thebenhoward

Q: Does the computer continue running when I press the power button?

I'm currently backing up all my files for the first time via Time Machine to an external hard drive.  It started going, I pressed the power button to (as far as I know) put it on standby mode, and when I came back from class a couple hours later, it didn't look like the progress bar has moved very much.

 

Do backups and uploads and other things continue running when I press the power button or when the computer display goes black to preserve power?

MacBook Pro with Retina display

Posted on Jan 29, 2014 8:44 PM

Close

Q: Does the computer continue running when I press the power button?

  • All replies
  • Helpful answers

  • by Kappy,

    Kappy Kappy Jan 29, 2014 8:47 PM in response to thebenhoward
    Level 10 (271,467 points)
    Desktops
    Jan 29, 2014 8:47 PM in response to thebenhoward

    That's because Time Machine stops running when the computer is sleeping. It will start back up on its own once the computer wakes up. If you put the computer to sleep, then most everything stops. That's why it is called "sleep."

  • by Network 23,

    Network 23 Network 23 Jan 29, 2014 9:10 PM in response to thebenhoward
    Level 6 (12,043 points)
    Mac OS X
    Jan 29, 2014 9:10 PM in response to thebenhoward

    thebenhoward wrote:

     

    Do backups and uploads and other things continue running when I press the power button or when the computer display goes black to preserve power?

    It depends. You can sleep just the display, or you can sleep the entire machine. If you sleep just the display, the computer is still running fully awake. If you press the power button, the computer goes into sleep mode so that most (but not all) operations are suspended to save power.

     

    In recent versions of OS X, it is a bit more ambiguous, because the PowerNap feature means more types of operations may occur after you sleep the Mac, including Time Machine backups. For example, from this Apple document OS X: About Power Nap:

    When your compatible Mac goes to sleep, Power Nap still works to do the following:

    • Mail - Receive new messages.
    • Contacts - Your Contacts update with any changes you may have made on another device.
    • Calendar - Receive new invitations and calendar updates.
    • Reminders - Reminders updates with any changes you may have made on another device.
    • Notes - Notes updates with any changes you may have made on another device.
    • Documents in your iCloud account -  iCloud pushes any edits you made to a document to your Mac notebook.
    • Photo Stream - Your Photo Stream updates with new photos from your iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch.
    • Find My Mac - Locate a lost Mac notebook even when it’s sleeping.
    • VPN on demand - Corporate email updates securely.
    • Mobile Device Management - Remotely lock and wipe the computer.

     

    Power Nap does more when your Mac is plugged in to an AC outlet:

    • Downloads software updates
    • Backs up with Time Machine <<<
    • Performs Spotlight indexing
    • Continues background downloads of Mac App Store items, including software updates
    • Updates Help Center content
    • Wake on Wireless support for Apple and third party wireless base stations

    So if your Mac is sleeping and not plugged in, it may not back up. But if it sleeping and plugged in, it may back up, if it is compatible with PowerNap and PowerNap is switched on.

  • by stikman,

    stikman stikman Mar 29, 2014 7:55 AM in response to Network 23
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Mar 29, 2014 7:55 AM in response to Network 23

    Thanks for the info and link, just what i needed.