Managed/Controlled Outlet Problem with Macs Solved

[Anonymous user]

I purchased a Back-Ups Pro 1000 this week and hooked it up to my Power Mac (running OSX 10.6.6) and my 27-inch Cinema HD monitor. the computer was plugged into the Master outlet and the monitor into a Controlled outlet. after turning on the Power Save mode, I attempted to put the computer to sleep. Unfortunately, as has been reported in other threads, the Mac awoke a few seconds later. It would not remain asleep. I called APC Customer Service, and they said it was a problem with Macs due to the high power draw while asleep, and nothing could be done. I checked the power draw while my computer was asleep and it is negligible, so I went experimenting. It turns out that THERE IS an EASY solution to the problem! The cause was isolated to the monitor. To solve: unplug the monitor from a controlled outlet and replug it into an uncontrolled UPS outlet. Go to the System Preferences/Displays/Options window and check "Puts computer to sleep or wakes it". That should do it. At least it does it for me. The button on the monitor can put the computer to sleep, or the pulldown menu can. And the computer and monitor stays asleep until awakened by me. The computer and monitor are on battery backup and are surge protected.

Do others report this to be a good solution for them?

[BillP · Accepted solution]

You posted this over a year ago, but I wanted to confirm that this works for anyone else who stumbles across this. There is no need to change your display settings, just make sure your monitor isn't plugged into the slave outlets, and instead is on the battery backup. The cutting of the power to the monitor seems to wake the computer, only for it to go back to sleep and start a vicious cycle! Thanks again!

Also, for those of you with multiple monitors, it seems as though only the main monitor (in my case my only Apple Cinema Display) needs to be on battery backup, the rest (3rd party monitors) can be on the slave outlets.