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bobright

macrumors 601
Original poster
Jun 29, 2010
4,817
34
Im copying tons of stuff to my iMac from an external and am heading to bed. I got about 2hours left. If I let the Mac just run and the screen shuts off I guess thats sleep mode? Would the file transfer pause?

I want it to continue running in the background if possible.
 
Based on the assumption that I can wifi in from any of my laptops, Ipad and phone when my Imac is asleep.I'd say yes, but I tend to babysit file transfers anyway....If "Put hard disks to sleep when possible " is ticked, it may simply resume when woken again.
 
The screen going dark is only display sleep, not computer sleep. You can adjust both in system preference, energy saver.
 
The screen going dark is only display sleep, not computer sleep. You can adjust both in system preference, energy saver.

Ahh so setting Computer Sleep to say 2 hours or so leaves my unit running, when Display Sleep would just shut the screen off in 15min or so
 
Yes, but to be safe, you might want to set it to 2 1/2 hrs.

Thanks thats exactly what I want. I'm always a Shut Down when not in use kind of guy so I dont mind the long 2hour wait till the computer sleeps. It'll be for good reason e.g. like right now transferring files.
 
Yes, but to be safe, you might want to set it to 2 1/2 hrs.

Stroked,
One more thing do you happen to know if my External HD would also go into "sleep mode" and shut off when the iMac eventually does the same after these couple hours? That'd be nice.
 
Stroked,
One more thing do you happen to know if my External HD would also go into "sleep mode" and shut off when the iMac eventually does the same after these couple hours? That'd be nice.

If the mac is still 'on' but the display is off, then all the ports should be 'live' until sleep time.

HTH
 
If the mac is still 'on' but the display is off, then all the ports should be 'live' until sleep time.

HTH

I mean after I go into Computer Sleep does the external HDD get shut off as well?
 
I mean after I go into Computer Sleep does the external HDD get shut off as well?

Depending on the model of HD, yes.

My USB drives spin down when the iMac sleeps. The old firewire ones (on my 2006 iMac) stay powered, but they spin down.
 
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