arianafromnv

Q: Messages isn't responding

The Messages application on my Macbook Pro doesn't open up. Whenever I try to it says, "Messages isn't responding." How can I solve this problem?

MacBook Pro

Posted on Mar 21, 2014 8:29 PM

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Q: Messages isn't responding

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  • by Ralph Johns (UK),Solvedanswer

    Ralph Johns (UK) Ralph Johns (UK) Mar 22, 2014 1:04 PM in response to arianafromnv
    Level 9 (73,348 points)
    Applications
    Mar 22, 2014 1:04 PM in response to arianafromnv

    Hi,

     

    IN the Finder use th Go Menu whilst holding down the ALT key.

    Select the Library item that now appears in the menu.

    Navigate to Preferences.

    Find the item called com.apple.ichat .plist and drag it to the Trash.

     

    Restart the app (which will recreate the .plist)

     

     

    3Sigcopy2.png

    8:04 pm      Saturday; March 22, 2014

     

      iMac 2.5Ghz i5 2011 (Mavericks 10.9)
     G4/1GhzDual MDD (Leopard 10.5.8)
     MacBookPro 2Gb (Snow Leopard 10.6.8)
     Mac OS X (10.6.8),
     Couple of iPhones and an iPad
  • by arianafromnv,

    arianafromnv arianafromnv Apr 3, 2014 11:07 PM in response to arianafromnv
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Apr 3, 2014 11:07 PM in response to arianafromnv

    Thank you! It worked!

  • by Ralph Johns (UK),

    Ralph Johns (UK) Ralph Johns (UK) Apr 4, 2014 1:10 PM in response to arianafromnv
    Level 9 (73,348 points)
    Applications
    Apr 4, 2014 1:10 PM in response to arianafromnv

    4thanx.gif    for the    2correct.png   Points.

     

     

    3Sigcopy2.png

    9:10 pm      Friday; April 4, 2014

     

      iMac 2.5Ghz i5 2011 (Mavericks 10.9)
     G4/1GhzDual MDD (Leopard 10.5.8)
     MacBookPro 2Gb (Snow Leopard 10.6.8)
     Mac OS X (10.6.8),
     Couple of iPhones and an iPad
  • by rwon21,

    rwon21 rwon21 Jan 17, 2015 7:05 AM in response to Ralph Johns (UK)
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Jan 17, 2015 7:05 AM in response to Ralph Johns (UK)

    Hi,

     

    I've currently got a similar issue on my late-2013 iMac, running 10.10.1. When I try open the messages app, the colour wheel pops up and shows "app not responding" when right-clicking the messages icon on the taskbar. I have tried logging in as a guest user and the app opens fine, but doesn't work on administrator. I've also tried a fresh install of Yosemite, and tried moving the com.apple.chat.plist to the trash and reopening, but no luck. Any ideas on how to fix this would be appreciated, thanks!

  • by Ralph Johns (UK),

    Ralph Johns (UK) Ralph Johns (UK) Jan 17, 2015 12:29 PM in response to rwon21
    Level 9 (73,348 points)
    Applications
    Jan 17, 2015 12:29 PM in response to rwon21

    Hi,

     

    Open the Font Book Application (it is in Applications)

    Scroll down the list until you find the AppleGothic item (AppleGothic is all one word).

    Check there are not duplicates and that the app is not Disabled.

    From the File menu check it validates.

     

     

    3Sigcopy2.png

    8:29 pm      Saturday; January 17, 2015

     

      iMac 2.5Ghz i5 2011 (Mavericks 10.9)
     G4/1GhzDual MDD (Leopard 10.5.8)
     MacBookPro 2Gb (Snow Leopard 10.6.8)
     Mac OS X (10.6.8),
     Couple of iPhones and an iPad
  • by rwon21,

    rwon21 rwon21 Jan 17, 2015 9:26 PM in response to Ralph Johns (UK)
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Jan 17, 2015 9:26 PM in response to Ralph Johns (UK)

    Hi Ralph,

     

    I have checked the Font Book application and found no duplicate of the AppleGothic item. After validating it it says there were no problems validating the font and should be safe to use.

  • by Ralph Johns (UK),

    Ralph Johns (UK) Ralph Johns (UK) Jan 18, 2015 12:36 PM in response to rwon21
    Level 9 (73,348 points)
    Applications
    Jan 18, 2015 12:36 PM in response to rwon21

    Hi,

     

    I am guessing that the Admin account you created is the first one on the computer and has no details in the Contacts app such as a Name (other than "Admin") and no details as to an Apple ID or similar info.

     

    Messages has difficulties if the Contacts > Card Menu > Show My Card is blank.

    It also has problems if the details don't match other details such as the Real Name used in Messages and the like. (i.e. when the card belongs to someone else).

    The Guest User does not make the same checks the other Mac User Accounts do.

     

    The ichat.plist itself and the Font are the normal causes of this issue with the Contacts App My card being a close third.

     

    You may find that the issue is that the app cannot Read and Write to the various .plists involved as Ownership of the Folders and possibly the files themselves have somehow become corrupted.

     

    Do this:-

    In the Finder > View Menu select the option to Show Path Bar.

    Use the Go Menu whilst holding down the ALT key at the same time and Select the Library that appears.

    In here navigate to Containers/com.apple.iChat/Data/Library/Preferences - (this is th Read and Write route the computer uses to the actual .plist is ~/Library Preferences)

    Right Click on the Preferences icon in the Path bar.

    Select the get Info item.

    In the Panel scroll to the bottom.

    Your shortname (as at the little house icon) should appear in the List.

    It should have Read and Write Permissions

    If you Highlight it and then use the Little Cogwheel type icon it should have greyed out Text about making you the Owner (if it is greyed out you Own it)

     

    Repeat this for the folders Library, Data, com.apple.iChat and the Containers Folder.

     

    Now double Click the Library one between the little House icon and Containers.

    Navigate to Preferences

    Right click that folder and check Ownership and Permissions for that as well.

     

     

     

     

    3Sigcopy2.png

    8:36 pm      Sunday; January 18, 2015

     

      iMac 2.5Ghz i5 2011 (Mavericks 10.9)
     G4/1GhzDual MDD (Leopard 10.5.8)
     MacBookPro 2Gb (Snow Leopard 10.6.8)
     Mac OS X (10.6.8),
     Couple of iPhones and an iPad
  • by rwon21,

    rwon21 rwon21 Jan 18, 2015 10:34 PM in response to Ralph Johns (UK)
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Jan 18, 2015 10:34 PM in response to Ralph Johns (UK)

    Hi,

     

    Just checked for my own contacts card in the Contacts app, when I click "Go to My Card" it comes up with my own with a name etc.

     

    With regards to the permissions, every folder I checked had the "read and write" option next to the admin name, with the cogwheel option having greyed out text. The preferences folder between the House icon and containers also has the read and write permissions for the admin account.

     

    It should be noted that I used the exact same Yosemite installer on my MacBook Pro Retina and it has no issues with the Messages app. (v10.10 and 10.10.1 both had the issue on the iMac)

     

    Not sure if this would be of any help, but here is the first part of the problem details and system configuration section after I click "report" when the app doesn't respond:

     

    Date/Time:   2015-01-19 17:18:11 +1100
    OS Version:  10.10.1 (Build 14B25)
    Architecture:x86_64h

    Report Version:  21

     

    Command:     Messages
    Path:        /Applications/Messages.app/Contents/MacOS/Messages
    Version:     8.0 (4725)

    Build Version:   3

    Project Name:iChat

    Source Version:  4725000000000000

    Parent:      launchd [1]
    PID:         1894

     

    Event:       hang
    Duration:    2.30s (process was unresponsive for 12 seconds before sampling)
    Steps:       24 (100ms sampling interval)

     

    Hardware model:  iMac14,2

    Active cpus: 4

     

    Fan speed:  

    1200 rpm

  • by Ralph Johns (UK),

    Ralph Johns (UK) Ralph Johns (UK) Jan 19, 2015 12:04 PM in response to rwon21
    Level 9 (73,348 points)
    Applications
    Jan 19, 2015 12:04 PM in response to rwon21

    Hi,

     

    Is the Admin User Account the one you Log in to the Mac with and where you have set up Messages ?

     

    Most people use their Own Name when setting up  the Mac fro the first Time so they are the Admin account  (some of the reports/logs like the one you posted list which user is is via it's Number - 501 is the first account to be set up).

    As they add their Name and possibly email then the My card is also set up.

     

    In this Pic the account I am logged in with has the shortname (shown at the Little House icon) as ralph

    Screen Shot 2015-01-19 at 20.01.27.png

    Can you also check the Apple Icon Menu > About this Mac and see if the Serial Number  is present ?

    The Messages app uses this and the iMessages account password to verify that the iMessages account is valid via  Stored Auth Token in the Keychain.

     

     

     

    3Sigcopy2.png

    8:04 pm      Monday; January 19, 2015

     

      iMac 2.5Ghz i5 2011 (Mavericks 10.9)
     G4/1GhzDual MDD (Leopard 10.5.8)
     MacBookPro 2Gb (Snow Leopard 10.6.8)
     Mac OS X (10.6.8),
     Couple of iPhones and an iPad
  • by rwon21,

    rwon21 rwon21 Jan 19, 2015 10:38 PM in response to Ralph Johns (UK)
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Jan 19, 2015 10:38 PM in response to Ralph Johns (UK)

    Hi,

     

    Yes the admin account is the one I use to log into the mac, if I go into system preferences > users and groups it will show my short name listed as admin under "current user". It has been the only account I've set up besides the guest user to see if messages was working. The serial number is also present.

     

    Forgot to mention that messages was working when operating Mavericks, and the issue only arose after upgrading to Yosemite. I used to receive text/iMessage alerts (though not recently for some reason) and can also change "My Status" by right clicking the icon in the taskbar. Can't really do anything else.

  • by Ralph Johns (UK),

    Ralph Johns (UK) Ralph Johns (UK) Jan 20, 2015 12:09 PM in response to rwon21
    Level 9 (73,348 points)
    Applications
    Jan 20, 2015 12:09 PM in response to rwon21

    Hi,

     

    The Status setting in Messages only refers to those accounts that have Buddy List (even though these are not displayed by default)

    These are the AIM, Jabber Yahoo and Bonjour accounts you may have.

     

    In earlier versions it is likely that controls that were there from iChat (that only had Accounts that had Buddy Lists) were still present in some Menus and in the DOCK icon pop ups.

    "My Status" also appears in the Messages Menu itself in Yosemite.

     

    Open the Applications/Utilities folder and start the Disk Utility App.

    Select the First Aid tab.

    The  highlight the Named Drive that you boot from (most people Mac's Hard Drive is called Macintosh).

    The use the Repair Permissions button.

    This may take a few minutes if you have not done it since you Upgraded to Yosemite.

    (Some items reappear if you run it a second time).

     

    If that does not help then try a PRAM/NVRAM reset.

    Shut Down the the Computer and on Restarting hold down the CMD+ALT+P+R keys until you have heard three Start up Bongs then let the Start up Continue.

     

    These are the least invasive things that we can do that can effect things on a more global level than deleting one .plist

    However we still may need to check each and every .plist that is used with Messages in Yosemite  which has increased since Mavericks' version.

     

     

    3Sigcopy2.png

    8:09 pm      Tuesday; January 20, 2015

     

      iMac 2.5Ghz i5 2011 (Mavericks 10.9)
     G4/1GhzDual MDD (Leopard 10.5.8)
     MacBookPro 2Gb (Snow Leopard 10.6.8)
     Mac OS X (10.6.8),
     Couple of iPhones and an iPad
  • by rwon21,

    rwon21 rwon21 Jan 20, 2015 2:58 PM in response to Ralph Johns (UK)
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Jan 20, 2015 2:58 PM in response to Ralph Johns (UK)

    Hi,

     

    So I've tried both repairing permissions in the disk utility and the PRAM/NVRAM reset and both didn't resolve the issue. Could there possibly be an issue with one of the files (i.e. plist files) or something when installing/before installing Yosemite? (though I don't understand how it could since I used the same installer on the Retina and messages works fine).

  • by Ralph Johns (UK),

    Ralph Johns (UK) Ralph Johns (UK) Jan 21, 2015 12:21 PM in response to rwon21
    Level 9 (73,348 points)
    Applications
    Jan 21, 2015 12:21 PM in response to rwon21

    Hi,

     

    If one User on the Mac has an issue using the app then the fault lies with that Users Set up.

    This could be .plists for the App.

    It could be whether the User has Read and Write permissions  of those files and the Folder that contain them.

    In the case of Yosemite this includes a Read & Write "route"  or Sandboxing that protects the rest of the system from issue with the app.

     

    The issues can be with the way the Mac is set up.

    DNS server info in System Preferences > Network > Advanced Button > DNS tab should be external to your LAN and not the router's IP address.

    The Date and Time  settings should use the Automatic Time Server.

    We mentioned the AppleGothic Font  but others like Helvetica Neue and Lucida Grande also need to be enabled.

     

    As well as checking those setting do this:-

    In a Finder Window use the Go Menu whilst holding down the ALT key and selecting the Library that appears.

    In the View Menu select the Show Path Bar.

    Now navigate to /Containers/com.apple.iChat/Data/Library/Preferences

    (you will see most of the .plist here are Aliases - they point to the actual files in ~/Library/Preferences)

    Right Click on the Preferences icon in the Path Bar and select Get Info.

     

    In the Info Panel scroll to the bottom.

    It should list the Name next to the Little House Icon in the Path Bar (shortname)

    This should have READ and WRITE permissions.

    If you select the Line  and then use  the cogwheel type icon under the list it should have Greyed out Text saying "Make shortname (me) the Owner" - it will be greyed out if you already own it.

     

    Repeat the above panel part for the Library that is before Preferences and the Data and com.apple.iChat and Containers Folders.

     

    Then click the Containers icon so you are in the folder.

    Navigate to com.apple.soagent/Data/Library/Preferences

    Repeat the panel bit for all .plists that are not Aliases  (soagent.plist and all the ones with Messages Helper in the name)

    Then again for the Preferences, Library, Data, com.apple.soagent folders.

     

    This is long winded of course  but you may find the offending item early.

     

     

    3Sigcopy2.png

    8:21 pm      Wednesday; January 21, 2015

     

      iMac 2.5Ghz i5 2011 (Mavericks 10.9)
     G4/1GhzDual MDD (Leopard 10.5.8)
     MacBookPro 2Gb (Snow Leopard 10.6.8)
     Mac OS X (10.6.8),
     Couple of iPhones and an iPad
  • by rwon21,

    rwon21 rwon21 Jan 22, 2015 10:09 AM in response to Ralph Johns (UK)
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Jan 22, 2015 10:09 AM in response to Ralph Johns (UK)

    Hi,

     

    Yeah I've tried all the permissions stuff for each folder and non .plist file, all have the read and write permissions under the admin acc with the house icon. Surely it's not a hardware issue...

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