Mac Mini won't wake (usually)

[SteveSawyer]

This is very inconsistent. I thought I had a solution, but no.

• If I allow the machine to go into sleep mode on its own (walk away and let the screen turn off, then allow it to go to sleep) I can almost guarantee I won't be able to get it to wake.
• I thought if I selected "Sleep" from the Apple menu that would allow it to gracefully wake. No. Sometimes yes, but more frequently no.
• In searching for a solution, I note that some report that the Mac wakes, but the display doesn't. I don't think that's happening with mine. When I tap a key on the keyboard, the monitor flashes on and displays "HDMI No Signal", turns off, then flashes on again "HDMI No Signal" then turns off, and it keeps doing this. Once in a blue moon if I just let it do this for 5 minutes or so I eventually get a login screen. Kinda defeats the convenience of sleep mode...
• About 10% of the time it will wake, but I haven't been able to detect any pattern as to what circumstances might be contributing to this. It does seem to be somewhat more likely to wake if I manually put it into sleep mode, but again, that's no guarantee - just seems to improve the odds.

Thanks.

 

[lclev]

Is this the late 2014 Mac Mini listed in your description? If so has it always done this or is it recent?
Also how full is the SSD/HDD?

Lisa

 

[SteveSawyer]

Is this the late 2014 Mac Mini listed in your description? If so has it always done this or is it recent?
Also how full is the SSD/HDD?

Lisa

It is. And it has always done this, but I only acquired it about a month ago (my first Mac.)

The HDD (1TB) is just less than half full.

 

[pigoo3]

I have sleep issues with my 2012 Mac-Mini as well (purchased used)...and I have not found a reason for it.
If I let it go to sleep on it's own...or if I put it to sleep manually...the sleep light will pulse for a while (as expected)...but at some point it stops pulsing (and then the sleep light is not lit at all).

When I try to wake the Mac-Mini in the morning by tapping the keyboard or clicking the mouse (after sleeping all night)...the Mac-Mini will not wake up.

I did discover that if I quickly push the Mac-Mini power button...this will bring it out of sleep...and all is fine. Not sure if this will work for you.

- Nick

 

[MacInWin]

You could try changing the settings in System Preferences to not allow the CPU to sleep, just let the monitor go dark. The CPU ticking over takes very little power above what is used for sleeping.

 

[SteveSawyer]

I have sleep issues with my 2012 Mac-Mini as well (purchased used)...and I have not found a reason for it.
If I let it go to sleep on it's own...or if I put it to sleep manually...the sleep light will pulse for a while (as expected)...but at some point it stops pulsing (and then the sleep light is not lit at all).

When I try to wake the Mac-Mini in the morning by tapping the keyboard or clicking the mouse (after sleeping all night)...the Mac-Mini will not wake up.

I did discover that if I quickly push the Mac-Mini power button...this will bring it out of sleep...and all is fine. Not sure if this will work for you.

- Nick

Thanks, Nick. That has worked for me, but not consistently. That's one of the maddening things. Nothing wrt to this issue is consistent. Sometimes it wakes just fine. Others it doesn't. Sometimes it will wake with a quick press of the power button. Most times no.

Maybe if I put some tinfoil on the antenna and arrange it just right...

 

[SteveSawyer]

You could try changing the settings in System Preferences to not allow the CPU to sleep, just let the monitor go dark. The CPU ticking over takes very little power above what is used for sleeping.

That might be the solution I'm forced to adopt...

 

[OneWonders]

My Mini 6.1 (2012 late) was difficult or impossible to wake so I usually just shut it down, until upgrading to Catalina Now it seems normal.

 

[pigoo3]

My Mini 6.1 (2012 late) was difficult or impossible to wake so I usually just shut it down, until upgrading to Catalina Now it seems normal.

Very interesting. My 2012 Mac-Mini is running High Sierra...would be very cool if upgrading to Catalina would solve the sleep problem I have.

Thanks,

Nick

 

[SteveSawyer]

Very interesting. My 2012 Mac-Mini is running High Sierra...would be very cool if upgrading to Catalina would solve the sleep problem I have.

Thanks,

Nick

By a) quitting all apps and b) invoking sleep mode manually, I’ve managed to get it to “behave.” Note that in my case, both steps appear to be necessary. I leave anything besides Finder “running” and it’s hit-and-miss.

 

[ferrarr]

Create a new user account for testing. Try one app at a time and see if the issue arises in the new user account? It may just be a setting/preference in one of the apps you're using.