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Sleep mode issue - won't go to sleep

I can manually put my Mac Pro to sleep but it will not go to sleep on it's own with the prescribed time set in the power settings. I leave it for long periods thinking it will sleep on its own, but come back to find the monitor has been asleep, but not the computer. I have unplugged everything from the back of the unit for a time to discharge the tower, I have reset the Safari plist preferences, and I have repaired permissions. Probably not a huge concern here, but it was working properly a few days ago. Any suggestions?

Mac Pro, Mac OS X (10.5.6)

Posted on Jan 1, 2009 2:24 PM

47 replies

Apr 20, 2009 12:02 PM in response to Pagemakers2

Here's more;

A number of sleep-related issues can appear after incremental Mac OSX updates, including the inability to properly go to sleep, problems waking from sleep, and having your display go to sleep without your Mac going to sleep. The most common culprit is Bluetooth. Try these tips to fix your sleep problems.
WAKE UP
In System Preferences>Bluetooth, uncheck Allow Bluetooth Devices To Wake This Computer. If you are using a Bluetooth mouse and keyboard, you'll have to wake your Mac by pressing the power button.
FILE CORRUPTION
Your Bluetooth preference file may be corrupt-you'll need to delete it. Turn Bluetooth off, then go to the /Users/user name/Library/Preferences folder. Look for a file called com.apple.Bluetooth.plist and trash it.The OS will create a new preference file when you enable Bluetooth again.
ENERGY SAVER
If you have issues with a Mac or display that goes to sleep at inappropriate times, you may have a problem with Energy Saver. Delete the following .plist files and restart:

-/Library/Preferences/SystemConfiguration/com.apple.PowerManagement.plist

-/Users/username/Library/Preferences/com.apple.systemuiserver.plist--
(username is your name or System Administrators name)

-/Library/Preferences/SystemConfiguration/com.apple.AutoWake.plist
A restart is very important after deleting these plists. After a reboot your Mac will then generate new ones.

Some, in these forums, have had luck fixing sleep issues downloading the Combo update from this site (yours may be corrupt), not Software Update, disconnect all firewire + USB devices except keyboard + mouse, Repair Permissions, re-install update, Repair Permissions again + try.
DALE

Apr 20, 2009 1:14 PM in response to Pagemakers2

Pagemakers2 I have the same issue. I set my computer to turn off automatically at 2 minutes and it went into sleep mode 2 times. I had reset the pram and deleted the plist in preferences so I thought the problem was fixed.

So I set the energy saver to put my computer into sleep mode at 45 minutes of inactivity. It never went into sleep mode. I had it set to turn off automatically for a couple months, only the monitor would turn off.

It's been like this every since I can remember, probably when I first bought the computer. Now I just have the computer set to "never" and have the monitor set to turn off automatically.

I've got the new 09 2.66 ghz Quad Core Mac Pro. I've got a Time Capsule plugged into my Mac Pro by Ethernet, I've got an HP Deskjet 5550 plugged into my time capsule. I've got a 24" LED Apple Cinema Display plugged into my computer.

I've also got an Apple Corded keyboard and mouse plugged into the Mac Pro.

Message was edited by: Stuart Lawrence

Apr 21, 2009 3:47 AM in response to Stuart Lawrence

I only have the Mac keyboard plugged in and I am using 2 x 24” Apple displays. I don't use Bluetooth - it's always turned off. The machine is 20 days old.

Sometimes it turns off as it should and other times the screens turns off and that's it. There appears to be absolutely no rhyme or reason why it will not sleep automatically.

It sleeps on schedule but not after x minutes. What's the difference in sleep?

I have deleted several plist list files and re-set everything I am supposed to and it's still hit and miss, just like sleep was is that awful OS Vista I used to use ;(

Apr 21, 2009 10:58 AM in response to Pagemakers2

You shouldn't need the following after 20 days, but you never know.

Try using Disk Utility to do a Disk Repair, as shown in this link, while booted up on your install disk.
You could have some directory corruption. Let us know what errors Disk Utility reports and if DU was able to repair them.

You tried sleep with all USB disconnected, right?

 DALE

Apr 21, 2009 11:44 AM in response to Dale Weisshaar

Done all that. Unplugged all USB. Sleep is still hit and miss. I honestly think it's a bug.

I bought 2 mac Pros and they both fail to auto-sleep 100% of the time. More like 60%.

Looking over the net and I have discovered hundreds of postings with the same problem.

sailormac suggests trashing the Library/Launch Agent folder. I have 3 items in there. parallels, Adobe CS4 and HP launch agent. Is it going to mess anything up if I try that?

Apr 21, 2009 11:52 AM in response to Pagemakers2

Mine has no issues with sleep. Did you try the disk repair?
Dale

Apr 21, 2009 11:54 AM in response to Dale Weisshaar

Yes I did.

As matter of interest will you set your machine to sleep after 1 min and tell me if it does.

Which Pro do you have, the 09 version?

Apr 21, 2009 12:05 PM in response to Pagemakers2

As matter of interest will you set your machine to sleep after 1 min and tell me if it does.

Yes it does.

Which Pro do you have, the 09 version?

Late '08
Dale

Apr 21, 2009 12:24 PM in response to Dale Weisshaar

Mabey it's an issue with the newer 09 Mac Pro's? Which Mac Pro do you own? Did you configure your Mac Pro on the Apple Site? My Mac Pro hasn't gone into sleep mode since I had it.

Apr 21, 2009 12:29 PM in response to Stuart Lawrence

The 09 version. Off the shelf but with 2 x 24” Apple displays.

Apr 21, 2009 2:44 PM in response to bkile

Well I spoke too soon as the fix that worked for me has just stopped working. In fact, several steps back as now if I try to invoke sleep, it sleeps then immediately fires up again but then hangs.

Apr 21, 2009 2:49 PM in response to Pagemakers2

I was thinking, I wonder if having 2 displays affects sleep? I would try disconnecting one, test, then the other and see if it sleeps.

It might pay to do a search or pose this question in the MacPro Display forum.

DALE

Apr 21, 2009 3:01 PM in response to Dale Weisshaar

It could be anything, even the 2 cards to run the 2 displays.

Apr 21, 2009 3:08 PM in response to Pagemakers2

You could also run your Apple Hardware Test and see if it flags anything.

DALE

Apr 21, 2009 10:58 PM in response to Roger Sinden

Tried Please Sleep and that didn't work either. To be honest, life's too short and I've given up on trying to solve this. Not so bad during the winter as the heat output warms the room. Bit hot in summer tho'.

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Sleep mode issue - won't go to sleep