Spotlight indexing forever after 10.6 install

Robert,

"Stunned" is a good word. "Speachless" would be another.

Honestly, I cannot for the life of me think why booting temporarily into Safe Mode would have any impact, but if it works....

Scott 🙂

Forget the Safe Booting - I found the culprits: 3rd Party Spotlight Importers
located in:

/Library/Spotlight

and

username/Library/Spotlight

I moved all 11 of them to the trash, Typeit4me included, and indexing started immediately - approx 20 minutes for >200GB. Hooray!!!

Daniel,

Uhh, do I know you? Are you in the music biz?

Scott

Hey there Scott!!

Great to find you here, bassoon virtuoso that you are!

Cheers,

Daniel

Daniel,

WOW! Small world, huh? Believe it or not, I was sorting through some old pics just the other day and came across a couple of us walking across the campus in PP, NJ. Again, WOW!

radloffs (at) sprintmail (dot) com

Outstanding, Daniel. Deleting those spotlight importers works for me as well, and also seems to kick time machine back to life. How did you discover this?

MIchael

After perusing through both the System and User Libraries, in pursuit of Spotlight Preferences, I noticed a Spotlight Folder. After finding several third party mdimporters in there, suspicions grew, so I pulled all of them out -- and voilà! Something was indeed interfering with the mdworker_32 process, and I figured this would more than likely have been due to the presence of one, or more, 3rd party components, operating outside of Apple's jurisdiction. This explains why many users, who had not inadvertently ported any 3rd party mdimporters into 10.6, such as Typeit4me, or Finale, were able to avoid this problem altogether. I truly hope that this saves others from resorting to a re-format and reinstall of the OS - seems that would have turned out to have been a time consuming and futile effort, regardless.

Yes, a reformat/reinstall is just what I was hoping to avoid (and I had suspected that it would not work).

Good catch. Thanks.

Michael

Hi guys,
I've tried deleting all things, but:
Spotlight indexes real fast, but it can't come to an end, it stops at 99.99% with indexing, and the estimated time amount goes up an up and up...

Message was edited by: langweiler94

I seem to be having a similar problem after updating to 10.6. The spotlight menu icon blinks in and out and I can't access it's dropdown menu. Also, the menu items for apple apps such as battery, date and time and airport menu don't show up on the menu bar.

I have the same problem. Removed 3rd party plugins, booted into safe mode, did everything, even removing the Spotlight index. In fact, I even formatted the disk and installed Snow Leopard from scratch, and the problem persisted. It keeps indexing forever, but looking at the console I see that md5 crashes:

16/09/09 10:52:59 com.apple.launchd[1] (com.apple.metadata.mds[200]) Job appears to have crashed: Illegal instruction

In the log I see somthing like:

Process: mds [575]
Path: /System/Library/Frameworks/CoreServices.framework/Versions/A/Frameworks/Metadat a.framework/Versions/A/Support/mds
Identifier: mds
Version: ??? (???)
Code Type: X86-64 (Native)
Parent Process: launchd [1]

Date/Time: 2009-09-16 10:39:14.660 +0200
OS Version: Mac OS X 10.6.1 (10B504)
Report Version: 6

Exception Type: EXC BADINSTRUCTION (SIGILL)
Exception Codes: 0x0000000000000001, 0x0000000000000000
Crashed Thread: 3 Dispatch queue: Main SetAttr scheduler

Application Specific Information:
Uncaught exception: 'NSMallocException', reason: 'Out of memory. We suggest restarting the application. If you have an unsaved document, create a backup copy in Finder, then try to save.'
Stack: (0x7fff83ddf586 0x7fff86b41313 0x7fff83bc81d2 0x7fff83e1b7c9 0x7fff83d3a5d4 0x7fff83d4b32a 0x1001c120e 0x1001c1e23 0x10019b654 0x10019b98d 0x10019bcff 0x1001691a0 0x100153cf4 0x100124df5 0x1001355a4 0x100130bbd 0x10013feea 0x7fff866ce7f0 0x7fff866ce650 0x7fff866ce1f6 0x7fff866cdb28 0x7fff866cd9c5)

Thread 0: Dispatch queue: com.apple.main-thread
0 libSystem.B.dylib 0x00007fff866b3d7a mach msgtrap + 10
1 libSystem.B.dylib 0x00007fff866b43ed mach_msg + 59
2 com.apple.CoreFoundation 0x00007fff83d7bce2 __CFRunLoopRun + 2002
3 com.apple.CoreFoundation 0x00007fff83d7b03f CFRunLoopRunSpecific + 575
4 mds 0x000000010000bd4e 0x100000000 + 48462
5 mds 0x0000000100004124 0x100000000 + 16676

Thread 1: Dispatch queue: com.apple.libdispatch-manager
0 libSystem.B.dylib 0x00007fff866ccb16 kevent + 10
1 libSystem.B.dylib 0x00007fff866cea19 dispatch_mgrinvoke + 154
2 libSystem.B.dylib 0x00007fff866ce6d6 dispatch_queueinvoke + 195
3 libSystem.B.dylib 0x00007fff866ce1f6 dispatch_workerthread2 + 244
4 libSystem.B.dylib 0x00007fff866cdb28 pthreadwqthread + 353
5 libSystem.B.dylib 0x00007fff866cd9c5 start_wqthread + 13

Thread 2:
0 libSystem.B.dylib 0x00007fff866cd94a _workqkernreturn + 10
1 libSystem.B.dylib 0x00007fff866cdd5c pthreadwqthread + 917
2 libSystem.B.dylib 0x00007fff866cd9c5 start_wqthread + 13

Thread 3 Crashed: Dispatch queue: Main SetAttr scheduler
0 mds 0x000000010000bef1 0x100000000 + 48881
1 com.apple.CoreFoundation 0x00007fff83df80b9 __handleUncaughtException + 313
2 libobjc.A.dylib 0x00007fff86b44f41 objcterminate + 92
3 libstdc++.6.dylib 0x00007fff831aeae1 _cxxabiv1::_terminate(void (*)()) + 11
4 libstdc++.6.dylib 0x00007fff831aeb16 _cxxabiv1::_unexpected(void (*)()) + 0
5 libstdc++.6.dylib 0x00007fff831aebfc _gxx_exception_cleanup(_Unwind_ReasonCode, UnwindException*) + 0
6 libobjc.A.dylib 0x00007fff86b413b2 object_getIvar + 0
7 com.apple.Foundation 0x00007fff83bc81d2 _NSSearchForNameInPath + 0
8 com.apple.CoreFoundation 0x00007fff83e1b7c9 __CFStringHandleOutOfMemory + 41
9 com.apple.CoreFoundation 0x00007fff83d3a5d4 __CFStringChangeSizeMultiple + 2052
10 com.apple.CoreFoundation 0x00007fff83d4b32a CFStringDelete + 170
11 com.apple.spotlight.index 0x00000001001c120e _CITokenizerGetTokens + 526
12 com.apple.spotlight.index 0x00000001001c1e23 CITokenizerGetTokens + 99
13 com.apple.spotlight.index 0x000000010019b654 invertValueToUpdateSet + 1236
14 com.apple.spotlight.index 0x000000010019b98d termUpdateSetProcessFields + 429
15 com.apple.spotlight.index 0x000000010019bcff TermUpdateSetAddDocumentInfo + 303
16 com.apple.spotlight.index 0x00000001001691a0 setDocumentAttributes + 848
17 com.apple.spotlight.index 0x0000000100153cf4 ContentIndexUpdateContent + 419
18 com.apple.spotlight.index 0x0000000100124df5 si_writeBackAndIndex + 1166
19 com.apple.spotlight.index 0x00000001001355a4 setAttributes + 4439
20 com.apple.spotlight.index 0x0000000100130bbd runLoop + 54
21 com.apple.spotlight.index 0x000000010013feea work_fun + 623
22 libSystem.B.dylib 0x00007fff866ce7f0 dispatch_queuedrain + 251
23 libSystem.B.dylib 0x00007fff866ce650 dispatch_queueinvoke + 61
24 libSystem.B.dylib 0x00007fff866ce1f6 dispatch_workerthread2 + 244
25 libSystem.B.dylib 0x00007fff866cdb28 pthreadwqthread + 353
26 libSystem.B.dylib 0x00007fff866cd9c5 start_wqthread + 13

Thread 4:
0 libSystem.B.dylib 0x00007fff866cd94a _workqkernreturn + 10
1 libSystem.B.dylib 0x00007fff866cdd5c pthreadwqthread + 917
2 libSystem.B.dylib 0x00007fff866cd9c5 start_wqthread + 13

Thread 5:
0 libSystem.B.dylib 0x00007fff866cd94a _workqkernreturn + 10
1 libSystem.B.dylib 0x00007fff866cdd5c pthreadwqthread + 917
2 libSystem.B.dylib 0x00007fff866cd9c5 start_wqthread + 13

Thread 3 crashed with X86 Thread State (64-bit):
rax: 0x0000000000000000 rbx: 0x000000010062f280 rcx: 0x00007fff70af95d0 rdx: 0x00000000000fc080
rdi: 0x0000000100273400 rsi: 0x0000000100600000 rbp: 0x000000010057f670 rsp: 0x000000010057f650
r8: 0x0000000000000001 r9: 0x000000010062f490 r10: 0x0000000000000000 r11: 0x000000000000001f
r12: 0x00007fff70705f70 r13: 0x000000010062c7f0 r14: 0x00007fff70692258 r15: 0x0000000000000001
rip: 0x000000010000bef1 rfl: 0x0000000000010206 cr2: 0x000000002f4ed000

Binary Images:
0x100000000 - 0x1000ccfef mds ??? (???) <A39CF0D3-C64E-0660-5BDE-ADC62793EF8E> /System/Library/Frameworks/CoreServices.framework/Frameworks/Metadata.framework /Support/mds
0x100101000 - 0x100226ff7 com.apple.spotlight.index 10.6.0 (507.1) <100CA045-F323-9A58-FA85-146AC23CEF23> /System/Library/PrivateFrameworks/SpotlightIndex.framework/Versions/A/Spotlight Index
0x100267000 - 0x100269fff com.apple.MDSChannel 1.0.1 (1.0.1) <63195212-0EBF-2FE2-AEFC-739040DFAB30> /System/Library/PrivateFrameworks/MDSChannel.framework/Versions/A/MDSChannel
0x10dc5d000 - 0x10dc63fff libgermantok.dylib ??? (???) <A87630B4-D01C-8724-54D2-5E8CC85FC07B> /usr/lib/libgermantok.dylib
0x10e0fe000 - 0x10e20efef libmecab.1.0.0.dylib ??? (???) <E321EA43-4F4C-6561-3E87-4081904D53F3> /usr/lib/libmecab.1.0.0.dylib
0x7fff5fc00000 - 0x7fff5fc3bdef dyld 132.1 (???) <B633F790-4DDB-53CD-7ACF-2A3682BCEA9F> /usr/lib/dyld
0x7fff80b0b000 - 0x7fff80e3dfef com.apple.CoreServices.CarbonCore 859.1 (859.1) <5712C4C1-B18B-88EE-221F-DA04A8EDA029> /System/Library/Frameworks/CoreServices.framework/Versions/A/Frameworks/CarbonC ore.framework/Versions/A/CarbonCore
0x7fff81439000 - 0x7fff8143afff liblangid.dylib ??? (???) <EA4D1607-2BD5-2EE2-2A3B-632EEE5A444D> /usr/lib/liblangid.dylib
0x7fff816b3000 - 0x7fff816b9ff7 com.apple.DiskArbitration 2.3 (2.3) <857F6E43-1EF4-7D53-351B-10DE0A8F992A> /System/Library/Frameworks/DiskArbitration.framework/Versions/A/DiskArbitration
0x7fff816ba000 - 0x7fff816fbff7 com.apple.SystemConfiguration 1.10 (1.10) <E3FF1FC8-C760-2047-F954-0D283DD0F714> /System/Library/Frameworks/SystemConfiguration.framework/Versions/A/SystemConfi guration
0x7fff81787000 - 0x7fff81817fff com.apple.SearchKit 1.3.0 (1.3.0) <4175DC31-1506-228A-08FD-C704AC9DF642> /System/Library/Frameworks/CoreServices.framework/Versions/A/Frameworks/SearchK it.framework/Versions/A/SearchKit
0x7fff81a0e000 - 0x7fff81a2efef com.apple.DirectoryService.Framework 3.6 (621) <925EE208-03B2-B24A-3686-57EAFBDA5ADF> /System/Library/Frameworks/DirectoryService.framework/Versions/A/DirectoryServi ce
0x7fff81b6b000 - 0x7fff81b77fef libbz2.1.0.dylib ??? (???) <4AA81AA7-DF37-6430-07D1-F59F37AEC357> /usr/lib/libbz2.1.0.dylib
0x7fff81dda000 - 0x7fff81e24ff7 com.apple.Metadata 10.6.0 (507.1) <AA0DF8E0-9B5B-2377-9B20-884919E28994> /System/Library/Frameworks/CoreServices.framework/Versions/A/Frameworks/Metadat a.framework/Versions/A/Metadata
0x7fff81f6e000 - 0x7fff8203afff com.apple.CFNetwork 454.4 (454.4) <E7721AD8-3177-8749-60F7-5EF323E6492B> /System/Library/Frameworks/CoreServices.framework/Versions/A/Frameworks/CFNetwo rk.framework/Versions/A/CFNetwork
0x7fff82a8a000 - 0x7fff82ae7fef com.apple.framework.IOKit 2.0 (???) <65AA6170-12E3-BFB5-F982-E0C433610A1F> /System/Library/Frameworks/IOKit.framework/Versions/A/IOKit
0x7fff83163000 - 0x7fff83163ff7 com.apple.CoreServices 44 (44) <210A4C56-BECB-E3E4-B6EE-7EC53E02265D> /System/Library/Frameworks/CoreServices.framework/Versions/A/CoreServices
0x7fff83164000 - 0x7fff831e1fef libstdc++.6.dylib ??? (???) <35ECA411-2C08-FD7D-11B1-1B7A04921A5C> /usr/lib/libstdc++.6.dylib
0x7fff8323a000 - 0x7fff833f7fff libicucore.A.dylib ??? (???) <224721C0-EC21-94D0-6484-66C603C34CBE> /usr/lib/libicucore.A.dylib
0x7fff8341a000 - 0x7fff834d3fff libsqlite3.dylib ??? (???) <5A15E12A-AE8F-1A36-BBC7-564E7D7AD0FB> /usr/lib/libsqlite3.dylib
0x7fff83600000 - 0x7fff83884fff com.apple.security 6.0 (36910) <F7431448-BC2E-835D-E7A2-E47E0A5CB984> /System/Library/Frameworks/Security.framework/Versions/A/Security
0x7fff83aae000 - 0x7fff83d2ffe7 com.apple.Foundation 6.6 (751) <CCE98C5C-DFEA-6C80-A014-A5985437072E> /System/Library/Frameworks/Foundation.framework/Versions/C/Foundation
0x7fff83d30000 - 0x7fff83ea3fef com.apple.CoreFoundation 6.6 (550) <04EC0CC2-6CE4-4EE0-03B9-6C5109398CB1> /System/Library/Frameworks/CoreFoundation.framework/Versions/A/CoreFoundation
0x7fff849bf000 - 0x7fff849ccff7 com.apple.AppleFSCompression 1.0 (1.0) <597C8E16-90C0-A7AA-7236-5D1281F20AD0> /System/Library/PrivateFrameworks/AppleFSCompression.framework/Versions/A/Apple FSCompression
0x7fff8534f000 - 0x7fff8540bff7 com.apple.CoreServices.OSServices 352 (352) <CD933BBD-B260-552F-E64E-291D6ED3091A> /System/Library/Frameworks/CoreServices.framework/Versions/A/Frameworks/OSServi ces.framework/Versions/A/OSServices
0x7fff855e8000 - 0x7fff856fffef libxml2.2.dylib ??? (???) <6D4C196C-B061-CBCD-AAFD-A21736A8425C> /usr/lib/libxml2.2.dylib
0x7fff866b3000 - 0x7fff86871ff7 libSystem.B.dylib ??? (???) <66102D4E-6C8B-77D0-6766-2A1788B20C6F> /usr/lib/libSystem.B.dylib
0x7fff86b38000 - 0x7fff86beefe7 libobjc.A.dylib ??? (???) <261D97A3-225B-8A00-56AA-F9F27973063F> /usr/lib/libobjc.A.dylib
0x7fff86f1f000 - 0x7fff86f4aff7 libxslt.1.dylib ??? (???) <87A0B228-B24A-C426-C3FB-B40D7258DD49> /usr/lib/libxslt.1.dylib
0x7fff86f4b000 - 0x7fff86f5cfef libz.1.dylib ??? (???) <3A7A4C48-A4C8-A78A-8B87-C0DDF6601AC8> /usr/lib/libz.1.dylib
0x7fff86f5d000 - 0x7fff86ffdfff com.apple.LaunchServices 360.3 (360.3) <02FFE657-CC7A-5266-F06E-8732E28F70A9> /System/Library/Frameworks/CoreServices.framework/Versions/A/Frameworks/LaunchS ervices.framework/Versions/A/LaunchServices
0x7fff87009000 - 0x7fff87031fff com.apple.DictionaryServices 1.1 (1.1) <D57BA55A-4CC5-5C17-8077-AEEA27A01C7A> /System/Library/Frameworks/CoreServices.framework/Versions/A/Frameworks/Diction aryServices.framework/Versions/A/DictionaryServices
0x7fff87677000 - 0x7fff87686fff com.apple.NetFS 3.2 (3.2) <61E3D8BE-A529-20BF-1A11-026EC774820D> /System/Library/Frameworks/NetFS.framework/Versions/A/NetFS
0x7fff8769e000 - 0x7fff876acff7 libkxld.dylib ??? (???) <823B6BE6-E952-3B3C-3633-8F4D6C4606A8> /usr/lib/system/libkxld.dylib
0x7fff876ae000 - 0x7fff877a6fe7 libiconv.2.dylib ??? (???) <ECEE3D93-B5E3-F0E0-803E-CA3DC3B33D57> /usr/lib/libiconv.2.dylib
0x7fff879ca000 - 0x7fff879e0fef libbsm.0.dylib ??? (???) <42D3023A-A1F7-4121-6417-FCC6B51B3E90> /usr/lib/libbsm.0.dylib
0x7fff87dfa000 - 0x7fff87e34fff com.apple.bom 10.0 (164) <E5C9AFBD-68C1-197E-72B0-B43295DC87DC> /System/Library/PrivateFrameworks/Bom.framework/Versions/A/Bom
0x7fff88341000 - 0x7fff8838eff7 libauto.dylib ??? (???) <8658DB85-C611-1212-44E5-5B2539018FA0> /usr/lib/libauto.dylib
0x7fff8838f000 - 0x7fff88393ff7 libmathCommon.A.dylib ??? (???) <95718673-FEEE-B6ED-B127-BCDBDB60D4E5> /usr/lib/system/libmathCommon.A.dylib
0x7fff8843e000 - 0x7fff88479fef com.apple.AE 496 (496) <6AFD62E0-DD92-4F04-A73A-90224D80593D> /System/Library/Frameworks/CoreServices.framework/Versions/A/Frameworks/AE.fram ework/Versions/A/AE
0x7fff88aff000 - 0x7fff88b10fff com.apple.DSObjCWrappers.Framework 10.6 (134) <3C08225D-517E-2822-6152-F6EB13A4ADF9> /System/Library/PrivateFrameworks/DSObjCWrappers.framework/Versions/A/DSObjCWra ppers
0x7fffffe00000 - 0x7fffffe01fff libSystem.B.dylib ??? (???) <66102D4E-6C8B-77D0-6766-2A1788B20C6F> /usr/lib/libSystem.B.dylib

Any ideas would be really appreciated. Thanks

Albert

Message was edited by: DjKarras

Unfortunately it doesn't stop it for me. Removed all of those importers and still it persists.... Very annoying.