Thunderbolt won't wake from sleep on Mac Mini Server w/Lion 10.7.1

Waking up an old thread.

I'm getting this problem intermittently with a mid-2011 mac mini server (fully upgraded to mountain lion non-server - certainly no pending firmware updates!) connected to a Dell U2711 via a mini-displayport to displayport cable.

The fault as I see it: The computer is set to sleep Never, but set to monitor-sleep in 15 mins. *Sometimes* when I come to use it, I tap a keyboard key as usual; but the monitor only wakes enough to show a graphic that it's connected by displayport (true), then goes back to sleep. Subsequent keypresses do nothing. That much activity at least tells me the keyboard is working! (It's an apple keyboard plugged into the computer itself, not the monitor's USB hub.) I can interact with the computer fine via screen sharing; but when this fault occurs, this doesn't wake the screen either, which it normally would.

The key word is "intermittently". It happens pretty rarely but it's amazingly annoying when it does. All this time so far I'd been assuming it was an intermittent fault in the *cable*, as sometimes (inconsistently) it would be resolved by unplugging and replugging that. But the cable itself had always seemed a bit flimsy to me, and when the fullsize displayport end came apart in my hand rather than be unplugged from the monitor a few days ago, i replaced it with a new one from a different manufacturer (and which "feels" better-built). And I'm still having the problem; it having happened again right after I first started using it, and again just now.

The only thing I've found that really seems to fix it, for the short term, is to reboot the computer; then it comes up fine, without me applying undue stress to the connectors. Of course this isn't Windows, so reboot-to-fix isn't to be considered an acceptable solution. :-)

It turns out a colleague with a macbook air and the same monitor, using the same kind of cable to connect, has been having the same problem; and now I find this thread here. So it seems to me more likely to be an ongoing thunderbolt firmware issue than hardware/cable issues.

There is no option to turn off auto-brightness, as this isn't an Apple display, and there's no such functionality to begin with.

Using HDMI is no solution because it wouldn't be able to drive this display's full resolution.

I think I have the same problem

Macbook pro(MBP) early 2011, running 10.8.2

Thunderbolt display

connected by thunderbolt

PART ONE

When I bought the display (Sept 2012), intermitently, the display would not wake, hitting the keyboard didn't help, the MBP just appeared to be 'dead' and the only solution was a HARD reset. Even thern the MBP would take 30 seconds orso to reboot.

The problem went away (Oct 2012?) possible after an update via the Mac app store, don't know exactly but it was solved for me at that point.

PART TWO

I bought a thunderbold hard drive, plugged it into the back of the Thunderbolt display and once again, the display will not wake from sleep after a prolonged period idle (like overnight). The workaround appears to be to either turn off the MBP each night OR reach around the back of the Thunderbolt display and pull out the Thunderbolt cable each night.

February 7th, 2013

I am joining the ranks of concerned TBD owners. I recently purchased a customized beefed up 27" iMac with the fusion drive and high graphic card, love the machine. I thought to add a Thunderbolt display to it as a second monitor. As I have worked with two monitors since the beginning of its option. A second monitor is like a second arm to me, I need it. Anyways, I am having this cursed problem you all are having, my TBD does not wake from sleep. I hope it is an issue that can be fixed in software someday, but idk. For now, I will just learn to power off my machine after use if I am to be away more that 3 hours, an act I feel forced upon me. I am going to call Apple so the issue is logged with them officially and dated shortly after purchase. This Thunderbolt display and iMac were just purchased and recieved the last week of January, 2013. So the problem still exists as of then. I am all things Mac, sometimes it gets hard, but it does with any vendor, I know.

Joe

February 23, 2013

I have the same problem with a late model Mac Mini using a high end Dell Monitor and a Thunderbolt to Full Size Display Port Cable (latest DP version). It will not wake up the monitor and I must do a full reboot....although I haven't tried pulling the cable yet. It is intermittent also so hard to pin point.....althought I have a ton of issues with the Mac Mini even putting the monitor to sleep on a regular basis......that too is very inconsistent..... This is my first Mac coming over from the PC world.....not really all that impressed along with other problems......buggy OS IMHO!

3G

I have a similar problem, when i put my mac pro in sleep i cańt detect the display anymore, i have to unplug and replug the displayport,

Dd you find a solution ?

My problem is solved MBP early 2011 with OSX 10.8.3

I don't know how or why but the display and MBP ae connected with a thunderbolt cable and after some teething problems up to 10.8.1 all is good. Check you have any updates, for the display as well.

Thanks for your reply, but i have a mac pro .1.1 2006 and I can't install mountain lion ... :-(

My problem is solve, i bought the real apple adaptor and it works

Hi Danny,

Did it start working after you upgraded to 10.8.3 from 10.8.1 or did it start working magically? I have an MBP same as yours. Early 2011. And I have been running OSX 10.8.3. Recently got ATD and everything looks good except this display issue is killing me. Everytime my MBP goes to sleep, the thunderbolt will not wake up unless I unplug and re-plug the thunderbolt cable into MBP.

I checked Software Updates but there are no updates for the display.

Thanks,

G

Hi Amuteu,

What do you mean by Real Apple Adaptor? Thanks.

- Gaurav

It's working but I don't know what triggered it to start working. Check there are no updates available for the display and ensure you are connecting to the Thunderbolt display with Apple's ownThunderbolt cable (this is the £35/$50 component), a cheap knock off cable may be the issue?

Try this:

When you put your Mac to sleep, wait for the external monitor to show "no signal" or go black. Then switch the monitor off.

Then, before you wake up your Mac, switch the monitor back on, then wake up your Mac. This is clearly some sort of Apple Thunderbolt/DisplayPort problem. I have seen this problem occurring with Apple's own Thunderbolt-to-DVI adaptor as well.

There are at least 20 threads in here with similar Thunderbolt/DisplayPort problems.