Mac mini and APC UPS problem

[zazzlezz]

Hello everyone!

I have mac mini 2012, 2.3 GHz Intel Core i7, high sierra v 10.12.6. I bought APC BACK-UPS 700VA, 230V, AVR, SCHUKO Sockets.

When I bought it and installed the UPS, it worked. I saw it in the Energy Saver, I saw it under the USB Tree.

Now, after I installed apcupsd and restarted it. It stopped working. I removed apcupsd, restarted it again and I saw it working normally again. I turned the mini off, went to sleep and on the next morning I turned the mini back on and nothing. It doesnt recognize it whatsoever. That was 2 days ago. I tried everything, tested it over and over again, 2 different USB Cables, I tried to connect it to my Macbook Pro, nothing.

I don't know what's the problem. It worked perfectly fine and then it stopped showing as a UPS in energy saver or as a USB in USB Tree. I made a clean install of Mac OS X High Sierra on the mini, because I thought that maybe it wasn't working the way it should be. That didn't help.

APC support team didnt help much at all, not to mention that they even sent me a link to a FAQ Page that was for Windows when I told them I was on a Mac computer.

I don't know what to do. This is the second UPS that I bought in a matter of a week because I have extreme issues turning the mac mini on after each outage. The goal of the UPS is to be detectable by the mini, so when there's a power outage and the UPS switches to a battery, I want the mac mini to automatically switch off when the UPS battery reaches 25%.

I tested it, it worked, it turned it off and now I can't even detect it.

Ideas are welcome?

 

[strawbale]

Your APC UPS Daemon link mentions support for El Capitan, so maybe High Sierra is not supported or at least not stable?

PS: according to
https://www.schneider-electric.com/...configure native shutdown on Macintosh OS.pdf
you don't need apcupsd

 

[zazzlezz]

Your APC UPS Daemon link mentions support for El Capitan, so maybe High Sierra is not supported or at least not stable?

PS: according to
https://www.schneider-electric.com/resources/sites/SCHNEIDER_ELECTRIC/content/live/FAQS/159000/FA159690/en_US/How to configure native shutdown on Macintosh OS.pdf
you don't need apcupsd

Thank you for your reply but that’s partly what I mentioned I’ve tried. I reinstalled the OS X. It’s a clean install for High Sierra but the problem still exists

 

[strawbale]

If it doesn't work with nor without apcupsd I guess it's a High Sierra bug

 

[zazzlezz]

It makes no sense though because it DID work for a day. And it worked well. I set it to turn off the mini once the APC’s battery reached 90% and it did it

If it doesn't work with nor without apcupsd I guess it's a High Sierra bug

 

[Negritude]

1. Are you using this computer as a standard desktop or a server? If a desktop, why are you trying to use apcupsd? That software is more for server applications. OS X/macOS has built-in support for APC UPSes without the need for any additional software, and installing extra software should be avoided, unless you have a specific need for it.

2. Is the USB cable from the UPS connected directly to the Mini or via a hub? If a hub, is the hub powered?

3. You tried to connect what to your MacBook Pro? The UPS? If it's not working with any computer you have, then that tells me the problem could be the UPS, and maybe you should return it or exchange it.

4. Did you make sure that the UPS was fully charged before you started using it?

5. Make sure that there is no dust or dirt either in the USB ports or on the connectors.

6. Did you buy the UPS new and if so, where did you buy it?

7. Please explain "I have extreme issues turning the mac mini on after each outage." If you've been using the Mini without a surge protector or an UPS in the past, and there have been power problems, the Mini could have been damaged.

8. Open a terminal window, enter the following command, and then paste the results here: pmset -g custom

 

[zazzlezz]

I did return it for the service to take a look at it today, but I'd like to answer the questions. Also, thank you for taking the time to reply! I appreciate it!

1. Are you using this computer as a standard desktop or a server? If a desktop, why are you trying to use apcupsd? That software is more for server applications. OS X/macOS has built-in support for APC UPSes without the need for any additional software, and installing extra software should be avoided, unless you have a specific need for it.

- I read some users were using it on Mac Mini as well, not as a server, but just a desktop. And yes, I figured out I don't really need it

2. Is the USB cable from the UPS connected directly to the Mini or via a hub? If a hub, is the hub powered?

- The USB is connected directly from UPS to the mini. No hubs whatsoever.

3. You tried to connect what to your MacBook Pro? The UPS? If it's not working with any computer you have, then that tells me the problem could be the UPS, and maybe you should return it or exchange it.

- I've tried to connect it to my MacBook Pro, doesn't work. It doesn't show up in the USB Tree either. I tried both cables that I have, no difference. I also tested it on an Acer laptop (the acer has Ubuntu installed), same result, it doesn't detect the UPS. As I mentioned above, I already sent it to be checked and see what was going on with it, hopefully, they'll figure it out.

4. Did you make sure that the UPS was fully charged before you started using it?

- The UPS was at 100% charged.

5. Make sure that there is no dust or dirt either in the USB ports or on the connectors.

- That didn't cross my mind, but I assume it wasn't the case. I used 2 cables after all. Can't be 100% sure about it though

6. Did you buy the UPS new and if so, where did you buy it?

- It's a brand new UPS, from a store.

7. Please explain "I have extreme issues turning the mac mini on after each outage." If you've been using the Mini without a surge protector or an UPS in the past, and there have been power problems, the Mini could have been damaged.

- When there's an outage (either in the apartment or in the neighborhood, not common but it happens once every several months I guess), I cannot turn the Mini back on. It doesn't respond to turning it on. This happens for a second time to me. Previous time was during an outage in the neighborhood, I left it to a technician, he couldn't fix it, so I basically took it back, spoke with someone online experiencing the same issue and they told me to basically do PRAM Reset over and over, while unplugging it from the wall after each try for about 5 min before I try again. It took me 2 tries to turn it back on.

But this time, it took 4 days and no sign of turning back on. I gave it to a friend who works in a company that has over 100 Mac minis, one of their admin open it up, removed the power supply, put a new one, didn't turn on, they put the original back on and it started (go figure really!?). Downside is that official mac services tell me that they don't have parts to do diagnostic bc (I quote) "its not a common Mac device to have in this country" which is not true at all, but anyway.

8. Open a terminal window, enter the following command, and then paste the results here: pmset -g custom

- I can't do it right now since I sent the UPS back and see what happens after they give it back