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

I have the same issue. Mac Mini server with my TB display. Talked to apple support and it seems that the problem is well known, but no solution. Apple took a syslog and then got back to me, asking if the display worked in another computer... I have no others with TB!!

we shal see what happens. Looks like a major firmware issue.

Add me to the list with this issue. Thanks for the tip about unplugging/plugging as I had been hard shutting the system down. I changed energy savings to never sleep display.

P.S. I passed this on directly to an Apple service gentlemen (an Escalation Engineer) who had been quite helpful.

Add me to the list of problems. I also called Apple tech support and got no resolution yet. It only happens if I am away from the server for a day or two like when I go out of town then come back...cannot wake the display. I have to unplug the monitor and plug it back it. REALLY ANNOYING given how much this display cost.

Anyone have any luck so far with a solution? I am getting really annoyed by this. There has to be a fix here.

Update: In spite of setting energy saving settings to never sleep display, "blackouts" continue to occur.

I am using a dual monitor set up with my thunderbolt as primary display in horizontal mode, my secondary is being run off the HDMI in vertical mode to facilitate web page reading (System: new 2011 mini server using lion server - no alterations). When I have been browsing for a while (likely greater than 5 min but have not found definitive time length) and only using my mouse or windows on the secondary screen - primary (thunderbolt) will "blackout" and require an unplug/replug.

I tried to get direct help from an "escalation engineer" I had worked earlier with an ethernet glitch, but reply was, not my department. I am awaiting being provided a contact to someone from the "correct" department (in fact, I am awaiting any response at all, as to whom I should get help from).

Peripherals attached to display continue to function - but have removed most as unplug/replug toll without prior ejection of my firewire drive is not ideal.

Concur with frustration.

Hi John,

Thanks for starting this thread! This has happened to me about four times thus far.

I've exactly the same setup as you (Lion Server on a 2011 Mac Mini with SSD and TB display), except a Pegasus RAID is also connected. While I've configured the display to sleep, this has happened once even after leaving the mac for only about 30 seconds. Turned back around and the display was black.

For now, I'm using a VNC client on an iPad (Jump) to VNC to the mini to restart cleanly.

A support document in Apple's display support section suggests zapping the PRAM so I'm going to give that a shot this evening when I get home (not very hopeful though...).

One other thing I might try would be to open Display Prefs via VNC and e.g. change resolutions, or click Detect Displays, etc. Perhaps that will prompt the mini to reestablish sync with the display? We'll see...

Again, thanks for this thread. At least I know I'm not alone... 😐

I used Apple Remote Desktop to log into my Lion Server when this happens. I found that if I log out the current user, suddenly the display (the real one) pops back to life. Clearly this is a software thing...that needs some serious attention from Apple.

Resetting the PRAM did nothing for me...I was walked through this by Apple tech support. It didn't do a darn thing unfortunately.

Resetting the PRAM did nothing for me...I was walked through this by Apple tech support. It didn't do a darn thing unfortunately.

Thanks Tony. One less thing to check this evening... 😟

I wonder if this could be related to a known keyboard bug (keyboard becomes unresponsive). The workaround for that bug:

1. ssh to the mac (or VNC and open Terminal)

2. issue: sudo killall Dock

3. enter root password (or, your password if your account has admin privs or has been added directly to /etc/sudoers).

I've experienced the keyboard issue several times in the last hour and can reproduce it at will by changing desktops via Ctrl+Left/Right cursor (but, I'm sure that won't be the case after a reboot).

It could be a keyboard issue, but what is weird is that my bluetooth mouse also will not wake the screen. It normally would, but when this screen blackout happens, it won't respond to anything. Keyboard, mouse etc. And I can unplug the usb keyboard and plug it back in, still nothing.