Q: What is the cause of the Spinning Wheel of Death (SWOD) and how can we fix it?

forgot to add that I removed cleanmymac as well.

I do still use logmein, I can remove it if you it might be causing a problem though

I checked for the list of plug-ins on my macbook. Here is a list of what it says I have:

1) OpenH264 Video Codec 1.4 provided by Cisco Systems, Inc, says it is automatically installed by Mozilla to comply with WebRTC specs to enable WebRTC calls with devices that require the H.264 video codec.  (says always active)

Is this for Skype?

2) Shockwave Flash 18.0.0.209   (says always active)

All other plug-ins say "ask to activate". Can a plug in that is apparently not running cause a problem?

3) Citrix Web Online Deployment Plugin 1.0.0.105   1.0.105

4) Default Browser Helper 600

5) LogMeIn Plugin 1.0.0.935    1.0.935

6) QuickTime Plug-in  7.7.3     7.7.3

7) RocketLife Content Manager 1.0.0.18702 

Have no idea what this program is used for

8) RocketLife  Secure Plug-in Layer 1.0.5

9) Silverlight Plug-in 5.1.30514

Are you suggesting I delete the "sysctl.conf" file?

I looked on the internet & it is associated with "Red Hat Linix" system. I am not using a Linix system. Do not know where it came from. Think it is safe to remove it? If so, how do I remove it?

Thank you so much for your help with this issue. I am about ready to throw this computer out & go back to a windows based system.

sysctl.conf is a concept that some Unix implementations use.  OS X is one of them.  However, typically it is empty.  The fact that you have something in your sysctl.conf, and you do not remember doing it, is a strong indication that one of the 3rd party programs you had installed was changing system configuration variables.

Thank you for your reply. Is there any way to find out what 3rd party program would have put something in that sysctl.conf file?

Well, if it's not too big, print it out & copy it here.

from /applications/utilities/terminal

cd to what ever directory sysctl.conf is in.

cat sysctl.conf

You need to open a new discussion on this topic.  It can be confusing on how to start a new discussion.

1) Find the community you wish to create a new question.

Site map of Communities and Categories

2) Look to the right of the panel, click "New" then  click "Discussion".

I did not start a new discussion as I thought this may be the reason or one of the reasons for my SWOD.

susieqk wrote:

 

Thank you for your reply. Is there any way to find out what 3rd party program would have put something in that sysctl.conf file?

no.  There is no audit trail.  Just a modified sysctl.conf file.

susieqk wrote:

 

I agree, and please pardon my ignorance. I should have started a new thread but do not see how to do so. I believe that was the first time I had ever visited this forum.  I see how to start a new 'discussion', is that the same thing?

At the top of the forum web page you will see "New".  Click on that create a new thread where you are in control.

If you think another long thread strongly relates to your problem, feel free to include a link, but know that SBOD, as well as a lot of other symptoms on the outside can have totally different causes on the inside.

First of all... you don't speak for most of us. 

I have the problem too.  I've had it with Microsoft word and powerpoint for mac.  I thought it was USB interface with my iMac because my iMac likes to unmount my Lacie external if the computer goes to sleep so I had to disable sleep mode. 

Now I get the SWOD in word and powerpoint now and then and I have to force quit which looses any work I've done since last saves.

The files I'm working on have been on my Lacie external so I suspect it's the iMac's inability to maintain connection via USB to this drive and the software just freezes.

Either way, the problem is more prevalent than your tight nit group.

This is a rather old thread, and perhaps starting a new "Post" explaining your specific situation would be helpful.

SBOD just means the application stuck in that mode has stopped removing items from the Event Queue.  Events are things like mouse clicks, keyboard entries, etc...  An application must remove items from the queue on a timely basis, otherwise the operating system suspects it is not responding to events and changes the cursor to the spinning beach ball until the app starts to remove items from the event queue again.

Why the application  has stopped processing its event queue can be anything from a disk I/O that is not returning (disk drives do fail over time and have been known to cause problems like this), it could be an external device problem (USB devices, keyboards, mice, hubs, disks, etc...) have been known to cause problems, as well as thunderbolt devices), a network I/O problem (many apps at the minimum phone home to see if there is a new version, and some apps do much more with the network).  It could be a 3rd party kernel extension installed that is interfering with the proper operating of the operating system.

And a bug in an application can just cause it to get lost (although if this happens to multiple applications, it is more likely a problem with the system, not the app).

When you start your new "Post", you might include the EtreCheck output which will list 3rd party applications, and other useful configuration information about your Mac.

<https://discussions.apple.com/docs/DOC-6174> or <http://etrecheck.com>