Simba49
Level 1 (4 points)
iWork

Q: iMac not waking from sleep with wired keyboard

I have a late 2013 iMac running El Capitan, using wired Apple keyboard and Magic Mouse.   There are currently no peripherals plugged in apart from our old Epson Stylus printer which is always turned off when not in use and has been connected since the day I got the computer. I tend to go back and forth to the computer during the day if I'm at home, so usually either put it to sleep manually or let it sleep automatically (set to put display to sleep after 3 minutes).  I always turn it off overnight.   I  was always able to just press the spacebar on the keyboard and it would wake from sleep without any problems, but have recently started having issues  - pressing the spacebar (or any other key) produced no result and I was having to press the power button briefly to wake the computer.    This has only occurred since upgrading to El Capitan, although didn't start immediately following the upgrade, but several weeks later.

 

From searching these forums, I see others have had similar issues (or variations of) over a number of years, so I tried several things suggested, including unticking ALL options under "Energy Saver" but that doesn't seem to have done anything.  I tried resetting the SMC and that seemed to fix the problem briefly, but started having issues again after a couple of days.  After resetting the SMC, if the computer has only been asleep for a short time, then pressing the spacebar will (usually) wake it up, but if it has been asleep for a couple of hours, there's no response to the keyboard.  I always preferred to use the keyboard for "waking" as I tend to turn the MM off when I'm not using it, but I've now had to allow Bluetooth devices to wake the computer so at least I can use the MM if the keyboard won't work.  Both the keyboard and the MM work OK when woken from sleep, however it's just annoying that I often now can't use the keyboard to wake the computer up!

 

Just wonder if there's anything anyone else can suggest that I could try, or whether I'll just have to keep using the MM instead!

iMac (21.5-inch, Late 2013), OS X El Capitan (10.11.3)

Posted on Feb 16, 2016 11:26 PM

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Simba49

Q: iMac not waking from sleep with wired keyboard

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  • by judysings,

    judysings judysings Feb 18, 2016 7:39 AM in response to Simba49
    Community Specialists
    Feb 18, 2016 7:39 AM in response to Simba49

    Hi Simba49,

    It sounds like your iMac may be going into Safe Sleep mode, which requires the power button to wake it.  Take a look at the resource below and see if it describes your situation:

    If your Mac doesn‘t sleep or wake when expected

    If your Mac doesn't wake when you expect

    Your Mac might pause a few seconds before it wakes up. If it doesn't seem to wake at all, check for these possibilities:

    • Your screen brightness might be turned down.
    • If you're using an external display, your display might be turned off. 
    • Your Mac might be in safe sleep. To wake from safe sleep, press the power button.
      Check for a sleep indicator light, if applicable, and make sure that your Mac isn't turned off.

     

    Mac computers: Progress bar appears after waking from sleep

    Safe Sleep ensures that data stored in main memory will not be lost should the computer shut down due to the battery being drained completely . Prior to your computer entering sleep, Safe Sleep automatically saves the contents of main memory—such as desktop settings, open applications, and other work in progress—to the hard drive. 

    There are two situations in which a computer will enter safe sleep:

    1. In the event the battery becomes completely depleted while the computer is asleep, the computer will shut down. But when a power adapter is connected or a freshly charged battery is installed, the computer can be restarted. Press the power button as if turning the computer on and it will automatically return to the desktop state that existed prior to entering sleep. This means that applications and files will remain exactly as they were prior to the computer being put to sleep, making it easy for you to continue with your work.
    2. With the release of the OS X Mountain Lion v10.8.2 supplemental update 2.0, a new feature was introduced to enter safe sleep after four hours of the computer being connected to AC power. This is an effort to comply with the European Energy Standards (ErP Lot6). This will only occur if there is no wireless or Ethernet activity and no activity from external devices such as USB storage devices.  

      This is normal behavior for the following models: 

       
         
      • iMac (Late 2012 and later)

    ​​If the previous steps don't work

    These additional steps may help identify or resolve the issue: 

    • Reset the SMC.
    • Reset NVRAM.
    • Disconnect external devices other than your Apple keyboard, mouse, and display. If that resolves the issue, gradually reconnect your devices, testing each time, until you find the device that is interfering with sleep. Then check the documentation that came with the device, or contact the device manufacturer.
    • Start up in Safe Mode to see if the issue is related to non-Apple startup items, login items, or kernel extensions. 
    • Try to isolate the issue by using another user account. 

     

    Last Modified: Feb 4, 2016

    Take care,

  • by Simba49,

    Simba49 Simba49 Feb 20, 2016 6:16 PM in response to judysings
    Level 1 (4 points)
    iWork
    Feb 20, 2016 6:16 PM in response to judysings

    Hi Judysings, thanks for your reply and the suggestions provided.  After reading through everything again, I don't think my Mac is going into Safe Sleep mode as the Magic Mouse can be used to wake it (now that I've enabled Bluetooth devices to do so), and no progress bar appears when the Mac is waking up.  I have reset the SMC and the NVRAM and there are currently no external devices attached except for the wired keyboard (I've disconnected the printer) but the issue with the keyboard still persists - occasionally it will wake the Mac from sleep (usually if it's only been asleep for a short time) but most times it won't.  I will try starting up in Safe Mode and see if the same issue occurs. 

    Thanks again

  • by oftheheavens,

    oftheheavens oftheheavens May 7, 2016 3:55 AM in response to Simba49
    Level 1 (4 points)
    May 7, 2016 3:55 AM in response to Simba49

    I have had this problem for the better part of a year. Even before el capitain. I have tried everything from resetting everything on the computer like you say you did above, to buying new mouse and keyboard thinking it was out of date drivers or something (I am not using an apple kb and mouse though it happened to me in the past with my wireless apple peripherals). It happens almost every morning when I come down to wake it after being asleep all night. It has lately started happening even from going to sleep for a short period of time. This is the first Apple product I have had any issues that couldn't be resolved it just ***** it is the most expensive one I have ever bought... Applecare customer service gave the same advice that is in this thread above, which obviously doesn't work.

  • by topsykretts,

    topsykretts topsykretts Sep 10, 2016 1:48 AM in response to Simba49
    Level 1 (8 points)
    Notebooks
    Sep 10, 2016 1:48 AM in response to Simba49

    Hi Simba49, I have encountered this today for the first time and was interested enough to find this thread. Have you had any luck find the root cause? I too have had my mac not waking up by wired keyboard but only with power button (and also not safe sleep)

  • by RipRockCity,

    RipRockCity RipRockCity Sep 10, 2016 5:56 AM in response to topsykretts
    Level 1 (4 points)
    Sep 10, 2016 5:56 AM in response to topsykretts

    I have a 2009 iMac running 10.6.8 with Apple bluetooth keyboard and mouse. It totally shuts down when not used for a long period, like nighttime. I have to hold the power button for 5-10 seconds to make it restart. This started several months ago and is now an every night occurrence. I figured the computer was simply in it's death rattle. Would welcome further ideas.