Resolved Strange SLEEP behavior on cMacPro 5,1

[hfg]

I have just recently observed a strange SLEEP behavior with my cMacPro 5,1 where the power light starts the slow-pulse flashing ... but after 3 cycles of flash, it comes back on and remains so for about 30 seconds, then another 3 cycles of flashing, and again back on for about 30 seconds .... over and over.

Of course there have been several updates recently with OS X 10.11.6, NVIDIA WebDriver, apps, etc. and I don't know exactly when this started. There have been no hardware upgrades recently, the last being a MVC GeForce GTX 980 Ti several months ago. This is on a 2012 cMacPro with dual 3.33 hex core processors (upgraded back in 2012). All iStat temps and fans seem to be normal.

Possibly related, I first noticed a problem when my Dell 4K monitor P2715Q would black-out normally, but then it seemed that the backlight would come on and remain on even though the display was blank. There is also a Dell U2713HM monitor in this system and that monitor is behaving normally.

I have created a clean "new user" account and it does the same thing there. I haven't had time to create a clean installation on a different drive yet ... but that is my plan.

Anyone else see this, or have any ideas???

Thanks,
-howard

 

[12CoreMP]

When my cMP sleeps every couple of hours it wakes up for about a minute then goes back into sleep mode.

 

[ActionableMango]

Anyone else see this, or have any ideas???

Every time your Mac wakes, a log entry is added with the reason why it woke up. Check the log for that entry and hopefully you'll find the explanation.

http://osxdaily.com/2010/07/17/why-mac-wakes-from-sleep/

When my cMP sleeps every couple of hours it wakes up for about a minute then goes back into sleep mode.

Unfortunately that article I linked above is pretty old. I think it predates one of the most common reasons for a small, temporary wake like you are experiencing. I'd check the log anyway, but in your case I suspect Bonjour is waking the computer, especially if you have a Wi-Fi printer or any other Apple device on the network with shared services (another Mac, Apple TV, Airport Router, etc.).

 

[filmak]

Are the monitors connected via USB too? I think that I have read for some problems related to the built in hubs of Dell's monitors, but I'm not very sure if I recall correctly.
Is it possible to disconnect them?
As a second step disconnect any other usb devices, and also, as Actionablemango wrote first, you could try to turn off wifi and disconnect ethernet cables for a testing period of time.

 

[hfg]

Could you confirm that on your cMacPros, when sleeping, the power light DOES slowly and continuously pulsate (like it is breathing) under all the latest updates? I recall that mine did, as well as my Mac Minis.
[doublepost=1469566360][/doublepost]

Are the monitors connected via USB too? I think that I have read for some problems related to the built in hubs of Dell's monitors, but I'm not very sure if I recall correctly.
Is it possible to disconnect them?
As a second step disconnect any other usb devices, and also, as Actionablemango wrote first, you could try to turn off wifi and disconnect ethernet cables for a testing period of time.

Yes, as a matter of fact the USB hub in the 4K monitor is connected for the sound bar and I have a flash card reader attached there. I will disconnect that, and my other USB connections and re-test.

Thanks...

 

[filmak]

Could you confirm that on your cMacPros, when sleeping, the power light DOES slowly and continuously pulsate (like it is breathing) under all the latest updates? I recall that mine did, as well as my Mac Minis.
[doublepost=1469566360][/doublepost]

Yes, as a matter of fact the USB hub in the 4K monitor is connected for the sound bar and I have a flash card reader attached there. I will disconnect that, and my other USB connections and re-test.

Thanks...

Welcome...

Sorry but unfortunately I have stayed with Yosemite, as I was a little bit scared with 10.11 to install it permanently on these older MPs. Too many horror stories...

I also have a GTX 970 installed there, unflashed.

If you want, and it's still useful for you, which I doubt as you want us to have the latest updates, I can give it a test tomorrow...

 

[hfg]

We may be on to something with USB devices ... every minute or so:

Jul 26 11:53:47 MacPro-2 kernel[0] <Notice>: Wake reason: EHC2
Jul 26 11:54:41 MacPro-2 kernel[0] <Notice>: Wake reason: EHC2
Jul 26 11:55:38 MacPro-2 kernel[0] <Notice>: Wake reason: EHC2
Jul 26 11:56:33 MacPro-2 kernel[0] <Notice>: Wake reason: EHC2
Jul 26 11:57:25 MacPro-2 kernel[0] <Notice>: Wake reason: EHC2
Jul 26 11:58:20 MacPro-2 kernel[0] <Notice>: Wake reason: EHC2
Jul 26 11:59:15 MacPro-2 kernel[0] <Notice>: Wake reason: EHC2
Jul 26 12:00:09 MacPro-2 kernel[0] <Notice>: Wake reason: EHC2
Jul 26 12:01:04 MacPro-2 kernel[0] <Notice>: Wake reason: EHC2
Jul 26 12:02:01 MacPro-2 kernel[0] <Notice>: Wake reason: EHC2
Jul 26 14:47:54 MacPro-2 kernel[0] <Notice>: Wake reason: EHC2
Jul 26 14:48:53 MacPro-2 kernel[0] <Notice>: Wake reason: EHC2
Jul 26 14:49:48 MacPro-2 kernel[0] <Notice>: Wake reason: EHC2

 

[ActionableMango]

Unplug one USB device at a time until you find the culprit?

 

[hfg]

I unplugged both the Dell display USB 3.0 hub and my external USB 2 hub (feeding printers) and the problem went away. My cMacPro sleeps normally again!

I first reconnected the Dell display hub again and tested the speakers and flash card reader to verify they were indeed working ... then let the computer sleep and it did so normally.

The second hub is buried in my desk and will take some furniture moving to gain access to it ... but yeah, I will start plugging in the devices one-by-one until I find the culprit. Of course ... it could be the hub itself as it is pretty old.

Thanks everyone for your suggestions ... it is nice to have the MacPro sleeping again and not heating up my den all night long.