Automatic power on when AC is switched on?

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Level 1

8 points

Automatic power on when AC is switched on?

How can I configure the iMac firmware to power on automatically when the AC is switched from off to on?

(I've asked a similar question in the Mac mini threads, but here the situation is different. The power button on the iMac occasionally jams in. I plan to get this repaired, but I'm in a remote area and it may be a long time before I can schedule the repair. When the button jams in, the fan in the iMac may race and the display shows nothing; presumably a firmware test mode. I have to give the button a tap or two so that it pops out. It is hard to tell if it is jammed in. So I'm looking for a way to workaround the problem by avoiding the button altogether. It would also make my daily workflow easier.)

I've asked Apple technical support, but the technician was only aware of the +System Preferences+ -> +Energy Saver+ -> +Start up automatically after a power failure+ checkbox, but I don't want to use this because it would only work if I turned off the AC power without using +Shut Down+ first. The technician agreed that this might be bad for my data.

iMac 27" 2010, Mac OS X (10.6.6)

Posted on Mar 21, 2011 5:53 PM

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Answer 1

quozl Author

Level 1

8 points

Mar 21, 2011 10:42 PM in response to Dah•veed

David.Austin.Allen wrote:
So you are trying to do this with both a Mac mini and an iMac?
http://discussions.apple.com/thread.jspa?threadID=2791030

Thanks for your reply. Yes, though for entirely different reasons, and in different locations in the house.

I have not encountered a way to accomplish this. You can set either Mac to turn itself on at a given hour in Sys Prefs/Energy Saver/Schedule if the time that you need the Macs is constant. Turn on the power and go get a cup of coffee while the Macs turn themselves on a few minutes later.

Good point. That gives me an idea that I'll try now with the Mac mini ... it is 4:40pm now, so I've set it to turn on at 5pm, then +Shut Down+, then turned off the UPS. At 5:05pm I'll turn on the UPS and see if the Mac mini says "Oh, I'm late, I'm meant to turn on". 😉

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Answer 2

Jolly Giant

Level 7

25,484 points

Mar 22, 2011 12:48 AM in response to Dah•veed

David.Austin.Allen wrote:
I also believe that Mac OS X has UPS software built into it. But it is invisible until an UPS is connected to the Mac by USB, then it becomes available in Sys Prefs/Energy Saver. I have never seen it and I have no idea what may be in there to configure the Mac to take advantage of the UPS.

[ this|http://web.me.com/pondini/AppleTips/UPS.html] tip by Pondini may prove informative.

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Answer 3

Dah•veed

Level 9

67,331 points

Mar 21, 2011 10:25 PM in response to quozl

So you are trying to do this with both a Mac mini and an iMac?
http://discussions.apple.com/thread.jspa?threadID=2791030

I have not encountered a way to accomplish this. You can set either Mac to turn itself on at a given hour in Sys Prefs/Energy Saver/Schedule if the time that you need the Macs is constant. Turn on the power and go get a cup of coffee while the Macs turn themselves on a few minutes later.

I also believe that Mac OS X has UPS software built into it. But it is invisible until an UPS is connected to the Mac by USB, then it becomes available in Sys Prefs/Energy Saver. I have never seen it and I have no idea what may be in there to configure the Mac to take advantage of the UPS.

User uploaded file

Dah•veed

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Answer 4

babowa

Level 9

78,802 points

Mar 21, 2011 8:57 PM in response to quozl

Why are you turning your iMac off? If you will look at your user manual, it is recommended that you simply let it sleep and only shut it down if you won't be using it for a few days; having said that, I prefer to shut it down myself, but I let it sleep at least 2 - 3 times per week so it can perform its background maintenance tasks in the middle of the night.

So, especially in your case with a problematic power button, I would just let it sleep and occasionally restart it (so it can do its powerup routine checks).

Aside from that, I do not know of any way to do what you want, so letting it sleep may be your best bet.

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Answer 5

quozl Author

Level 1

8 points

Mar 21, 2011 9:31 PM in response to babowa

Thanks for asking. 😉 A high price per kilowatt hour, 15km of single phase plus neutral 22 kV transmission line that trips more than I'd like, site is on a hill, a lightning prone area, and a high replacement cost for surge protectors. I use air gap separation for equipment when it isn't in use.

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Answer 6

babowa

Level 9

78,802 points

Mar 21, 2011 9:47 PM in response to quozl

+I use air gap separation for equipment when it isn't in use.+

You lost me with that....

In any case, I know of no way to do this - you want the Mac to know when your power - which is coming from an external source - is coming on.... maybe someone else will have an idea.

FWIW, have you considered moving? 🙂 Sorry, I couldn't resist that...

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Answer 7

Mar 21, 2011 10:15 PM in response to quozl

Hi - if I may add…..

I don't think there is any way to power on the mac without the button and I probably wouldn't recommend anything outside of normal operation.

However, you got my attention with your power issues - it would be a good idea to get a UPS and attach the mac to it. It could serve a dual benefit - to prevent the mac from an abrupt shutdown, as well as a filter against power surges…:)

Rick

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Answer 8

quozl Author

Level 1

8 points

Mar 21, 2011 10:30 PM in response to babowa

Barbara Daniels1 wrote:
+I use air gap separation for equipment when it isn't in use.+

You lost me with that....

Sorry. Means I pull the plug out. This creates an air gap through which lightning is very unlikely to pass. It has worked well. On a direct strike things that were unplugged were certainly not damaged.

In any case, I know of no way to do this - you want the Mac to know when your power - which is coming from an external source - is coming on.... maybe someone else will have an idea.

Hope so. We already know the Mac can turn itself on when power from external source is coming on ... provided the Mac was on already when the power went out. That's what +Start up automatically after a power failure+ checkbox does. I'm fairly confident it is technically possible, it's just a matter of whether it was thought of as a necessary feature by the firmware engineers.

FWIW, have you considered moving? 🙂 Sorry, I couldn't resist that...

Heh. There are asthetic compensations. 😉

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Answer 9

quozl Author

Level 1

8 points

Mar 22, 2011 12:11 AM in response to quozl

quozl wrote:
Good point. That gives me an idea that I'll try now with the Mac mini ... it is 4:40pm now, so I've set it to turn on at 5pm, then +Shut Down+, then turned off the UPS. At 5:05pm I'll turn on the UPS and see if the Mac mini says "Oh, I'm late, I'm meant to turn on". 😉

That didn't work. The Mac mini did not turn on at 5:05pm after the UPS was turned on.

I also tested +Energy Saver+ -> Schedule some more, and the Mac mini turned on at the scheduled time if the power to it was on.

Therefore the automatic scheduled turn on only works if the Mac mini has power to it at the time. Useful to know, and it also confirms that the firmware could do what I want if it was properly programmed.

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Answer 10

quozl Author

Level 1

8 points

Mar 22, 2011 6:43 PM in response to Jolly Giant

Thanks Jolly. I looked at those two pages.

Power Manager didn't describe what I was looking for (automatic power on when AC is switched on), but did describe several other interesting features.

The UPS hints were interesting for the Mac mini thread, (the iMac is nowhere near a UPS), but they didn't actually work. Probably no driver for the UPS model in Mac OS X.

So I'm still looking for an answer. But thanks to those who have given me ideas!

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Answer 11

babowa

Level 9

78,802 points

Mar 22, 2011 6:59 PM in response to quozl

+So I'm still looking for an answer.+

Good luck - although it does not look as though there is but one solution (and I won't repeat it since you didn't care for it the first time I mentioned it... 😉

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Answer 12

quozl Author

Level 1

8 points

Mar 22, 2011 8:22 PM in response to babowa

With some more research I've found the Terminal command pmset can be used on some Apple models to do exactly what I want, using the acwake feature. pmset also includes a way to tell what features are supported on the computer it runs on. Typing +man pmset+ gives me useful documentation on it. I'll give it a try.

I might also set up the womp (wake on ethernet magic packet) feature and send the magic packet from another system which is already on.

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Answer 13

quozl Author

Level 1

8 points

Mar 23, 2011 12:22 AM in response to Steve M.

Neither the Mac mini nor the iMac have acwake support, though my MacBook does. Looks like what I want isn't possible without firmware engineering.

Power hovers around 21c/kwh, I think. Expensive is a relative term ... I'd disconnect anything above 1W standby power if I didn't need it on.

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Answer 14

Alfi

Level 1

51 points

Apr 9, 2011 10:03 AM in response to quozl

I have found a solution to this problem: I installed "hibernate"

( http://blog.kaputtendorf.de/2007/08/17/hibernation-tool-for-mac-os/comment-page- 1/?rcommentid=236910&rerror=htmllang%3Den&rchash=643120e6b0ae9ee150c22a3fdbed6ff f)

On my my Mac Mini (2010) and when i klick hibernate, it just saves the data to the HD and after powering on my plug ( i use an energy saver plug from Ansman) the Mac mini powers on again but does not boot; it just loads the last status before doing hibernation.

Ther is also a dashboard widget called "deep sleep"; this worked after having installed "hibernate" But i dont ned two Apps. for the same thing so i deinstalled "deep sleep".

Message was edited by: Alfi

Message was edited by: Alfi

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Answer 15

Alfi

Level 1

51 points

Apr 9, 2011 10:21 AM in response to Alfi

Due to lots of editing i must post again:
I have found a solution to this problem: I installed "hibernate"

( http://blog.kaputtendorf.de/2007/08/17/hibernation-tool-for-mac-os/comment-page- 1/?rcommentid=236910&rerror=htmllang%3Den&rchash=643120e6b0ae9ee150c22a3fdbed6ff f)

On my my Mac Mini (2010) and when i klick hibernate, it just saves the data to the HD and after powering on my plug ( i use an energy saver plug from Ansman) the Mac mini powers on again but does not boot; it just loads the last status before doing hibernation.

Ther is also a dashboard widget called "deep sleep"; this worked after having installed "hibernate" But i dont need two Apps. for the same thing so i deinstalled "deep sleep".
Just to explain what i did:

i wanted to switch off my display and my backup HD automatically when switching off the mac mini;

So i bought a plug which switches power off completely after a minute running on low Amperes ( the plug can be "taught" to the level of Ampere). The problem was, that it didnt boot or switch on after shutting down properly. Only with putting the settings in energy saver (preferences pane) to "start up automatically after power failure" it booted when the power came back. But this was not a clean solution because of "dirty" shut down.
Activating the hibernate mode which is activated in portable Macs by default did the trick.

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