Dual Quad-core Mac Pro reboots from sleep

Hi Hatter and sleepers,
Enjoying my new mac pro except for sleep problem, which appeared only a few days after purchase. At first I thought it was my fault because I rarely use sleep (but thought i would try it with new super machine). Then it happened too many times, usually following the pattern of rebooting after an hour or more of sleep. Then I tried the solution offered by Spectar, which worked for a day. I was in the process of writing to the forum that this had solved my problem when the screen went dark, the power light for the mac pro stayed on (and machine humming) but I got no response from key board. I then pressed the power button until the machine rebooted. Wish I hadn't done that but what else is there to do when you can't input via keyboard. Anyway, I'm not sure why this thread is marked as "answered."
Will contact apple care tomorrow.
lou

I doubt contacting AppleCare will help. They told me to bring my machine in to an Apple Store. Even if the Apple Store replaces the machine on the spot, which is unlikely, it's entirely possible you'll get a new one with the exact same problem (as others in this thread have).

I put my 3rd party RAM back in, and it's now rebooting on wake-up. I haven't tried removing the RAM yet again, since I suspect that the 24 hours of it working again wasn't actually related to removing the 3rd party RAM but instead was due to the SMC reset that happened when I removed it. On the other hand, the SMC would have been reset again when I put the RAM back in - but I'm now having the problem again.

Regardless, others are having this issue with stock Apple RAM so it's unlikely my RAM is the issue - especially since the computer is working fine and the RAM tests out okay.

Well they are NOT getting my $8,000 until their products show me they are worthy
of that investment.

I am essentially having similar problems. I have had the wake from sleep problem a few times, but he reset PRAM and SMC seem to take care of that. I am also having the lockup with only the mouse curser moving, but having to hold the power button down to get anything going again. I have also had the screen to black two or three times and had to press the power button for that also. The machine seems to work for a few days perfectly in between these problems. I have run the Hardware test numerous times without finding anything. It is frustrating because when it is working, it is very good.

I haven't looked through all 18 pages of this thread but I have the 3.2GHz Mac Pro. It's only rebooted from sleep once since it arrived on Jan 14th. I'm curious if the fact that I have it on a 1500 watt UPS helps. How many of you have your Mac Pro on a UPS?

I do. 1500 unit. Reboot on wake from sleep.
As far as I can tell from reports, UPS (and powerdraw) has no effect on this issue.....

I also have my brand new 2008 stock Mac Pro restart when trying to wake from sleep.

Just for the record if it's any interest. I received a new single quad core Mac Pro with a 8800 card last Thursday. It rebooted from sleep 3 times until I found this thread and did a SMC and Pram start. Since then it has not rebooted once after waking from sleep mode, but when it does awake, for a brief instance the fans sound like they are going to take off. It has actually awoken without a sound on a few occasions.

Now I have posted this it will probably start rebooting from sleep again. I did call Apple tech support just to register that I was having this problem. I would recommend anyone who is having this problem contact them. This would really help if the problem gets worse and make it easier to get a replacement. Apple would know that you have been having this problem from the start.
The tech person I spoke to also suggested that I went into preferences/energy saver/ and uncheck the "put the hard disk to sleep" box.

I am far from an expert but I suspect and hope that this is just a software issue which Apple will hopefully fix very soon.

I bought a new APC - 1500VA UPS (Model: BX1500LCD) before I got the Mac Pro. I wanted to be sure to have a large enough battery for the MP. I don't think that has anything to do with the reboot on wake. Mine has done it, but very seldom, maybe only about 3 times since I got it on 2/12 and I sleep it several times a day.

Errm, and I cannot recommend that anyone puts their machine to sleep without saving their work first.

I had been having the problem on one of our machines, and as a data point the PRAM+SMC reset appears to have done the trick.

I don't have a Pro myself, but have been thinking about getting one since the new model was released. I rarely shutdown any of my macs, so sleep is a requirement for me. Has anyone tried Deep Sleep http://www.apple.com/downloads/dashboard/status/deepsleep.html to change the default sleep state? I suggested a friend of mine try this (he has a stock 2.8 octo) and it seemed to alleviate the problem (for now).

Mine's on an APC RS1500. Reboots from sleep. Like many other variables (memory, disk drive(s), display, video card, usb attachments) it doesn't seem to matter.

Well, I don't want to be pessimistic, seeing as how much I want this issue fixed by Apple or at least acknowledged in some official capacity. But if how long they took to fix the Macbook keyboard issue is any indicator, you shouldn't hold your breath.

Step up the quality control, Apple.

Deborah Terreson wrote:
VK, stick with your 2.6 MacPro. If like me, you bought it recently, what you have is the end-of-manufacture for the form, it is the full mature flower of the build and has the potential for years of service.

In some instances, the sleep problems seem to be related to is the Energy Saver control panel. Go into it and un-check the 'hard drive sleep whenever possible' box - don't want that on as it will crash on wake (if the hard drive is already asleep when the rest of the system goes down it crashes - end of story). Set the timer for the display and the computer to never sleep.

Sorry, but I must object to the "advice" you're giving. First, you [apparently] don't have one of the affected machines, based on your profile (a 2.6). More important, your advice flies in the face of other peoples' experiences that are well documented in this thread. There are few - probably no - people reporting reboots if the drive(s) and display(s) are set to sleep but the system is not, and setting the Energy Saver control panel in this fashion saves quite a bit of power. It's only when the entire system is set to sleep that the reboot from sleep problem occurs. I've tried all the things other people have recommended, weeks ago, and my machine would still episodically reboot when I awoke it in the morning. For the few weeks since I gave up on those "fixes" (including the one you mentioned in another post just earlier on the 25th, resetting the PMC), I've not had a single unexpected reboot - in fact the ONLY reboots have been intentional when some Software Update or 3rd party installation required it - and my drives are set to sleep when possible.

The traffic on this thread is increasing, but one consequence of that is people posting "fixes" that are already known not to work.

You did give one excellent piece of advice: if a user already has a previous generation Mac Pro, it probably makes good sense to hold onto it rather than replacing it with an "early 2008" model for now.

I hope you don't take my post as hostile. Those of us who have these machines and are hoping for a real solution get a bit testy when our inboxes swell with "solutions" we've already discredited.

yvonnejim wrote:
Yes, but what about all of us ( me ) with the 8800 card, and the same problem?

Emery Martin1 wrote:
It's the 2600XT, that's the problem. Just talked to Applecare today after my replacement for my 4 time repair machine was replaced with the stock Mac Pro and was exhibiting the sleep and artifacting problems. They said it was a known issue that the stock 2600XT card was indeed causing problems.

Emery's post, I think, reflects our hunger for some official declaration from Apple that they know what is causing this. An "authoritative" declaration from an AppleCare rep is taken at face value, even though a careful reading of users' experiences on this thread would offer evidence that the supposed "solution" cannot be the cure. I'd be ecstatic if Apple would create a technote that acknowledges the problem, states that a solution is being sought, and that updates will be provided when they know something definitive. It boggles my mind that they're willing to replace people's machines with others that almost certainly will suffer the same fate within relatively short order.