iMac Display Won't Wake From Sleep

[amnost]

50% of the time, my iMac Display won't wake from sleep. You can hear the computer still on, the display just won't turn on. The only way to fix this has been to restart the computer
If you change the energy saver settings so my computer never sleeps it works, but that is not something I wanna leave on 24/7.

The issue to tends to only happen after the computer has been asleep for a longer period of time (about 7 hours).

How do I fix this?

 

[Gregg2]

About how long are you trying to wake it before giving up? When it's sleeping, how do you do the Restart?

 

[amnost]

About how long are you trying to wake it before giving up? When it's sleeping, how do you do the Restart?

A minute or two. Normally when I wake it up, if it works, it takes a second.
When it's sleeping, I restart it by holding down the power button on the back of the computer.

 

[thereur]

I have an intermittent 'wake from sleep problem' also (i7 model). I think I'm seeing a pattern with the current applications up. Last time it failed recovery from sleep (meaning I had to hold down the power button a few seconds to get it to wake) I had a paused Vimeo video running in Firefox. Mentioning it in case you have a similar pattern.

FWIW - I've already done the SCM reset, reloaded the OS and fixed permissions.

 

[amnost]

I have an intermittent 'wake from sleep problem' also (i7 model). I think I'm seeing a pattern with the current applications up. Last time it failed recovery from sleep (meaning I had to hold down the power button a few seconds to get it to wake) I had a paused Vimeo video running in Firefox. Mentioning it in case you have a similar pattern.

FWIW - I've already done the SCM reset, reloaded the OS and fixed permissions.

My pattern isn't exactly like that.....for me, it doesn't really matter what's open.

Anyone out there know how to fix this?

 

[britboyj]

I had this problem with my 21.5" - Ended up fixing it myself, turned out because I had the computer NOT go to sleep, but the display went to sleep. I told the computer to go to sleep after 3 hours and haven't had the problem since.

 

[amnost]

I had this problem with my 21.5" - Ended up fixing it myself, turned out because I had the computer NOT go to sleep, but the display went to sleep. I told the computer to go to sleep after 3 hours and haven't had the problem since.

My computer is set so the display and computer goto sleep at the same time after 15 minutes. So that won't fix it.......

Anyone else know what to do?

 

[bbazzahh]

Are you using a Wireless Mouse? If you are try it with a USB mouse.

Make sure all software is up to date
Just try a PRAM reset

 

[amnost]

Are you using a Wireless Mouse? If you are try it with a USB mouse.

Make sure all software is up to date
Just try a PRAM reset

I am using a wireless mouse, and I still want to. I highly doubt that a wired mouse would make a difference, because I can't even get the display to wake from sleep by tapping the power button on the back of the computer.

All my software is up to date.

I will try a PRAM reset, however I believe that I have tried that before. If it works, results will be slow since the display problem only happens 50% of the time, and only if the computer has been asleep for semi-long periods of time (about 7 hours).

 

[Gregg2]

When it's sleeping, I restart it by holding down the power button on the back of the computer.

Ok, that's what I was afraid of. It would be better to have it set to never sleep and shut down from the Menu when you're going to leave it idle for more than an hour or two. I wish I could tell you how to solve the Rip Van Winkle effect, but you should avoid the power button for anything but turning it on. Once you've got a potential solution, then try to set it to sleep. But until you have a plan of action, you really need to put it on the No-Doze.

 

[amnost]

Ok, that's what I was afraid of. It would be better to have it set to never sleep and shut down from the Menu when you're going to leave it idle for more than an hour or two. I wish I could tell you how to solve the Rip Van Winkle effect, but you should avoid the power button for anything but turning it on. Once you've got a potential solution, then try to set it to sleep. But until you have a plan of action, you really need to put it on the No-Doze.

Yes, having it never sleep works.

I don't think you understand; the only time I use the power button is when the computer display is asleep and I can't get it back on any other way.

 

[Gregg2]

Yes, having it never sleep works.

I don't think you understand; the only time I use the power button is when the computer display is asleep and I can't get it back on any other way.

Yes, I did understand. I'm just advising to avoid that by setting it to never sleep until you get a possible solution. Shutting down with the power button can damage the computer.