Unexpected Freeze, Hang, Shut Down

Question

Level 1

5 points

Unexpected Freeze, Hang, Shut Down

This has been happening for a while now and I still haven't gotten to the bottom of it.

At least a couple times a day, my Mac Pro (OS 10.5.7) will simply freeze completely with no mouse/keyboard control or it will just shut itself down. Doesn't seem to be any connection to a particular application running. I can be simply composing an email, browsing in Safari, working in Photoshop, or pretty much anything. A couple times it even happened within a minute of restarting with no applications running. It's also happened after I've left the computer alone for a while and the screen saver is stuck.

If I happen to be listening to something in iTunes the music will stop and sound like it's in an endless loop playing a split second of the song.

Every time my only solution is to shut power off an on again. I've tried waiting for many minutes, but nothing happens. Luckily, I haven't lost any important work, but I know it's bound to happen sooner or later.

I contacted Apple and got the suggestion to clear my Library caches and Safari cache, etc... I even went through the time to re-install using my original OSX disc and subsequently re-installing all my drivers. That seemed to fix the problem but not really because it started happening again a couple days later.

Any help out there???

Thanks.

Mac Pro, Mac OS X (10.5.7), MacBook Pro, original iPhone

Posted on Jun 19, 2009 4:06 PM

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Answer 1

Jun 19, 2009 6:27 PM in response to smilingdog

HI,

Open System Preferences/Energy Saver and click the Sleep tab. Click the Schedule button and see if you have a startup or wake time scheduled.

Try resetting the SMC. http://support.apple.com/kb/HT1806

Check the hard disk for errors.

Insert the installer disk and Restart, holding down the "C" key until grey Apple appears.
Go to Installer menu (Panther and earlier) or Utilities menu (Tiger and later) and launch Disk Utility.
Select your HDD (manufacturer ID) in the left panel.
Select First Aid in the Main panel.
*(Check S.M.A.R.T Status of HDD at the bottom of right panel. It should say: Verified)*
Click Repair Disk on the bottom right.
If DU reports disk does not need repairs quit DU and restart.
If DU reports errors Repair again and again until DU reports disk is repaired.
When you are finished with DU, from the Menu Bar, select Utilities/Startup Manager.
Select your start up disk and click Restart

If you cannot boot from your install disk, try booting in Safe Mode

Are you running anti virus software???

*"I haven't lost any important work, but I know it's bound to happen sooner or later."*

Backup your important files ASAP just in case. If you have another Mac you could use Firewire Target Disk Mode to access files on the Mac Pro if necessary.

Carolyn 🙂

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Answer 2

smilingdog Author

Level 1

5 points

Jun 19, 2009 10:59 PM in response to Carolyn Samit

Thanks for your response Carolyn.

How does running Disk Utility and Repair Disk from the installer disk differ from running from Disk Utility already installed in OSX? I believe I did that before, but I did it again just to be sure.

Also, I know I reset the SMC before. I went under the hood and hit that reset button as described in that link you gave me.

I don't believe I'm running any anti-virus software. Nothing that I consciously installed.

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Answer 3

Jun 20, 2009 5:48 AM in response to smilingdog

Hi smilingdog;

The operating system is funny in that it will not allow you to do certain things to the disk when it is running from that disk. Repairing the directory structure which is one of the primary things that is done when you run Repair Disk from Disk Utility is one of those things. So by booting from the installer disk that frees up the disk from those operating system restrictions and the disk can be repaired.

Allan

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Answer 4

smilingdog Author

Level 1

5 points

Jun 22, 2009 9:53 AM in response to Allan Eckert

Thanks Allan,

I just tried to run Disk Utility by booting from my OSX Install DVD... holding down "c" after inserting the disc and restarting. But I didn't see any Utilities menu or way to get to Disk Utility. There's only options to install OSX or choose Optional Installs.

Do I have the wrong disc or what??

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Answer 5

Jun 22, 2009 12:00 PM in response to smilingdog

I posted the instructions for booting from your install disk in my previous post.

*"How does running Disk Utility and Repair Disk from the installer disk differ from running from Disk Utility already installed in OSX? I believe I did that before, but I did it again just to be sure."*

No difference. But I was saving you time. If you already had Disk Utility open from the install disk and checked the hard disk for errors, you might as well repair disk permissions at the same time.

🙂

Message was edited by: Carolyn Samit

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Answer 6

Lyssa

Level 8

41,327 points

Jun 22, 2009 12:12 PM in response to smilingdog

In addition to the excellent advice you've gotten so far, I have a couple questions.

1) How large is the computer's hard drive & how much space is free?
2) Have you tried working in a new user account to see if the behavior persists?

~Lyssa

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Answer 7

smilingdog Author

Level 1

5 points

Jun 22, 2009 3:14 PM in response to Carolyn Samit

Hi Carolyn,

I followed your instructions to the letter, but when I boot from my installer disc (holding down "c" after restarting), I don't see the Utilities menu that you mentioned.

Your response about the difference between where Disk Utility is executed differs from what Allan wrote a couple posts above. So who's correct?

Lyssa - Checking my OSX system drive, right now it says Capacity is 297.77GB with 151.33GB Available. Should be plenty of free space, yes?

Thanks for everyone's help so far.

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Answer 8

Jun 22, 2009 3:49 PM in response to smilingdog

When you boot from your install disk holding down the C key, after select your language, you will see a Menu at the top of the screen. Click where you see the word: Utilities

🙂

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Answer 9

smilingdog Author

Level 1

5 points

Jun 22, 2009 6:18 PM in response to Carolyn Samit

Got it Carolyn!

I missed it being at the top of the screen.

I just did the verify and repair permissions.

Strange thing is the Verify Disk said everything was fine, but Repair Permissions came back with a bunch of "Permissions differ on ....".

So I did a Repair Permissions. After it completed I did Verify Disk Permissions again and it returned the same type of "Permissions differ on..." messages. How can that be??

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Answer 10

Jun 22, 2009 7:47 PM in response to smilingdog

If DU said the disk, "appears to be ok"... that's good.

Don't worry about the permissions. Those messages can safely be ignored.

But, if the computer is still freezing when using applications...

Check to see how much free disk space there is.
Right or control click the MacintoshHD icon. Click Get Info. In the Get Info window you will see Capacity and Available. Make sure you always have a minimum of 10% to 15% free disk space at all times.

Are you running anti virus software ????

🙂

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Answer 11

Lyssa

Level 8

41,327 points

Jun 22, 2009 7:58 PM in response to smilingdog

Edit: thanks Carolyn. Gosh, I just can't read today!

Other suggestions which will be more relevant:
1) Try working in another user account to see if the problems persist.
2) Try working with the computer booted into Safe Mode--hold down the Shift key while starting up the machine. This will probably take longer than a normal boot, so be patient!

~Lyssa

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Answer 12

Jun 22, 2009 7:55 PM in response to Lyssa

*"Strange thing is the Verify Disk said everything was fine"*

Got that part.

🙂

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Answer 13

smilingdog Author

Level 1

5 points

Jun 22, 2009 11:09 PM in response to Carolyn Samit

Hi Carolyn,

Thanks for the info on the permissions. I feel better that I can ignore them.

No anti-virus software that I know of. I never installed anything.

The Get Info for my Macintosh HD says...

Capacity: 297.77GB
Available: 151.29GB

Plenty of space, right?

A new kind of freeze just happened a short while ago. As I was minimizing Adobe Bridge, everything just froze with the window half-way on its way to the dock. No mouse. No keyboard. Nothing.

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Answer 14

Jun 23, 2009 7:53 AM in response to smilingdog

That's more than enough disk space.

Adobe software has been notorious for causing incompatibility issues with the Mac OS X.

Locate this file. com.Adobe.Bridge.plist

/Users/YourName/Library/Preferences. Drag that file from the Preferences folder to the Trash, empty the Trash and restart your Mac.

Go here and read the information regarding Adobe Bridge / issues with the Mac OS X.

http://kb2.adobe.com/cps/331/331594.html <--- try purging the Adobe cache as instructed here.

🙂

Message was edited by: Carolyn Samit

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Answer 15

smilingdog Author

Level 1

5 points

Jun 23, 2009 10:04 AM in response to Carolyn Samit

Thanks for the Adobe Bridge tip Carolyn. I'll give that a shot. Not sure if it will solve everything since my problems occur even when nothing Adobe is running. But it sure can't hurt. I'm sure I'll find out soon.

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