# Thunderbolt Display Not waking up



## tony1965 (Mar 16, 2013)

Apologies if this is posted elsewhere but I couldn't find it. I'm running a macbook pro early 2011. Got myself a lovely new display recently but once laptop is sleep, on waking the display won't turn on. I need to unplug the thunderbolt cable and replug it to get it to wake up.
Any ideas what I should do ?

Thanks


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## DeltaMac (Mar 16, 2013)

Have you tried updating to 10.8.3?

Are you using the magsafe connector from the display to power the MacBook Pro? That seems to be the recommended connection.


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## Satcomer (Mar 16, 2013)

Try to Reset Your PRAM to see if that helps.


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## tony1965 (Mar 18, 2013)

Thanks for the 2 responses so far. Yes I am running 10.8.3, and yes I am using the magsafe adaptor to power the laptop. Same problem still occurring though.


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## DeltaMac (Mar 18, 2013)

Are you using the MacBook Pro in clamshell mode (external display, with external keyboard/mouse, and MBPro lid closed)?
Or, using the big display as a second display with an extended desktop (and continuing to use the internal display normally)

Have you tried both an NVRAM and an SMC reset?

How do you normally try to wake up your MBPro?
Does sleep happen automatically? Or, do you put to sleep manually?


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## tony1965 (Mar 18, 2013)

Using in clamshell mode. Bluetooth keyboard (apple) plus trackpad (also apple) 
What is SMC reset ?
Normally wake by pressing space bar on keyboard. Laptop wakes up (checked by opening the lid) but TBD stays blank.


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## DeltaMac (Mar 18, 2013)

SMC reset - http://support.apple.com/kb/HT3964


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## tony1965 (Mar 18, 2013)

OK, Tried the SMC reset as well. Still no go. Put it to sleep and then no wake up !!!!


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## DeltaMac (Mar 18, 2013)

I guess it should be worth trying a wired USB keyboard - to see if that changes anything.
Plug that keyboard directly into one of the USB ports on the display.
You COULD also try a USB mouse, same port on the display, but clicking a mouse button is not necessarily a good test.


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## tony1965 (Mar 18, 2013)

OK, as luck would have it I have an apple wired keyboard. Plugged it into back of TBD and.....  same result. Nothing. Any other ideas ?


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## DeltaMac (Mar 18, 2013)

I searched around for this issue, and there's a good number of reports about thunderbolt displays that don't wake up. For some, it doesn't happen every time, and others have fixed the issue by reinstalling Mountain Lion. I don't know if that will help, but it's a good enough chance to try reinstalling ML as a possible fix.

But first - is there any difference with the display, if you let the Mac sleep automatically, instead of putting it to sleep manually?


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## tony1965 (Mar 19, 2013)

no difference between the sleep modes, both have the same negative effect. 
I'll need a quick lesson to reinstall mountain lion. Will I lose any data off my disk ? Do I need to carbon copy or super duper. or is there a "quick"way that will let me reinstall just mouton lion whilst keeping everything else in place ?
Thanks


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## DeltaMac (Mar 19, 2013)

"just a reinstall" of Mountain Lion keeps everything else in place.

All you need to do is restart to your Recovery System:
Restart, holding Command-R, until you see the grey apple with the spinning gear. Your Mac will boot to the recovery partition, with just a menu, with a few utilities. You can then reinstall Mountain Lion through your internet connection.
Here's more info about that: http://support.apple.com/kb/HT4718

You CAN choose to erase the hard drive first - but a simple reinstall does not do that, and just reinstalls Mountain Lion as a fresh system, keeping all your own files, apps and settings intact.

It's ALWAYS a good plan to be sure you have a good backup, such as Time Machine, or Carbon Copy Cloner, etc. before you reinstall. 
Even though the reinstall process is usually pretty solid - occasionally, things do go wrong - and there's no harm in knowing you have a backup, even if it's never needed.
Also, be sure to run your software update after the reinstall, as the system can be downgraded, missing the latest security updates, for example.


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## Gianluca Aiello (Mar 20, 2013)

It's good to see that I'm not alone.

I add few details from my experience:

- I have the lastest ML running on a MBP 15 retina.

- The issue occurs when I leave the computer in stop for 2hours or more. Unplugging and plugging doesn't help and I need to wait many hours with the monitor unplugged to have it working again.

- I tried resetting Pram, without any results.


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## DeltaMac (Mar 20, 2013)

Gianluca Aiello said:


> ...
> - The issue occurs when I leave the computer in stop for 2hours or more. Unplugging and plugging doesn't help and I need to wait many hours with the monitor unplugged to have it working again.
> ...


You said that you tried a PRAM reset... Did you also try an SMC reset? 
http://support.apple.com/kb/ht3964

If the SMC reset also doesn't help - that's a much worse experience than tony1965, and sounds like a display that is almost unusable...
What was Apple's response when you asked for help?


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## Gianluca Aiello (Mar 20, 2013)

DeltaMac said:


> You said that you tried a PRAM reset... Did you also try an SMC reset?
> http://support.apple.com/kb/ht3964
> 
> If the SMC reset also doesn't help - that's a much worse experience than tony1965, and sounds like a display that is almost unusable...
> What was Apple's response when you asked for help?



I tried right now and nothing happened. Still not working when I connect it.
I'll call my nearest Apple Store tomorrow morning and I'll keep you updated.
I'm pretty sure tomorrow morning the monitor will work normally. 
Thank you


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## Gianluca Aiello (Mar 23, 2013)

Turns out I was suffering of a rare problem affecting the SMC of my macbook.
I installed the version 10.8.3 and now I'll see if the problem is fixed.
The display is working OK since 2days. Thanks for your help ^_^


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## tony1965 (Mar 24, 2013)

So, I've reset the PRAM, the SMC, reinstalled Mountain Lion, done the software updates, tried in the various sleep modes, manually putting to sleep, and allowing auto sleep, but still no joy.
What else can I try ?


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## tony1965 (Apr 3, 2013)

Any other mac experts out there who can help with this issue?  It's most frustrating.


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## DeltaMac (Apr 3, 2013)

Don't choose to sleep!
Set your system so the display does not go to sleep on its own.
If that doesn't help, change your sleep settings so your Mac does not sleep at all.

Have you talked to AppleCare (1-800-MY-APPLE)?
Even if your Mac is not in warranty, you should be able to get support to answer questions about your new Apple display.
Apple may require you to pay for a support call, but I don't know for sure on that.
If you don't get any different answers, ask for an escalation to engineering. (helps for some kinds of issues.)


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## Satcomer (Apr 9, 2013)

tony1965 said:


> Any other mac experts out there who can help with this issue?  It's most frustrating.



Well I don't have Thunderbolt just a display port on my Mac Pro (in my sig) and found sometimes, after power outages, I have to unplug the Display cable going to display (either at the Pro or the display) to restart my Mac Pro. Seems to me that something is pushing the power requirements to the brink for this Display/Thunderbolt technology.


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## tony1965 (Jun 16, 2013)

Delta Mac, I just got round to re installing Mountain Lion. No change to the not waking from sleep issue. Any other ideas or have we run out of options now ???

Thanks


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## DeltaMac (Jun 16, 2013)

Yes - you didn't tell us what Apple support told you when you called AppleCare (?)
Please refer to my post #20 above.


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## tony1965 (Jun 17, 2013)

I need to test the MBP with another TBD to see if it's 
A) The display (if its the display then Apple will repair once Ive bought the extended applecare)
B) The cable ( I can get a new one)
C) if it works fine on another display then its probably a laptop issue and thats something I may have to live with.
I'll advise once Ive been able to do the test.


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## tony1965 (Jun 18, 2013)

update. Tried connecting MBP with a friends TBD with the same result. So I deduce that it is an issue with the laptop, not the display. Anyone know of a "script" or automator activity that may reboot the thunderbolt port after waking from sleep ? Seems a bit convoluted but if this at all possible it may solve the problem.
For info I have replaced my optical bay with a SSD that is now the startup disc. Could it be that the system tries to look at the hard drive area first when it wakes up and not the SSD. Would swapping those drives around be a possible solution ? I don't want to swap them over unless it seems like a feasible answer as I'm not overly confident meddling inside the laptop.


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## Tim Hansen (Jul 31, 2013)

Legend DeltaMac. 

Was pulling my hair out and even booked the next appointment I could with a Apple Genius about 25miles away.

Tried the restore, and didn't even have to go through with the whole thing before the display came back to life. Hoping it stay that way.

Sincerest thanks.

Tim


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## tony1965 (Oct 31, 2013)

Update from me here. Since updating to Mavericks, all is now rosy in the sleeping and waking garden, so it was obviously a software issue. Hope that helps anyone else with this issue.
Thanks to all for their inputs


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