Q: Random freezing from Snow Leopard - total lock-up for about 30 seconds

Tignus wrote:
Well just check with Activity Monitor and you'll see that kernel_task is not mentioned (64 bits)... Why would it solve the problem... I don't have the smallest clue.... maybe are some 32 bits extensions not loaded in this case...

Still it is that when I go back on 32 bits kernel for ntfs purpose, I can really feel the difference (32 is much more sluggish)...

Self-quoting, hoping to have a feedback from people who tried it

Hello Tignus,
Yes 64bit mode is a bit more snappy!! I run it on my Mac Pro and my 13"MBP & my 17"MBP.

To answer your questions, if your running in 64-bit kernel it does deactivate older 32bit kexts that were not written to co-exist in with a 64-bit kernel. This is why the freezing goes away in 64-bit kernel mode. Which (except in the case of a bad hard drive) shows that its 99.9% third party software that people keep restoring from time machine backups or their software library. I've updated all my apps and stopped using the ones that haven't been updated yet. I have written many developers as well about updating and have been receiving very good feedback.

As far as NTFS goes, There is a 64bit version of NTFS-3G (beta and working really swell)

-Bill

Hi,

This solution worked for me: http://discussions.apple.com/thread.jspa?threadID=2313245&tstart=0

after having absorbed about every single suggestion wrt this issue.

Hopes it helps for you!

I had this issue for months. I got the spinning ball too often. Sometimes it did not allow me write a couple of words between spins!!!!!. I read almost this entire thread and others (on PC). Tried many solutions. Having always the frustrating feeling of walking in circles. And with many checklists of what to do. After all, it seems there is not an common solution we can all apply.
Now, I have finally my Mac back. Please see below.

I had two suspects:

-The issue was something related with flash (it always got worse when having a webpage displaying flash content)
-My hard drive running slow.

After testing my HD with disk utility so many times, the tests always passed. I thought the issue was not my drive.... Until I decide to use Smart Utility. http://www.apple.com/downloads/macosx/systemdiskutilities/smartutility.html

It showed I had bad sectors on my disk. Please read article below to see what could be the reason.

So, I decided to buy a 1 TB Caviar Black 7200 RPM.

-Put the disk on tray
-Shut down
-I took all my HDs out
-Started the computer from SL DVD.
-Formated the disk as a Mac OS Extended (Journaled). From utilities menu (I think) before installation
-Did a clean install and test. My clean install was smoooooth! It took around 1/2 hr. (Before, it took hours)
-I changed my user name. This might be part of the solution.
-Did not bring anything of my old stuff when asked to migrate.
-After I tested everything (using a lot Safari and Firefox + Flash video), it worked great
-Then, I updated the system by downloading the combo upgrade, so I could have one step installation.
-Testing again (using a lot Safari and Firefox + Flash video). Working great so far.
-Software update and finish installing everything else. Some apps and security update
-Testing again. Still smooth!!
-Now, even though I was not sure about migrating, I did it with the utility migration assistant. I took the risk because it always takes longer to install all your stuff again than reinstalling the system in case something goes wrong again (a little more than 1hr spent so far and about two hrs more transferring). Note: I never cleaned my library folders before trying solve the SL problem
-When migrating, check all the boxes. You want to do a tough test to know if your Mac can handle all your stuff again. This is much better than installing one app at a time.
-Now I got two accounts. Not sure if it really helps, but it worked for me.
-Finally. I set the automatic login for my old account. That way I can always have my old account right after starting the computer. system preferences/system/accounts/login options

Not a single problem so far!

Please read the article below that I got from http://www.macmedics.com/blog/2009/08/31/before-installing-snow-leopard-be-sure- to-read-our-apple-upgrade-warning-page-first/



I hope you got some time for you and your family if this works for you


Cheers!

Diego


+"Can your hard drive handle Snow Leopard?+

+Installing a new OS is like taking your hard drive to the gym. It can be quite a workout for an older hard drive, and whenever a new OS comes out, we always see a few dead hard drives as a result. No matter what you do, make sure you have a back up of your data before you begin! Also, don’t forget (or skip over) the important task of TESTING your back up. Time Machine is what many clients are running, and while it works most of the time, it can suffer from issues. It’s very hard to test that a Time Machine back up is totally working, and we often find ones that don’t work. Just keep that in mind when you plan your upgrade.+

+Prices have dropped significantly on hard drives over the last year or so. MacMedics now recommends retiring hard drives after three years in desktops, and two years in laptops. Be sure to check out new web page to find out why you should retire your older hard drive and to learn about our 5 rules of data protection and preservation. Why take a chance with your data when faster, larger, and generally more reliable drives are available. Moving to Snow Leopard is a great opportunity to get a new drive, while at the same time insuring your data is safe."+

I have worked on this for a couple days and finally locked it down. Here are the problems:

1. The Divx codec (Divx 6 or 7) interferes with Safari, so does CoolIris, you have to go to Safari, do a "get info" and change it to Open in 32-bit Mode. This MIGHT solve the problems with the Divx codec (if it doesn't simply uninstall the plugin and the divx files from /Library/QuickTime/DivX Decoder.component/Contents/MacOS/DivX Decoder and also the plug in from the next step:

2. Removing all the plugins from the Library/Internet Plug-Ins folder, restarting Safari, quitting Safari and re-installing all of them - except DivXBrowserPlugin.plugin and EPPEX Plugin.plugin (if you have it) - seems to help.

3. Dumping the file, com.apple.Safari.plist, from Users/YOUR-USER-FOLDER (whatever it is called)/Library/preferences and these

History.plist
HistoryIndex.sk
LastSession.plist
LocalStorage
TopSites.plist
WebpageIcons.db

From Users/YOUR-USER-FOLDER (whatever it is called)/Library/Safari

also helps.

4. Another problem that may show up on your Console is:

Error loading /Library/ScriptingAdditions/Adobe Unit Types.osax/Contents/MacOS/Adobe

If you have this, you should install the new 64bit version of Adobe Unit Types located here:

http://kb2.adobe.com/cps/516/cpsid_51615.html

Instructions on how to remove the old one and replace it with this new one are there.

5. Another problem that may exist causing this the the 24U Appearance OSAX program/extension causing entries like this in your Console:

Safari[684] Error loading /Library/ScriptingAdditions/24U Appearance OSAX.osax/Contents/MacOS/24U Appearance OSAX

I tried installing the newest version and still got these errors so I removed it from:

Your User Folder (whatever it is called) /Library /ScriptingAdditions

Find the 24U Appearance OSAX and move it to the trash. You can also check the scripting additions folder in:

Macintosh HD/Library/ScriptingAdditions

toss it too.

6. An annoying problem also occurred for me involving the DivX Decoder.component located in /Library/QuickTime/DivX Decoder.component, I tossed it.

It seems the whole package of Divx 6 or 7 (including the newest version and the Pro version [which I paid for]) is causing problems all over. Toss it.

After doing all this, I had no more problems involving system hangs (spinning beachball) when running Safari or Firefox. I hope this helps others, since this was quite a bear to finally run down and isolate.

A further suggestion, run Console once in a while and find out what problems are showing up. You can simply copy and paste the relevant bits into Google and look for others with such problems. I copy the entries from Console into TextEdit, trim them to the relevant bits, paste them into Google (or here in discussions.apple in the search box with quotations around the whole phrase - that is important) and usually find someone with similar problems and (hopefully) solutions.

Please let me (and others) know if this works, or if you find out other solutions for this is something that his messing with a wide range of folks.

Have you tried "SMART Utility"? It shows errors that Apple's Disk Utility doesn't. It seems to me that all the fiddling with extensions and other files only addresses the symptoms of the underlying cause, which is a failing disk.

A footnote:

When I tested my disk (during months of problems), I only used Apple's Disk Utility to check for problems reported by the SMART mechanism, but it only ever said "verified". Since replacing my disk (and all the problems gone now for over a month), I put my old disk back in a spare drive bay this week and ran "SMART Utility". It reported numerous problems with the disk that Apple's Disk Utility still doesn't see. If only I had tried "SMART Utility" months ago.

I could not agree more T&B.

Since I bought a new HD, fresh install and transfer the files via Migration Assistant (after testing new system), I have my Mac Pro back!

I have been running it beach ball free for 10 days!

Cheers,

Diego

My computer was always monitered with Smart Reporter => No error
I try apple disk verification => No Errror
I've installed smart utility and run full tests => No Error

I've removed the plugins from safari... and now I'm surfing with safari more than a week without freeze...

Yet more evidence that there is more than one root cause for the freezing.

It appears that we get the beachball when the plugin framework blocks -- and so far we've seen it caused for some by disk issues, and for others by broken plugins.

Spidey!!!

I have/had the same freeze. I'm new to Mac, so if I leave any info out, my apologies.

On a new (Christmas present) MBP 15" (2.53GHz, 4GB RAM, 250GB drive) unibody with latest software updates...

I have an external 500GB Western Digital disk that I removed from its enclosure and wanted to install/upgrade the stock fujitsu 250GB.

I used carbon copy cloner to migrate the original 250GB to the 500GB, then installed the 500GB using the procedure in the User's Manual. System freeze starts immediately whenever I do virtually anything. Simply copying files from one location to another causes it.

I talked to someone who seemed relatively knowledgeable, and he said that CCC could be the culprit and I should clean erase/install. So I did. Same problem.

I put the original 250 back in, and it works like a champ.

I need more space, and I would have upgraded when the machine was bought, but I thought I had it covered.

Is there a preferred HD brand? It had the same specs (rpm, cache size, etc.). However, it had slightly higher power draw (1.6W vs. 1.4W).

Thanks,

BD0

I was actually using Chrome as my browser but after beach balls on a regular occasion I switched to Safari and I haven't had any more beach balls popping up.

I also switched off the plugins which I read from a previous post.

Message was edited by: jk_baller23

Just an update on my situation with SL Server on a Mac Pro.

If the machine is restarted and I do not login at the console (afp & ssh are ok) the machine has no problems and runs fine until I log in. Then it will freeze within an hour or so requiring a shutdown by holding the power button. Since it's a server, I usually don't need to log in at the console so it's no big problem most of the time.

Yesterday I received a UPS (1500VA 980W) for the server. After setting it up with the server plugged in to it, the machine froze after about 1 hour. Only the server was plugged into the UPS. I removed the UPS and all has been well since.

Since the machine is in service it's difficult to do much testing. This problem is driving me Nucking Futs!!!!

Ted

Hello Ted,
I can find your problem if your willing to sit with me in a shared screen session and on the phone. Its not that hard as I've fixed several of these problems on lots of different machines. If your interested, email me at (without the spaces..lol) z 1 r o s s @ g m a i l . c o m. I'll give you my ichat ID and we could go from there.

Thank you,
Bill

In both your posts I don't see any mention of you having tested the disk. Have you tried Disk First Aid "Verify Disk" and SMART Utility? The latter would have saved be six months of frustration if I had tried it first up.

Tom