using a UPS on Lion
|
|
Yes, I have the same model UPS, running Lion. I've tested it several times and it worked fine.
However, if you left an app open with unsaved changes (not one that supports AutoSave and Versions), it may not have been able to complete a controlled shutdown.
See the yellow box in Using a U.P.S. System with a Mac.
May I ask if you were home when the power failure ocured?
If you were why didn't you bother to shut down the computer yourself?
Do you have a cable going from the UPS you now have to the iMac? Does the iMac see there is a UPS connected to it?
Since this feature is already built into the Mac OS, and Mac has such a small market share, they probably don't make anything to work with Mac.
When you know you are going out for a extended period of time it might be best to shutdown the computer.
Shootist007 wrote:
. . .
Do you have a cable going from the UPS you now have to the iMac? Does the iMac see there is a UPS connected to it?
It must, or the Shutdown options wouldn't appear in System Prefs > Energy Saver.
Since this feature is already built into the Mac OS, and Mac has such a small market share, they probably don't make anything to work with Mac.
Most consumer U.P.S. systems (and that one in particular) work just fine with Macs.
See Using a U.P.S. System with a Mac for details.
I went to your site, good stuff by the way... however I noticed that the screen shot you show, has options in the System Pref's that I don't see. Oddly enough, when I first plugged in my UPS, there were several options available but some appears to be overwritten. When I quit and reopened System Pref's, they were gone.
Here's what you show:
Here's what I have:
I'm wondering if you entered some magic CLI in Terminal that lets you see more options?
Let me know please, I'm really frustrated with my UPS right now because for some reason, it wasn't charging and I just went through a power outage (storms) and everythign went off. Come to find out after loading PowerChute on my Virtual Machine that there was no power in the battery, almost as though I needed to tell the UPS to charge. Since that time, the UPS has been gradually increasing its charge so that leads me to wonder if that's the case. I haven't had the UPS connected to my Mac since I reinstalled Lion several weeks ago.
Thoughts?
JimN wrote:
I went to your site, good stuff by the way... however I noticed that the screen shot you show, has options in the System Pref's that I don't see.
They're different if you're on Leopard vs. Snow Leopard and Lion.
Oddly enough, when I first plugged in my UPS, there were several options available but some appears to be overwritten. When I quit and reopened System Pref's, they were gone.
Your screenshots didn't come through. 😟
The extra options appear if/when OSX recognizes that your Mac is connected to a U.P.S. -- no magic Terminal commands required.
I've never tried it, but I suppose it's possible that OSX won't recogize it if the battery is totally discharged, or if it's turned OFF. But you do need to have your Mac plugged into one of the Battery outlets on the U.P.S.
Come to find out after loading PowerChute on my Virtual Machine that there was no power in the battery, almost as though I needed to tell the UPS to charge.
Do not load that into OSX -- not only is it incompatible, it will prevent OSX from detecting that the U.P.S. has switched to battery power. If you did, uninstall it.
The U.P.S. should charge automatically, as long as it's ON. What model is it?
Its a BB750ES, maybe about 2 years old.
Right now, there are now "Shutdown Options" to choose from, no button on the UPS tab. The only options I have are:
Running Lion 10.7.3
- oh, there is a checkbox at the very top "Automatic Graphics Switching" which is unchecked.
I would just like to have more control over my UPS from the Mac and be able to have the UPS signal Mac to shut down when it reaches 5 minutes left on the UPS. I can't do that at all today.
JimN wrote:
Its a BB750ES, maybe about 2 years old.
Right now, there are now "Shutdown Options" to choose from, no button on the UPS tab.
So all it shows is the Power tab, right? If so, that means OSX doesn't see your U.P.S.
Take a look at the System Profiler. From the Apple icon in your menubar, select About This Mac > More Info > System Report. Here's mine for comparison:
Try a different USB port (and connect directly, no hubs and not to a port on your keyboard).
Make sure the cable is snug and secure. I'm not familiar with that model; if it uses a conventional USB cable, try another one (some have a special plug for the U.P.S.).
It shows a UPS tab...
The system recognizes it as the following:
Back-UPS ES 750 FW:819.z2.D USB FW:z2:
Product ID: 0x0002
Vendor ID: 0x051d (American Power Conversion)
Version: 1.06
Serial Number: AB0543121927
Speed: Up to 1.5 Mb/sec
Manufacturer: APC
Location ID: 0xfa140000 / 6
Current Available (mA): 500
Current Required (mA): 0
I would just like to have an option to have it shut down my Mac when power is low.
I wonder if its because this is a MacBook Pro and already has a Battery that its not seeing the UPS?
Interesting.
JimN wrote:
. . .
Back-UPS ES 750 FW:819.z2.D USB FW:z2:
Same one I have.
I would just like to have an option to have it shut down my Mac when power is low.
I wonder if its because this is a MacBook Pro and already has a Battery that its not seeing the UPS?
It sees the U.P.S. ok. I don't recall seeing anyone using a U.P.S. on a laptop before, so perhaps that's the difference.
What options do you have on the Battery tab?
The MBP is my primary computer and I have external monitors, cameras, etc. plugged into it and the UPS also supports my two routers and switches.
The Battery tab doesn't show anything different than the Power tab except the second checkbox states "Slightly dim the display when using this power source" instead of what's showing in Power tab as: "Wake for network access".
You could be right, that may be why the difference but there's no applet that allows me to configure a shut-down trigger when there's 5 min left of battery in either case. Outside of finding some 3rd party application to manage this for me, I guess I'm stuck.
I guess Apple didn't expect laptop users to want to auto-shutdown. I can see the logic, sort of, but it would seem just as easy to allow it, as they do with desktops.
If your Mac is under 90 days old, or covered by AppleCare, give them a call.
They'll likely tell you they "don't support" U.P.S. systems, but what that really means is, they can't work directly with you, since the AppleCare folks don't have access to or training on any U.P.S. systems. But they should be able to get Engineering to advise if what you're seeing is correct on a laptop. That may take a while, of course. (That's how I got the answer from them about the Start Up Automatically option, in red text.)
If you do get an answer, please let us know.
Just bought the BE750G to use with my iMac 27 (2011). The hardware tab shows that the UPS is connected through USB but in the Energy Saver screen under Preferences doesn't show the UPS tab. I just upgraded to Lion.
lilypad2 wrote:
Just bought the BE750G to use with my iMac 27 (2011).
I'm not familiar with that model, but it looks pretty much the same as mine.
The hardware tab shows that the UPS is connected through USB
What does it show? Post a screenshot of that part of the report -- perhaps there's something slightly different about it.
but in the Energy Saver screen under Preferences doesn't show the UPS tab. I just upgraded to Lion.
Very strange. You have just the Power tab, right? It shouldn't matter, since System Profiler sees it, but try another USB port (and connect directly -- no hubs, etc.).
Thanks for the reply.
Here's the content of system report:
This is the screen shot of the energy saver in Preference:
I have tried different usb ports on the back of the imac (no nubs etc) without avail. The strangest part is that when I connect the UPS to my (older) macbook pro it works just fine, with the extra UPS tab showing in Energy Saver screen. The ups definitely works because it stayed on after an accidental power outage. I was told that Lion has built in soft shut down softward which I want to be able to access.
I have contacted APS support and they are stumped; Apple experts have no clue, nor the sales people who sold me the imac. So any help you can offer is appreciated. I had read in an earlier thread that re-installing the OS might help. Maybe you can walk me through this; I am concerned about losing my data and would hate to have to reinstall all my apps.
Message was edited by: lilypad2 Just realized my screen shots didn't come through. Will try again.
lilypad2 wrote:
Thanks for the reply.
Here's the content of system report:
They don't display. You should be able to post screenshots via the camera icon.
I had read in an earlier thread that re-installing the OS might help. Maybe you can walk me through this; I am concerned about losing my data and would hate to have to reinstall all my apps.
No reason to reinstall your apps. Installing either the 10.7.3 "combo" or a fresh copy of OSX is fairly easy. See Installing the ''combo'' update and/or Reinstalling OSX.
using a UPS on Lion