powerbook keeps going to sleep

[iryskel]

Hi All,

I have a G4 powerbook (processor 1.67 GHz PowerPC G4) which is less than a year old (i got it august 2005). I have an odd problem which i have been unable to find help for: the powerbook keeps going to sleep, even while the powerbook is in use.

occasionally, i can wake it by pressing the apple key. if this does not work, try to shut down the computer by holding down the power button. often, even this does not work, and i have to flip the computer over and take the battery out.

i have reset the pram (more than once, is this even a good thing?), all parts and components of the powerbook are original and only one change was made - i upgraded to RAM to 1GB (memory: 1GB DDR SDRAM).

i am running mac os x, version 10.4.5.

also, I have checked my energy saver settings, and allmy settings (for power adapter and battery) are set to "never sleep" for the harddisk...

could someone please help me with this?

thank you!

 

[Kyomii]

Hi iryskel,


The symptom you describe sounds like it could be a heating issue - however, it is difficult to diagnose such a problem fully ia the internet.

As your PB is less than a year old, I would contact Apple or the reseller ASAP and see what they have to say before your warranty runs out.

 

[Ric]

Hi iryskel and welcome !

to add to kyomii's excellent suggestions...

Can I ask...has it always done this...since new...or just after this last update ?

Can you post a screen grab of your Energy Saver settings ?

regards

Ric

 

[iryskel]

Hello Kyomii, Ric,

Kyomii, thanks for the suggestions (the PB does seem to get really hot, sometimes a little too hot to touch even, but being a new mac user i thought this might be normal. I also attributed it to having the PB in my lap rather than placed properly on a table etc..)

Ric, the PB was fine for the first few months. I do recall having a software version update done just before it went to sleep on its own for the first time. However, I can't recall with certainty what version that was (but I believe it was version 10.4.3), or if I had also updated some other software at that time (I usually check for updates once a week, and back then I would just update eveyrthing). Since then, I have updated my mac os x version, so I wouldn't link it to version 10.4.5

I am currently away from my powerbook for the day, so I can't post any screen captures of my energy saver settings, but will do so as soon as I get home (in about 8 hours!)

thank you both for your help - it is much appreciated!

 

[iryskel]

Hi Ric,

I have attached screen grabs of my energy saver settings.

thanks again!

 

[Ric]

Hi there,

first thing to try...

Go to this folder...

/Library/Preferences/SystemConfiguration

and throw this file away com.apple.PowerManagement.plist

then restart and try setting sleep again and see how that works...

regards

Ric

 

[iryskel]

hello

sorry i haven't gotten back to you sooner - i had weird internet issues and could not get to the forum... i will try out the powermanagement file delete tonight and will definitely keep you posted on how that works.

also, i have noticed that since it started doing the auto-sleep thing recently, my G4 has also been running a lot slower. in addition to verifying permissions and disk with disk utility, i also run macjanitor about once a month. is there some other maintenance task i can carry out to help it run faster? or should i just leave that be until the sleep problem is solved? it just occured to me that the two might be linked...

thanks!
-iryskel

 

[iryskel]

i have just deleted the power management plist... it hasn't gone to sleep yet. i am gonna leave my mac on for a few hours to see if it decides to go into sleep mode again.

is a new power management plist supposed to be generated once the original has been removed - i checked and there isn't a new power management plist in the systems configuration folder.

 

[Kyomii]

Hi iryskel,

Did you reset the power management sleep settings as suggested, or just delete the preference file ? (.plist).

It should create a new preference file when you reset/change it. FWIW, while doing this, I would set your display to be put asleep a little longer than the few minutes it is set for at the moment.

This could be the problem if you are reading something on the internet etc for more than a few minutes, the display may be going to sleep.

Perhaps 20 minutes or even 30 minutes would be better?

 

[iryskel]

Hi Kyomii,

I simply deleted the file (powermanagement.plist). I do not understand what you mean by restting the power management sleep settings? Do you mean reset it via energy saver, or some other way? Please let me know how to reset the sleep settings.

Also, I will change my display sleep settings to 30minutes, but that has not really been a problem so far - usually I just move the mouse and the display wakes up again.

The matter that concerns me is that the whole computer goes into sleep mode even when I am using it (I might be typing an email or actively clicking links and even have itunes on). I am unable to wake it from that sleep the normal way. Once it goes into this kind of sleep, I have to take the battery out, power down, and then power it up again.

After I deleted the power management plist, I left the computer on for about five hours without it going into sleep mode. However, a new power management .plist still hasn't be created in the system configurations folder.

best regards
iryskel

 

[iryskel]

Hello again.

I went to energy saver and set the dsiplay sleep time to 30 minutes and the hard disk sleep time to never. Then I put the computer to sleep and after I woke it up I checked and found a new powermanagement .plist in the systems configuration folder.

My computer has been on for about forty minutes now and hasn't slipped into sleep mode yet.

Should I still being the powerbook down to the apple center?

best
iryskel

 

[Kyomii]

Hi iryskel.

See how it goes. Now a new preference file has been created, it could have simply been that the old preference file was corrupted, which it certainly sounds like.

However, if the symptom starts again to the extent it did before, I would definately advise you to contact Apple because it could still be a heat issue.

 

[Ric]

... hi all, as Kyomii says just keep an eye on it.

It certainly sounds like a corrupt preference file.

Again, as per Kyomii's instructions if it happens again...take it to the Apple Store.

I have the 1.67GHZ G4 PowerBook and mine gets very hot...if you are using it on your lap, I would suggest using it via battery power only ;-)

regards

Ric

 

[iryskel]

hello

Alright, thanks a lot - both of you have been of such great help!

Ric, you are right, it does get very hot, especially when I use it on my lap. Now I just try to keep it near a fan and on a proper work surface to try and minimize over-heating.

thank you again!! (can you tell I am really happy the problem's been solved? heh.)

best
iryskel

 

[Ric]

Hi there,

glad you're happy !

regards

Ric

 

[iryskel]

Hello,

I spoke too soon - i put my computer to sleep last night and left it in sleep mode all day. When I got home, I tried to wake it, but it stayed in sleep mode. I thought perhaps the battery had run out, so i plugged in the power adapter and tried to wake it,but thatg didn't work either. So i did the usual : removed power adapter, flipped computer over, took out the battery, switched off the computer, put the battery back in and plugged the power adapter back in and powered up the computer again.

In addition to all that, I also went into the systems folder to remove the power management .plist and then I restarted the computer and reset the sleep settings.

I hope things will be back to normal again, but i wonder if the .plist is getting corrupted by some program I am running? Any new ideas as to how I might deal with this problem, or is it time to call the good guys at apple care?

help please!

best
iryskel

 

[waXology]

hey all,

foudn this thread via a goole search. I am having the same issues. believe it or not my model is the exact same as iryskel's and another thing is mine was purchased in august 05 also!

ok few weeks back i started having clunking noises and got worried, but 2 weeks ago it started sleeping all the time, i thought the hdd was dieing so took it to the apple centre.... the booked it in and did a hdd replacment under warranty... anyway 2 weeks later (today) i get it back, they lost ALL my music and ALL my emails and contacts (im in the music industry and keep many masters on my lappy) anyway im an idiot for not backing it all up, but still i think they are incompetant as they gave very vauge explanations etc.. anyway thats another story.

So about 8hrs in since getting it back and it just put itself asleep again while i was using it. So ive read you posts and have now got the air on in the room to try kewl it down.. it does run hot as it sits next to an LCD tv but it sits on one of those icruve things so it has lots of room to breathe. ill try your suggestions also and get back to you all.

Cheers
Cameron

 

[waXology]

ok what is annoying is, after taking the battery out and putting back in it STILL wont fire up, the white light just keeps pulsating.

any ideas people? im going to take it back on saturday... its really annoying me, to think ive lost my entire hard drive of data for nothing now

 

[Ric]

Hi there and welcome,

it sounds like it's going into 'protected sleep'...

The only way to wake it...is to press the Power On Key...

give it a go.

regards

Ric

 

[waXology]

Hi there and welcome,

it sounds like it's going into 'protected sleep'...

The only way to wake it...is to press the Power On Key...

give it a go.

regards

Ric

Hey Ric,

doesnt do anything shes dead in the water bar the dull white pulse. ive been searching a lot of forums and it seems a few people are having this issue and they have had multiple batteries. I think they even changed my battery, as when i went to take it out it had some plastic clear protective coating, like when you buy something new and you peel it off.

anyway im stumped, i think its time for a third visit to the apple store on the weekend

So it seems it isnt a battery issue or a hdd issue.

oh and ive had it sitting in front o the air for 20mins so i dont think its a heat issue, but not 100% yet. I saw someone say it may be a cpu heat sensor?

Cheers
Cam