Energy Saving Control Panels: Description & Compatibility

What is the difference between all the different energy-saving control panels, and how do I know when to use them?
Energy Related Control Panels Overview

There are four different energy-related control panels in System 7.5.

These control panels only work on certain Macintosh computers. In addition, the Energy Saver 1.1 control panel requires an Energy Star-compliant monitor as well as a Macintosh computer compatible with this software. See the chart at the end of this article for a list of compatible systems.

Although many Energy Saver control panels are compatible with many Macintosh Performa computers, not all Energy Saver control panels are bundled with Macintosh Performa computers. Many Macintosh Performa computers include modems and MegaPhone software, which allow you to use your computer as an answering machine. If you have installed Auto Power On/Off, it is possible for your computer to be inadvertently shut down while your computer is set to answer phone messages. To avoid this, Macintosh Performa computers do not ship with the Auto Power On/Off control panel.

None of the energy-related control panels mentioned here are supported on PowerBook or PowerBook Duo systems.

Auto Power On/Off

This feature lets you set your Macintosh computer to power ON and OFF at a pre-determined time, on a daily basis, or for one particular day. It also has a check box labelled "Automatically restart after power failure". If you check this box and the power goes off, the computer automatically restarts. You can use the Auto Power On/Off feature in conjunction with other System 7.5 features. For example, you could set your system to power on at night and run an AppleScript that re-indexes all of your database files or backs up your hard drive.

This control panel can only be used on computers that can be turned off by using the Shut Down command (soft power off) and that have the "Cuda" ADB controller chip or a version of the Motorola 68HC05 microcontroller chip. The chart at the end of this article lists the Macintosh models this control panel is compatible with.

Note: Not included with all system software prior to System 7.5

CPU Energy Saver

This feature lets you set your Macintosh to turn OFF at a specified time. However, you cannot set your system to turn ON with this feature. It can only be used on computers that can be turned off by using the Shut Down command (soft power off), such as the Quadra 700. This feature is only installed by System 7.5 if Auto Power On/Off is NOT compatible with the Macintosh and CPU Energy Saver IS compatible with the Macintosh.

Note: This control panel did not ship with system software older than System 7.5, although it was released separately before System 7.5. The CPU Energy Saver is not available from Apple software updates online services.

Energy Saver 1.1

This feature lets you set your Macintosh to put external monitors into sleep mode. It was originally designed to work with the built-in video of Macintosh LC III, Quadra 610-950, Power Macintosh, and Performa 450-467, 63x, 611x.

This feature requires an Energy Star-compliant monitor. Compliant models include:

Note: Not included with system software prior to System 7.5, although it was made available separately.

This feature did not come preinstalled on some Performa 630- and 6110-series systems and was not included on the backup CDs that shipped with these systems. Customers who want the Energy Saver software can copy it from the disk that comes with the Multiple Scan 15 Display. (Be sure not to copy the Display Enabler extension, since the Performa 630- and 6110-series systems have the Display Enabler's functionality built into the hardware.)

If Energy Saver is installed on a computer that has an incompatible monitor, the monitor goes black after the specified inactivity period has passed, but the incompatible monitor is NOT in low power mode, and therefore is NOT saving energy. Monitors that do not support this Energy Saver function, or monitors that use video cards, are not harmed by the installation of this control panel, but they do not save energy with Energy Saver installed.

The Energy Saver control panel has a slider bar to adjust the monitor inactivity period, from 15 to 60 minutes. Energy Saver can be turned on by clicking the check box nearest the slider bar. The settings take effect immediately; you do not need to restart the computer.

When the Apple Energy Star-compliant monitor has been inactive (that is, you have not used the mouse or keyboard) for the time specified in the Energy Saver control panel, the screen of the monitor goes black. This indicates that the monitor is in low-power mode, and is saving energy. The computer is still functioning.

The monitor returns to a fully active state approximately 20 seconds after you use the keyboard or mouse. You hear a number of beeps while the screen is updated to reflect its current state. (The beep volume cannot be adjusted; it is independent of all system sound controls.)

The Energy Saver control panel is available for download from Apple Software Updates sites. The software is named "Monitor Energy Saver". After download and decompression, you will have the Energy Saver control panel.

Screen

This control panel lets you set your Macintosh computer to put internal monitors into sleep mode.

The Screen control panel can only be used on certain "all-in-one" Macintosh systems, such as the LC/Performa 500-series.

This feature shipped with some Performa 630-series systems and appears to work, but does not really save energy. The Screen control panel should be removed from these systems. Use the Energy Saver control panel in its place.

Energy Saver 2.0/3.0

This control panel combines functionality of CPU Energy Saver, Energy Saver 1.1, and Auto Power On/Off. Energy Saver 2.0/3.0 is compatible only on Power Macintosh computers with PCI slots, which includes the Power Macintosh 5400, 7200, 7500, 7600, 8500, 9500, Power Macintosh G3, and Power Mac G4 series computers.

Note: Energy Saver 2.0/3.0 is available only in System 7.5.2 or later (including Mac OS 8 and Mac OS 9) when used on a PCI-based Power Macintosh computer."

When To Use Which Energy-Saving Control Panels

For Monitors
For Computer
Energy Saver
Screen
Auto Power On/Off
CPU Energy
Saver
Compact Macintosh Systems
Macintosh 128K, 512K, 512Ke, XL
No
No
No
No
Macintosh Plus, SE, SE/30
No
No
No
No
Classic, Classic II
No
No
No
No
Color Classic, Color Classic II
No
Yes
Yes
OK
d
Macintosh II Systems
Macintosh II, IIx, IIfx
Yes
No
No
Yes
Macintosh IIcx, IIci
Yes
No
No
Yes
Macintosh IIsi, IIvi, IIvx
Yes
No
Yes
OK
d
Macintosh LC Systems
Macintosh LC, LC II
No
No
No
No
Macintosh LC III, LC 475
Yes
No
No
No
Macintosh LC 520, 550, 575, 580
No
Yes
Yes
OK
Macintosh LC 630
Yes
No
Yes
OK
d
Macintosh Centris & Quadra Systems
Macintosh Quadra 605
No
No
No
No
Macintosh Centris/Quadra 610
Yes
No
No
No
Macintosh Quadra 630
Yes
No
Yes
OK
Macintosh Centris/Quadra 650
Yes
No
No
Yes
Macintosh Centris/Quadra 660AB
Yes
No
No
No
Macintosh Quadra 700
No
No
No
Yes
Macintosh Quadra 800
Yes
No
No
Yes
Macintosh Quadra 840AV, 950
Yes
No
Yes
OK
Macintosh Quadra 900
No
No
Yes
OK
d
Macintosh Performa Systems
Performa 200
No
No
No
No
Performa 250, 275
No
Yes
Yes
OK
Performa 400, 405, 410, 430
No
No
No
No
Performa 450, 460, 466, 467
Yes
No
No
No
Performa 475, 476
Yes
No
No
No
Performa 520, 550, 560
No
Yes
Yes
OK
Performa 570-, 580-series
No
Yes
Yes
OK
Performa 600
Yes
No
Yes
OK
Performa 630-, 640-series
Yes
No
Yes
OK
Performa 5200-series
No
Yes
Yes
OK
Performa 6100-series
Yes
No
No
No
Performa 6200-series
Yes
No
OK (2)
No
Performa 6300-series
Yes
No
OK
Yes
Performa 6400-series
Yes (2)
No
Yes (2)
No
d
Power Macintosh Systems
Power Macintosh 5200/75 LC
No
Yes
Yes
OK
Power Macintosh 5260
No
Yes
Yes
OK
Power Macintosh 5400
Yes (2)
No
Yes (2)
No
Power Macintosh 6100/60, 6100/66
Yes
No
No
No
Power Macintosh 6200/75
Yes
No
Yes
No
Power Macintosh 7100/66
Yes
No
Yes
OK
Power Macintosh 7100/80
Yes
No
Yes
No (1)
Power Macintosh 7200 Series
Yes (2)
No
Yes (2)
No
Power Macintosh 7500 Series
Yes (2)
No
Yes (2)
No
Power Macintosh 7600 Series
Yes (2)
No
Yes (2)
No
Power Macintosh 8100/80
Yes
No
Yes
OK
Power Macintosh 8100/100, 8100/110
Yes
No
Yes
No (1)
Power Macintosh 8500
Yes (2)
No
Yes (2)
No
Power Macintosh 9500
Yes (2)
No
Yes (2)
No
Power Macintosh G3
Yes (2)
No
Yes (2)
No
Power Macintosh G3 (Blue and White)
Yes (2)
No
Yes (2)
No
Power Mac G4 (all models)
Yes (2)
No
Yes (2)
No
d
Macintosh Workgroup Servers
Workgroup Server 95
Yes
No
Yes
No
Workgroup Server 8150
Yes
No
Yes
No
Workgroup Server 9150
Yes (2)
No
No (1)
No
Notes:
Notes:
1 - These Power Macintosh computers included the Connectix Desktop Utility (CDU) software which made these units Energy Star compliant.
2 - Use Energy Saver 2.0.x included with System 7.5.2 for this function.

For additional information on the Energy Star program, see the following articles:
  • Article 12346: Energy Star: Description
  • Article 12345: Energy Star: Registered Apple Products

    This article can help you locate the software update mentioned here:

  • Article 14724: "Where To Find Apple Software Updates" - Lists online services for free Apple software updates.
    • Published Date: Feb 20, 2012