Q: MacBook won't shut down correctly

You can try a SafeBoot to clear cache files  SafeBoot  https://support.apple.com/kb/PH18760?locale=en_US

Try resetting the  SMC http://support.apple.com/kb/ht3964

Try resetting NVRAM/PRAM http://support.apple.com/kb/ht1379

From Recovery (command R on boot)  Try Disk Utility>First Aid on your Macintosh HD

You can always try reinstalling the macOS 10.12 on top of your existing macOS 10.12

Always good to have a current backup plan: Make a bootable clone of your boot drive

One thing you could try is to pass the "-v" or "verbose" flag to NVRAM temporarily.

To do this, open up Terminal and type (without the "#"):

# sudo nvram boot-args="-v"

And reboot the system. Your system will start to a black screen with scrolling text rather than the Apple logo as it shows what's actually happening in the background. Likewise, when you shutdown the system after enabling verbose it will do the same thing - except for shutdown which should expose what message is delaying the shutdown.

To revert the changes you can either reset NVRAM or open Terminal and type (without the "#"):

# sudo nvram boot-args=""

I have this same problem on my Macbook pro. I have tried running disk utility and using first aid on the boot drive. I tried resetting pram, i've tried booting in safe mode, i tried the recommendation above. Nothing has worked. The recommendation above did not show me what is causing the issue since it just goes to a pseudo black screen with the keys backlit while it shuts down. I timed it. It takes 10 minutes and 9 seconds to shutdown.

FeDeFrankfurt wrote:

 

Hi,

 

I try it, and i see what my Mac does when it's starting.

When I shut it down there is only a black screen and after 15-20 minutes it is turned offfinally.

So I don't see what my Mac does when shutting down.

 

Do you have some other ideas how I can solve my problems?

If I can't solve it I have to go back to El Capitain.

 

Thank you very much.

That is not normal. Verbose mode should display what a Mac is doing on both boot and shutdown and this feature hasn't changed in macOS Sierra (I have it enabled right now, but I don't have your problem).

That might hint at a problem greater than an app causing macOS to hang for the specified duration. There are two other options I know of.

1) There's a log file called "launchd-shutdown.log" located in "/var/log/com.apple.launchd/" and could be seen from Applications > Utilities > Console in previous versions of macOS. However, I cannot find this log anymore - either through Terminal or the Console.

2) Try booting "Single User Mode." Now this can be scary to some as essentially what you are doing is booting macOS to the shell (that black screen that goes by when in Verbose). I don't know how technical you are so I can give you two ways to get to it.

For one time Single User Mode boot simply press and hold "Command + S" before the Apple chime and until Verbose booting starts.

However, if you are more technically inclined, I would recommend opening Terminal and doing:

# sudo nvram boot-args="-s -v"

Please note: to exit Single User Mode and boot to normal mode you must type into the Single User Mode shell:

# sudo nvram boot-args="-v"

# shutdown

Then press the power button to restart the Mac maintaining Verbose mode (I have already previously provided instructions to turn that off when you're ready). Or you can use the "-r" switch on the shutdown command to reboot.

The idea of course, is to watch the screen on shutdown in Single User Mode to see if (a) you can see what's holding up shutdown or (b) whether or not the Mac shuts down normally.

FeDeFrankfurt wrote:

 

Hello,

 

I'm sorry but your idea doesn't work.

I got this error message after typing in my password: nvram: Error setting variable - 'boot-args': (iokit/common) general error.

 

When I'm in single user mode and I type in "shutdown" and press enter my Mac does nothing. Am I doing it wrong?

I also tried some of the other possibilities like "shutdown -r" ,...

 

I have to press and hold down the power button for manually turn my Mac off.

 

Thank you for your answer.

It seems Apple left a little gem with System Integrity Protection in macOS Sierra. By default, NVRAM Protection is turned on meaning you can't edit NVRAM from the Terminal like in previous versions of OS X. This is why you get the iokit error and is fairly easy to rectify. Someone can correct me, but there's no reason for System Integrity Protection to be protecting NVRAM - it's reset like one's eating candy from a candy store (have a problem with a Mac: reset NVRAM!).

Anyways, in Terminal you need to run:

# sudo csrutil enable --without nvram

Then reboot. After that, you'll be able to modify the NVRAM through Terminal.

As for "shutdown" or "reboot" or "shutdown -r" not working in Single User Mode, that is my mistake. Unix and Linux based system (macOS is Unix) will wait 30 seconds before starting the shutdown process (type it from Terminal and you'll see). It might be 60 seconds with macOS. To overcome that you can type in Single User Mode:

# shutdown -r now

To reboot immediately. Or:

# shutdown now

To shutdown the system immediately (other alternatives include "shutdown -h now," "quit," and "halt" which have all worked over the years).

Again, the goal is to see what's your system is getting hung up on during the shutdown process.

Remember to disable Single User Mode once you are done or you'll keep booting to the shell rather than the desktop until you do.

And for verification, you have reset the SMC, NVRAM, and PRAM, correct? Sometimes people forget SMC which can be reset (at least in my Mac - it varies; I have a Mid-2010 Macbook Pro 13") by turning off the computer, plugging it in, and holding the power button down when turning it on until the white light flashes multiple times.

Boot in Safe mode and try again, post back with the result

FeDeFrankfurt wrote:

 

my MacBook Pro Retina 13" 2013 won't shut down correctly after I installed macOS Sierra.

Upgraded to macOS sierra from what OS X?

There was a problem for some user who upgraded from previous OS X to El Capitan 10.11.5

who ran Wacom software.  This may or may not still hold true. Uninstall wacom resolved shutdown issues.

http://www.wacom.com/en-us/support/faqs/drivers-software/how-do-i-uninstall-a-dr iver-on-mac-os-x

maybe you can verify or deny you have Wacom.