IMac power problems?

Sinse upgrading to Snow Leopard, I've been having some power issues with my iMac. First, during the night and day, usually when it is idle and in sleep mode, it will wake up on its own. However, it does not turn on the display. THe fans will run, the hard drives clicks, in the same pattern as it does when usually waking up, but the screen remains off. For about 10 to 15 seconds after wake-up, the hard drive will go mad crazy as it seems to seek the hard drive, then go back into sleep mode. I have no idea why it does this; I do not believe it is the "Wake for Network Access" feature because this is disabled.
Another problem it has is that it will just randomly shut off. That simple. As if I pulled the power cord, it simply turns off. WIthout closing Finder and the Dock first. It just simply dies. Loosing whatever I haven't saved.
Anyone else having issues with their macs and snow leopard?
(I am using a iMa7,1. Obviously a much older aluminum iMac.)

I fresh installed Snow Leopard 3 days ago on my mid-2007 24" iMac. Once, the machine went into sleep mode and would not wake no matter what I did. Finally I held the power button until the machine turned off and then powered it up again.
Then last night even more disturbingly I put it in sleep mode and when I went to wake it this morning... nothing. But this time the machine was dead. No matter how long I held the power button in there was no response. I could hear neither fans nor power supply. I did an SMC reset and the first two tries nothing happened. Then for whatever reason, on a 3rd SMC reset the machine responded normally to the power button and has been running since.
I am very much HOPING this is a Snow Leopard issue since the alternative may be a failing power supply. I just got this machine back from Apple Service last week for replacement of a failed hard disk.
If anyone else has information regarding Snow Leopard power issues or other suggestions I'd love to hear them.

Similar Messages

  • Intel iMac Power / Overheat issue?

    Hi there,
    I have an Intel iMac from 2006. About 2 years ago it started to just turn itself off randomly as if there was a power failure. When it does, the only way to power it back up is to switch it off at the plug, switch it back on and press the power button (strangely) twice. I have noticed it seems to be temperature related - when my iMac reaches around 78C (which I'm pretty sure it should be able to handle fine?) it tends to be in the danger zone and at any minute can switch itself off.
    I've got around this by using smcFan Control - which thankfully displays the temperature in the menu bar meaning when I hit around 72C I can whack the fans up to full blast to keep the temperature down. Being a sound studio computer - the hum of the fans really isn't ideal, but it at least makes my computer usable. However, I'm currently in the middle of a big project on Logic and I've had to turn my room into a fridge (window open-more clothes on) to be able to work on it as all the processing involved heats it up to 75C+ in no time.
    I was hoping someone could shed some light on this or at least tell me if I am right in thinking that 78C is nothing really and the iMac should deal with it easily.
    I have seen tons of posts regarding the G5 iMac power problems and similar problems with the intel iMacs - I've done all the hardware resets (PRAM, SMC, PMU) as suggested in these forums but nothing has helped.
    I have had the power supply changed in the past (before this problem arose) as one day it just went kaput. Don't know if that makes any difference but I'm pretty sure that the problem started a little while after the replacement was installed.
    Thanks in advance!
    Message was edited by: Lee_Head

    LR is a Universal Binary app. YOu're good to go. I did a migration from iBook to MacBook recently with no issues.
    Don
    Don Ricklin, MacBook 1.83Ghz Duo 2 Core running 10.4.9 & Win XP, Pentax *ist D
    http://donricklin.blogspot.com/

  • Have an iMac. Problem is I hear the fan noise, yet no power on the screen yielding no power. I have checked the power cord and it seems to be fine. Not sure if computer is a total loss. What would be the next step?

    Have an iMac. Problem is I hear the fan noise, yet no power on the screen yielding no power. I have checked the power cord and it seems to be fine. Not sure if computer is a total loss. What would be the next step?
    <Email Edited by Host>

    What does the EMC# say on the base?

  • 27" iMac power cord vs 20" power cord???

    Will it matter if I use my old 20" iMac power cord for my new 27" iMac? I think they are the same but wanted to check first.
    Reason why I'm asking is because my new 27" iMac i7 randomly shuts down with no warning. I searched and found out that this has happened to others as well. Supposedly resetting the SMC will help but it did not for me. Last time it did it I heard a faint click right before it shut down, first three times it did not do that. I've lost hours of work and am really ticked off. I have a new machine on the way and hope its an isolated problem. I'm running latest OSX with all updates.

    Won't matter a bit. There is absolutely nothing special about those cables except the little bit of plastic that makes it sit flush with the rest of the case when plugged in. You could steal an AC cable from an old PC if you wanted, wouldn't make a bit of difference.

  • Imac display problem, the resolution seems to be unusual, top bar and all folders on the desktop background is off the screen

    Need help with 21" imac display problem. The resolution seems to be unsual, everything on the desktop background goes off the screen. The resolution is set at 1920 x 1080

    Quit the game and restart the iPad.
    To quit the game - Go to the home screen first by tapping the home button. Quit/close open apps by double tapping the home button and the task bar will appear with all of you recent/open apps displayed at the bottom. Tap and hold down on any app icon until it begins to wiggle. Tap the minus sign in the upper left corner to close the apps. Restart the iPad. Restart the iPad by holding down on the sleep button until the red slider appears and then slide to shut off. To power up hold the sleep button until the Apple logo appears and let go of the button.
    If that doesn't work try this.
    Reset the iPad by holding down on the sleep and home buttons at the same time for about 10-15 seconds until the Apple Logo appears - ignore the red slider - let go of the buttons.

  • HT3988 imac power button pulses but imac will not turn on

    imac power button will  turn on

    Hi and Welcome,
    On my old G5 when I saw the red light through the front grill it meant that the machine was not going to boot. I just turned it off in the front, a hard shutdown, when I saw it. For me, I was able to wait for for a while and usually it would start up with no trouble again. But that Mac also had heat issues and sometimes running a small fan through the grill would allow me to start up sooner.
    One thing that might be adding to your problem might be the amount of RAM you have, it's a very small amount.
    Is your Hard Drive almost full? That can be a problem.
    Can you start from one of the OS disks and use the app Disk Utility?
    If you have the Discs that came with the Mac (originally), on one should be The Apple Hardware Test. That might help you diagnose the issue.
    A PMU reset might get you started again. It's a bit model specific, for some it's just pulling the cord out (sound familiar?) and that resets the NVRAM. For other models this is a good reference: http://support.apple.com/kb/HT1436
    Quicktime likes RAM, so does your Mac in general, the amount you have is just sliding by.
    Take a look inside your Mac to see if it's very dusty inside. That can cause a host of problems.
    Good luck.

  • OSX for iMac Power G3 400

    I have a iMac Power G3 400 MHz currently running OS 9.2 with 1G of memory and a 40G hard drive. I would like to upgrade to OS 10.3.9 to mirror my PowerBook G4 laptop. Is this doable? I have been given conflicting advice.

    Adobe product's are going to be really slow on OSX (especially the Creative Suite version's! You are not going to work with it really nice, a lot off waiting. Maybe big file's will even not open.
    Photoshop CS2 will work, but Adobe Illustrator 10 can not even run on your iMac:
    Minimum Adobe Illustrator 10 system requirement's:
    PowerPC® G4 or G5 processor
    Mac OS X v.10.2.8 (10.3.8 or higher recommended)
    256MB of RAM (512MB recommended)
    960MB of available hard-disk space
    Color monitor with 16-bit video card
    1,024x768 monitor resolution
    CD-ROM drive
    If you want to have a nice extra system, i would probably buy something like a G4 MacMini. Those are fast enough for your requirement's and quite cheap (used one's ofcours) for the performance you get.
    Hopefully this is helpfull or solved your problem.
    (please see the "helpfull" and "solved" button's above this message)

  • Is there a way to adjust the bass and treble on my iMac Power PC sound system?

    Is there a way to adjust the bass and treble on my iMac Power PC G5 sound system? It has a lot of volume (more than my JBL speakers).

    No, but iTunes has an Equaliser that enables you to do that.

  • Can i take apart the imac power cord to put it through a hole in my desk.  I'm able to get the ring off, but dont want take the housing off incase it breaks

    can i take apart the imac power cord to put it through a hole in my desk.  I'm able to get the ring off, but dont want take the housing off incase it breaks

    I hear you.  The reason I asked is that on the computer end of the cable, I took the ring off and it looks like there are some clasps around the housing, so I was wondering if these were for the purpose of threading the the cable.  I will try and get some pictures.  The drill is charging, however!!
    Thanks
    P

  • MacBook Pro Power Problems.

    My MacBook Pro is exhibiting power problems. I am running Yosemite and it seems that the problem may have arisen since I dowloaded this upgrade. When the battery is charged it shows 99% charge and I can use it on battery power. As normal with use the charge gradually reduces, say to 30%. I then switch off using either the on/off button/apple logo, waiting for the dialogue box, " do you want to switch off etc". The next day, I switch on, but the computer will only boot up when the power lead is attached. When the computer comes on, usually as normal, the charge always shows 0%. When it is recharged the whole process repeats itself. Help please.

    Hi,
    Thanks for responding. My MBP is late 2009 and the battery has never been replaced. When I look at battery condition, it registers as normal, as it does when I do the power checks you suggested. When I plug in the power cord it glows green and within a few seconds it is on amber, until fully charged. I've done the SMC reset. I  noticed this morning that after using it last night the battery capacity was 93% and an expected duration of about 5.5 hours was listed. After limited use this morning, restricted to email admin only, the charge level had dropped to 88%, but the predicted duration was only 2.75 hours. Currently the level is 73% and the duration is  3 hours, although I have accessed the web several times. Presumably there is some sort of algorithm that looks at current usage and predicts the duration. I will continue to monitor this to see what happens. In the meantime if you have any more thoughts!!!
    Regards
    Roger

  • Hard Disk or Power Problem

    I have a Powerbook that I have had for many years now. Recently it hasn't been booting up. I hit the start button and it chimes like it usually does but the screen and hard disk don't do anything. Sometimes it does boot up but it doesn't start easily. When it does boot sometime freezes when I go through the login and when loading the desktop but once the desktop is loaded it works fine until it goes to sleep. I just bought a new battery for it this summer. I have been reading though the Discussions and I figure my computer is either having power problems when starting up or I need a new hard disk. Any thoughts?

    You will find step by step directions at iFixit. Note that your computer does not have the EMI finger referred to in the directions. Also, be especially careful with the tiny screws in the sides on the computer. You don't want to strip the heads or it will be very difficult to get them out. Here are few tips you may find helpful:
    • Print out the ifixit directions as well as the screw guide ahead of time.
    • Be sure you have the right tools. You don't want to damage the screw heads or you may never get them out. And the Torx screw driver is critical. For a spudge I use the handle of an old toothbrush (choose one made of hard plastic), cut off the brush and beveled the handle end like a flat blade screw driver). For some spudge jobs a credit card will do the trick.
    • Click on the pages of each step which involved removing screws to enlarge, then print out the pages. Poke holes in the paper where the screws were removed, poke the screws in the holes and stack the pages in order in which there were removed. Reassembling is a lot easier. No cups to tip over and spill. No guessing. Each screw is exactly in the right place. You can use an ice cube tray, egg carton, dixie cups etc. I previously used small medicine cups one for the screws in each step. I nested them so that the last ones out and the first to go back in are on top. (Some users report cutting up the screw guide and placing the applicable section in each container.)
    • Be very careful pulling out leads. Hold the lead as close to the plug as possible and wiggle (the plug ) to loosen its grip. Don’t hold the wires and pull as that can damage the cable, or worse, in some instances pull the wires out of the plug. Indeed, some users have pulled the socket off the logic board! Use needle nose pliers or tweezers if you can access the plug, or nudge the plug with a small instrument to help loosen its grip.
    • Use force gently in removing parts. Separating upper and lower case takes some doing. Use a plastic tool (spudge) so as not to leave marks.
    • Refer to the screw guide when reassembling computer. Putting longer screws in the wrong place can perforate the circuit board.
    So will I be able to put the OS and everything on by the installation discs?
    Yes you will. Indeed you may be able to clone the contents of your current HDD to the new HDD by placing the drive in a firewire enclosure and formatting and cloning the new drive before installing it in the computer. If you have data you need to backup and have a sound installation on your current HDD this might be an option to consider.
    When you get your new HDD it will need to be formatted before you can install the OS on it. If you need directions for formatting and installation, I can post step by step directions here for you. Let me know.
    Good luck.
    cornelius

  • Power Problems - MacBook Pro

    My MacBook Pro is exhibiting power problems. I am running Yosemite and it seems that the problem may have arisen since I dowloaded this upgrade. When the battery is charged it shows 99% charge and I can use it on battery power. As normal with use the charge gradually reduces, say to 30%. I then switch off using either the on/off button/apple logo, waiting for the dialogue box, " do you want to switch off etc". The next day, I switch on, but the computer will only boot up when the power lead is attached. When the computer comes on, usually as normal, the charge always shows 0%. When it is recharged the whole process repeats itself. Help please.

    Howdy rcoo26,
    It sounds like there’s an issue turning your MacBook Pro on when it isn’t connected to power, and the battery doesn’t seem to be holding a charge. The article below provides information that can help you troubleshoot the battery in your notebook.
    Mac notebooks: All about batteries - Apple Support
    If there isn’t an issue with the battery, try the general troubleshooting tips in this article:
    If your Mac won't turn on - Apple Support
    Cheers,
    -Jason

  • My bookmarks are lost after turning off the computer unexpectedly (power problem),how can it recovers?

    My bookmarks are lost after turning off the computer unexpectedly (power problem),how can it recovers? Thanks a lot !!!!
    我的书签在电脑突然被断电之后全部丢失了,我该怎么办呢??谢谢啦!!~~~~

    This can also be a problem with the file places.sqlite that stores the bookmarks and the history.
    * http://kb.mozillazine.org/Locked_or_damaged_places.sqlite
    * http://kb.mozillazine.org/Lost_bookmarks

  • Intermittent power problem Canon 5D Mark iii

    My Canon 5D Mark iii (2 years old) has an intermittent power problem, as described below. It may simply be a question of cleaning the terminals that the battery connects to. I haven’t tried since I can’t reach them at the bottom of the battery compartment.
    Details as follows:
    this is a recent problem in the last 3 weeks
    the problem occurs with all three Canon batteries that I use
    from time to time when the power is on, the camera suddenly loses all power and displays an “empty” battery image
    sometimes it happens of its own accord while no demand is being placed on the camera
    but more usually it occurs at the moment of focusing (I use back focus on the * button)
    it is often fixed by turning the power off and then on again. This fixes it half the time
    it is always fixed by turning the power off, removing and then re-inserting the battery
    needless to say this is very annoying!
    Since coming back from a trip, while transferring images from the camera to my computer, I noticed that the (almost) full battery started showing “empty”.
    The transfer was completed successfully, and when the camera was disconnected from the computer, the battery showed that it had lots of charge left. Very puzzling!

    It sounds like either the battery terminals aren't getting a solid contact or there's a fault (something loose or grounding out) inside the camera.  But if something were genuinely loose or grounding out inside the camera, then power cycling or even re-inserting batteries would probably not fix it -- which makes me suspect it's still something outside the camera.
    Are any of the batteries new, or are they all about the same age as the camera?
    Batteries only last a few years but it'll depend on how they were used.  In other words if all three were used about the same and enough charge cycles to be at the end of their reliable life... it might be time to replace them.  
    It's difficult for the internal battery terminals to get dirty unless the battery itself had something on the battery iteself when you inserted it.  You can try a bit of denatured alcohol on a cotton swap to reach in and clean the terminals.  Also, inspect the batteries to make sure they're all clean.  
    Tim Campbell
    5D II, 5D III, 60Da

  • Connecting an iMAC Power PC G5 to a new iMAC with Intel

    i would like to buy a new iMAC with Intel, but i was wondering if i can connect my current iMAC Power PC G5 to the new one? the display on my current iMAC is going bad. the reason i ask is because i would like to continue using some of the software on my current iMAC and just be able to work with them using the new iMAC. i just dont want to buy new software to put in the new iMAC. does somebody have an answer for this? or can i tranfer, for example microsoft office, to the new iMAC?

    Nope! As Rick Lang noted, Apple provides "Migration Assistant" with OS X - when you get your new iMac, and go through the setup at power-on, you'll eventually be presented with a "Migration Assistant". To migrate from your G5, it's as simple as connecting the G5 to your iMac via a FireWire cable (You may need a FireWire 800 cable for new iMacs - also called a "9-pin to 9-pin" firewire or IEEE 1394 cable. Shop around - most retail stores, like Best Buy, charge way too much for cables). Then, startup the G5, holding the "T" key. It'll enter "FireWire Target Mode", acting as an external hard drive. Migration assistant while then happily copy all your user data to the iMac - it may take a while. If you've already setup the iMac, you can still use the Migration Assistant - it's in the "Applications>Utilities" folder.
    Your applications should now work just fine, with some exceptions. First is that some applications aren't entirely compatible with Snow Leopard (which ships on all new iMacs) - although most currently developed applications have updates to do so. Secondly, you need to check that the apps are "Universal" - that they will work natively on Intel processors. If they are not, they will still work under "Rosetta" - essentially a built-in PowerPC emulator - they will just be slower. Finally, while I haven't had trouble with software licenses, depending on the application you may be required to re-enter the serial numbers/license keys. I can't remember if Office required this, but make sure you have them available.
    Also, if you plan to get rid of your old iMac, remember to de-activate iTunes (and other applications that require licenses), and securely erase the hard drive. (Startup via the CD the iMac shipped with, go into Disk Utility, and do a "Secure Erase")
    I hope that answers your question! If you decide to upgrade, enjoy your iMac!

Maybe you are looking for

  • Moving iPod and Library to New Hard Drive

    60GB Video iPod, purchased 11/05. Started using it at work (with permission) and spent a lot of weekend time downloading all of my cd's, as I did not have a working computer at home (it had crashed). 02/06, a friend gave me their Dell computer. I pur

  • Can I update for free a Acrobat 9 Pro, bought within an Adobe Creative Suite 4 Web Premium?

    I have a licensed/registered Adobe Creative Suite 4 Web Premium with Acrobat 9 Pro. Can I upgrade this for free - and how please? Thanks - [email protected]

  • JDBC SQLServer: Error when loosing connection

    Hi all, I have this problem: I�m using microsoft jdbc driver for sqlserver 4 to connect to my sqlserver database. The connection is working just fine, but I want to create a method to reconnect to the database if the connection is lost (for example,

  • 3d Surface Plot advice

    I'm completely newbie to 3D in Java. I've installed the 3D JDK, and could do with some pointers of where to start - i've seen a lot of different classes used to do similar things, and am unsure where to start. I have a double[][] array, and would lik

  • Book design

    I want to subdivide a book into two seoerate books, but without setting new pages etc. I am working with Indesign 3.01 Thanks for an answer. land1scape