Mac mini turning itself on

[tomg35]

Got a Mac mini, running Big Sur.

Just moved home and reconnected the mini back up. Since reconnecting it, every day at 09.00 it turns itself on, without intervention from me, something it's not done before.

I don't have anything scheduled that might cause this, such as backup, so wondering why this might be happening?

The only things attached to the mini are a printer which is turned off unless I want to use it, a drive for Super Duper which isn't in use while that's updated and two drives for Time Machine.

As I say it's not done this before and I'm not aware that I've changed any settings.

Sent from my Pixel 4 using Mac-Forums mobile app

 

[ferrarr]

How do you know it is starting exactly at 09.00?

Look in System Preferences > Energy Saver and what settings you have set?

 

[tomg35]

Because yesterday and today I was in the room at 09.00 when it turned on.

The ticked settings are

Prevent computer from sleeping when monitor is off.
Put hard disks to sleep when possible
Wake for network access
Enable power nap

Possibly it's the 3rd one, but wouldn't that only apply if the machine was asleep or standby?

How do you know it is starting exactly at 09.00?

Look in System Preferences > Energy Saver and what settings you have set?

Sent from my Pixel 4 using Mac-Forums mobile app

 

[chscag]

Just moved home and reconnected the mini back up. Since reconnecting it, every day at 09.00 it turns itself on, without intervention from me, something it's not done before.

You're telling us that the machine is turning itself on even when the power to it is off or disconnected?

Are you sure that the power is off rather than the machine is sleeping?

 

[tomg35]

The mini was shutdown not sleeping

Sent from my Pixel 4 using Mac-Forums mobile app

 

[chscag]

The mini was shutdown not sleeping

How do you have it connected to the AC power source? Are you using an UPS? Timer circuit? Power strip?

Your Mini can't turn itself on without something else doing it.

 

[tomg35]

Just a standard 4 gang socket plugged into a wall outlet. No UPS, no timer.

I thought too, that it's not possible but it's turning itself on.

Sent from my Pixel 4 using Mac-Forums mobile app

 

[chscag]

I guess it's possible that a power glitch could turn the Mini on as that is an option in energy saver. From your first post, it seems you moved into a new home.

Check to see if you have selected: "Start up automatically after a power failure"

Also, try plugging the Mini into another outlet but do not use a multiple gang socket.

 

[tomg35]

Ok I'll look at that, thanks

Sent from my Pixel 4 using Mac-Forums mobile app

 

[pm-r]

Wake for network access

Try disabling this Wake for network access option and see if it stops waking up or turning on.

Do you have another computer in your local LAN Network with filesharing enabled etc. or something else that needs access to your Mac, and that also might be turning on at that specific time.



- Patrick
=======

 

[tomg35]

Thanks, the mini did have a printer attached which was shared with other computers on the LAN, before we moved. However I removed it before we moved because the Mini stopped printing to it consistently.

I removed the printer completely before we moved intending to try and sort it out but never got round to it. Currently it doesn't have printer installed nor does it use the printer connected to my wife's windows machine.

None of our machines shared files over the LAN.

Sent from my Pixel 4 using Mac-Forums mobile app

 

[chscag]

Try disabling this Wake for network access option and see if it stops waking up or turning on.

That is not going to have any effect if the power to the Mini is off. We've already determined that power is off and it's turning itself on.

Gremlins maybe?

 

[MacInWin]

@tomg35, how are you turning off the Mac? Exact steps, please. I'm with chscag on this one, power off is power OFF. But if the Mac is sleeping, not really powered off, it can be wakened by any number of things. So, exactly HOW are you turning it off?

 

[pm-r]

That is not going to have any effect if the power to the Mini is off. We've already determined that power is off and it's turning itself on.

In that case, I would humbly suggest that that assumption is incorrect and there is no way in **** that that Mac is going to turn itself on... If it was actually powered off.

I would be inclined to boot it up using Safe Boot Mode just before quitting for the day and sleeping it for the night as a trial to see if the condition continues. That should stop any third-party from waking it up if that is what is happening. Maybe even disconnect any Ethernet or Wi-Fi connection as well to prevent any possible incoming "Wake Up" signal.

Then maybe we can eliminate some gremlins???



- Patrick
=======

 

[chscag]

In that case, I would humbly suggest that that assumption is incorrect and there is no way in **** that that Mac is going to turn itself on... If it was actually powered off.

I'm with you on that Patrick, but member @tomg35 has stated that the power is off. I suspect that the power is not really off otherwise there is no way that machine can turn itself on.

If it magically is turning itself on, then member @tomg35 is going to need an exorcist.

 

[techiesteve]

Because yesterday and today I was in the room at 09.00 when it turned on.

The ticked settings are

Prevent computer from sleeping when monitor is off.
Put hard disks to sleep when possible
Wake for network access
Enable power nap

Possibly it's the 3rd one, but wouldn't that only apply if the machine was asleep or standby?

Sent from my Pixel 4 using Mac-Forums mobile app

From Energy Saver did you click on Schedule then check Startup or Wake (assuming your Mac Mini has the same options as my MBP). This option can power on a Mac at a predetermined time.

 

[tomg35]

Apple symbol > shut down > confirm shutdown

@tomg35, how are you turning off the Mac? Exact steps, please. I'm with chscag on this one, power off is power OFF. But if the Mac is sleeping, not really powered off, it can be wakened by any number of things. So, exactly HOW are you turning it off?

Sent from my Pixel 4 using Mac-Forums mobile app

 

[tomg35]

No schedule set

From Energy Saver did you click on Schedule then check Startup or Wake (assuming your Mac Mini has the same options as my MBP). This option can power on a Mac at a predetermined time.

Sent from my Pixel 4 using Mac-Forums mobile app

 

[pm-r]

Apple symbol > shut down > confirm shutdown

No schedule set

If it magically is turning itself on, then member @tomg35 is going to need an exorcist.

It certainly seems like a good time to look up Ghostbusters Services in the yellow pages.

But it certainly is a puzzling situation.

Maybe it is a new hidden feature of Big Sur when running on a mini???

To counteract it, maybe set up a schedule to shut down the mac mini at 9:01am. ?


PS: The "Oppps..." is back when attempting to post several times this a.m.. Finally got it to work.


- Patrick
=======

 

[chscag]

You wound up posting twice. I removed the duplicate.