Photobooth is eating 75% of cpu and the whole app drags...

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Level 1

68 points

Photobooth is eating 75% of cpu and the whole app drags...

I have trashed the plist etc,
and still nothing.

When I open the app it eats about 15% cpu according to activity monitor, but as soon as I select the effects button #1 , the cpu just goes to the ceiling.

I trashed the plist, I created a new user, and it acts the same way.

I do notice that it drags and slows down when i select the "#1" set of effects,
"#2" set of effects still work fine, and the app doesnt slow down or become unresponsice like it does when effects number 1 is chosen.

Interesting that I am on a G5 and there still hasn't been an official update for photobooth , but there has been for Intel users. So, I got two problems now with photobooth , the pop art effect is still broke, and now the app is becoming completely useless.

oh well...

imac g5 isight 10.4.10 i have ALL current updates, Mac OS X (10.4.10)

Posted on Oct 21, 2007 6:45 PM

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Answer 1

Oct 22, 2007 10:59 AM in response to poops

"I trashed the plist, I created a new user, *and it acts the same way*."

It's possible somehow the app is corrupted and/or something is conflicting with it. A couple of things to try to weed out the problem.

*Except for the keyboard & mouse, disconnect all devices/peripherals from your computer.*

#1 - Repair disk/permissions from your Tiger System Install DVD.

#2 - Open Library>Startup items folder-the root level Library, not the one in your user name folder.
Look for potentially problematic 3rd party items such as virus scanning software components, etc. Remove 1 or more items to a location outside the Library folder, such as the Desktop, then restart normally & see if Photobooth is still hogging up the CPU. It it does, try removing all the items in the Startup items folder & restart. If all’s now well, place the items back into the Startup items folder 1 by 1, restarting each time you put one back. If and/or when the issue resurfaces, you just identified the faulty component.
If the above does not work, then it’s time to move on to.................

WARNING-This step can be tedious-removing .plist files from the /Library/Preferences folder.

Remove the entire Preferences folder from the Library folder on your startup drive then place the files back 1 by 1 until you see the problem return. *The Mac will automatically create a new Preferences folder in the Library folder*
Alternatively, you can take half of the items out (all non-Apple .plist file, for example), restart to see if Photobooth is still having issues, then move to a smaller set of items, repeating the process until the culprit is found.

Or you can use Preferential Treatment which is a FREE utility that does all the work for you.

#3 - Archive & Install
http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?artnum=301270 Scroll down to "Archive and Install”

#4 - Re-install Photobooth. It should be in the Bundled Software folder in the Tiger System Install DVD.

====================

"the pop art effect is still broke,"

The only solution for your model iMac is to download the Russian fix. It works. I have it & now am a happy camper. The Russian cure will update Photobooth to v1.2.
http://www.firblitz.com/2006/12/10/photo-booth-broken

Regarding your comments:
+"This "little" russian fix, created a much more larger problem dealing with the software update program and how it distinguishes whether you have the current updates for your apple software.+

+So using the 1.2 russian update has made things worse for people with non-russian imacs."+

I hope you are aware that *not everyone* suffered from this +Russian glitch.+ If it happens to you, then I suggest that you search the web for a cure and/or contact Apple. Just make sure you repair permissions & restart after the installation if you decide to take the Russian route.

Good luck!

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Answer 2

poops Author

Level 1

68 points

Oct 22, 2007 8:01 PM in response to Baby-Boomer-USofA

Hello thanks for the advide and instructions.

I tried step #1 , I restarted my computer and repaired permissions from my System Install DVD.
Restarted, didn't help.

I tried step 2 and I went to the Startup Items folder in my HD > LIBRARY > START UP ITEMS , restarted and still no improvement.

I tried your step in the middle of step 2 and 3 , would you call it step 2 1/2? 🙂

and now this one got me screwed up. becasue after I took out the entire preferences folder from my HD > LIBRARY > PREFERENCES , and restarted, tried photobooth, nothing...same problem. Still at square one.
But when I tried to replace the preferences folder, it will not replace the system "config folder," which is in the "preferences" folder. I keep getting a meassage asking me to authenticate, but it will not let me.

The system config folder which is in the preferences folder contains:

com.apple.airport.preferences.plist
NetworkInterfaces.plist
com.apple.AutoWake.plist
preferences.plist
com.apple.nat.plist
com.apple.PowerManagement.plist

so i decided to take the files out of the folder and drop them to the desktop, then add them back onto the HD, and it then asked me to authenticate and it let me replace them. But I notice the owner and group settings are different now ...now what?

Do i need to change them all to match up with what the permissions say on the original folder I took out?

Step 3 sounds like overkill for such a small error.

Step 4 i am going to try right now.

I just hope that who changing permissions thing isn't gonna screw me up later. I decided to match them up and change them to match up what I took out.

Please get back , soon...thanks

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Answer 3

poops Author

Level 1

68 points

Oct 22, 2007 8:20 PM in response to poops

i just wnted to add. I tried your step regarding re-installing the photobooth from my DVD.
Tried it, and nothing, same problem.

I first removed the old photobooth, removed reciept, and plist.

and then chose to install photobooth from my dvd. (custom install)
repaired permissions after, even restarted, and nothing, smae problem

Effects selection no# 1 stutters the video, on all effects and and drags teh whole app to a stall eats up all but 10-15 % of cpu. and that is with no other apps running.

I am very leary about installing an update from russia, doesn't seem right, that apple would not create an official update.

Now what?

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Answer 4

Oct 22, 2007 10:47 PM in response to poops

"I notice the owner and group settings are different now ...now what?"

See Knowledge Base Article: http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?artnum=106712 Troubleshooting permissions issues in Mac OS X

Sorry, I have no other suggestions for you to try since you do not want to Archive & Install and/or download the Russian fixer.

Hopefully, some other users will chime in here w/suggestions that you are willing to try out.
Have you considered updating to OS 10.4.10 & all the other updates that goes w/your model G5 iMac? Your system info confirms you are still using OS 10.4.

Good luck!

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Answer 5

poops Author

Level 1

68 points

Oct 22, 2007 11:09 PM in response to Baby-Boomer-USofA

Sorry for the confusion, this system is completely updated. 10.4.10; and has been for a while
no other issues, except this photobooth bug. THis computer has even had the combp updater applied twice or so to see if that would fix anything.

I firmly believe it is the photobooth app. With the OS being updated , the original version of photobooth is just falling apart

I guess I will try the russian fix.
I really dont want to mess up my system
by putting foreign apps into it, lol
I don't have many apps on here, I keep it pretty basic
just the basic apps that came with this computer..and a few freeware programs..
I kinda already knew the suggestions you offered weren't really gonna help, but I still tried them hoping something would come of them.

but no cigar.

I fixed the owner and and group settings
by the way, manually jsut going into the get info and fixing them that way.

I wish you would have warned me about that in your instructions.

thansk again.

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Answer 6

Oct 23, 2007 8:49 AM in response to poops

"I wish you would have warned me about that in your instructions. "

There was really no need to. You stated: +"But when I tried to replace the preferences folder"+

There was no need to replace the preference folder because when removed +"the Mac will automatically create a new Preferences folder in the Library folder"+.

If you really do not want to try the Russian download, then do an Archive & Install. It will not fix the Pop Art but it may solve your CPU problem.

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Answer 7

Nov 17, 2007 2:40 PM in response to poops

are you still having trouble because of the Russian Photo Booth fix?
try entering this instruction in Terminal:

sudo mv /var/db/.AppleTier3Language /var/db/.AppleTier3Language.bak

then you put in your system password and that's it.

full thread is here:
http://discussions.apple.com/thread.jspa?threadID=1092162

Message was edited by: davedawgnyc

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