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TICKET ARCHIVE -> iMac won't wake up

minicoopertx - Mar 31, 2007 - 6:12 pm

Today, for the first time, my iMac G5 won't wake up with a press of the keyboard or movement of the mouse.

I turned off the computer (the only thing I could get it to do) and turned it back on. Everything seemed fine. When I came back to it later, it had gone to sleep again, but wouldn't wake up.

I went to System Preferences and left the "put display to sleep" setting alone, but set "put computer to sleep" at NEVER.

When I came back to it, the screen was blank as always, but a touch of the spacebar brought things up instantly. This leads me to believe that it's the computer's wake-up function and not the display's that is the problem.

How can I fix this? Will it hurt to just leave my computer on "never sleep" if it means not having to have it serviced?

ishan - Mar 31, 2007 - 7:32 pm

I would do a "hard reset", i.e., an SMC reset using the directions for your particular Mac model on Apple's support pages. You could also zap the PRAM (hold down command-option-p-r keys simultaneously until you hear three startup chimes in succession, then let the keys go). One or both should fix the problem.

In answer to your second question, no, except for the electricity used, it won't hurt to leave your computer on 24/7/365. In fact, some argue that putting hard drives to "sleep" and awakening them every day increases your risk for HD failure. I don't know if that is true, but I do all my backups in the middle of the night, and to have up to date backups (I get a lot of emails from different time zones), I have to leave my Mac Pro up and running.

Hope that helps and please let us know what happens. Thanks.

minicoopertx - Mar 31, 2007 - 7:49 pm

I couldn't find any info on how to do a "hard reset" or an SMC reset, so I tried the PRAM zap.

The computer woke up just fine this time (WOO HOO), so I'll hold my breath for the next few wake-up attempts and hope it's all rosy from here.

Thanks a lot!

minicoopertx - Mar 31, 2007 - 11:18 pm

False alarm on the solution. After leaving the compy for a couple of hours, it wouldn't wake up again. The PRAM reset either didn't "take" when left alone that long, or it still needs a SMC reset. I can't find any info on how to do that. I've searched "SMC reset" on Mac Help and got nowhere.

Cheryl - Apr 2, 2007 - 5:21 pm

Jim,

Here is the web site with instructions on how to reset the SMC.

http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?artnum=300908

It has images to help you locate the button.

Let me know if this helps you.

Cheryl

minicoopertx - Apr 2, 2007 - 7:23 pm

Thanks. It seems to be working now... I also unchecked the "put hard drive to sleep whenever possible" button after the last time it wouldn't wake up. I'm not sure if that helped, but at least my hard drive won't be going up and down all day.

Thanks

Cheryl - Apr 2, 2007 - 7:31 pm

Jim,

OS X has nightly, weekly and monthly routine jobs that are scheduled to be done during the night. Leaving your energy saver settings to hard drive never to sleep will allow those jobs to be done.

You can allow the monitor/flat panel to go to sleep as that will save the screen in the long run.

Glad to be of help to you.

Cheryl

minicoopertx - Apr 3, 2007 - 8:27 pm

Seems to have worked. Thanks!