Screen dimming when using battery power

I have made sure that "automatically reduce the brightness..." option is UNchecked and yet my screen still dims after ~2 minutes. (and yes, I have made sure that I am making this setting for "Battery").
Anything else that might be causing this?
Thanks!
BT

this is a known, common problem of which there is no official solution.
You can try disconnecting and reconnecting your power source
Resetting your PMU
Locking the "preferences" under power
Otherwise no fix... It seems to be related to both power settings and the screen saver

Similar Messages

MBP (13-inch, early 2011) goes into hibernation instead of safe sleep upon closing the lid (only when using battery power)

MBP details
13-inch MacBook Pro, early 2011 (model identifier: MacBookPro8,1)
Running Yosemite, OS X 10.10.1 (however, problem started while using Mavericks)
2.5 GHz Intel Core i5
4 GB memory
Symptoms
* the MBP goes into hibernation instead of sleep upon closing the lid on battery power (i.e., when AC adapter is NOT connected)
-- problem does not occur when AC adapter is connected
* putting the computer to sleep by other means does not induce the problem; these other means include:
-- [i] option+command+Power,
-- [ii] Apple Icon --> Sleep,
-- [iii] in Terminal: pmset sleepnow
* the battery is NOT getting drained at all; if I close the lid on 87%, the battery is still at about 87% when I get the MBP back up and running
To be as clear as possible:
(1) MBP is on and in use (power source: battery); battery is at X%
(2) the lid is then closed
(3) the battery indicator light glows bright for about 10 seconds, then shuts off, and with it so does the MBP (all fans and sounds cease)
(4) opening the lid and pressing any key on the keyboard does nothing (the computer is not sleeping)
(5) to turn the MBP back on, I must hit the power button once; this brings up and the gray screen and loading bar indicative of returning from hibernation
(6) log in; battery is still at X%
Attempted Solutions / Fixes
There are Apple Discussions addressing similar MBP issues, many of which at least have work-arounds, if not full-blown solutions. However, I have tried many of the proposed work-arounds and solutions; nothing has solved my problem. Such attempted solutions include:
* made sure EFI/SMC firmware was up to date
* updated all software
* logged in as a different user
* booted in Safe Mode
* reset the PRAM
* repaired disk permissions using Disk Utility
* repaired additional disk permissions in recovery mode (a la this chron.com advice)
* ran the Apple Hardware Test multiple times (short test while plugged in, short test on battery, extended test while plugged in, extended test on battery)
* booted from an external known-good OS on USB drive
* reseated the RAM
* used MemTest to test the RAM's health (it was good)
* tested my battery's health with the app Battery Health (it is healthy!)
* booted my computer with one stick of the MBP's original RAM at a time (figured "why not?")
* booted my computer using other sticks of RAM
* checked my power management settings using PMSET in the terminal (e.g., pmset -g); tried various hibernation modes (e.g., sudo pmset -a hibernationmode X, where X=0,1,3, etc)
* searched/grepped through my power management logs and Console messages to look for googleable items (e.g., pmset -g log | grep WORD, where WORD=failure, sleep, etc); still have not found help online
* brought the MBP to a Mac Genius
-- he ran some further tests, but found nothing;
-- he re-installed my OS as a hopeful-hail-mary-just-maybe-last-ditch effort; the problem persisted!
-- we both agreed that we had ruled out a software cause
-- he offered me to leave my MBP to get fixed for a flat fee of $300.00 (which after a couple weeks of trying to figure this out is starting to sound more and more reasonable)
Given that it is likely not a software issue, what hardware might it be? By booting from an OS on an external drive, I think I've ruled out a bad hard drive or hard drive cable. Also, given that inducing sleep in any way other than closing the MBP's lid does not cause the problem, it seems there might be a wire (or something) in the hinge section of the MBP that gets moved when the lid is closed possibly causing some kind of short circuit...or something.
If someone with more experience interpreting Console messages, for example, can help, I'd be happy to provide some logs, or any additional information.
Thank you for your time and consideration.

Ok, this is a crazy-simple, quasi-embarrassing fix, but I'll post it anyway just in case anyone is having a similar problem (for example, this guy: Changes to pmset being ignored).
Some time around late last August / early September (2014) this issue began happening for me (specifically, issue = closing lid while on battery power induces hibernation / shut down instead of sleep --- independent of hibernation mode). Maybe it was when I upgraded to Yosemite (not sure what the exact date of that was). As detailed in my original post, I frantically tried everything I could think of... At that time, however, I had quite a few presentations and posters to create and present at meetings and conferences, so I held off fixing it for a couple of months and returned to it this past week, where I tried a few more things listed above, but again to no avail...
This morning, I simply tried fudging around with all my power management settings again (via pmset in Terminal). The simplicity of the fix surprised me. But now that I understand it, I know it is likely the same fix for other threads I've read, such as the one above:
(TLDR in bold)
(1) Take note of your power management settings (Terminal: pmset -g custom)
(2) Is the "standby" flag set to 0? If so, set it to 1. Wa-la! Done.
This fix is crazy and embarrassing b/c I was so close to it for so long. I tried changing my hibernation modes multiple times (sudo pmset -a hibernatemode X, where X=0,1,3,25,etc). I read about manipulating other PMSET settings that helped other people with newer MBPs, like "autopoweroff" and "autopoweroffdelay" --- settings that I do not have on the MBP early 2011 (check your settings: pmset -g cap). And most amazingly of all, I even messed with the "standbydelay" setting, trying to make it so long that my computer should never go into hibernation... Yet, from what I can tell by looking over my notes, I never simply set "standby" from 0 to 1.
There are interesting questions that arise due to this fix. For example, why did this problem persist on clean installs of OS Yosemite? Is "standby" being set to 0 the Yosemite default? I'm not sure. If it is, then Kappy was right: this was normal behavior... It just wasn't always the normal behavior...at least not for my MBP. Normal behavior (hibernatemode 3) used to be (and now is again) that the MBP goes into safe sleep, and then only after an allotted amount of time will it go into full-blown hibernation.
NOTE: the "standby" and "standbydelay" PMSET settings are not available in some earlier MBP models (e.g., my brother has a 2010 and does not have these settings); so if you're having a similar problem with an earlier model, this fix might not be of any help to you.

Screen flicker when running battery power?

Hi MSI Fans!
Do you guys have the problem when your screen flickers very badly when running battery (unplugged)\
If mods know how to solve it, it is appreciated if you post here. Thanks a lot!

Quote from: Svet on 07-November-14, 06:09:31
try set gpu to max performance from control panel power profiles
note make sure to edit the right power profile which is used when the notebook is running on battery only
Quote from: DerekQ on 07-November-14, 06:53:46
KK I will do that the next time I will use the laptop but really, the battery life is bad and I have to use even more electricity to power the laptop to avoid flicker?
Hmmm it flashed right after a unplugged the computer but for some reason it isn't flickering, maybe when the battery gets low then it flickers? Since last flicker was just about 2 days ago.
Any advice?

After Installing More Ram, MBP Crashes When Using Battery Power

I own a 2.16 Ghz MBP. Last night, I installed 4 Gigs of ram (2x2 Gigs)purchased from crucial.com into my MBP. (Yes, I realize that the MBP only utilizes about 3.3 Gigs of the ram, but I wanted the benefits of running with a matched pair).
After installing the ram, my MBP recognizes the new ram and everything seemed fine. And, it was fine until I unplugged the MBP's power and went mobile. Then, after a few minutes of use, the MBP completely shut down and turned off. I tried turning it back on, but it would not. So, I plugged the MBP and it booted up fine. I unplugged it again, and again, after a few minutes of use, the MBP shut down completely. Being that the battery was fully charged, I don't know why it would behave this way.
Any way, anybody have any ideas as to what might be wrong?
Message was edited by: No Exit

No Exit wrote:
I own a 2.16 Ghz MBP. Last night, I installed 4 Gigs of ram (2x2 Gigs)purchased from crucial.com into my MBP. (Yes, I realize that the MBP only utilizes about 3.3 Gigs of the ram, but I wanted the benefits of running with a matched pair).
After installing the ram, my MBP recognizes the new ram and everything seemed fine. And, it was fine until I unplugged the MBP's power and went mobile. Then, after a few minutes of use, the MBP completely shut down and turned off. I tried turning it back on, but it would not. So, I plugged the MBP and it booted up fine. I unplugged it again, and again, after a few minutes of use, the MBP shut down completely. Being that the battery was fully charged, I don't know why it would behave this way.
Any way, anybody have any ideas as to what might be wrong?
Message was edited by: No Exit
It sounds as if you have a defective battery. I would call Apple and explain your MBP's symptoms. If the battery is swollen it is likely a candidate.

Why is my ipad still using battery power when switched off & locked away with no one using it?

Why is my IPad still discharging battery when switched off and locked away - with no one using it? Charged it to 100% on holiday and locked in safe. 2 days later it was at 76%!

How is it "switched off"? Are you pressing the button on the top so the screen goes black? If so, that isn't shut off, but put to sleep. I will still be doing things in the background and using battery power.
To shut it fully off, press and hold the button on top, you will get a notification on the screen that says "Slide to power off". Slide the button and it will turn completly off.
If this is how you switched it off, let us know and we will see what else we can figure out.

Satellite A85-s107 - blank screen on boot up using battery power

Satellite A85-s107 blank screen on boot up using battery power
When I boot up A85-s107 in battery power, it is getting booted up in the background, but my screen is blank.
After that if I connect it to AC power and switch off/on the laptop power button, the display comes back to life.
There is no problem when I boot up when connected to AC power.
Battery is fully charged and computer will run off battery if I remove AC after boootup
Any suggestions?
Ps:
also notice that when I remove AC and then reconnect I have to start the computer twice as it doesnt boot the 1st time?

hi nick34_99,
sounds to me like a bad charging electronic...
i got this issue on my sat3000 too, but only when battery is not fully charged...
start the unit with a dos-disc (freedos has an cd image) and let the battery run "dry"...
after that boot without battery (ac-adapter connected of course) and log on.
after that shut down insert battery and try with batt only....
this trick has done magic on my machine...

HT201263 When my Ipod touch is in autolock I can only restart the device holding the sleep/wake button and home button at the same time for 10 seconds. While in auto-lock it is using battery power and will do so until the battery is drained. Whats wrong

When my Ipod touch is in autolock I can only restart the device holding the sleep/wake button and home button at the same time for 10 seconds. While in auto-lock it is using battery power and will do so until the battery is drained. Whats wrong?

- Try a reset. Nothing is lost:
Reset iPod touch: Hold down the On/Off button and the Home button at the same time for at
least ten seconds, until the Apple logo appears
- Connect the iPod to your computer and try to restore via iTunes. Try placing in Recovery mode if necessary to restore.
- If you can't turn the iPod completely off, let the batter fully drain. After charging for at lerast anhour try again
- If still not successful time for an appointment at the Genius Bar of an Apple store since it appears you have a hardware problem.

Ibook G4 freezes when using mains power

Hi There
I'm looking for a bit of help, hopefully someone might have had a similar problem.
When using mains power my ibook freezes with the screen visible but nothing moving including the mouse arrow. The only way to shut it down is to keep the power button pressed. The only way to restart it is to keep the power button pressed. This doesn't always work though. Sometimes the fan whirrs and sometimes there is a whirr and then a beep. Sometimes the start up chimes can be heard and nothing happens.
Generally after 2 to 3 attempts the computer launches and lasts for about 15 minutes before it freezes again.
Strangely there isn't a problem when I'm using the battery only to power the computer.
It has frozen when using Safari 3.04 and Indesign CS2
The computer has had pretty robust use as the main graphic design tool for the last 2 years
6 months ago I added more memory and bought a new battery
2 year old ibook G4 (Bought new Nov 2005)
OS 10.4.11
Processor 1.42 Ghz PowerPC G4
Memory 1.5 GB DDR SDRAM
13.75 GB available
Any Ideas?
All the best
Matthew

the cable mentioned runs inside the iBook though, not the power adapter cable.
adapter plugs into the connector, which is part of the "DC-in board", then there is a cable inside running to the logic board.
looks kind of like that:
http://www.welovemacs.com/9226647.html
it may not be what's causing the problem anyways, you may want to get it diagnosed by authorized service provider

Does nokia battery monitor 3.1 uses battery power ...

does it uses battery power if you put it in your home screen or it just observes how many power is left for your phone to last?

I dont think it consumes considerable amount of battery power.
It is somewhere, a little annoying to see when it shows for example, 14 hours remaining and all of a sudden after playing an hd game it shows 2 hours remaining! People think that it is because of battery monitor itself!
So no problem using it. It just observes how much battery is left and according to the usage and it calculates the time remaining.
It would be good if it show at what time the battery is going to last, that helps us to determine how we should use the phone to save the battery for the next busy day!
-------------------If this post helped you, click on accept as solution.------------------
-----------------------------Appreciate by clicking on white star.----------------------------

When using my power adapter, the light is green for a two seconds and turns red.

When using the power adapter for my MacBook 2.1, the little light on the connector is green for 2 or 3 seconds and then turns red. I bought a new adapter, but it is the same thing. It looks like the computer is charging. What's wrong with it.

Nothing wrong. Here is what Macbook manual has to say:
When you first connect the power adapter to your computer, an indicator light on the
power adapter plug starts to glow. An amber light indicates that power is going to the
battery. A green light indicates that no power is going to the battery, which can mean
the battery is fully charged, is not installed, or has a problem. If you don’t see a light,
your plug probably isn’t seated correctly. Check for any debris and remove it. You can
monitor the battery level using the Battery status menu in the menu bar or by
checking the battery level indicator lights on the bottom of the battery (see page 74).

MBP temperature when on battery power

Is it normal that my MBP runs so hot when on battery power that I cannot even use it on my lap? It seems like most of the heat is coming from the area below the top 3 rows of keys (if that makes sense) and not the battery itself.

Yes, the case is a heat-sink; Apple call them "notebooks" not "laptops" and warn against having them against your skin.
"Do not leave the bottom of your MacBook Pro in contact with your lap or any surface of your body for extended periods. Prolonged contact with your body could cause discomfort and potentially a burn"
MacBookPro_UsersGuide page 107
Actually, you don't want heat near the battery itself as that's not good for li-ion, that should feel relatively cool?

IPhoto 6 Unable to Zoom in Full Screen Mode when using projector

When in full screen mode in iPhoto 6 I am able to zoom quite nicely but when I attach a projector I lose the slide for zooming. How do I zoom in full screen mode when using a projector?
Mac Book Mac OS X (10.4.9)

ParkerT
Given that the zoom works normally, this is not an iPhoto issue. The problem lies in the interaction between your MacBook and the Projector. You might have more luck posting on the MacBook forum
Regards
TD

My i phone 3g turns it self off when the battery power gets to about 50 % is there a few for this?

My i phone 3g turns it self off when the battery power gets to about 50% is there a fix for this

This is often due to faulty battery. Make Genius reservation and take iPhone to Apple Store for free quick battery diagnostic testing.

Not being able to hear application audio on quicktime screen recording when using headset

Can someone tell me how to still hear the computer audio (like the application sound) on while using quicktime screen recording when using headset?
Someone help me please or tell me another application to do this with.

hi paula
your problem could be hardware/software. lets hope its software issue first and i'd like you to do these:
if you have personal files on volume c, copy/backup them. shut down your computer, press one key recover button to perform clean windows installation. then check if the issue still persists.
if you don,t want to use okr, you can use windows restore to restore your computer to previous restore points but if it's windows/virus issue, it may not help.

Is there any way programmatically to disable the screen shot capture using Home power button in the iPad device?

Hi Team,
Is there any way programmatically to disable the screen shot capture using Home + power button in the iPad device.We need to avoid the screen capture option due to security reason.
thanks ,
Bala

Hi Peace, Clyde,
Thanks for information. Using the API UIApplicationUserDidTakeScreenhotNotification (iOS7) send the notification after the screenshot taken. Using this api is it possible to block the screen shot caputure option.
Thanks and Regards,
Bala

Screen dimming when using battery power

Similar Messages

Maybe you are looking for