iMac 24" 3.06GHz has problems with going to sleep

[allan.nyholm]

Hello everyone.

I have run into an odd problem. My fairly new iMac 24" from last June has trouble going to sleep using the settings in Energy Saver preferences. I have recently reinstalled OS X and nothing was wrong with sleep before the reinstall, as far as I remember. I have the settings set to default right now and the iMac just won't go to sleep.

I have reset PRAM and unplugging all cables overnight(I heard that it does something wonderful to the computer) But I can't remember if it resets something or what.

My open apps are the usual suspects like Safari, Adium, iTunes and Mailplane - I do have a lot of background apps running; Logitech Control Center, FinderPop, Growl, iStat menus, Antipop(for getting ridding of speaker pops whilst the system sound is idle) - I can't quite pinpoint the thing that stops my iMac from sleeping on its own. I can force sleep it just fine and it won't wake up all the sudden.

What can I try to get it to sleep - is it a PMU reset that I need to do? If so, does anyone here from the top of their head remember the trick to do this on an Intel machine? Is it something like unplugging all cables and then only insert the powercable while holding the powerbutton on the back of the computer for a second then letting go?

Thanks for any help.

[allan.nyholm]

So, it must be something I'm doing because I just reinstalled OS X again with a clean install without copying Time Machine files back like I did the last time and the computer still won't sleep after the default 10 minutes. This is on a bare bone OS X 10.5.6 installation with every update from Software Update. I found the Apple Support site and looked around for the SMC reset page which I found and did a successful reset of the SMC I think, but it's the same. I tried setting the sleep to 1 minute and just sat there waited for the iMac to sleep but it never did - the screen goes black but system is still running.

I would like to get this resolved so that I can leave my Mac if I'm in a rush and know that the computer sleeps like it's supposed to do.

Help??

Edit: I found out what was causing the non-sleep issue; it was my internet sharing that kept the system alive. Airport was not on but the sharing was set in System Preferences. Problem solved.

[si77hay]

Pants! I have the exact same issue on my 24" iMac. The screen can turn off but the machine refuses to sleep.

I can force it to sleep but it won't do it on it's own. I do not have Internet Sharing turned on.

Never heard of Antipop, but I'll look into that, thanks.

[allan.nyholm]

Pants! I have the exact same issue on my 24" iMac. The screen can turn off but the machine refuses to sleep.

I can force it to sleep but it won't do it on it's own. I do not have Internet Sharing turned on.

Never heard of Antipop, but I'll look into that, thanks.

Firefox has a tendency to not let the machine sleep. This worked for me when I used Firefox; go to about:config and search for "places" - now at the bottom there is an entry named something like "places.idleload" and a setting of 60000. Set this to 0(zero) and if you have Firefox open the Mac will sleep.

This is just an idea if you happen to use Firefox3.

[si77hay]

I do indeed use FF3. I changed the setting, made sure both Energy settings were set to 1min, bent over my desk for 1min to listen, but no! I'm afraid that didn't do it.

I then shutdown FF3 and tried again but still my Mac refusing to sleep.

I know it's not sleeping, as when I use alt+cmd+eject to sleep, the machine's silent. When it "sleeps" on it's own after 1min, I can still hear the damn thing!

Thanks anyway.

[allan.nyholm]

Oh, I'm not sure what to tell you next. I just know that it was what did it for me. I also had to relaunch Firefox after the setting change but I got my Mac to shut down perfectly. Maybe you need to reset your SMC? I did this a couple of times because I had no idea what was preventing the Mac from going to sleep. Here's the link if you want to try http://support.apple.com/kb/HT1543

[si77hay]

Thanks. Tried that, but still no deep sleep!

I was tempted with a new/fresh install of 10.5.6, but I see from your post that it still didn't solve the issue.

It's an @rse knowing the functionality is there, but unusable.

Thanks for your help!

After trying several things on Google, I came across this NMS (http://homepage.mac.com/rwikoff/slicedapple/nmsutility.html#What_is_NMS). I tentatively installed it and it seems to work. My basic understanding is that it periodically checks if your system has been idle for a while, if so, forces sleep. CPU usage seems normal, and haven't noticed anything out of the ordinary.

[McShizzel]

I'm having the same issue but on my 2009 Mac Pro, it was sleeping by itself a few days ago but now the screen will shut off but the system remains running.

I also tried starting my system in Safe Mode to see if that would help but no can do. The only new software I installed in the last few days were: GeekTool, Paragon NTFS, and a demo of CandyBar which I uninstalled.

Here's a link of someone who's experiencing the same problems but with the 2009 Mac Mini http://forums.macrumors.com/showthread.php?t=673037&highlight=won%27t+sleep

I may contact Apple tomorrow and see if I can get a response from them.

[nickcliborne]

Maybe it's not sleepy :p:p:p

[jmpage2]

It's definitely a FF3 problem if you are using FF3. Regardless of what energy saver settings you enter, FF3 will sometimes prevent the machine from sleeping depending on what page you have the browser parked on.

From what I understand FF3 does things like access the hard drives when reloading certain parts of some web pages. You will likely find that the machine sleeps perfectly if FF3 is left open on google.com but will fail to sleep if other sites, such as Apple.com are opened.

If you do a search on posts by me you'll see a whole thread about this problem with the Mac Mini I recently purchased, along with a link to the bug thread at Mozilla documenting the issue, which the folks at Mozilla don't view as a "blocking" bug for release of FF3.1.

[allan.nyholm]

This application also helps the system go to sleep http://www.dragonone.com/products/macosx/pleasesleep/ - I should have mentioned this earlier.

Edit. take a look at these pages: This first page is what I got when I went looking for a solution; http://support.mozilla.com/tiki-view_forum_thread.php?forumId=1&comments_threshold=0&comments_parentId=178042&comments_offset=0&comments_per_page=20&thread_style=commentStyle_plain

Now this next page is I believe the same that jmpage2 links to in his thread about his Mac Mini;
https://bugzilla.mozilla.org/show_bug.cgi?id=428565 - take note of comment 53(regarding sleep settings) and maybe 57 too.

[si77hay]

It's definitely a FF3 problem if you are using FF3. Regardless of what energy saver settings you enter, FF3 will sometimes prevent the machine from sleeping depending on what page you have the browser parked on.

From what I understand FF3 does things like access the hard drives when reloading certain parts of some web pages. You will likely find that the machine sleeps perfectly if FF3 is left open on google.com but will fail to sleep if other sites, such as Apple.com are opened.

If you do a search on posts by me you'll see a whole thread about this problem with the Mac Mini I recently purchased, along with a link to the bug thread at Mozilla documenting the issue, which the folks at Mozilla don't view as a "blocking" bug for release of FF3.1.

Thanks for the advice. But I even tried closing FF3 and running the same tests, but my iMac still refused to sleep. This may be a valid solution for some people, but it didn't work for me :(

[si77hay]

This application also helps the system go to sleep http://www.dragonone.com/products/macosx/pleasesleep/ - I should have mentioned this earlier.

Thanks for this. I actually uninstalled NMS, ran some above tests and found my iMac had a case of insomnia again. I then installed PleaseSleep (http://www.dragonone.com/products/macosx/pleasesleep/) (which frankly has a slicker interface, and none of the bulk of NMS), and the iMac sleeps once more.

I'm not disbuting the error may well be with FF3, but I'd rather use PleaseSleep than start changing default settings with FF. I little out of my depth too ;-)

Thanks all!

[allan.nyholm]

Thanks for this. I actually uninstalled NMS, ran some above tests and found my iMac had a case of insomnia again. I then installed PleaseSleep (http://www.dragonone.com/products/macosx/pleasesleep/) (which frankly has a slicker interface, and none of the bulk of NMS), and the iMac sleeps once more.

I'm not disbuting the error may well be with FF3, but I'd rather use PleaseSleep than start changing default settings with FF. I little out of my depth too ;-)

Thanks all!

Good thing that you found a way to make your Mac sleep. Remember to set the "places.frecency.updateIdleTime" setting back to the default value. ;)

[johto]

Create a new fresh account and test sleep with that. Then you know if its a "global" error or just some program messing with you. :cool:

[si77hay]

I forgot to mention, I already tried that.

I have my account on the iMac (admin), and I logged out, and logged in as a Guest (if that counts?) and still the same issue. No deep sleeping!

[allan.nyholm]

After a successful couple of days I have now run into the same issue that si77hay has. My iMac won't sleep on its own. I have tried logging in with no startup items(by holding shift while logging in)and as guest setting the sleep to 1 minute and just wait. Nothing happens. Odd behavior indeed. I now run PleaseSleep which cures the automatic sleep.

I did recently install NetBarrier X5 because of a feeling of insecurity and after a reset I found that the computer wouldn't sleep. Then uninstalled NetBarrier-restarted; the iMac still won't sleep automatically. The screen will go blank after 1 minute but computer is still awake.

Then thought it must be because I had loaded Camino(read somewhere that a launch of either Firefox or ?Camino? might prevent sleep until restart). Still that wasn't it. I tried taking apart my login list but nothing helps. So, then next step for me is somehow to get on Apple Support forum and complain to see if anyone there can figure out what the deal is.

[si77hay]

Not sure if it helps, but I don't have Camino or NetBarrior installed. I have PleaseSleep solving the issue, but it's an annoyance that it's solving a problem that the iMac should be able to do on it's own.

If it's of any interest or help, I've just dumped my current Activity Monitor into a text file.
165692

[Pagemakers]

I have a brand new Mac Pro 09. 2 days old.

Tried everything and the damn thing will not sleep automatically all of the time.

Even scheduled sleep did not work last night.

[si77hay]

I have a brand new Mac Pro 09. 2 days old.

Tried everything and the damn thing will not sleep automatically all of the time.

Even scheduled sleep did not work last night.

I've stopped wasting time trying to solution this issue. PleaseSleep (http://www.dragonone.com/products/macosx/pleasesleep/) works fine for me.

[Pagemakers]

Yea I have just installed that and it seems to work fine. However Apple needs to fix this (feedback left).

Do you know how to remove the please sleep taskbar icon?

[allan.nyholm]

Yea I have just installed that and it seems to work fine. However Apple needs to fix this (feedback left).

Do you know how to remove the please sleep taskbar icon?

I think you can make transparent GIFs(inside the resources folder) and then make it seem like it's not there except for a blank space.

[Pagemakers]

Thanks for that tip. Currently I have an open Applecare ticket to see if we can resolve the issue.

Personally I think it's a bug in the OS. Even an archive/install did not fix the problem.

[jmpage2]

I'm wondering if a fresh restore from the install discs corrects this problem. In my case the issue is definitely FF3 related, as completely quitting FF3 always gets my Mac Mini back to sleeping.

I have a Radeon 4850 equipped iMac 24" on order, have to see if that one has sleep issues as well.

[jmpage2]

I thought I'd resurrect this thread as I've uninstalled FF3 and still had sleep issues with Safari 4.

If Safari 4 is open on certain web pages then the iMac will not sleep. Closing Safari down more or less fixes the issue 95% of the time.

Can anyone else confirm having sleep issues with newer Intel iMacs and Safari 4?

[infomatic]

I thought I'd resurrect this thread as I've uninstalled FF3 and still had sleep issues with Safari 4.

If Safari 4 is open on certain web pages then the iMac will not sleep. Closing Safari down more or less fixes the issue 95% of the time.

Can anyone else confirm having sleep issues with newer Intel iMacs and Safari 4?

I've got a 2.66G Intel Core Duo, running Safari 3.2, and this just started happening to me a few days ago. Not sure if it's browser-related but I'll try that out.

[mmoran27]

Any kind of flash animation on a web site can prevent sleep.

[zerolight]

I too have this problem. I'm not sure if PleaseSleep is the cure, I'll try it.

I want my Mac to goto sleep after a period of inactivity. However I don't want it to goto sleep if I'm SABNZBD is downloading files, or if we are streaming a movie to the telly. How does PleaseSleep work? Does it simply look at your energy saving settings and put your computer to sleep when your computer has had no mouse or keyboard input for that period? Or does it look at your application activity? It sounds to me like it's pure input activity and not application activity, in which case it's back to wondering why Apple can't correctly detect application activity.

[si77hay]

Snow Leopard is compatible with with the latest version of PleaseSleep :)

[tdk320]

This just started happening to me last night! I bought my 24" iMac refurb back in in May and it has *always* slept on its sleep schedule. The light from the screen woke me up in the middle of the night though last night. I went to restart this morning and all of the sudden my down and right arrows were stuck, but only when I was in finder?!?! Explain that one! No lolcatz or anything to step or smash on my keyboard...*except* for Snow Leopard that I installed yesterday.

[Pagemakers]

…..and the wonderful Snow Leopard does not fix the problem either!

[si77hay]

…..and the wonderful Snow Leopard does not fix the problem either!

Nope, much to my disgust! I'm very happy with SL, partly because it only cost £30. I again tried closing all apps, unplugging everything, and reducing sleep til 1 min, but no deep sleep!

[Pagemakers]

and even worse, scheduled sleep has now stopped working. Even that worked in 10.5

[PurpleLogix]

I had similar sleep problems with my MP, turned out it was my WD studio drive keeping it awake. WDstartupmenu something something kept sending request. Check console for what is keeping it up.

Got rid of drive and she sleeps again.

[si77hay]

I had similar sleep problems with my MP, turned out it was my WD studio drive keeping it awake. WDstartupmenu something something kept sending request. Check console for what is keeping it up.

Got rid of drive and she sleeps again.

Thanks for that. Assuming I'm computer illiterate, where can I look within Console.app? Is it DATABASE SEARCHES > All Messages?

[ravenvii]

Whoo, just realized my 20" 2.66 GHz iMac has this problem, too! I can tell it to go to sleep via the Apple menu, and it happily goes to sleep. But Energy Saver setting? Insomnia.

Using Snow Leopard 10.6.1 here, by the way.

[si77hay]

I upgraded my iMac to 10.6.1 too, but it still has a problem.

Since then I've bought a MBP, and it sleeps on it's own no problem. However, I have noticed that my MBP (although on paper a slower machine), is significantly faster than my iMac, so I'm quite close to doing a clean 10.6.1 install on my iMac.

FYI - I've tried with all applications quit. Via USB I have EyeTV, Logitech MX Mouse, Apple wired Keyboard and a printer. I have detached all though :(

[ravenvii]

Sorry to bump such an old thread, but I just wanted to say my problem was solved!

Apple support walked me though the steps, and now I wish I've remembered the specific files I've deleted. There's two files in the System folder and two in the user's Library folder. But after deleting those files, and moving energysaver.prefpane out of it's folder and into my desktop and doing a restart, then launching the prefpane file to reinstall the energy saver preferences pane, voila! It worked!

At first I thought it didn't work, but apparently it takes a bit for the iMac to actually go to sleep after the screen blanks out.

In other words, a reinstall of Snow Leopard would probably have worked. :D

[Pagemakers]

…but you don’t remember the files?

[doug in albq]

I think the issue is with the LaunchAgent "Antipop."

I had this no functional auto-sleep issue on 2 of my macs, the two with Antipop installed. In my long search to fix the sleep issue in the MacBook & Mac Mini I thought I had successfully UNinstalled Antipop by manually removing what I thought were all the parts to that LannchAgent. However, I still had no autosleep.

(console gave no hint that Antipop was keeping the Macs awake)

Just last week, on a tip, I decided to use the Un-installer script that comes with the latest version of Antipop.

But, at the same time I did happen to install the newly-released SL Security Update 2010-001.

Restarted, and for the first time since 10.5.something, functional auto-sleep was back! I blogged about my ordeal, should you be interested in the details, and continue to have issues with auto-sleep on your Mac.

Sorry to bump an old thread, but this was a near-year issue with my Macs, and there is little information to be found on this specific fix...The Original Poster even stated they had Antipop installed on their rig...

[ArcspacE]

I've discrovered that most times if iTunes is playing it won't got to sleep.
But if I stop the music (leave iTunes running though) - voila.