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Level 2

186 points

Can't Restart or Shutdown from Apple Menu

Hi everyone

Out of the blue, I can't restart or shutdown my mac from the Apple menu (though I can put it to sleep). To restart or shutdown, I have to go back to the login window and do it that way.

Anyone got a solution?

Many thanks
WG

iMac ipod ibook, Mac OS X (10.4)

Posted on Nov 30, 2005 1:30 AM

Best reply

Francine Schwieder

Level 6

19,052 points

Posted on Dec 3, 2005 10:20 AM

I been seeing reports of this problem a lot lately. One thing that used to cause a failure to shutdown was MirrorAgent, the automatic dotMac sync program, although I think they may have gotten it fixed. Generally if something is running that refuses to stop it can foul up shutdown. Try launching Activity Monitor from your /Applications/Utilities folder, show all processes, then click on the column header for "Process ID" to arrange in numeric order. Quit all your programs except Activity Monitor, and take a look to see what is still running that has a higher number than the Finder. Anything that is could be the culprit. Items that do not have a little icon are system processes. There should be two mdimports running plus mds (these are all Spotlight goodies) that launch after the Finder starts running. Try quitting anything else--Activity Monitor includes pmTool so don't quit them. You can quit by selecting the item, then click the Quit Process icon. After you've quit everything else, go ahead and quit AM normally and try to shutdown.

Francine
Schwieder

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38 replies

John Potts

Level 4

3,118 points

Dec 21, 2005 4:35 AM in response to writergirl2

WG mentions she has FileVault enabled. Could this be implicated in the restart/shut down problem she's experiencing? I have never used it myself, but I wonder whether it could be a factor.

Alexr234

Level 1

0 points

Dec 21, 2005 6:03 AM in response to writergirl2

Hey, first of all what model do you have. Also, this sounds like a problem that could be solved by a PMU reset.

MAC MINI RESET: http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?artnum=300574

iMac G5: http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?artnum=301733

iMac G4: http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?artnum=95165

Power Mac G5: http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?artnum=300341

Mac OS X (10.4.3)

writergirl2 Author

Level 2

186 points

Dec 21, 2005 6:34 AM in response to Alexr234

I'm up to date with the updates but I don't know whether or not the problem specifically occurred following an update - I usually just put the Mac to sleep and rarely restart it at all. Although now, if I install something that needs a restart, it won't restart from the 'restart now' button that usually appears.

I've always used FireVault and could restart it before so I don't think that's the problem.

My Mac is the iMacG4. I'll look through the links you suggest and see if anything there helps.

thanks!
WG

writergirl2 Author

Level 2

186 points

Dec 21, 2005 7:16 AM in response to writergirl2

Hi everyone

I reset the PRAM but that didn't make any difference.

To clarify a previous query - there is no other application hogging CPU

I'm kind of reluctant to mess with the PMU which entails going at the computer with a screwdriver (though I felt like hitting it with something the other day)!!

To recap:

I can't restart/shutdown but I can put the mac to sleep
Even if logged in as another user I can't restart/shutdown
If I install an update and this requires a restart I can't do that from the 'restart' button offered at that point

However: if I go to the login window I can restart/shutdown from there

Any further thoughts much appreciated.

WG

Jrsy Man

Level 4

1,890 points

Dec 21, 2005 7:41 AM in response to writergirl2

Hi WG,

Are you using Classic at all? I understand in some instances shut down or restart will not work until you end the program or force quit Classic. Also, you can try trashing these .plist files below.

HD/Library/Preferences/SystemConfiguration: com.apple.AutoWake.plist and com.apple.PowerManagement.plist.

After a restart new .plists' should be generated. If everything works ok from that point then you can empty these two files from the trash.

Jrsy

writergirl2 Author

Level 2

186 points

Dec 21, 2005 8:10 AM in response to Jrsy Man

Hi Jrsy

Nope, I'm not using Classic.

I trashed the com.apple.PowerManagement.plist
I don't have the AutoWake one

no joy I'm afraid......

WG

Jrsy Man

Level 4

1,890 points

Dec 21, 2005 9:06 AM in response to writergirl2

I know this isn't a solution to your issue but are you able to bring up the shut down, restart, sleep dialog box by pressing control and eject keys.

writergirl2 Author

Level 2

186 points

Dec 21, 2005 9:28 AM in response to Jrsy Man

No, nothing! (Maybe the computer is telling me I should forget about shutting down and just work harder.)

WG

Jrsy Man

Level 4

1,890 points

Dec 21, 2005 9:54 AM in response to writergirl2

I guess then we're back to cracking open the case and resetting the PMU?

writergirl2 Author

Level 2

186 points

Dec 21, 2005 11:59 AM in response to Jrsy Man

I'm keeping it as a very last resort but it's looking that way!
Thanks for your help.

WG

iMac 800MhzPower PCG4 512mb ram Mac OS X (10.4.3) ibook 1.33ghzPowerPCG4 512mb ram

Jrsy Man

Level 4

1,890 points

Dec 21, 2005 12:15 PM in response to writergirl2

Well it's only 4 screws to remove the bottom cover and then press the button to reset the PMU. Piece of cake!

writergirl2 Author

Level 2

186 points

Dec 21, 2005 12:24 PM in response to Jrsy Man

true, but it was the bit that said 'if the mac fails to restart bring it to an authorised re-seller' which kept me from wielding the screwdriver....I'm not so keen on that happening just before Christmas!

WG

Dec 30, 2005 12:24 PM in response to writergirl2

I've seen a lot of postings regarding this problem lately. After finally upgrading to 10.4.x, I too could no longer invoke a restart or shutdown from the menu commands or the hot buttons on the login window. There are lots of suggestions on discussion threads (pram resets, nvram resets, removing classic shutdown items, removing Norton, removing SpeedTools, using Acivity Monitor to kill user processes higher than the Finder) but none of these worked for me or anyone else out there. I know other Mac heads with this same problem too.

Today I ran across a posting on the MacFixIt forums that offered a new suggestion and it worked for me, so I thought I would share.

I had previously used SpeedTools, but had removed it and all it's files, so I thought. I had removed all files with "speedtools" in the file name. But the application leaves behind a handful of surprizes with "Quickback" filenames. The file "QuickBackStartupItem" which was in the Startup folder was the culprit for me. Also "SpeedToolsDTStartupItem" may be in the Startup folder and cause the problem too. I simply trashed every file containing "speedtool" or "quickback" from everywhere on my drive and this fixed it.

writergirl2 Author

Level 2

186 points

Dec 31, 2005 4:30 AM in response to boatman268

Hi Boatman

Apparently SpeedTools has been a problem for a number of people but I never used it and so it's not the culprit in my case as I don't have any of those files.

I didn't realise it was a widespread problem but I'll report it to Mac and they might get around to looking at it.....

WG

jimjam

Level 1

0 points

Jan 1, 2006 9:07 AM in response to writergirl2

Hi
I had the very same problem, with the additional problem
of not being able to log out from user account.
Tried everything in vain. Have solved my problem in last few minutes
by looking through various topics in Apple Discussions.
Are you using 'Energy Saver Options'? If you are (as I was) set
computer and monitor to 'never'. As soon as I had done this I got
restart and shutdown back in the Apple Menu,
Hope it works for you.
Good luck
Jim C.

Hi everyone

Out of the blue, I can't restart or shutdown my mac
from the Apple menu (though I can put it to sleep).
To restart or shutdown, I have to go back to the
login window and do it that way.

Anyone got a solution?

Many thanks
WG

1.25GHz G4 MDD Mac OS X (10.3.9) Memory: 1GB

Can't Restart or Shutdown from Apple Menu