Level 1

0 points

My G4 may have a virus

Can anyone please explain the following?

I have recently experienced the Finder and other applications freezing. These problems coincide with the unexplained appearance of an untitled volume on the desktop. This volume appears only after I have used Firefox browser, which I generally use for internet access. Since experiencing these problems, I have installed Norton AntiVirus 10.0 for Macintosh. Prior to that, I had no AntiVirus software in use.

Norton scans of the drive and all files show no viruses. However, upon attempting to scan the suspicious untitled volume, the Norton scan results show that no volume was scanned. It appears as though the mystery volume may be invisible to Norton, though I have updated my Norton definitions.

Checking the Mac available information for the untitled volume (Command + I) shows the following:

Kind: Volume
Where: Desktop
Created: Thursday May 10, 2001 7:59
Modified: Thursday May 10, 2001 7:59
Format: Mac OS Extended
Capacity:670
MB Available: 660.7 MB
Used: 9.2 MB on disk (9,715,712 bytes)

Attempting to index the volume produces no results. The icon of this unexplained volume is a typical Mac volume icon with no other features other than the Mac name "untitled" beneath it. Coincidentally, the Firefox browser also shows a similar volume icon with the Firefox logo on it while Firefox is running. Perhaps the untitled volume is mimicking Firefox and launching unknown browser activity?

Anyone familiar with this issue? Thank you.

Power Mac G4, Mac OS X (10.3.9)

Posted on Jun 22, 2007 3:47 AM

29 replies

dhhomm Author

Level 1

0 points

Jun 28, 2007 5:48 PM in response to mrtotes

Hi mrtotes,

I think we can assume at this point that the crashes are unrelated to the Disk Image.

OK - I will put that Disc Image File back in the Finder.app.

What form do the crashes take; wipe down grey screen and a sign telling you to restart? Constant Spinning Beachball of Death?

It is always that little ##%^& spinning beach ball . . . how depressing ! The screen remains exactly as is and does not gray out. The mouse will still work even after the crash. I am always able to use the force-quit keyboard command to opt to relaunch the Finder, however relaunching the Finder does not fix the crash.

Also, I am able to use the Finder drop-down menu to restart the computer, and the computer will in fact restart but restarting does not fix the crash either.

The only solution thus far has been to manually hold down the power button (start up button) on the tower until the poor thing suffocates for lack of electricity. Fortunately, my dear G4 has always started up normally immediately afterward.

Thanks mrtotes,
dhhomm

mrtotes

Level 6

11,836 points

Jun 29, 2007 1:38 AM in response to dhhomm

Okay let's try the following things:

Open Macintosh HD > Applications > Utilities > Activity Monitor. Keep this window open while you work if you can and watch how hard the processor is working on certain tasks. Is it the application that you are primarily using that is taking up that resource? or is it something else running in the background?

Secondly read this FAQ provided by Apple Discussions' user Dr Smoke: SBBOD (link).

Thirdly, patience! G4s are not the latest machines in the world. Consider how much RAM you have for the tasks you're doing. Do you also have plenty of free hard disk space? You need at least 15% of your start-up drive free for good operation.

mrtotes

dhhomm Author

Level 1

0 points

Jun 29, 2007 5:18 AM in response to mrtotes

Thanks again for your prompt update, mrtotes.

1)I have opened Activity Monitor and will watch what is going on. According to Activity Monitor, the total Hard Disc capacity is 38.34 GB, of which 22.84 GB is utilized while 15.50 GB is available. At this moment, I am running only two applications - Firefox and Activity Monitor. CPU percentage being used is aprox. 3%.

2) I read the link that you provided regarding crashes. While I appreciate that my Quick Silver is not current, interestingly, my G4 ran problem free for the past few years. The many recent crashes of the past two weeks are totally new to my Mac.

Therefore, must not something have changed to account for the changed behavior? I have been using the same applications all along totally problem free, i.e. Firefox, Word, Finale, etc. The only new application I have recently loaded is Norton, and that was after the crashes had begun, in response to this problem (naively, it seems.)

3) I don't know if these specs. are relevant to this discussion, but I should mention that my G4 has the following:

Dual 1.73 GHz PowerPC G4
1.5 GB SDRAM
OSX 10.3.9

Would upgrading to Tiger possibly help eliminate these crashes?

Best, dhhomm

dhhomm Author

Level 1

0 points

Jul 12, 2007 7:53 AM in response to mrtotes

Dear mrtotes,

Just to update you on a discussion thread we had been having recently regarding my G4 crashing: There is no sign of improvement to date. Applications and/or the Finder are still constantly crashing.

Per your suggestion, I have used Activity Monitor to assess CPU usage during these times when there are freezes. There is no unexpected CPU activity other than the application(s) that I am knowingly running. What seems to occur at the moment of the crashes is that the CPU draw of the application that I am running suddenly spikes up to 100% for no particular reason, i.e. it is not associated with a particularly labor-intensive function, it does not happen during one specific function more than once, etc. These occasions seem to be random.

The applications I use most often are Firefox, Finale, Word, and of course Finder. I have been using these same applications for several years without a problem. These crashes have all started a few weeks ago. Any further thoughts?

Thanks again, dhhomm

mrtotes

Level 6

11,836 points

Jul 13, 2007 3:25 PM in response to dhhomm

At this point I would be tempted to re-install the OS using the Archive and Install option. This will not touch your user data but as always it's a good idea to have a back-up.

mrtotes

Rufus

Level 3

630 points

Jul 17, 2007 9:35 PM in response to mrtotes

Like many Mac users I don't trust anything branded Norton having spent hours recovering from corrupted hard disks cased by NUM.<</div>

I second this motion.... basically if it says "NORTON" anywhere on the box, immediately dispose of it.

As for viruses, I've been using Macs since 1987 with no "anti-virus anything" and have never gotten a virus. Just get that notion out of your mind.
I did get a infected Excel file from a PC using co-worker once, and sent it back to him just to see his little pc laptop set off all kinds of alarms. The infected file was harmless to the mac.

dhhomm Author

Level 1

0 points

Jul 18, 2007 2:29 AM in response to mrtotes

mrtotes,

Thanks for your thoughts, once again.

I attempted an Archive and Install but was unable to do so. After backing up my files, I inserted Panther Install Disc 1. I was prompted to restart the computer in order to begin the installation, during which I intended to choose Archive and Install. However, the computer got hung upon attempting to restart from the Install disc.

Typically when starting or restarting, there initially appears a light gray screen with a dark gray Apple logo in the center, underneath which there is a circular bar graph displaying a rotating motion indicating that processing is occuring.

In this case when restarting from the Installation disc, that gray screen with the Apple logo did appear as usual. However, there was no circular bar graph below it. Furthermore, after a couple seconds of time the dark gray Apple logo at center screen moved an inch or so to the right of center. No further progress occurred, and the computer was hung indefinitely. Restarting many times only produced the same result, resulting in being locked out of the computer. Eventually, I was able to eject the CD by holding down the mouse key while restarting.

I would appreciate your opinion.

Best, dhhomm

mrtotes

Level 6

11,836 points

Jul 18, 2007 9:15 AM in response to dhhomm

Boot from the disk again. Before running the Installer choose Disk Utility from the menu bar. Run "Repair Disk" on Macintosh HD.

Close Disk Utility and run the Installer. If Archive and Install fails again then use Erase and Install.

Good Luck

mrtotes

dhhomm Author

Level 1

0 points

Jul 19, 2007 6:47 AM in response to mrtotes

mrtotes,

I went to Disc Utility and chose Macintosh HD, however I am unable to use the "repair disc" option because that button is not lit - it is dimmed, indicating it is unavailable. At the bottom of the Disc Utility window are four buttons. The two on the bottom left are:

verify disc permissions

repair disc permissions

The two on the bottom right are:

verify disc

repair disc

When choosing Macintosh HD, the two buttons on the bottom left are lit, while the two on the right (including repair disc) are not lit. I did run both "verify disc permissions" and "repair disc permissions."

I then ran the install disc again with the same failure. Incidentally, I have never got to the stage of the installer where I am able to choose between "Archive and Install" versus "Erase and Install." When the install disc first opens, there is a restart step in order to begin the installation process. During that initial restart the freeze occurs, necessitating the force ejection of the CD in order to restart the computer.

Thank you for your continued attention. Best, dhhomm

Power Mac G4 Mac OS X (10.3.9)

Power Mac G4 Mac OS X (10.3.9)

Power Mac G4 Mac OS X (10.3.9)

Power Mac G4 Mac OS X (10.3.9)

Power Mac G4 Mac OS X (10.3.9)

mrtotes

Level 6

11,836 points

Jul 26, 2007 4:45 AM in response to dhhomm

Repair disk is what you want.

mrtotes

dhhomm Author

Level 1

0 points

Jul 27, 2007 2:09 AM in response to mrtotes

Thanks for the reply, mrtotes.

I am unable to choose +repair disc+ because that tab is not highlighted, indicating that it is unavailable. +Verify disc+ was available. I used that. Still, using the Panther installer disc does not work. According to Disc Utility, the HD is verified.

Best, dhhomm

dhhomm Author

Level 1

0 points

Jul 27, 2007 2:11 AM in response to mrtotes

+Repair Disc+ is unavailable, because that tab is not highlighted.

dhhomm Author

Level 1

0 points

Aug 2, 2007 3:14 AM in response to mrtotes

mrtotes,

My G4 is still crashing. It remains impossible to reinstall Panther, or to choose Repair Disc from Disc Utility. Is this the end for my PowerMac?

Best, dhhomm

dhhomm Author

Level 1

0 points

Aug 2, 2007 3:17 AM in response to mrtotes

Mrtotes, My G4 is still crashing constantly. Panther will not reinstall. Repair Disc is unavailable in Disc Utility. Is this the end for my PowerMac?

Best, dhhomm

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My G4 may have a virus