If changing the sleep settings doesn't help, you could try running the attached keyfaker.cmd (calls Visual Basic script keyfaker.vbs) in a cmd.exe window to periodically simulate keystrokes (default is one shift key every 180 seconds). Then the computer might decide not to sleep. I found this a long time ago from http://www.bencoleman.co.uk/keyboard-activity-faker (website no longer exists except as an archive).
Could be software even if that seems unintuitive. Many years ago I had issues installing a game, it froze the whole system permanently, turns out the motherboard software was somehow interfering with the game copy-protection. As it was brand new, I took it to pieces several times, two days wasted in troubleshooting.
I downloaded Spybot and ran that 3,4 times. I have used it before, but I deleted it a while back. It did not find any viruses or trojans but it cleaned up a few broken files and trash. It seems to be working fine now. I don't know what I did to fix it, but it's okay. I think my next laptop will be an Apple, MacBook Air. I like their phones, perhaps their laptops will be just as nice. People seem to be dedicated to them. It's a system, the Apple products seem to work with each other as a team. As least that is how I perceive it. Thanks for everyone's ideas.
Apple has also plenty of technical issues and repair is much more difficult. Apple will usually just tell you to buy new laptop if there's any issues.
I had the same problem and fixed it by setting Turn of the Display and Put the computer to sleep to Never. These items are located under Hardware and then Power Options on my laptop.