[simon12]

I have a 2009 iMac that runs pretty well perfectly...except for a problem that has recently started to happen when I put it to sleep. I had noticed that on odd occasions it would wake up just a few seconds after going to sleep but there seemed to be no reason for this.

Today I realised that there is a definate pattern to this. I put it to sleep, then I get up from my desk. When I turn my office chair and lift myself off it, the Mac wakes up...every time! It happens just as I lift myself from the chair, turning to leave the desk. If I put it to sleep while I am standing there, nothing happens. Turning the chair with no one in it is fine too.

This has only started to happen in the past couple of months. I can't see anything that has changed in that time. The only other times the iMac has switched itself back on is when I switch off the desk light RIGHT AFTER putting the mac to sleep, that also fires it back up. I thought that was weird enough but this is really nuts.

Anyone have a clue as to what is happening?

[awsm]

Sleep issues can be a mixed bag with many causes. My first steps are always to un-pair and delete any all bluetooth devices then re-pair. This at least for me solves most of my occasional sleep problems.

Next step is going through Energy Saver preferences and tweaking the options.

Then you wan't to consider sensitivity if you are sure getting up from your chair is the cause then what would that imply is that happening? Vibration, movement, triggering something etc

[Tenex]

Start by having the Console open when you put it to sleep and then when it wakes look at the log for the event.

[simon12]

Originally Posted by Tenex

Start by having the Console open when you put it to sleep and then when it wakes look at the log for the event.

There are no Bluetooth devices connected. BT is actually left off except when I want to connect my phone. Plus I'm not that heavy (11 stone) so there wouldn't be much movement and I'm not touching the desk when I get up.

I found the Console app, never used it before, where do I look??

[simon12]

OK - weirder stuff. I have two identical office chairs in the study. This problem only seems to happen with one particular chair??? That chair is a touch more sqeaky - is it possible that there is a frequency the squeak is hitting that fires off the imac???? Is this possible??

[awsm]

Just leave console running and when it wakes unexpectedly have a look at the entries for hints to what may have triggered it.

[simon12]

OK, I hope this makes sense to someone: I left Console running had up screen under Log Files - system.log
I put it to sleep at 17.33.34 and then woke it up with the 'chair' method and this is what it said:

Mar 2 17:33:34 simon-brookes-imac-5 kernel[0]: System Sleep
Mar 2 17:34:05 simon-brookes-imac-5 kernel[0]: Wake reason = EHC1 EHC2
Mar 2 17:34:05 simon-brookes-imac-5 kernel[0]: /drv/ MacDevice.cpp:561 com_parallels_hypervisor_client:owerDownHandler: message e0000320
Mar 2 17:34:05 simon-brookes-imac-5 doubleTwist[18171]: State:/Network/Interface/en4/Link (up)
Mar 2 17:34:05 simon-brookes-imac-5 kernel[0]: System Wake
Mar 2 17:34:05 simon-brookes-imac-5 kernel[0]: /drv/ MacModule.cpp:261 powerStateWillChangeTo: flags=82 stateNumber=4
Mar 2 17:34:05 simon-brookes-imac-5 kernel[0]: /drv/ MacModule.cpp:262 powerStateWillChangeTo: found flag=kIOPMPowerOn (2)
Mar 2 17:34:05 simon-brookes-imac-5 kernel[0]: /drv/ MacModule.cpp:267 powerStateWillChangeTo: found flag=kIOPMRestartCapability (80)
Mar 2 17:34:05 simon-brookes-imac-5 kernel[0]: /drv/ MacModule.cpp:261 powerStateDidChangeTo: flags=82 stateNumber=4
Mar 2 17:34:05 simon-brookes-imac-5 kernel[0]: /drv/ MacModule.cpp:262 powerStateDidChangeTo: found flag=kIOPMPowerOn (2)
Mar 2 17:34:05 simon-brookes-imac-5 kernel[0]: /drv/ MacModule.cpp:267 powerStateDidChangeTo: found flag=kIOPMRestartCapability (80)
Mar 2 17:34:05 simon-brookes-imac-5 kernel[0]: Previous Sleep Cause: 5
Mar 2 17:34:05 simon-brookes-imac-5 kernel[0]: USB (EHCI):Port 1 on bus 0xfd has remote wakeup from some device
Mar 2 17:34:05 simon-brookes-imac-5 doubleTwist[18171]: notifyNetworkInterfaceChange requested (deferred)
Mar 2 17:34:05 simon-brookes-imac-5 doubleTwist[18171]: IPv4 Dict: (null)

There's more stuff at 17.34.12 onwards but since the mac is already well awake by then, I doubt you'll need it all.

[awsm]

What USB devices do you have connected?

And what options do you have ticked in Energy Saver preferences?

Trash the following files and restart then run Disk Utility (if unsure back them up first but your Mac will generate new copies after a restart):
/Library/Preferences/SystemConfiguration/com.apple.PowerManagement.plist

/[username]/Library/Preferences/com.apple.systemuiserver.plist

/Library/Preferences/SystemConfiguration/com.apple.AutoWake.plist

[simon12]

Originally Posted by awsm

What USB devices do you have connected?

And what options do you have ticked in Energy Saver preferences?

Trash the following files and restart then run Disk Utility (if unsure back them up first but your Mac will generate new copies after a restart):
/Library/Preferences/SystemConfiguration/com.apple.PowerManagement.plist

/[username]/Library/Preferences/com.apple.systemuiserver.plist

/Library/Preferences/SystemConfiguration/com.apple.AutoWake.plist

I have the keyboard and mouse, an external HDD which is switched off before ever putting the mac to sleep, Elgato EyeTV USB Tuner, Canon printer which, if switched on or off after putting the Mac to sleep, WILL wake it up again.

Option in Energy Saver ticked are Wake for Ethernet network admin access (I have no ethernet), Allow power button to sleep computer, Auto reduce screen brightness...

Have deleted those files and restarted, am now waiting for the Disk Util to do any repairs which may take a while. I'll check it out when this is all done and see if the chair still wakes it up!


EDIT - OK, did the repairs and tried the chair thing and.. nothing! The Mac stayed asleep every time. Hopefully this is the end of the weirdness so thanks for the tips. Question is, why would it have done this in the first place? It was definately the chair as I tested it many times so this is a new one.

Thanks!!

[simon12]

AAAgghh - it's doing it again!!

[CamFire]

What was performed with DiskUtility? Permissions repair or disk repair?

EDIT: our iMac did the same - until I rebooted it and immediately (with a admin account), a Disk Repair was performed and this fixed some sleep issues for us.

EDIT (2): turned out that the boot disk had errors in it which DiskRepair fixed.

[awsm]

Un-tick wake for Ethernet access if you haven't already. If it still does it then I would be looking at singling out the USB devices one at a time.

[simon12]

Originally Posted by CamFire

What was performed with DiskUtility? Permissions repair or disk repair?

EDIT: our iMac did the same - until I rebooted it and immediately (with a admin account), a Disk Repair was performed and this fixed some sleep issues for us.

EDIT (2): turned out that the boot disk had errors in it which DiskRepair fixed.

It was a Permissions Repair. Have now done a Disk Repair where an error was indeed found and fixed.

Originally Posted by awsm

Un-tick wake for Ethernet access if you haven't already. If it still does it then I would be looking at singling out the USB devices one at a time.

Done that.

All shows repaired but still doing it!!

I am now going to oil the bloody chair! If that doesn't do it then I just don't get it. It is DEFINATELY related to the chair. It ONLY happens when I get out of the chair in the vicinity of the Mac.

[CamFire]

Double check your sharing preferences - SystemPreferences>Sharing. It's been know that if this iMac shares something, and if accessed, then it'll have insomnia.

[simon12]

Originally Posted by CamFire

Double check your sharing preferences - SystemPreferences>Sharing. It's been know that if this iMac shares something, and if accessed, then it'll have insomnia.

File Sharing was on so I've switched that off now.

I'll see how it behaves over the next day or so.

[CamFire]

If this sorts out the sleep issue, then it proves that your chair has been accessing files on the iMac and uploading them to a hacker's site. Burn that chair.

[simon12]

Well, it is a Windows chair, so what would you expect. I have now oiled it so fingers crossed.

[CamFire]

So, did the oil on the chair catch a fire? iMac still refusing to sleep?

[simon12]

Well, I thought it had worked but this morning it did it again. I swear it is ONLY when I get out of the chair!!! If I get out of the chair first then put it to sleep, no problem. So the link is the chair but now there is no squeaking (thanks to WD40) there must be another reason.

[MrSynner]

Bit of a wild idea, but try covering the camera then sleeping the iMac.

Either that, or an exorcist.

[Rottie]

@ OP: Have you tried resetting the PRAM? Sometimes, this remedies even the strangest of problems.
In case you don't already know how to do it, hold down +alt+P+R at startup and keep them held until you hear the second startup bong.

[CamFire]

Yeah, I'll second that.

You can even try shutting down the iMac, un-plug it from the wall socket for ten seconds or so, re-plug and boot up, check.

[simon12]

Originally Posted by MrSynner

Bit of a wild idea, but try covering the camera then sleeping the iMac.

Either that, or an exorcist.

I doubt it's the camera as it only happens with one of the two chairs in the room (believe it or not).

Originally Posted by Rottie

@ OP: Have you tried resetting the PRAM? Sometimes, this remedies even the strangest of problems.
In case you don't already know how to do it, hold down +alt+P+R at startup and keep them held until you hear the second startup bong.

Done that - I'll keep a watch on it and see how things go.

[simon12]

Right - covered the camera, reset the PRAM, oiled the chair, run the disk utility and repaired the disk and the permissions, no bluetooth is running. What the hell??? It's still doing it.

[CamFire]

It sounds as if you are running something - inadvertently or otherwise - that's forcing to keep the network running...

Have you tried using another user account while all others are logged off?

[simon12]

Originally Posted by CamFire

It sounds as if you are running something - inadvertently or otherwise - that's forcing to keep the network running...

Have you tried using another user account while all others are logged off?

Haven't tried that yet so I'll give it a go on my son's account or the guest account.

Thing is, as mad as it sounds it definately is related to my getting up from the chair. That's the ONLY time it ever happens. It doesn't seem to be related to vibration as I have tried banging on the desk, tapping the floor, etc and nothing until I start to get up from the chair. That said, it doesn't do it as much now as it did when I first posted about it. The oiling of the chair appears to have helped. It still creaks slightly but no loud squeaks.

I unplugged the usb mouse/keyboard combo and that seemed to stop it happening so maybe that's related to it too. I'll try that again tomorrow and see if I can get it to wake. I look like a right ****** getting up and down in the chair in front of a sleeping computer though!!

[CamFire]

ActivityMonitor has a pane for network traffic. If you are not doing anything, then the numbers sent/received should be close to 0. There are other apps which can monitor the network traffic in/out of the Mac, but you already have ActivityMonitor as standard.

[simon12]

Originally Posted by CamFire

ActivityMonitor has a pane for network traffic. If you are not doing anything, then the numbers sent/received should be close to 0. There are other apps which can monitor the network traffic in/out of the Mac, but you already have ActivityMonitor as standard.

OK - I'll have a look at that too. Should that basically show 0 at the time the mac wakes or will it not log while in sleep mode? If something has woken it, will it show a number at the wake time?

[simon12]

Umm...how do I read the activity monitor? There is a very small window at the bottom of the pane that shows only a few secs of network traffic so when the mac wakes up there is no way of seeing if anything caused it. Is there a way of looking at the recent history, say the last 5 minutes, of network traffic?

[CamFire]

The initial burst of activity upon waking up will be due to the OS attempting to re-establish the network connections...but I was keeping an eye on unusual network activity when you are not actively surfing the web, reading email, TM is not active, etc. Admittedly, there are apps (eg., Snitch) which can tell more but ActivityMonitor is a first start.