Mac Pro does not auto-sleep (manual sleeping if fine!)

I have the same problem both manually and automatically. Resetting sometimes helps, but the problem always returns. The only solution for me is to stop Bluetooth. Then autosleep works fine...

Horraay! I've found the problem after many many days of searching, removing things, SL installs (3x), SMC etc etc. The problem was OnOne Software plugins for Photoshop.

Check if you have ProTec6 -folder in your /Library/StartupItems. I didn't remove it, I just killed it's process from Activity Monitor: It's name is "Nalpeirond6". After I killed this process, my Pro is going to sleep automatically. Phew! BUT: If you kill it, you can't use OnOne software again - if you choose these plugins in PS they will not work.

I am having the same problem with idle sleep not working. I don't have the PS plugins. I have had this problem before too. It seems idle sleep is somewhat imperfect.

I have given up and will try the Please Sleep software.

I tend to agree there is no ONE fix. And there is not ONE exact result. I found out the following:
Anything which is linked to drives which are not mounted or in a network can cause a permanent attempt by the system, to connect. One time I found out, that my AirPort was still active.

Same is with the software Little Snitch. I had blocked all activities which did not make sense to me. But I found out that I blocked internal communication within OSX and between OSX and Parallels Desktop. That program communicates with OSX even if you never start it and even if you have selected "keep Parallel separate from Macintosh". I also blocked all calling home of the MAc - especially Safari. Safari Vers 5 seems to cause some hang ups in sleeping too. But when you block its calling home, it tries again and again if Little Snitch may allow it now - can't take a no for an answer.

An other bad guy is Epsons EEventManager which allows to start the scanning programs from the hardware of Epson. Strange enough there where even TWO in my user start up (guess one is on user i.e. my personal level and one is for any user). I have deleted both and start now the first time via Mac i.e. Epson-Software… which loads the EEventmanager for the time the MacBook remains turned on. No problem since when using scanner or printer.

But my main conflict comes when I start EyeTV 3 and Photoshop CS5. That kills the Finder Menu and can cause the MacBook run like crazy. Sometimes when I have programmed a TV-recording, EyeTV seems to try nervously to start up or to run.

So what did I do?
Using Onxy I deleted / reset all files, preferences and caches which where possible. I rebuild the indexes over night. Reset Little Snitch to factory state and click now "allow forever" … or what's the english translation … whenever a part of OSX, Parallels or another trustworthy program needs to get a contact.
The Safari Preferences are not all reset once you reset via Safari menu. Therefore I looked for all related file and compressed them (before deletion) in case I need to put them back - except the bookmarks. After restart with the link Apple.com Safari had build new prefs, caches etc. Of course I got then the Little Snitch alerts that Safari wants to call home and do this and that … and I blessed it.

Since I store confidential files on a drive which is shut down during internet sessions I hope that not too much is in danger. And as long as I do not use 2 programs at the same time which require graphic power (open GL) even the Finder is OK.

Just two final aspects: Years ago programs used to "freeze" or run like crazy and it was for so-called "garbage collection". OSX seems to do things like this - may be via maintenance scripts but may be also via other triggers. May be there we have also a cause for "not sleeping".
Also I have a hub where I can switch between different harddrives real quick. So I have drives with 500GB each from Hitachi, Seagate and Toshiba. Though I cannot be very specific I have a feel that the electronics of the drives respond slightly different to the sleep timer. Whereas a manual put to sleep is working fine with all drives