity, battery life in mobile devices, and overall system stability. Historically, power management has presented significant challenges for operating system and hardware developers, leading to ongoing efforts to improve reliability and efficiency in this area.