Software⏱️ 3 min read📅 2026-06-15

How to Fix: powercfg /devicedisablewake gives invalid parameters error

Powercfg /devicedisablewake error with invalid parameters

Quick Answer: Use double quotes around the device name to quote special characters, e.g. "NVIDIA nForce 10/100 Mbps Ethernet"

The error 'powercfg /devicedisablewake gives invalid parameters error' occurs when attempting to disable a device from waking up the system using the powercfg command. This issue affects users who are trying to prevent their laptop or desktop from starting up unexpectedly after being in hibernate.

Disabling devices that can wake up the system is frustrating because it can cause unexpected start-ups, leading to data loss and system instability. In this guide, we will walk you through the steps to resolve this issue using the powercfg command.

⚠️ Common Causes

  • The primary reason for this error is that the device name contains a slash (/) which is not allowed in the powercfg /devicedisablewake command. This can be resolved by quoting the device name properly.
  • Another alternative cause could be that the device is set to wake up on network activity, and disabling it would require additional steps such as editing the Network Connections settings.

🛠️ Step-by-Step Verified Fixes

Quoting the Device Name

  1. Step 1: To quote the device name, enclose it in double quotes (") instead of single quotes ('). For example, use "NVIDIA nForce 10/100 Mbps Ethernet" as the device name.
  2. Step 2: Open the Command Prompt and navigate to the directory where you want to run the powercfg command. Type 'powercfg /devicedisablewake' followed by the quoted device name, like so: powercfg /devicedisablewake "NVIDIA nForce 10/100 Mbps Ethernet"
  3. Step 3: Press Enter to execute the command, and if successful, the device should be disabled from waking up the system.

Editing Network Connections Settings

  1. Step 1: To disable a device from waking up on network activity, open the Network Connections settings. This can usually be found in the Control Panel or by searching for 'Network Connections' in the Start menu.
  2. Step 2: Right-click on the Ethernet adapter and select Properties. In the Properties window, click on the 'Advanced' tab and look for the 'Wake on LAN' option.

✨ Wrapping Up

By quoting the device name properly or editing the Network Connections settings, you should be able to disable the NVIDIA nForce 10/100 Mbps Ethernet adapter from waking up your system. If you encounter any issues during these steps, refer to the powercfg command documentation for further assistance.

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