iMac turns on at midnight, every night

Hi srojtas

First reset the iMac's SMC (System Management Controller) exactly following the instructions in the following link.

http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?artnum=303446-en

Then in the "Energy Saver Preference / Options" be sure that the box "Restart automatically after a power failure" is unchecked, just in case something else is interrupting the iMac's power at that time.

Lastly are you using elgato iTV? If so look at the discussions thread below!

http://discussions.apple.com/thread.jspa?messageID=4532472&#4532472

imac973 say's

+Ok, the problem seems to be resolved... I have deleted the file named "Wakein" located in /Libreria/Application Support/EyeTv...+
+Then I deleted and then reinstalled Eye Tv and...OK! my iMac doesn't restart by itself!!!+

Dennis

Hello srojtas,

I had this very issue. And to fix it you must reset the PRAM. To do this you firstly shut down your computer. Then you switch the computer back on the IMMEDIATELY hold down the Command-Option-P-R keys and kept them held down. Keep them held down until the computer restarts and you hear the "bong" sound.

More info: http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?artnum=2238

I have exactly the same issue but resetting P-RAM and turn of the iMac as described did not work for me.

The iMac still turns on every night at 01 AM.

In the energy-saver-settings the 'start up or wake' option is NOT checked.

So may be I have to remove the preference file for 'energy saver' but where is this preference file stored?

Jeroen

SMC is related to portables and I have an iMac (Intel). Disconnecting all wires (also power) for at least 15 seconds is similar to the SMC reset but that also did not work for me.

Now I have removed the preference file for the Energy control panel and I will wait till tomorrow to see what will happen.

Important: I found out that removing this file will result in not starting up at all unless you start up with the command-alt-p-r pressed.

Jeroen

That happens to me intermittently.

My iMac (October 2006) uses to start up at 01:00 am since i upgraded to leopard.
Not every night but at about 2-3 nights a week

I thought it was related to EyeTV 3 but there were no scheduled records

I resettet parameter ram and smc with no success.
Meanwhile i leave the power cord unplugged at night.

Any suggestions?

It returned again to me.

I have done everything as described above.

Still the iMac starts up every night at 01:00

Any suggestions?

Does it still wake up if you disconnect your modem/router?

Simon

Good idea. I will unplug my network cable tonight.

It's a long shot but I had a problem in the past with my internet connection dropping every night at midnight during the summer and 1am in the winter. It turned out to be the 'schedule blocking' settings on my Netgear router which by default schedule some activity at that time every day. I cured it by unchecking all the days of the week. I don't know whether such activity might wake a sleeping computer but I do know it cost me $1000 one night when I was about to call an all-in bet with four Aces!

Simon