Although a priori it can be thought that the Mac is a practically perfect computer, it must be taken into account that it also has errors. One of the most typical can be the unexpected shutdown of the computer and that can become too annoying, especially due to the loss of information. We tell you the possible causes and solutions it has.
The problem may be in the hardware
As is logical, when an electronic equipment begins to generate some type of failure, it should be pointed to its hardware. Any internal component, in the case of presenting an error, the first thing it will do is not start correctly. And although inside a Mac you can find many components, such as GPU, CPU or RAM, if only one fails, the problem of not turning on the computer will be generated. This applies to both a MacBook and iMac.
Check connected accessories
Although on many occasions we mainly talk about the internal components of any computer, we must also take into account the connected peripherals . In this case a mouse, a keyboard or also an external storage unit is included. In this case, these devices can create different conflicts with the software and cause the device to not boot properly. In this situation, what you are going to have to do is choose to disconnect all the devices that are connected and carry out different function tests. Specifically, the steps to be followed are as follows:
- Shut down the Mac.
- Disconnect all peripherals, such as hard drives or printers. If you have a desktop Mac, make sure only a display, keyboard, and mouse or trackpad are connected.
- Turn on the Mac.
- Use your Mac during the time it normally takes for an unexpected restart or sudden shutdown to occur.
- If the unexpected restart doesn’t occur, shut down your Mac and plug in one peripheral, then another, until it does. In this way, it is possible to locate exactly where the fault is.
Check the use of its components
When a Mac shuts down, on many occasions it is not an error as such, but rather a protection system. Keep in mind that the hardware has a maximum consumption limit, and if you have a high CPU, GPU or RAM consumption, it will end up causing a device shutdown . In this way, it will prevent the computer from overheating and causing a general failure in the Mac chip. It must be taken into account that beyond the cost of the repair, it can also cause an accident that affects the Mac itself. Username.
This is something that can become quite common, especially when high performance programs are being used. In the field of the Mac, there are several that are going to be able to find that are going to require a great power of the CPU, the GPU or the RAM. There are different methods to determine the consumption of this hardware. The most common is access to Activity Monitor. Simply, you will have to put this name in the Finder itself , and when accessing you will see the processes and also the percentage of each of the sections. What you should avoid at all times is constantly reaching 100%. This would mean that we were talking about a dangerous limit to be able to work comfortably and for safety the process would be turned off.
In this situation, something that will also be able to detect the use of the device on a daily basis is a significant lag. This, as always, are different security systems that the device has in the event that it is working near this limit. As a general advice, you should always be aware of the hardware requirements for the different programs in order to always meet them.
Is the RAM working properly?
The RAM memory is the main responsible for the most basic processes being executed constantly in order to have the correct functioning of the computer. In many cases, when it works correctly, it is quite common to have immediate reboots when turning on the Mac. In this case, it does not matter if we are talking about a laptop or a fixed iMac computer.
It should be noted that some models of Mac computers have removable memory (RAM). If you recently installed memory or a hard drive (or SSD) in your Mac, make sure it’s compatible and that the installation was successful. If possible, remove it and test with the original drive or memory. And it is that the storage unit, although it may seem somewhat insignificant, it should be noted that in the end it is where the operating system is stored, which is responsible for all the internal components working correctly.
Perform a diagnosis on the Mac
In the event of any hardware failure on Mac, you should know that it can come to light through a diagnostic tool that is built into macOS. The Apple Diagnostics tool , formerly called Apple Hardware Test, can check your Mac for hardware problems. It is ideal, as we have mentioned before, if you suspect a failure in the processor, graphics, RAM or power. In addition, it also suggests solutions and helps you contact Support.
In order to carry out the diagnosis, you must first turn off the Mac and disconnect all peripherals. Likewise, make sure that it is located in a stable place. Next, if you have an Apple Silicon , you will have to follow these steps:
- Turn on your Mac and hold down the power button while the computer starts up.
- Release the button when you see the startup options window, which includes a gear icon labeled Options.
- Press the key combination Command (⌘)-D on the keyboard.
Likewise, it must be taken into account that in the case of having an Intel processor , the steps to follow are the following:
- Turn on your Mac and immediately hold down the D key on your keyboard while the computer starts up.
- Release it when you see a progress bar or are prompted to select a language.
Are you working in the right conditions?
Keep in mind that Macs are devices that are actually delicate. You always have to work in the most optimal conditions, although this is something that happens in many devices, although it is true that technology is much more sensitive to environmental conditions or also to the charging system it has.
Monitor Mac temperatures
Electronic devices are always designed to work at a suitable temperature. This is something that can be conveniently found on Apple’s support website and is a really important thing to keep in mind. In general , Macs should not be placed in ambient conditions that exceed 40 degrees . This makes it imperative that, for example, it be in a room where the sun does not shine directly on the device. This is because it will be much easier for you to reach the maximum safe temperature of the CPU, which is normally 100 degrees.
When the maximum temperature is reached, it is quite likely that the computer will end up shutting down to prevent internal components from being affected. Likewise, we also recommend that you do not give the device direct sunlight. This is something that can become very common on laptops when working away from home. Also keep in mind that you should avoid closing the ventilation holes, either by using the Mac on your lap or by using it on surfaces that are soft, such as a bed.
But just as it happens with high-temperature situations, it also extrapolates to low-temperature ones. You have to take into account the range both above and below. It must always be in optimal operating conditions in order to function properly.
Check that it is charging
It may seem completely logical, but on many occasions it can be overlooked. Keep in mind that in the specifications of the charging system that is used to manage energy to the battery. There are many chargers on the market that are sold as compatible with any type of Mac. But in the vast majority of cases, you have to be suspicious in this regard, and view the technical specifications of the chargers.
In this case, you have to check the power and amperage offered by each of the chargers you want to use. You should know that the brand also has an influence, in order to manage the energy correctly to the battery. But in the case of iMac, you have to check the specifications of the cable and the included transformer to be able to move all the internal components of the device. In the event that an iMac does not have the necessary power, the components of the device will stop.
Check your Mac software
And although we have focused mainly on the hardware, it should be noted that the software can also be one of the main causes of these failures when starting up the computer. Next, we discuss the necessary scenarios that are related to hardware.
Viruses can cause these failures
It is a reality that numerous malicious files can be found on the network that will attack your device. The consequences of running any of these are really varied, and one of these is the Mac restarting unexpectedly or shutting down suddenly. Without a doubt, it is something quite annoying, and it may be mainly related to the increase in certain processes when working with this virus installed. That is why it is really important to have maximum security on the equipment when working on the network.
In this situation, what you are going to have to do is carry out a review of the last installations you have done. In this way you will be able to identify the possible software problem that you may have. Similarly, you can also run some kind of analyzer. In this way, all the files that are on the storage unit will be analyzed to look for something that is completely strange.
Perform a system restore
In the most extreme cases that can be presented in the operating system, it must be taken into account that in the vast majority of cases the restoration must be chosen. In the event that you have a virus, the way to remove it safely is to finally remove all the files and copy them again. This is what is done with the restoration of the operating system, which in the end will leave the device completely new. The problem is that in these situations during the restoration another sudden shutdown occurs. This may be because it is not related to the operating system and is related to a hardware component.
In this situation, what you are going to have to do is always make a backup beforehand in order to avoid having a loss of information if the process in general ends up failing. As we have mentioned, it can become quite common that if it is not the failure related to the software, finally during the installation process a shutdown occurs.
Contact Apple Support
Your last resort in this situation is contacting Apple Support. It will be the company itself that will carry out an exhaustive diagnosis of the computer and will review each of the components in order to provide a solution to the fault. The “trap” that you must take into account is that a priori the repair is free if it falls within the legal guarantee of the product . But this will only apply in the event that the device has not received any type of relevant blow that could have affected its physical integrity. In the event that it is a problem related to Apple itself, you will have a full guarantee. In this way the repair is free.
Likewise, it should be noted that the most advisable thing to do in these cases is to go directly to an Apple store or a SAT. These are the only ones authorized to carry out repairs on the equipment. This is because they are the ones that have original parts to be able to work with these devices. In addition, they have the necessary personnel to carry out these repairs.
