IMac wakes from sleep with a key stuck

I routinely wake up my computers from sleep by pressing a modifier key like shift, command, etc; these keys don't generally cause actions in whatever software is running so they make good "wakeup" buttons.
I recently got a new 20" aluminum iMac, which I love, but it seems that once in a while a key gets stuck. The shortcut menu appears when I try to click on something, or text will get selected, or everything acts like I'm right-clicking. If I do a quick run through all the modifier keys, the problem goes away until the next time I wake the machine. So since getting the new iMac, my routine was changed to pressing a modifier key, waiting till the machine wakes up, then pressing all of the modifier keys.
I discovered today that what's happening is, when I do my regular wake-up thing, whatever key I pressed while the machine was sleeping gets stuck until the next time it's pressed. It's like the key press message is getting to the machine, but the release is ignored while the computer is in the process of waking up. It thinks I'm still holding that particular key down. So now what I do is press one key, then press it again when the computer's awake.
The problem only occurs when the machine goes to sleep due to inactivity. I can't reproduce it by invoking sleep from the Apple menu or the keyboard shortcut.
This never happens on my Core Duo iMac or on my MacBook Pro. It does, however, happen every time on this machine whether I use the included aluminum keyboard or the old white keyboard.
I just got the idea of holding down the the shift, control, or whatever key, until the machine has fully recovered from sleep. I will post further if anything interesting happens when I try it.
I'd like to get things back to the way they were before though (except I want the new iMac to stay of course!). Any ideas?

If I wake the computer by pressing, for example, control; then wait for the system to recover before releasing it, everything's fine.
It looks like the computer is just not aware of USB activity during the waking process.
Does this happen to anyone else, or is it just me?
I did install the EFI updates last week too. I was kind of excited to see them because I figured they'd noticed the problem and fixed it, but it had no effect.
Re the TIL article above, this appears to pertain only to portables. Is it also something that works on iMacs?

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Viking501,
You may want to mark this thread with a correct answer which you will find in the Legend to the right. This may help other people with a similar issue.

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Step 1
Take all the applicable steps in this support article. That's the starting point for any further efforts to solve the problem. Please read the whole article carefully and don't skip any of the steps, including the ones under the heading Additional troubleshooting. If you don't understand any of the steps, ask for guidance.
Also note that if you replaced the internal hard drive with an SSD, or if you're starting up from an external SSD, then that device may be causing the problem. Check the SSD manufacturer's website for a firmware update. The only solution may be to reinstall the original drive or avoid sleep altogether.
Step 2
If you're running OS X 10.8.5 or earlier, from the menu bar select
           ▹ System Preferences... ▹ Accessibility
If the checkbox at the bottom marked
          Enable access for assistive devices
is checked, uncheck it and test.
If you're running OS X 10.9 or later, select
           ▹ System Preferences... ▹ Security & Privacy ▹ Privacy ▹ Accessibility
If any applications are listed on the right and have a checked box next to them, uncheck all the boxes and test. You may first have to click the padlock icon in the lower left corner of the window and authenticate as an administrator to unlock the settings.
Step 3
In the Energy Saver pane of System Preferences, uncheck the box marked
          Put hard disks to sleep when possible
Step 4
If you don't already have a current backup, back up all data, then reinstall the OS.* You don't need to erase the startup volume, and you won't need the backup unless something goes wrong. If the system was upgraded from an older version of OS X, you may need the Apple ID and password you used.
If you installed the Java runtime distributed by Apple and still need it, you'll have to reinstall it. The same goes for Xcode. All other data will be preserved.
*The linked support article refers to OS X 10.10 ("Yosemite"), but the procedure is the same for OS X 10.7 ("Lion") and later.
Step 5
This and the next step must be taken as an administrator. If you have only one user account, you are the administrator.
Launch the Console application in any of the following ways:
☞ Enter the first few letters of its name into a Spotlight search. Select it in the results (it should be at the top.)
☞ In the Finder, select Go ▹ Utilities from the menu bar, or press the key combination shift-command-U. The application is in the folder that opens.
☞ Open LaunchPad and start typing the name.
In the Console window, select
          DIAGNOSTIC AND USAGE INFORMATION ▹ Diagnostic and Usage Messages
In the search box in the window's toolbar, enter "powerd" (without the quotes.)
You may see one or more lines like this:
com.apple.message.signature: Platform Failure
If you do see that, and you did everything in the preceeding steps, then you're dealing with an internal hardware fault. Make a "Genius" appointment at an Apple Store, or go to another authorized service provider.
Step 6
In the Console window, select
          DIAGNOSTIC AND USAGE INFORMATION ▹ System Diagnostic Reports
(not Diagnostic and Usage Messages) from the log list on the left. If you don't see that heading, select
          View ▹ Show Log List
from the menu bar.
There is a disclosure triangle to the left of the list item. If the triangle is pointing to the right, click it so that it points down.
You may see one or more reports with a name that begins with "Sleep Wake Failure" followed by a date. Select the most recent one. The contents of the report will appear on the right. Use copy and paste to post the entire contents—the text, not a screenshot.
I know the report is long, maybe several hundred lines. Please post all of it anyway.

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I wonder if this is a software/OS issue. My old Mac Pro had similar wake-up issues, and I wonder if Migration Assistant transferred them to my new machine.
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MBP Wakes From Sleep With Lid Shut

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Hi again,
your statements that the workaround does not "work around"
on your machines confuses me a bit. It looks like the changes
in the com.apple.PowerManagement file don't produce the desired
effect.
First question: Did you restart your computers after having
applied the changes ? If not, try this first.
Can it depend on the model of MBP (I have the new Santa Rosa) ?
If I save the file as an ASCII file it looks like this:
ActivePowerProfiles = {"AC Power" = -1; "Battery Power" = -1; };
"Custom Profile" = {
"AC Power" = {
"Automatic Restart On Power Loss" = 0;
"Disk Sleep Timer" = 0;
"Display Sleep Timer" = 0;
"Display Sleep Uses Dim" = 0;
"Hibernate File" = "/var/vm/sleepimage";
"Hibernate Mode" = 3;
"Mobile Motion Module" = 1;
"System Sleep Timer" = 0;
"Wake On AC Change" = 0;
"Wake On Clamshell Open" = 0;
"Wake On LAN" = 0;
"Battery Power" = {
"Disk Sleep Timer" = 10;
"Display Sleep Timer" = 5;
"Display Sleep Uses Dim" = 1;
"Hibernate File" = "/var/vm/sleepimage";
"Hibernate Mode" = 3;
"Mobile Motion Module" = 1;
ReduceBrightness = 0;
"System Sleep Timer" = 15;
"Wake On AC Change" = 0;
"Wake On Clamshell Open" = 0;
System Profiler says:
Einstellungen für Stromversorgung des Systems:
Netzbetrieb:
Ruhezustand des Systems (nach Anzahl von Minuten): 0
Ruhezustand der Festplatte (nach Anzahl von Minuten): 0
Ruhezustand des Monitors (nach Anzahl von Minuten): 0
Bei Stromverlust automatisch neu starten: Nein
Ruhezustand bei Änderung der Stromversorgung beenden: Nein
Ruhezustand beim Öffnen des Computers beenden: Nein
Ruhezustand bei administrativen Netzwerk-Zugriffen beenden: Nein
Zum Ruhezustand des Monitors den Monitor abdunkeln: Nein
Batteriebetrieb:
Ruhezustand des Systems (nach Anzahl von Minuten): 15
Ruhezustand der Festplatte (nach Anzahl von Minuten): 10
Ruhezustand des Monitors (nach Anzahl von Minuten): 5
Ruhezustand bei Änderung der Stromversorgung beenden: Nein
Ruhezustand beim Öffnen des Computers beenden: Nein
Zum Ruhezustand des Monitors den Monitor abdunkeln: Ja
Helligkeit verringern: Nein
(German only, sorry)
And - I checked it just a minute ago - i works ! My MBP
goes to sleep when lid is shut and does NOT wake, when I
open the lid. After pressing a key, it comes to life again.
Regards,
Robert
P.S. Please have a look at the files in the
Library/Preferences/System Configuration Folder.
Is there only one file for Energy preferences or
did your system create another one, when you tried
to change settings via System Preferences ? I saw
this one time a few weeks ago, but I don't know
the exact conditions under which that happened.
Message was edited by: gandalf22

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Solved!
Go to Solution.

Well it seems the problem was caused by the firmware version for the SSD I've installed.
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Mac Mini distored image on wake from sleep with HD TV

I've got a Mac Mini that does this when it wakes from sleep:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AlqYc8qH7ps
The image is distorted for several minutes and eventually corrects itself. It happened in 10.6 and now happens in 10.7, it's actually worse in 10.7
The Mini is connected to a Vizio 55" LED LCD TV via HDMI. I've had the logic board replaced twice and the RAM has also been replaced.
If I change the resolution setting it also fixes the image.
I was able to test it on another TV also a Vizio but different model. That was in 10.6 and the problem happened there too.
Once the image is fixed it runs fine. Though I do find that movies play a little stutteringly particularly noticeable via slow pans but that may not be related to this issue.

I've got a Mac Mini that does this when it wakes from sleep:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AlqYc8qH7ps
The image is distorted for several minutes and eventually corrects itself. It happened in 10.6 and now happens in 10.7, it's actually worse in 10.7
The Mini is connected to a Vizio 55" LED LCD TV via HDMI. I've had the logic board replaced twice and the RAM has also been replaced.
If I change the resolution setting it also fixes the image.
I was able to test it on another TV also a Vizio but different model. That was in 10.6 and the problem happened there too.
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When my imac is asleep I can press a key on the keyboard or move the magic mouse and the screen wakes right up. the mouse cursor moves around the screen but nothing is clickable and no keyboard commands work. if my laptop is connected via disk sharing I can continue to access the files, it's like everything is fine but I can't give input. the dock doesn't pop up and I can't force quit anything. I ran disk utility and it suggested I restart from the dvd and repair the disk. after doing that the HD continues to test fine, when I verify it there are no errors or other things that need fixing. I've reset NVRAM several times and the problem persists. a hard reset is my only way to regain control and then the computer will work fine for anywhere from hours to days. Everything I search for seems to be a different version sleep issues. I have no video distortion, no other problems. can anyone help me out?
thanks!!
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Howdy there Mark,
I would suggest a few steps here.
First I would start with resetting the SMC on the computer with this article Intel-based Macs: Resetting the System Management Controller (SMC) found here http://support.apple.com/kb/HT3964
Resetting the SMC for Mac Pro, Intel-based iMac, Intel-based Mac mini, or Intel-based Xserve
Shut down the computer.
Unplug the computer's power cord.
Wait fifteen seconds.
Attach the computer's power cord.
Wait five seconds, then press the power button to turn on the computer.
Then reset the PRAM if the issue is not resolved:
About NVRAM and PRAM
http://support.apple.com/kb/ht1379
I would also perform a safeboot to troubleshoot this as well.
Mac OS X: What is Safe Boot, Safe Mode?
http://support.apple.com/kb/HT1564
All the very best,
Sterling

IMac wake from sleep problem

I have an Intel imac that I've had for about 9 months. It is on a normal sleep setting and I usually wake it from sleep by moving the mouse.
In the past 3 weeks, though, I have had to wake it up by pressing the space bar. When I do this the computer pauses for a moment and I hear something wind down (I would say it is the hard drive, but the tone of the sound actually goes down rather than up - as if something got stuck on its way to sleeping).
Any ideas about this ? I also had the computer go to sleep yesterday and not wake up (led lights on screen were on, but nothing on the screen). I powered it down and tried to turn it back on, but same result (backlight on, but no boot up). I finally had to pull the power plug and restart the computer with the power button depressed. This seemed to shake up the computer and get it running again.
My sleep problem, though, is still the same. I'm not sure if these issues are related or not, but looking for some feedback on possible issues...
Thanks, Mark

Hi Mark
+The System Management Controller (SMC) is a chip on the logic board that controls all power functions for your computer. If your computer is experiencing any power issue, resetting the SMC may resolve it. The SMC controls several functions, including:+
+* Telling the computer when to turn on, turn off, sleep, wake, idle, and so forth.+
+* Handling system resets from various commands.+
+* Controlling the fans.+
If you are still having any of the above issues reset the SMC as described in the following article!
http://support.apple.com/kb/HT1543
Dennis

External hard drive won't power back up when iMac wakes from sleep

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I've used this drive in an old Macbook for years without having this problem. The only difference is that the Macbook was on 10.6.8. I was thinking about buying a 4 bay USB enclosure and filling it up with hard drives, but I'm not about to do that if every time I put the iMac to sleep, the whole thing will not power back on without a power cycle.
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Not sure if you managed to get this issue resolved yet Marcus, but I too have a similar problem:
Currently I'm upgrading from Leopard to Lion (via Snow Leopard) on both an iMac and MacBook Pro (both Intel), but before I proceed with the OSX upgrade I wanted to back everything up. Thus far I have partitioned an external firewire drive (G Drive - one that is bootable), and cloned each machine using Carbon Copy Cloner to it's own partition (both GUID). There is plenty of space left over on each partition.
The issue - I can boot the OS X from the external drive on the MacBook Pro but not on the iMac.
When I restart and hold down Option on the iMac the only drive that appears is the HDD, not the other two selectable drives that are visible if I boot up on the MacBook Pro. On the iMac in System Prefs > Startup Disc I can see all 3 drives but when I select it and restart, the machine freezes on the grey loading screen and goes no further.
Not that it should make a difference, but there is a 3rd partition on the external drive that is currently empty (for extra storage).
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Dan

IMac wakes from sleep with a key stuck

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