Mac Sleep Timer (through 'Energy Saver' in System Preferences) won't work

[Mic'sBook]

Hello,
I have a MacBook (13-inch, Mid 2009) running Mac OS X Snow Leopard 10.6.3,
and it has been installed with the latest software updates possible.
(The latest update is the 'Security Update 2010-003')

Previously I was using Mac OS X Leopard 10.5 on my MacBook,
and I can vaguely remember the timed computer sleep through Energy Saver would work.
That is, when the counter's time matches the amount of time I specified (e.g. 10 minutes), the computer enters sleep mode and displays a pulsing power light.

After upgrading to Snow Leopard I can barely remember the scheduled computer sleep will work as I don't really notice how it sleeps / I will shut down my MacBook before I go to bed.

==========

However, last night I was really tired and slept in front of my MacBook unconsciously.
When I woke up, I found that my MacBook didn't display a pulsing power light but a continuously-growing power light.
I tapped the trackpad and the display turned on, so I knew that my MacBook didn't go to sleep a whole night.
What that means is that the Sleep Timer (through 'Energy Saver' in System Preferences) won't work.

But the timed display sleep DOES work.

==========

After spending a whole day Googling,
I found that there are plenty of people suffering the same problem as me, although their Macs and OSs vary.
I also found an official support page from Apple concerning the related issue:

Mac OS X: Why your Mac might not sleep or stay in sleep mode
http://support.apple.com/kb/HT1776

I tried the following methods but still can't resolve the problem:
- boot my MacBook in safe mode
- use the 'Disk Utility' to repair Disk Permissions through booting my MacBook from the Mac OS X Snow Leopard Installation DVD
- reset NVRAM (Intel-based) (as PRAM is used by PowerPC-based Macs)
- reset SMC (System Management Controller)

NONE of the above-mentioned methods can resolve the problem.
Althought I am sure that the Spotlight isn't indexing the hard drive, and I just start my computer and do nothing and wait for the scheduled computer sleep, the scheduled computer sleep just won't work.

In this forum, I saw someone suggest installing an application called PleaseSleep:
http://www.dragonone.com/products/macosx/pleasesleep/
It works.
But I really want to find out what caused this problem as this is a function shipped with Mac which is expected to work normally.
What's more, Apple is claiming to be a green Apple, right?

==========

Here's the log taken from 'Console':

Sleep by closing the lid of my MacBook:

Apr 18 13:21:05 Usernames-MacBook loginwindow[25]: loginwindow SleepWakeCallback WILL sleep
Apr 18 13:21:05 Usernames-MacBook PleaseSleep[288]: Sleep notification received from the system
Apr 18 13:21:07 Usernames-MacBook configd[37]: network configuration changed.
Apr 18 13:23:21 Usernames-MacBook loginwindow[25]: loginwindow SleepWakeCallback will power on, Currenttime:4/18/2010 1:23:21.028 PM - Waketime:4/18/2010 1:23:19.410 PM = Deltatime:1.618421972
Apr 18 13:23:21 Usernames-MacBook loginwindow[25]: handleUnlockResult, Currenttime:4/18/2010 1:23:21.579 PM - Waketime:4/18/2010 1:23:19.410 PM = Deltatime:2.169138968
Apr 18 13:23:23 Usernames-MacBook configd[37]: Sleep: Success - AC 98 - Clamshell Sleep
Apr 18 13:23:23 Usernames-MacBook configd[37]: Wake: Success - AC 98 - EC LID0
Apr 18 13:23:23 Usernames-MacBook configd[37]: Hibernate Statistics
Apr 18 13:23:23 Usernames-MacBook PleaseSleep[288]: Wake notification received from the system

Sleep by manually clicking the Apple logo in the upper left corner of the screen -> 'Sleep':

Apr 18 13:31:46 Usernames-MacBook loginwindow[25]: loginwindow SleepWakeCallback WILL sleep
Apr 18 13:31:46 Usernames-MacBook PleaseSleep[288]: Sleep notification received from the system
Apr 18 13:31:49 Usernames-MacBook configd[37]: network configuration changed.
Apr 18 13:32:04 Usernames-MacBook loginwindow[25]: loginwindow SleepWakeCallback will power on, Currenttime:4/18/2010 1:32:04.033 PM - Waketime:4/18/2010 1:32:02.720 PM = Deltatime:1.313067079
Apr 18 13:32:04 Usernames-MacBook loginwindow[25]: handleUnlockResult, Currenttime:4/18/2010 1:32:04.589 PM - Waketime:4/18/2010 1:32:02.720 PM = Deltatime:1.869303048
Apr 18 13:32:06 Usernames-MacBook configd[37]: Sleep: Success - AC 98 - Software Sleep
Apr 18 13:32:06 Usernames-MacBook configd[37]: Wake: Success - AC 98 - OHC1
Apr 18 13:32:06 Usernames-MacBook configd[37]: Hibernate Statistics
Apr 18 13:32:06 Usernames-MacBook PleaseSleep[288]: Wake notification received from the system

Sleep by manually pressing control + eject, and the press 'Sleep':

Apr 18 13:34:17 Usernames-MacBook loginwindow[25]: loginwindow SleepWakeCallback WILL sleep
Apr 18 13:34:17 Usernames-MacBook PleaseSleep[288]: Sleep notification received from the system
Apr 18 13:34:46 Usernames-MacBook loginwindow[25]: loginwindow SleepWakeCallback will power on, Currenttime:4/18/2010 1:34:46.080 PM - Waketime:4/18/2010 1:34:44.720 PM = Deltatime:1.360466003
Apr 18 13:34:46 Usernames-MacBook loginwindow[25]: handleUnlockResult, Currenttime:4/18/2010 1:34:46.564 PM - Waketime:4/18/2010 1:34:44.720 PM = Deltatime:1.844347000
Apr 18 13:34:46 Usernames-MacBook configd[37]: PMConnection AirPort configd plug-in com.apple.powermanagement.applicationresponse.slowresponse 566 ms
Apr 18 13:34:46 Usernames-MacBook configd[37]: bootp_session_transmit: bpf_write(en0) failed: Network is down (50)
Apr 18 13:34:46 Usernames-MacBook configd[37]: DHCP en0: INIT transmit failed
Apr 18 13:34:46 Usernames-MacBook configd[37]: PMConnection IPConfiguration com.apple.powermanagement.applicationresponse.slowresponse 567 ms
Apr 18 13:34:46 Usernames-MacBook configd[37]: network configuration changed.
Apr 18 13:34:48 Usernames-MacBook configd[37]: Sleep: Success - AC 98 - Software Sleep
Apr 18 13:34:48 Usernames-MacBook configd[37]: Wake: Success - AC 98 - OHC1
Apr 18 13:34:48 Usernames-MacBook configd[37]: Hibernate Statistics
Apr 18 13:34:48 Usernames-MacBook PleaseSleep[288]: Wake notification received from the system

Sleep by turning on the application called 'PleaseSleep' based on the settings from 'Energy Saver':

Apr 18 13:37:22 Usernames-MacBook PleaseSleep[288]: Application is enabled
Apr 18 13:37:29 Usernames-MacBook System Preferences[1136]: *** AGCAttach() failed
Apr 18 13:37:31 Usernames-MacBook [0x0-0x58058].com.apple.systempreferences[1136]: Couldn't find any matches.
Apr 18 13:38:23 Usernames-MacBook PleaseSleep[288]: Checking sleep conditions...
Apr 18 13:38:23 Usernames-MacBook PleaseSleep[288]: Going to sleep...
Apr 18 13:38:23 Usernames-MacBook loginwindow[25]: loginwindow SleepWakeCallback WILL sleep
Apr 18 13:38:23 Usernames-MacBook PleaseSleep[288]: Sleep notification received from the system
Apr 18 13:38:56 Usernames-MacBook loginwindow[25]: loginwindow SleepWakeCallback will power on, Currenttime:4/18/2010 1:38:56.042 PM - Waketime:4/18/2010 1:38:54.720 PM = Deltatime:1.321902931
Apr 18 13:38:56 Usernames-MacBook loginwindow[25]: handleUnlockResult, Currenttime:4/18/2010 1:38:56.571 PM - Waketime:4/18/2010 1:38:54.720 PM = Deltatime:1.850627959
Apr 18 13:38:56 Usernames-MacBook configd[37]: PMConnection AirPort configd plug-in com.apple.powermanagement.applicationresponse.slowresponse 707 ms
Apr 18 13:38:56 Usernames-MacBook configd[37]: bootp_session_transmit: bpf_write(en0) failed: Network is down (50)
Apr 18 13:38:56 Usernames-MacBook configd[37]: DHCP en0: INIT transmit failed
Apr 18 13:38:56 Usernames-MacBook configd[37]: PMConnection IPConfiguration com.apple.powermanagement.applicationresponse.slowresponse 708 ms
Apr 18 13:38:56 Usernames-MacBook configd[37]: network configuration changed.
Apr 18 13:38:58 Usernames-MacBook configd[37]: Sleep: Success - AC 98 - Software Sleep
Apr 18 13:38:58 Usernames-MacBook configd[37]: Wake: Success - AC 98 - OHC1
Apr 18 13:38:58 Usernames-MacBook configd[37]: Hibernate Statistics
Apr 18 13:38:58 Usernames-MacBook PleaseSleep[288]: Wake notification received from the system

If I disable 'PleaseSleep' and only depend on the non-working 'Energy Saver', nothing happens.

==========

Looking forward to your replies! Thanks in advance!

[Michael Russell]

I have the same problem. It seems that under either battery or power, it will turn the screen off, but it will not put the computer to sleep. Closing the lid, does have the desired result. I have tried changing and saving the settings, rebooting the computer, but dont really know what else to do. Suggestions?

M

[DennisMadsen]

Did you find a solution for your problem?