Thunderbolt Display will not wake up after sleep!!!!!!

I have to agree. I have been in a month long conversation with AppleCare T2 rep and all I have got out of it is wait for a firmware update "sometime soon". Apple engineers have looked at my system and noted I should have firmware version 26.2 (currently have 22.2), but can't tell me how to get version 26.2, except, you guessed, it to wait for an update. We are now all waiting for Yosemite to come down the pike, but it is beyond ridiculous that I and seemingly everyone has to wait for a OS change to maybe fix an issue that has been persistent for over two years.

I can say I have tried every suggestion posted on this board, including reverting back to 10.9.3 (problem started for me when 10.9.4 was installed) and then going back to 10.8.5 when the first revert did not solve the issue. Since 10.8.5 did solve things I can only conclude a software glitch in Mavericks has corrupted my TBD, but who knows.

Same problem, but somewhat different history. TB connected seamlessly to MBP for nearly three years, when logic board burned out--just days before warranty on machine ran out. Logic board was replaced. No problems until two weeks later, the logic board burned out again while I was traveling in Canada. Apple authorized service provider replace second board. When I returned home, the display no longer awakened from sleep. Is it possible that the newer logic board has a different video processor and there's an incompatibility?

This has been so annoying, but I finally did find a solution that is working perfectly fine for me.

Just by adding a remote power switch to the monitor, this is solved.

Besides solving that never ending monitor issue, it also has other advantages, as:

- You do not have to disconnect your Mac to ensure that the battery is not powered at all times.

- If you decide to leave your screen for the day, no other action is needed than pressing "off" on the power socket remote.

- Your Mac then will then enter the battery settings, and thus go to sleep when set to do so.

- Pulling the power from such electrical devices is never wrong. (Ask you local fire brigade :-)

The cost for this type of socket is low, say 20 Euros.

To simulate if this will work for you before buying a remote controlled power socket; simple:

1) Just pull the electric socket of the monitor.

2) Then, when you want to start working, plug it in again.

Is it working? Grab your wallet and go for the store:-)

PS:

Remember to buy one providing a good amount of Watts, mine has upper limit 2600 W. (I think the display consume way below 150 watts)

Good luck!

Lars

I have found a manual work around, though it may only apply to my set up (2011 Mac Mini, wired keyboard and wireless mouse all connected to the TBD). To bring the TBD out of sleep I press a minimum of three keys on the keyboard at the same time the mouse is engaged. So far the TBD comes out of sleep every time. Will not work doing the keyboard keys on their own. Hope this helps until Apple fixes the issue.

I have found a manual work around, though it may only apply to my set up (2011 Mac Mini, wired keyboard and wireless mouse all connected to the TBD). To bring the TBD out of sleep I press a minimum of three keys on the keyboard at the same time the mouse is engaged. So far the TBD comes out of sleep every time. Will not work doing the keyboard keys on their own. Hope this helps until Apple fixes the issue.

Thank you so much for posting this message. After struggling with this display for years and ultimately deciding to store it on the floor to collect dust, I found this thread today and your post fixed my problem and it was so simple. Thanks again!

Well that did not last a long time. Despite the new firmware and the installing of 10.10.1 the display is back to it's old tricks and going blank coming out of sleep. I have contacted the T2 Applecare person I have been dealing with but no response as of yet to what looks to me to be a hardware issue with the TBD.

I have followed this problem for more than a year. Had all the same problems. I had the intermittent moments when it would come on. Then it would go out again. Waited for some software update to fix it.

Purchased a thunderbolt to thunderbolt cable - it works. Should have bought a cable over a year ago. TB to TB cable.

I have recently had two TBDs with the same problem. The first was from Amazon - I was informed by Apple support that it was a refurbished unit previously suppled in the US, and that it must be faulty. I returned it to Amazon for a refund and went to the Apple Store to buy a band new one at full price. Guess what? It had the same problem. Back to the Genius Bar where I was able to demonstrate the fault, but a suite of tests failed to identify any problem with either the display or my 2011 MacBook Pro. They offered to keep it for more tests, and/or to reinstall the OS, but having read this blog I knew it was futile.I suggested trying a separate TB cable but this wasn't followed up. Anyway I got a refund and bought a Philips 272P4QPJKEB/00 complete with webcam, USB hub etc. It is not as lovely as a TBD, but it was half the price and 'it just works'.

After doing the firmware update, 1.2, and then 10.10.1 OS update and having a week or so of bliss I am back to the same problem with the sleep/blank screen issue. I have talked with the applecare T2 rep and have sent off the internal reads to the Apple engineers yet again to see what ails the TBD. She hopes to have some news by tomorrow--we will see.

I have been able to use my work around of engaging at least 3 keyboard keys and the mouse at the same time to bring the TBD out of sleep and get a full screen.Though, I can't say it works every time, it is better than having to restart all the time.

I also have this problem with my 4k Samsung display. If the MBP sleeps for too long it will not wake the display over TB when I wake the computer. My easy keyboard shortcut solution is: Shift + Ctrl + Eject/Power (depending on your keyboard.) This command puts all displays to sleep and then you can hit any key and all your displays wake back up.

Seems a shame we have to do anything to make our connected displays wake up. I don't really mind as I am using my laptop in one location and use the monitor about ten feet away as a stand along computer style set up. It is actually kind of nice that the display does not wake up unless I need it in my case. If the display was right next to my laptop this would have been super annoying though. I hope this keyboard shortcut works for others!

AC

Hello Washparkhorn.

Thanks for your information. So are you saying your bypassed the standard cable that comes with the TBD and installed a new TB cable from the TB port on the TBD to your MacPro and that cured it?

I have to keep unplugging my TBD to get it to work and when sleeps and if I forget to eject my back up drive I get the error message that I could be damaging the drive by not ejecting.

I concur on the thread that Apple engineers screwed us on this one. Additionally they put out a new iMac with Retina and didn't update the Thunderbolt Display. *** Apple?

Yes Sky King. I connected my mid-2012 13 inch MacBook Air (2 GHz i7) to the TBD with a Apple Store TB to TB cable. The TBD lit up. The power side of the hardwired TBD cable always worked (I could charge the MBA with the cable). After it came "back to life" for a few days, I plugged the regular TBD thunderbolt cable into the MBA and it worked long enough to perform the firmware update. I was able to use that cable for about 24 hours before the TBD went dark again. I used the TB to TB cable again and the monitor lit back up right away and continues to work.

My problem feels like a cable pinching problem with the hardwired cable. The spread between the power cable and the TB side of the hardwired TBD cable is tight with the 13 inch MBA. The cable is taut and I have to twist the cable a bit to make it fit.

I have a second TBD that was purchased at the same time. It has never given me a problem. I daisy chained the TBD's when I first purchased the monitors. The problem with the one monitor started a few months later. The monitor connected to the MBA went dark. I switched the monitors so the other monitor was connected to the MBA and both worked. If I had to guess, it is the stretching and twisting of the cable that caused one of my monitors to stay asleep initially. I think the cable relaxes and works intermittently.

Knock on wood, but the TB to TB cable has worked. I haven't tried to daisy chain the monitors together since I use the "good" TBD for a Mac-Mini. But if was going to try, I would use the good monitor and connect it to computer. I would use the TB to TB cable between the monitors and hope it worked.

Good luck all. It is certainly a frustrating problem. I should have tried the cable fix earlier. I assumed the monitor was toast. It's great having it back up and alive.

Agreed. I have been dealing with a T2 rep from Applecare for two months with the same response... try this or wait for this and the results haven't changed. Called yet again over a week ago and was told they would have something for me the next day and I'm still waiting on a response. Obviously there is an issue with this display and tinkering does not solve anything. Replace it or refund it should be Apple's mantra and ours.

I have a Thunderbolt chain running through two TBDs to a RAID drive. Only one TBD will work. The other, even after being cleared at the Genius bar, turns off and will not turn on. In addition, the RAID drive keeps getting pushed off the system with a message that it was not properly "ejected".

No idea what is causing this. Have disconnected the RAID drive, and placed the second $1,000 TBD in the corner to gather dust. I've read through all this entire thread, and several others, and there does to appear to be any solution to this problem. The reality is that the system just does not work as advertised.