Random Freezing

take it back. if you can repro the freeze they might just replace the computer with a new one.

but it's within 14 days of purchase, right? there should be zero hassle... (shrugs)

I'm having the same problem. I can't imagine it would be RAM because I got my machine directly from Apple with 4Gb of RAM. I didn't install any myself.

I think it is definitely trackpad/mouse related. It only seems to happen when I'm moving the mouse pointer - usually with the trackpad but I just had it happen with the wired Mighty Mouse as well.

It happens under Boot Camp as well. The trackpad is generally borked under Boot Camp but that's another story and I'm sure something that can be fixed with drivers because the trackpad works as expected in OS X and even when using Windows under VMWare Fusion. It just doesn't work properly using Windows under Boot Camp.

Apple - please help!

I had the freezing problems also as well as my MBP not waking up. I tried two different sets of 2g sticks. I just don't have the energy and time to wait for this to be wrung out. I bought from Amazon and they are great. They are sending me a brand new MBP which I pray does not have the problem and it seems prevalent but not universal (I hope). Maybe it was the first batch or something. I know Apple does their best to sell as near a perfect product as they can but I need it to work if it is my primary machine. I even re-installed Leopard on this one thinking I may have brought over some bug with a transfer of my data. That seems unlikely.

Here is the report after the last freeze. Dunno how to read this and make any real sense of it.

Mon Oct 27 17:34:26 2008
panic(cpu 1 caller 0x001A9C5C): Kernel trap at 0x507b81cb, type 6=invalid opcode, registers:
CR0: 0x8001003b, CR2: 0x00000000, CR3: 0x010b5000, CR4: 0x00000660
EAX: 0x507bc880, EBX: 0x00000000, ECX: 0x507bbc20, EDX: 0x507bc880
CR2: 0x00000000, EBP: 0x563a8f48, ESI: 0x00206908, EDI: 0x00000000
EFL: 0x00010002, EIP: 0x507b81cb, CS: 0x00000008, DS: 0x00000010
Error code: 0x00000000

Backtrace (CPU 1), Frame : Return Address (4 potential args on stack)
0x563a8d48 : 0x12b4c9 (0x45aaac 0x563a8d7c 0x1335ba 0x0)
0x563a8d98 : 0x1a9c5c (0x464070 0x507b81cb 0x6 0x463798)
0x563a8e78 : 0x1a026d (0x563a8e90 0x64d4128 0x563a8f48 0x507b81cb)
0x563a8e88 : 0x507b81cb (0xe 0x563a0048 0x1a0000 0x10)
0x563a8f48 : 0x507aea85 (0x3d4 0x6623084 0x563a40a4 0x66eba00)
0x563a8f78 : 0x507b05db (0x563a4000 0x3a8fa4 0xc00 0x0)
0x563a8fb8 : 0x19aaa0 (0x563a40a4 0x563a8ff4 0x131d9e 0x37f0000)
0x563a8fd8 : 0x1afcb3 (0x563a4000 0x0 0x131cd1 0x563d3000)
0x563a8ff8 : 0x1a15da (0x80ad00 0x1b8e00 0xffffff80 0x0)
Backtrace terminated-invalid frame pointer 0
Kernel loadable modules in backtrace (with dependencies):
com.apple.driver.AppleIntelCPUPowerManagement(59.0.0)@0x507ad000->0x507c5fff

BSD process name corresponding to current thread: kernel_task

Mac OS version:
9F2114

Kernel version:
Darwin Kernel Version 9.5.1: Fri Sep 19 16:19:24 PDT 2008; root:xnu-1228.8.30~1/RELEASE_I386
System model name: MacBookPro5,1 (Mac-F42D86C8)

I experience random freezes with my machine as well.

Three different sets off memory made no difference.

Then I figured, the machine gets to warm, but that doesn't seem to be the case either, since it also happened when I was just browsing the web or when I took it out of the bag and tried to wake it up.

I can't be the track pad either, since I happened when the machine is closed and used with an external display.

So finally, I took it to the Apple Store and had a Genius take a look at it. He believes it's a software issue. Possibly some driver. I migrated from an older MacBook Pro so he might be right. I'll get another HD today and will install a fresh system on it, copy everything by hand and check thing out. If that doesn't solve it, I'll install just the OS on the original drive and play with it until it freezes (or doesn't). If it still causing trouble, I'll exchange it.

To be honest, I'm not ready yet to buy into the software problem explanation that the Genius gave me. I'm not running anything special and would think that more people would experience this problem if a bad driver would be the cause.

My MacBook Pro 2.53GHz 4GB RAM late also freezes randomly and often...

Today, which is my first day of use I have had at least 8 freezes, which have all required me to hold down the powerbutton 5seconds hard restart. When it freezes, I can still move my mouse but all other graphics, etc are frozen.


What should I do?

I am having the same freezing problem. This is very frustrating, and it only seems to happen when I am giving an important presentation. I have an older Core Duo 17", but never had a problem until I installed an additional 1g of ram. I can't seem to figure out why it happens when i travel and/or when connecting to a projector and/or when using Keynote. I tend to think it's either related to the RAM or installation of a program. I had problems with HP printer software at one point, not sure if this is related. Here are some of the programs that I have installed, perhaps someone may notice a nexus:
Microsoft Office (old version)
MOTU firewire interface
Garmin Map Source and Training Center
Photoshop Elements
VMware Fusion
Logic 8
ILife
iWork
OS X 10.5.5
HP drivers

Update... I finally exchanged my machine on Thursday. The guys at the Apple store were really cool about everything.

I put the exact same drive (and software of course) into the new machine. Put the Crucial ram back in that I bought earlier and for the first time had two full days without a freeze. The only difference is that I now run smcFanControl and that I keep an eye on the temperature, because I believe that's the problem.
Anyway, if everything stays that way, I can finally give this MBP the love it deserves 😉

eric1811:

first off... you're in the wrong forum, this thread is really just for the late 2008 MBPs.

I do have a suggestion for you though. Try to re-install 10.5.5 using not your software update, but the combo update that is available as download from Apple.
http://www.apple.com/support/downloads/macosx1055comboupdate.html

I read, somewhere else that it contains around 200MB worth of graphic drivers ect. that sometimes do not get installed if you use just the software update.

Let us know how it went...

I can't help, but mark me down as having the same issue, unfortunately. I have had 3 freezes since I bought my machine a week ago. That doesn't seem like a lot compared to what some of you are experiencing, but I never had this issue with my previous MacBook.

I can't reproduce it. Though I'm not sure it has anything to do with the trackpad since it happened once while set up at my desk (I use a Cinema Display, Mighty Mouse, and Apple Keyboard while set up home).

Maybe it's the RAM, but my model came with 4GB of ram, so I don't think there is a compatibility issue.

I'm HOPING that this has something to do with drivers for the new chipsets, and is fixable via software update.