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Catalina shut down

I’ve had a new desktop mac (Catalina) for four months now and have had more problems with “Sleep”  and “Shut down” than I had with Snow Leopard for 8-years.  Biggest problem: Cannot shut-down Under Apple icon, “Shut down.”  Not all the time.  All images on screen disappear and just the blue screen is left.  Stays that way for a very long time.  Then, if I press the power button on the back, the screen goes black and then restarts.  I have to log in to my Time Machine Backup constantly.  And then there is a message about restart and REPORT.  I click on Report.  I wonder if Apple ever looks at these REPORTS?  Anyway, I finally have to unplug this Mac to shut down.  Also, sometimes after “Sleep” it just wakes up by itself.  All very annoying.  Is it a problem with Catalina (ver 10.15.7) or just my computer?

Posted on Oct 14, 2020 7:24 AM

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Posted on Oct 14, 2020 7:38 AM

May want to try Reset NVRAM

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9 replies

Oct 18, 2020 6:55 AM in response to PRP_53

Thanks for suggestion.  I never try anything when I don’t know what I’m doing.  Which is almost everything.  Went to Apple Chat and I really don’t know what happened, but worked o.k. for a couple of days, then same thing.  Then remembered what store said when I bought my new iMac/Catalina, 4 months ago - “never shut down.”  Then re-read an article on subject.  I just have an old habit to “shut down”.  My last iMac was 8-years old.  Always “shut down.”  Also, old habit of if it’s not in use, “shut down.”  I think also, some apps don’t completely shut down, so the the computer doesn’t “shut down” and after time just “restarts” itself.  Ah yes, sometimes quickly, sometimes slowly. 

Oct 18, 2020 6:56 AM in response to stevegoldfield

Thanks for suggestion.  I never try anything when I don’t know what I’m doing.  Which is almost everything.  Went to Apple Chat and I really don’t know what happened, but worked o.k. for a couple of days, then same thing.  Then remembered what store said when I bought my new iMac/Catalina, 4 months ago - “never shut down.”  Then re-read an article on subject.  I just have an old habit to “shut down”.  My last iMac was 8-years old.  Always “shut down.”  Also, old habit of if it’s not in use, “shut down.”  I think also, some apps don’t completely shut down, so the the computer doesn’t “shut down” and after time just “restarts” itself.  Ah yes, sometimes quickly, sometimes slowly. 

Oct 18, 2020 7:12 AM in response to Don Gee

You are very welcome. I am pleased this has solved your issue. Thank you for marking Solved.

Personally, what the Apple Chat suggested is at best lame. Too easy to avoid really resolving the underlying issue and suggest Never Shutdown. Again, in my opinion, get second and third opinions on what Apple Chat suggested.

Oct 18, 2020 7:50 AM in response to PRP_53

I shut down every night. MacOS runs on UNIX, which is far more robust than Windows. However, computers running UNIX need to be periodically shut down/rebooted because small errors can accumulate and sometimes cause a panic and shutdown when you don't want one. I worked at Sun Microsystems for 14 years (slightly different flavor of UNIX but the point stands) and, before that, at Cal, where BSD made UNIX a usable OS, and servers needed to be rebooted fairly frequently. The idea of never shutting down sounds absurd to me.

Oct 18, 2020 11:03 AM in response to stevegoldfield

Seems like I'm a constant novice on Macs. I only use my iMac several hours during the day. Usually nothing after 6:00 p.m. until 8:00 a.m. the next day. Shutting down when not using it is just an old habit. My previous iMac was 8-years old (OSX 10.11 - ElCapitan.) So, I'm many years behind the curve. Then, you think it would be o.k. to SLEEP during the day when not using & then SHUT DOWN over night?

Oct 18, 2020 11:12 AM in response to Don Gee

Don, like yourself, I usually use the iMac from Wake Time to about 11:30 AM and then shutdown until next early AM. Move over to MBA for balance of day to just before Dinner and all Shutdown. Some will say just leave it running, others say shutdown when not needed. It all comes down to personal preferences.

Catalina shut down

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