# Mac help? 10.3.5 and the computer refuses to sleep! **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [September 12, 2004, 5:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mac-help-10-3-5-and-the-computer-refuses-to-sleep/264148 "2004-09-12T17:48:13Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 8\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![FilmGeek](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/b19c9b/32.png) [@FilmGeek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FilmGeek)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 2004, 5:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mac-help-10-3-5-and-the-computer-refuses-to-sleep/264148/1 "2004-09-12T17:48:13Z")
I recently joined this century and installed OSX on my G4. Now it won’t sleep. I try to put it to sleep and the monitor goes black with an amber light, but the tower stays on. I’ve tried everything apple help says and everything I could find in the knowledge base, but I can’t figure it out. Anyone have any ideas? ---
**Author:** ![panache45](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/panache45/32/64_2.png) [@panache45](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panache45)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 2004, 8:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mac-help-10-3-5-and-the-computer-refuses-to-sleep/264148/2 "2004-09-12T20:29:20Z")
You’re lucky. Mine goes to sleep but sometimes won’t wake up. ---
**Author:** ![Dan\_Norder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/4af34b/32.png) [@Dan\_Norder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dan_Norder)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 2004, 8:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mac-help-10-3-5-and-the-computer-refuses-to-sleep/264148/3 "2004-09-12T20:30:43Z")
Mine seems to be a bit tempermental when I try to put it to sleep too. In my case the main culprit seems to be anything using an internet/network connection, or anything the system thinks might for some reason. Like if I sign off AOL it still refuses to sleep as if it thought it were busy. If I shut down AOL completely (or sometimes the external browsers I use) it then will let itself go to sleep. Not sure if that’s what’s going on for you, but you may try closing down applications like that that are running. ---
**Author:** ![FilmGeek](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/b19c9b/32.png) [@FilmGeek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FilmGeek)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 2004, 9:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mac-help-10-3-5-and-the-computer-refuses-to-sleep/264148/4 "2004-09-12T21:14:47Z")
That’s the thing. I don’t have anything running. It might have something to do with win file sharing. I’ll poke that and try it again. ---
**Author:** ![cmyk](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cmyk/32/3353_2.png) [@cmyk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cmyk)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 2004, 11:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mac-help-10-3-5-and-the-computer-refuses-to-sleep/264148/5 "2004-09-12T23:53:28Z")
Have you checked the “Put the hard disk(s) to sleep when possible.” checkbox in the Energy Saver system preference? ---
**Author:** ![FilmGeek](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/b19c9b/32.png) [@FilmGeek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FilmGeek)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2004, 4:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mac-help-10-3-5-and-the-computer-refuses-to-sleep/264148/6 "2004-09-13T04:25:21Z")
Yep. And I set the sleep to one minute to test it. Still just the monitor goes to sleep. Checked Power Button allows sleep and when you push the power button nothing happens. ---
**Author:** ![Nonsuch](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/nonsuch/32/2922_2.png) [@Nonsuch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nonsuch)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2004, 8:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mac-help-10-3-5-and-the-computer-refuses-to-sleep/264148/7 "2004-09-13T08:44:57Z")
Some third-party add-ons can affect the way the system sleeps. Do you have any SCSI cards or anything like that in my machine? An outdated driver might by keeping your system awake. ---
**Author:** ![Nonsuch](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/nonsuch/32/2922_2.png) [@Nonsuch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nonsuch)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2004, 9:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mac-help-10-3-5-and-the-computer-refuses-to-sleep/264148/8 "2004-09-13T09:04:01Z")
That, of course, should read “your machine,” not “my machine.” That’ll teach me to post at 4 am.