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opusthe2nd

macrumors 6502
Original poster
Sep 5, 2005
429
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I have 2 random aged MP. I do NOT want them to start after a power loss. I have "start up after power failure" unchecked on both of them yet they still restart.

What to do, what to do??
 
You could connect both to UPS - for no power loss. :D

Have you tried toggling the setting? (set it on, then restart your MacPro, then set the power setting to off - restart again.

Is your power setting showing correctly in your System Information/System Report/Power tab?
 
You could connect both to UPS - for no power loss. :D

Yeah....no, dont want that setup.

Have you tried toggling the setting? (set it on, then restart your MacPro, then set the power setting to off - restart again.

Yes.

Is your power setting showing correctly in your System Information/System Report/Power tab?

Yes.

Odd that it does it on both machines.
 
How about something that you have added to both Macs?
Is there a particular system helper, or maybe a user/Finder utility that you really like to have? (and has power settings as part of that software?)
One that might have a system restart setting?
(I'm just thinking out loud here :D )

Have you looked your present pmset setup (refer to your man for pmset in the terminal for more info...) to see if there is something ELSE that might cause a power on?
Maybe it's not the loss of power at all, but a wakeup at a specific time, that will boot your system if it happens to be off?

If you want to have total control over the power on your Macs, then shut them down yourself, and turn off surge protector that your Macs might be plugged in to. They can't automatically boot if no power is available, until you decide to switch power back on.
Maybe that's not practical for you :D
But, just saying that you have other options for your power that doesn't involve the Macs at all.
 
How do you know that your Mac restart after a power lost?

You intentionally test it?

Or your Mac experience that regularly?

I have no idea how to help in your case. But just curious why it annoy you so much. Even though it restart after a power lost. It won't restart itself without any power lost. And I don't think that you want your Mac Pro experience any power lost when it is powered on.
 
I would never and have never had a Mac since 20+ yrs ago that was not on UPS. Same for modem and router and any disk drives. Cannot understand: \

You could connect both to UPS - for no power loss. :D
Click to expand...
Yeah....no, dont want that setup.
 
I've not added any software. Matter of fact, one is a clean install. I was sitting here and the power went off yesterday....they both fired up on their own.

I have played with pmset, it is set correctly.

I dont mind them restarting but when we have a power loss, a lot of times the power tries to come on and then goes right back off. In a matter of 15 seconds the power will go on and off 3x. Perfect scenario for trouble. Ask me how I know. ;) If they'd go off and stay off like they should it would be great.

Makes no sense to me.....
 
If there is something left over of the power settings in the hardware, then an SMC reset should clear that.
So, on one Mac Pro only (just to see if it helps):
Toggle the energy saver settings (even if you already tried that)
Do both SMC and PRAM resets. If you are not sure about that, google will find it, or here to start:
https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT201295

I would go a step or two further than unplugging the power cord. Unplug everything, let your MacPro sit for a couple of minutes (good time to grab a beer :D ) Unplugging everything rules out some other powered device from interfering with the reset. You want NO power available to the Mac Pro on any port.
After a couple of minutes, plug everything you need back in.
Toggle the energy saver settings (again).

Finally, if your local power is unreliable, then you owe it to yourself to have some power protection, like a UPS. That will (help) eliminate the frustration that you are struggling with now...
 
Already done all you suggested to no avail. No biggie I guess, it is what it is.
 
I've not added any software. Matter of fact, one is a clean install. I was sitting here and the power went off yesterday....they both fired up on their own.

I have played with pmset, it is set correctly.

I dont mind them restarting but when we have a power loss, a lot of times the power tries to come on and then goes right back off. In a matter of 15 seconds the power will go on and off 3x. Perfect scenario for trouble. Ask me how I know. ;) If they'd go off and stay off like they should it would be great.

Makes no sense to me.....
you would be amazed at just how much longer and better the Mac Pro operates untroubled when it has a nice good 1500VA UPS guarding and providing clean power enough to run through brownouts, 10 minute outages, even saving a modem from storms....
 
NC_gabriele_amorth_jef_140703_4x3_992.jpg
 
you would be amazed at just how much longer and better the Mac Pro operates untroubled when it has a nice good 1500VA UPS guarding and providing clean power enough to run through brownouts, 10 minute outages, even saving a modem from storms....

Understood, but thats not fixing the underlying issue. They shouldnt be restarting by themselves.
 
I hear you - but isn't the issue really reliable power?
If you have stable power, then restarting will not be an issue that affects you, at least if the issue is your local power.
 
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I know the UPS won't fix that self restart issue. And I don't know how can I help you either, but…

Will this "restart behaviour" damage the Mac? NO.

Will the "unreliable power" damage the Mac? YES.

Then why you insist to fix the non troublesome issue, but ignore the real trouble cause? I really couldn't understand.
 
First of all, I dont have $300 that I want to invest in this. 2nd, I dont want to have to redo my whole room to accommodate this, 3rd, that would be one more thing on the floor here and dont want the clutter. :)

So, I want my Mac's to not restart after a power failure like they should. Its that simple. Its a Mac issue I am trying to resolve.

I understand where you are going but that isnt where I was heading. Thank you all for your input.
 
Two different Macs that don't cooperate with your power configuration and usage ... ?
I think you may have more of a situation with your crappy power.

Maybe your local power corrupts the power management chip (the SMC).
Do both Mac Pros plug in to the same power strip?
A surge suppressor can fail, and is no longer protecting you from surges, even if it provides power, particularly if you have had yours for several years.
(If you frequently (less than 2 years) replace your surge suppressor, then just ignore my post :D )
 
I'm good on the surge protectors. It's never done it with the iMac thats here.
 
I'm good on the surge protectors. It's never done it with the iMac thats here.

Most who recommend protector have no idea what they do. Anyone can read numbers on the box. Most never do. A 120 volt protector does absolutely nothing until AC voltage exceed 330 volts. How over is your AC exceeding 330 volts? It is not.

Your entire problem lies in the SMC. The PSU's job is to make all dirty power irrelevant to the rest of the system. An SMC setting decides whether a PSU powers or not on power restoration. Even UPS is only an expensive cure of a symptom - does not address the actual problem. Surge protector will do absolutely nothing. But may make future damage easier especially if you do not have a properly earthed 'whole house' protector.
 
Most who recommend protector have no idea what they do. Anyone can read numbers on the box. Most never do. A 120 volt protector does absolutely nothing until AC voltage exceed 330 volts. How over is your AC exceeding 330 volts? It is not.

Your entire problem lies in the SMC. The PSU's job is to make all dirty power irrelevant to the rest of the system. An SMC setting decides whether a PSU powers or not on power restoration. Even UPS is only an expensive cure of a symptom - does not address the actual problem. Surge protector will do absolutely nothing. But may make future damage easier especially if you do not have a properly earthed 'whole house' protector.
And the UPS job where power here can have glitches is to see to it that there always is good sine-wave or simulated, that nothing can harm ethnet ports too, Mac, router, modem. When floods knocked out power station 90 miles away it was two years of daily events too.

I would not put all my faith in the PSU, nor would I want my spinning drives, gpu and other equipment only protected by even the best surge protector. A good Cyberpower 1500VA is good insurance at under $200. Losing a $80 modem once was horrible and it operated on 50% and tons of errors and dropped signals.
 
And the UPS job where power here can have glitches is to see to it that there always is good sine-wave or simulated, that nothing can harm ethnet ports too, Mac, router, modem. ...
I would not put all my faith in the PSU, nor would I want my spinning drives, gpu and other equipment only protected by even the best surge protector. A good Cyberpower 1500VA is good insurance at under $200.
Anyone informed by how this stuff works knows 'dirtiest' power comes from a UPS in battery backup mode. For example, this 120V sine wave UPS outputs 200 volt square waves with spikes up to 270 volts. They did not lie. Square waves and spikes are nothing more than a sum of pure sine waves. That would be obvious if one learned spec numbers rather than urban myths.

This power is so dirty as to be problematic for motorized appliances. Due to superior regulation and filtering inside all PSUs, this same 'dirtiest' power is just fine for all electronics.

How good is protection in ethernet ports? 2000 volts. Why does an ethernet port need protection? Because a potentially destructive surge, maybe once every seven years, might blow through a UPSes, that PSU, and ethernet port. Informed consumers earth what has been proven by over 100 years of science and experience. To even protect tiny protection in a UPS or the more robust protection in s power strip.

Only solution found in every facility that cannot have damage costs about $1 per protected appliance. Why would anyone spend $200 for 'dirtiest' power from a UPS? Invalid recommendations never discuss reelvant numbers. IowaLynn is an example. His recommendation is based only in hearsay, subjective reasoning, and wild speculation.
 
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