How do I save the Energy Saver Settings in OS X 10.8.2 ?

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Diveboss164 Author

Level 1

5 points

How do I save the Energy Saver Settings in OS X 10.8.2 ?

Saving the Energy Saver Preferences on:

MacBook Pro - 17-inch, Late 2011

Processor: 2.4 GHz Intel Core i7

Memory: 8 GB 1333 MHz DDR3

Graphics: AMD Radeon HD 6770M 1024 MB

Software: OS X 10.8.2 (12C60)

All software Up-to-Date!

I am getting very frustrated. Why does Apple even add a feature like Energy Saver? Oh, I know, to save energy.

Seriously here is the problem.

I open energy saver POWER ADAPTER Tab. The Settings are:

Automatic graphics switching - Not checked

Computer sleep (slider) set to: 10 min

Display sleep (slider) set to: 10 min

Put hard disks to sleep when possible - Checked

Wake for network access - Checked

Show battery status in menu bar - Checked

Schedule… Start up or wake - Not Checked

Sleep - Not Checked

I change energy saver POWER ADAPTER Tab Settings to:

Automatic graphics switching - Not checked

Computer sleep (slider) set to: Never

Display sleep (slider) set to: 15 min

Put hard disks to sleep when possible - Checked

Wake for network access - Checked

Show battery status in menu bar - Checked

Schedule… Start up or wake - Not Checked

Sleep - Not Checked

I close the System Preferences pane. I open the System Preferences pane and check the settings that I just changed. Good, they are still set where I put them.

I close the System Preferences pane and restart my MBP. I open the System Preferences pane and check the settings that I just changed. They have restored to the original settings and my changes are gone. They also restore to default lower settings by themselves after a period of time even if I do not restart my MBP.

How can I make these changes permanent until I choose to change them? I do not want to run external programs or terminal applications every time I use my Mac. I just want to select a setting and have the OS remember it until I change it.

Thanks!

MacBook Pro (17-inch Late 2011), OS X Mountain Lion (10.8.2)

Posted on Mar 9, 2013 8:46 AM

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Answer 1

macjack

Level 10

111,168 points

Mar 9, 2013 8:53 AM in response to Diveboss164

Are you clicking the lock to save it before closing?

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Answer 2

Diveboss164 Author

Level 1

5 points

Mar 9, 2013 9:33 AM in response to macjack

I have locked it before closing the preference pane as well as not locking it before closing the preferences pane.

I have also closed Enegy Saver (Not locked), opened it back up and checked that the setting where where I wanted them, then locked the settings before closing it again. None of these combinations have worked.

Locked, Not locked, locked before closing the pane, locked after closing and opening. They just plain do not want to stay where I set them. But, thanks for asking. Any other ideas?

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Answer 3

Eric Root

Level 10

684,039 points

Mar 9, 2013 10:39 AM in response to Diveboss164

Try setting up another admin user account to see if the same problem continues. If Back-to-My Mac is selected in System Preferences, the Guest account will not work.

Isolating an issue by using another user account

If the problem is still there, try booting into the Safe Mode. Shut down the computer and then power it back up. Immediately after hearing the startup chime, hold down the shift key and continue to hold it until the gray Apple icon and a progress bar appear. The boot up is significantly slower than normal.

Safe Mode

Safe Mode - About

General information.

Isolating issues in Mac OS X

Troubleshooting Permission Issues

Step by Step to Fix Your Mac

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Answer 4

baltwo

Level 9

62,362 points

Mar 9, 2013 1:51 PM in response to Diveboss164

Those preferences are stored in the /Library/Preferences/SystemConfiguration/com.apple.PowerManagement.plist file. Move it to the Desktop, restart, reset the Energy Saver settings, restart, and see if that fixes the problem. If so, delete the moved file. If not, all I can suggest is to reinstall the OS and repeat the above steps.

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Answer 5

Diveboss164 Author

Level 1

5 points

Mar 9, 2013 4:16 PM in response to baltwo

The file /Library/Preferences/SystemConfiguration/com.apple.PowerManagement.plist does not exist. The folder /SystemConfiguration does not exist under /Library/Preferences/. A computer search for "com.apple.PowerManagement.plist" finds nothing.

Is this the problem? How do I get the folder and .plist file reinstalled?

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Answer 6

macjack

Level 10

111,168 points

Mar 9, 2013 4:30 PM in response to Diveboss164

Are you looking in the System Configuration folder (probably next to last folder) in your top level /Library/Preferences?

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Answer 7

Diveboss164 Author

Level 1

5 points

Mar 9, 2013 8:07 PM in response to macjack

Thanks! I found the file and removed it and let the OS create a new .plist file. I will report further if rebuilding a new .plist solved my problem with power settings not being saved after I change them.

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Answer 8

Diveboss164 Author

Level 1

5 points

Mar 11, 2013 9:11 PM in response to baltwo

That was it! Must have had a corrupt .plist file. It is working correctly. Thanks everyone for your help!

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Answer 9

baltwo

Level 9

62,362 points

Mar 11, 2013 10:03 PM in response to Diveboss164

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Answer 10

Diveboss164 Author

Level 1

5 points

Mar 19, 2013 2:26 AM in response to baltwo

I spoke too soon. I run my MacBook Pro on the power adapter about 98% of the time. I am not concerned about battey life. Anyway, I shut it down yesterday, and when I turned it back on about 12 hours later, the power adapter setting reverted back to conservative power setting and not my 'Never' setting. I then started a project that I expected it to complete by this morning and it is still runniong the project because the OS cannot seem to keep a user setting.

I am getting very frustrated. Any additioal ideas would be appreciated. Thanks!

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Answer 11

baltwo

Level 9

62,362 points

Mar 19, 2013 10:43 AM in response to Diveboss164

Log into a newly created admin user account and see if the problem persists. Might waste a day or two, but that's all I have to offer at this time.

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Answer 12

Diveboss164 Author

Level 1

5 points

Mar 31, 2013 9:40 AM in response to Diveboss164

UPDATE!

I resolved this problem. I had recently purchased a UPS for my file server and I installed the software on my MacBook Pro.

PowerPanel.app is designed to work with a desktop and the UPS to shut the PC down on a power failure and if programmed to do so, it will even start allow the UPS to restart the computer.

Because I do not use it, I forgot as this is a laptop, I forgot I installed it. I came across it while searching "power" to see if there were any config files that may have been playing with the setting. When I found the config file for Power Panel and the .app file, I uninstalled the program.

Now my energy saver setting stay where I put them, even when I shut down and restart my MB Pro.

So if anyone ever wonders... YES, other apps can override system config settings.

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