iMac display will turn off, but won't go to sleep...

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Hi everyone! :)

I've got a problem. I want my Mac to stay on for a certain amount of time (display off) before it goes to sleep.
The thing is, whenever I do this (system pref.), the display will turn off after the time specified, but it will never go to sleep...
Does anyone know why it does that? Any help would be greatly appreciated!!!

Cheers, Anthony :)
 
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Mac OS X 10.5.8

I've tried everything, at the moment it's just on the default settings.

Thanks for the reply!

Anthony
 
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MacInWin

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Do you have any applications running that would prevent it from going to sleep?
 
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Macbook Unibody 2.26 Dual, 2GB RAM, 250 GB HDD
Try telling it a bunch of lame jokes. It should go to sleep then.
 
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MacInWin

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It's a dumb question, but how do you know it isn't going to sleep? With the monitor dark, and with no other lights on it, how do you know it's still working on something? My iMac is set for the default, and it dutifully goes dark on schedule. In the mornings, when I touch the keyboard, it wakes up and the screen comes back, just as advertised. But I can't think of how to know if it was secretly still awake in the dark...
 
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Model Identifier: iMac9,1 Processor Name: Intel Core 2 Duo Processor Speed: 2.66 GHz
This sometimes happens with me if an application is still running on something. One thing to do - quit all your apps before sending to sleep and see what happens. If that doesn't work... beats me!
 
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Model Identifier: iMac9,1 Processor Name: Intel Core 2 Duo Processor Speed: 2.66 GHz
One curious thing - I discovered that Time Machine still backs up when the iMac is asleep. Odd - so I'm starting to shut down completely instead of sending to sleep.
 

bobtomay

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It's a dumb question, but how do you know it isn't going to sleep? With the monitor dark, and with no other lights on it, how do you know it's still working on something? My iMac is set for the default, and it dutifully goes dark on schedule. In the mornings, when I touch the keyboard, it wakes up and the screen comes back, just as advertised. But I can't think of how to know if it was secretly still awake in the dark...

Not so dumb...that's the question and answer I've been wanting to see.

And Time Machine has never backed up either one of my Macs while they were asleep.
 
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I thnk that when it is really asleep you have to press the power button to wake it up.

I have mine set so the screen goes black after 15 minutes and set to go to sleep after 1 hour. If I move the mouse within that hour the screen will come "alive" After that hour I cant simply move the mouse too make the screen come alive, I have to press the power button.

I also had set the timer to put the machine to sleep at 1 am (it reminds me I'm up to late) and set it to "wake up" about the time I normally would.

About a week ago I downloaded an alarm app that goes off in the morning. I keep the itunes remote control next to the bed and it works as as a snooze button.

power saver shot.png
 

bobtomay

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My trackpad often seemingly won't wake mine either - I use a double tap on the space bar, works everytime.
 
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MacInWin

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Bob, that's how I wake mine, too. So I'm still stuck on how one would know it's NOT sleeping, since you have to wake it up to find out. And Time Machine does backup in the middle of the night, even when sleeping, at least on my iMac. So maybe it's not sleeping, or it has an alarm to wake up and run TM.
 
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I have a MBP since 2 months and have noticed that "problem" too, came aware of it good a month agoo.
My computer never goes to sleep, although it should following the preferences set. It just shuts off the screen, but doesn't sleep.
It only sleeps when i put it asleep by clicking the apple in the menu and then "sleep".
How do I know? Easily: When really asleep it needs about 5% of the battery capacity overnight (8-9 hours) and can not be waked up by touching the trackpad. It does wake up by touching the spacebar, after about a second
When it has put itself asleep (but in fact has shut off the screen only, it needs about 4-5% of the battery an hour, e.g. fast 10 times more power, and comes immediately (does not need a second) "awake" by touching the trackpad.
Putting to sleep "automatically" just is not working as it should and never has on my computer. And probably neither on all others, recently purchased ?
Hope this was of help.
Chris (Belgium)
 

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