Status bar hanging up while starting up.

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Level 1

5 points

Status bar hanging up while starting up.

Hello everyone-

We have encountered a problem with MacBooks stalling during startup. It always happens when the status bar is filling before you get the log in screen. The bar stops at different spots all the time. The only way around it is to hard shut down and try again. Sometimes it will work on the first shut down other times you have to shut down 6+ times to get it to go.

This issue only surfaced after we fully patched all the systems and bound them to our Open Directory servers. We have a dual environment at the company I work for (AD & OD).

I have gone through some of the logs after this has happened and they have never stopped on the same thing twice. It just seems like a random thing.

Has anyone else had this issue? Any other things I can try to get this narrowed down?

Thanks for your time!

Avast

MacBook Pro, Mac OS X (10.4.11)

Posted on Mar 12, 2008 10:30 AM

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Answer 1

Mar 12, 2008 10:48 AM in response to ben6073

Do you have Parallels 5584 installed with Shared Networking enabled?

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Answer 2

ben6073 Author

Level 1

5 points

Mar 12, 2008 10:56 AM in response to Strontium90

It is a good possibility that the ones that are stalling out do indeed have Parallels installed. I would have to double check the version they are all running.

I personally am having this issue and am running 5584.

Is there a known issue I missed?

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Answer 3

Mar 12, 2008 11:30 AM in response to ben6073

Let's just say we are working on establishing it as known. You're description: 10.4.11 with AD/OD bind and Parallels with shared networking at startup is common to what I've been seeing in the field. The common thread is the automount process hanging and failing to recover as seen in the example below:

Mar 11 14:08:01 macstation9 Parallels: Restarting InternetSharing...
Mar 11 14:08:01 macstation9 Parallels: Initialization complete.
Mar 11 14:08:01 macstation9 /System/Library/CoreServices/loginwindow.app/Contents/MacOS/loginwindow: Login Window Application Started
Mar 11 14:08:02 macstation9 automount[156]: deferring user logout notification while init is in progress...
Mar 11 14:08:02 macstation9 loginwindow[186]: Login Window Started Security Agent
Mar 11 14:08:04 macstation9 automount[156]: deferring network change notification while initialization is in progress...
Mar 11 14:10:12 macstation9 automount[156]: reposting deferred logout notification.

And that is it. Removing the Parallels' startup items allows the system to boot normal. Removing all DS bindings but putting the Parallel's startup items back allows the system to boot normal. Binding and placing the startup items in then pulling ethernet to startup will allow the uncheck of starting up ethernet at system boot. This appears to allow for "normal" booting.

I am still actively tracking this issue down and working with swsoft to see if there is a known problem. One of my field techs changed the order preference in Parallels' StartupParameters.plist from "First" to "Last" and claims that it has resolved the long/never startup issue. I have not confirmed.

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Answer 4

ben6073 Author

Level 1

5 points

Mar 12, 2008 12:40 PM in response to Strontium90

I think you are on to something here.

Do you know the reprocutions (if any) of moving, or deleting the two Parallels folders that are in startup?

I have edited the .plist to Last and am letting this bake for a day and see if anything blows up.

Thanks for all your help!

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Answer 5

Mar 13, 2008 5:45 AM in response to ben6073

Sadly, if you move or delete the startup items, Parallels Desktop will not launch. So the startup items are required as they load share libraries used by the VM controller. So far, I am getting good feedback on the "last" trick as well. A little early to claim victory. Still no word from swsoft.

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