How can I reset my user settings? (sleep problem)

[jmpage2]

Starting a couple of days ago, my 2009 iMac won't sleep. I created another user and when that user is logged in sleep is working fine. This leads me to suspect that some of the user settings are clobbered and I need to reset them to get things normal again without having to reload the system.

Can someone tell me what files I need to trash to get my user settings wiped out?

Alternatively I could always do a fresh reload of the system and then just recover my last Time Machine backup of my applications but NOT recover my settings.

Please help!

Thanks.

 

[celticpride678]

Before trashing any files, I would try an SMC Reset. Let us know if that works or not. Then we can move to the file trashing.

Also, try disk repair and permissions repair.

 

[jmpage2]

Before trashing any files, I would try an SMC Reset. Let us know if that works or not. Then we can move to the file trashing.

Also, try disk repair and permissions repair.

Not sure what an SMC reset is. I zapped the PRAM and that has no effect on the problem.

Interestingly this whole thing started AFTER I repaired disk permissions a couple of days after my SL upgrade. Prior to that sleep had been working.

When I look in the logs for the user with the issue I never even see sleep being called, so either something is keeping things active that I don't see in the task list or the settings are clobbered.

 

[celticpride678]

SMC Reset: http://support.apple.com/kb/HT1411

 

[jmpage2]

I just found that also. Thanks for the help I will try it now. I am not confident that it will fix it though since the new user I created does not have the issue. If the SMC chip was affected I would think it would affect all users.

 

[celticpride678]

I just found that also. Thanks for the help I will try it now. I am not confident that it will fix it though since the new user I created does not have the issue. If the SMC chip was affected I would think it would affect all users.

I would think the same thing too, but this is always better than trashing files that could possibly cause more damage.

 

[jmpage2]

Okay, still not sleeping. The display will shut off at the specified time but the system won't sleep with my primary user account. Will sleep fine with the new non administrator user I created for testing purposes.

The system log does not show sleep being called.

Any other ideas on how to reset things so that sleep will work? Otherwise it's looking like I get to reinstall OS X on a Sunday.

Again, I have not installed any new software and I don't see any user processes running that should be causing the system to stay awake.

 

[celticpride678]

Navigate to: Library/Preferences/System Configuration and trash com.apple.Boot.plist


Then try this: http://www.thexlab.com/faqs/resetenergysaverprefs.html

 

[jmpage2]

Okay I will give that a shot.

I'm confused, as I did the following (and the problem was not fixed);

1. Reloaded 10.6.0 from disk (erase and install)
2. Used Migration Assistant to restore ONLY my user folder and Applications

After doing this I do notice that there was a "PleaseSleep" item in my startup items (the application isn't installed though, so I removed the start up item). I'm not sure why or how it shows up though, I haven't had PleaseSleep installed since after the SL upgrade.

I've deleted the indicated files, and will restart the system and report back.

Thanks again for taking the time to assist me with this, I will really be peeved if I have to wipe the user completely and migrate all of my data manually.

 

[jmpage2]

After trashing those files still no joy. The system won't sleep on it's own with my user. This is after a reload!

I also removed all startup items and trashed the above preference files and then rebooted.

Is there anything else that could explain this? I can get a screenshot of running processes if it would help.

 

[celticpride678]

After trashing those files still no joy. The system won't sleep on it's own with my user. This is after a reload!

I also removed all startup items and trashed the above preference files and then rebooted.

Is there anything else that could explain this? I can get a screenshot of running processes if it would help.

Can you please post that? Thanks. We'll figure this out. So, just to be clear, you erased and installed from a Time Machine backup?

 

[jmpage2]

Can you please post that? Thanks. We'll figure this out. So, just to be clear, you erased and installed from a Time Machine backup?

Nope,

I erased the disk and did a fresh install of 10.6.0 and then I used migration assistant to recover only my user folder and applications folder from a Time Machine backup.

I did just notice something that could be involved in this. When perusing the list of processes that were running I observed that there was an istat process running, which I thought was weird because I had gone to install iStat Menus a few days ago but I did not go through with it (decided I didn't need another utility clobbering things up).

However, apparently, iStat Menus were 'installed' anyway as there is an iStat choice under my System Preferences folder. I went ahead and uninstalled it.

As promised, here is that screen shot of my running processes when sleep fails to happen;

 

[jmpage2]

Okay it just slept for the 1st time yet after removing iStat Menus. I'm wondering if iStat was in a 1/2 installed state, which was causing problems.

I'm going to try again here and see if it sleeps again, this time with one application active (iChat).

 

[jmpage2]

Okay looks like it might be fixed. Now slept a 2nd time. I am suspicious that iStat menu installation caused this problem and will see if I can gather some details.