"triald" process preventing sleep on Mac Mini since Big Sur update

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"triald" process preventing sleep on Mac Mini since Big Sur update

After updating my 2018 Mac Mini the system is working fine, however, when it goes to sleep and then subsequently wakes up for it's power nap, there are two "UserEventAgent" processes that are preventing the system from going back to sleep.

These agents appear to be getting called by a deamon called "triald" and when running "pmset -g assertions" you can see the following :

Listed by owning process:

   pid 19050(UserEventAgent): [0x00014dc1000b8f37] 00:04:20 BackgroundTask named: "com.apple.triald.client-trigger.cellular"  	Created for PID: 19184. 

   pid 19050(UserEventAgent): [0x00014dc1000b8f36] 00:04:20 BackgroundTask named: "com.apple.triald.client-trigger.wifi" 	Created for PID: 19184.

I have also updated my MBP with Big Sur, and while the triald process does run, there are not the same UserEventAgent process holding them open.

I can't find anything in regards to this process, apart from it appears to be part of an iOS framework kit, but I am not a developer and don't have any iOS SDKs installed. I also don't use the WiFi interface on my Mini as it is plugged direct into the ethernet, so I am curious as to why it it trying to perform some sort of action on the wifi and cellular interface (which I'm pretty sure a Mini doesn't have).

Can anyone shed some light on what this process is and why it is preventing the system from going to sleep. This has only started happening since updating to Big Sur.

Is it something in my user profile that is causing it ? The reason I say that is because when I log in to the same machine using a different account (one created just for this purpose) the same UserEventAgent running the triald processes don't start up.

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Mac mini, macOS 11.0

Posted on Nov 21, 2020 4:16 AM

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Answer 1

Nov 21, 2020 5:00 AM in response to holidadg73

And how does this resolve if you turn off power-nap?

Turn Power Nap on or off on Mac - Apple Support

You can always Try resetting the SMC https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT201295

for sleep management issue.

This is a valid `launchd` service— com.apple.triald —Apple A/B testing, see /usr/libexec/triald

You can run a "sample" on your process for more insight, from the Activity Monitor— click it open.

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Answer 2

holidadg73 Author

Level 1

11 points

Nov 21, 2020 5:29 AM in response to leroydouglas

Thanks for the quick reply. Turning off PowerNap does seem to make any difference to the running of this process, and the UserEventAgents are preventing sleep. I have also tried following the SMC reset process for a desktop (remove power-cable and wait). Currently i get the following responses from commands :

pmset -g

pmset -g assertions

I have also attached the sample file of the triald and UserEventAgent process that was created.

sample of triald process

sample of UserAgentProcess, created by triald

Thanks again.

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Answer 3

Nov 21, 2020 7:40 AM in response to holidadg73

holidadg73 wrote:

Hi.

These processes kick in no matter what power setting are configured. I have spent days trying different combinations.

I think we are drifting from the actual issue which is why this triald process gets called when coming out of sleep, and why it is trying to trigger something To do with WiFi and a cellular neither of which I am using on my Mac Mini. You say it is “apple A/B testing” what is that ?

is there a setting on my user profile that could be triggering this, as other users on the same machine don’t spawn these UserEventAgent processes?

thanks

Did you Try a SafeBoot https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT201262

Takes noticeable longer to get to the login screen, does a 5-15 minute disk repair before it fully boots up, and certain system caches get cleared and rebuilt, including dynamic loader cache, etc. Login and test. Reboot as normal and test as caches get rebuilt.

In Safe mode third party system modifications and system accelerations are disabled, it removes malware, etc hampering smooth operation, however a reboot will put it back to normal mode.

This test will tell you if third party interference; extensions etc are not loaded in safe boot mode.

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Answer 4

holidadg73 Author

Level 1

11 points

Nov 21, 2020 8:26 AM in response to leroydouglas

Safe mode isn't something I had considered, however, even when logging in using safe mode the symptoms are the same. I still see the "com.apple.triald.client-trigger.cellular" and "com.apple.triald.client-trigger.wifi" background processes preventing the sleep.

Here are the complete output from the pmset commands. Handoff was also holding the session as well but my MBP was close by so I would expect that.

pmset command output

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Answer 5

Nov 21, 2020 6:39 AM in response to holidadg73

holidadg73 wrote:

Thanks for the quick reply. Turning off PowerNap does seem to make any difference to the running of this process, and the UserEventAgents are preventing sleep. I have also tried following the SMC reset process for a desktop (remove power-cable and wait). Currently i get the following responses from commands :

<pmset -g.log>

System-wide power settings:

Currently in use:

standby 1

Sleep On Power Button 1

womp 1

autorestart 0

hibernatefile /var/vm/sleepimage

proximitywake 1

powernap 0

gpuswitch 2

networkoversleep 0

disksleep 10

standbydelayhigh 86400

sleep 1 (sleep prevented by sharingd, mds_stores, UserEventAgent, UserEventAgent)

hibernatemode 3

ttyskeepawake 1

displaysleep 10

tcpkeepalive 1

highstandbythreshold 50

standbydelaylow 86400

Does it make a difference if change your <disksleep 10> change to disksleep 0 (?)

This would be either from your >System Preferences> Energy Saver>Power>

or on Big Sur ? >System Preferences> .... ?

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Answer 6

holidadg73 Author

Level 1

11 points

Nov 21, 2020 7:38 AM in response to leroydouglas

Hi.

These processes kick in no matter what power setting are configured. I have spent days trying different combinations.

I think we are drifting from the actual issue which is why this triald process gets called when coming out of sleep, and why it is trying to trigger something To do with WiFi and a cellular neither of which I am using on my Mac Mini. You say it is “apple A/B testing” what is that ?

is there a setting on my user profile that could be triggering this, as other users on the same machine don’t spawn these UserEventAgent processes?

thanks

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Answer 7

Nov 21, 2020 8:37 AM in response to holidadg73

holidadg73 wrote:

Safe mode isn't something I had considered, however, even when logging in using safe mode the symptoms are the same. I still see the "com.apple.triald.client-trigger.cellular" and "com.apple.triald.client-trigger.wifi" background processes preventing the sleep.

Here are the complete output from the pmset commands. Handoff was also holding the session as well but my MBP was close by so I would expect that.

<pmset command output.log>

Can you verify this is your personal machine and the device is not bound to Enterprise, mobile, active directory list.

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Answer 8

holidadg73 Author

Level 1

11 points

Nov 21, 2020 9:02 AM in response to holidadg73

Since booting back into normal mode fro Safe mode, there appears to be another process that is now preventing sleep from occurring :

pid 994(UserEventAgent): [0x0000047d000b8595] 00:07:19 BackgroundTask named: "com.apple.coreduet.sync.update-source-device-identifiers" Created for PID: 1099.

PID 1099 is the knowledge-agent process.

I'm starting to regret putting Big Sur on this computer now.

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Answer 9

holidadg73 Author

Level 1

11 points

Nov 21, 2020 8:47 AM in response to leroydouglas

Yes it is just a personal device. The only enterprise it is connect to is iCloud itself.

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"triald" process preventing sleep on Mac Mini since Big Sur update

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