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User profile for user: Fivehatters
Fivehatters Author
User level: Level 1
0 points

Snow Leopard freezes constantly

Hi
Lot's of people seem to have similar problems with Snow Leopard. I'm feeling a fool for upgrading to Snow Leopard so quickly, but Leopard worked from first installation with no problems and the Mac had been so stable for so long I just thought maybe they'd cracked it!

I'm hoping someone might have a suggestion to solve a pretty painful problem with the Mac. I installed Snow Leopard, but it has started freezing as soon as the Mac screensaver / disk sleep / display sleep happens.

In line with other suggestions I've updated the printer driver (that did solve one problem) and I've checked the permissions and run the repair programme (one permission was repaired). I've also installed the 10.6.1 software update. Notwithstanding this it still freezes and the report says that it is a kernel panic.

These are problems I've never had before with the Mac running Leopard. It never froze, never crashed. To be honest, I've never had an error report before (maybe I've been very lucky?) All of the problems seem directly related to the installation of Snow Leopard.

I am contemplating reinstalling Snow Leopard, but will that make a difference?

It'd be great if anyone has any suggestions.

Thanks

Matthew

iMac 2.4Ghz / 2GB 667 MHz DDR SDRAM, Mac OS X (10.5.6)

Posted on Sep 12, 2009 4:10 AM

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68 replies
User profile for user: hillboy
hillboy
User level: Level 1
0 points

Sep 12, 2009 5:18 AM in response to Fivehatters

I've had the same problem but now it's solved. I downgraded back to leopard 10.5.8 which a way too stable than SL. I'm so disappointed with SL.
I was waiting for it so eagerly and was so excited when I got it, but soon I got annoyed because it started freezing constantly that I couldn't do anything, the whole system was halt for some minutes, whenever I use Safari it hangs, and even when I quit it, still hangs, and then I opened iWeb again it hangs, I opt for Firefox but it's also same as Safari, and then,finally I decided to go back to Leopard which I think is truly faster and stable just like Leopard in the African wild not like Snow L which is almost rare and going to extinct very soon. I think there apple should fix it soon otherwise it's going to be just like the name itself.
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User profile for user: FriscoAggie
FriscoAggie
User level: Level 1
15 points

Sep 13, 2009 4:49 PM in response to Fivehatters

I upgraded my 2007 24" iMac last night and the freezing problems began today. So my freezing issue is a grey screen upon which no action would cause a return to the desktop. The only response I could get was a spinning beach ball.

Went through an iteration of test configuration changes:
1. Turned off drive sleep: still freezes
2. Turned off display sleep: still freezes
3: Turned off computer sleep: still freezes
4: Disconnected all external drives and printer: still freezes
4: Turned screen saver to (Never): Stopped freezing
5: Reconnected all external devices: still working
6: Turned on display sleep: still working
7: Turned on drive sleep: still working
8: Turned on computer sleep: still working

So for our computer is wasn't a sleep issue even though it looked like it. If fact when you punch the power button it seemed to put the computer to sleep, but when it tried to wake up you would just get the beach ball.

Hopefully it continues to work, but it appears to be caused by the Mac screen saver, not sleeping.

Cheers,
Joe
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User profile for user: donv_the_ghost
donv_the_ghost
User level: Level 9
50,900 points

Sep 13, 2009 5:39 PM in response to Fivehatters

Going back should make a difference. Still, some have ended up with some hangover problems. An erase and install will be necessary if you decide to go back (unless you have a clone, etc.). I would first try the Leopard (i.e., 10.5) DVD for the erase part. But, you may have to use the Snow Leopard (i.e., 10.6) DVD for this part.

Let's assume the first for now. Startup from the DVD by holding down c when starting up. Next, when able, choose your language and stop. Then, using the menus at the top, select Disk Utility and erase your drive. Next, quit Disk Utility and continue the install. After the install is complete, insert your Leopard applications disk and install the programs you want. Now, you are done except for restoring you data, apps, and settings using whatever media are available to you.

In the other case, you will have to exit the installer after exiting Disk Utility. Next, you would startup with your Leopard DVD again by holding c down during startup. Now, after selecting your language again, just click install. After the installer is finished, install your applications as above.

Message was edited by: donv (The Ghost)
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User profile for user: jsml
jsml
User level: Level 1
20 points

Sep 13, 2009 9:43 PM in response to Fivehatters

I'm having similar problems, but not with during start-up. Programs are closing or freezing and all kinds of error reports are being generated. I've never seen such instability on my Mac before. It's sad! I expect this from a PC on Windows... 😟 I am also feeling like I should downgrade. But, I like some of the features of Snow Leopard and I'm worried if I downgrade, it will do something weird.
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User profile for user: vbelloli
vbelloli
User level: Level 1
0 points

Sep 14, 2009 12:44 AM in response to Fivehatters

I think that the problem could be created by a bugged version of nvidia drivers included in 10.6.1.
I've a similar problem (see this: http://discussions.apple.com/message.jspa?messageID=10201230#10201230): freeze after start of screensaver. The problem is pseudacasual, not every time, but after upgrading from 10.6 to 10.6.1 i had 2 freeze in 2 days, and before i had 0 freeze in 5 months using 10.5.x and 10.6

Vincenzo Belloli.
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User profile for user: Fivehatters
Fivehatters Author
User level: Level 1
0 points

Sep 16, 2009 12:59 AM in response to Fivehatters

Hi

A lot of helpful ideas, thank you to everyone.

I've tried to work out in more detail what is the problem and it seems that putting the screen to sleep (which is obviously desirable) seems to befuddle the mac and it won't wake up. Putting the hard drive to sleep under any circumstances also seems to be a problem.

I have tried a few things suggested in the forums and have come to the conclusion that an 'erase and install' is the best option. This however strikes fear into me as I have never done anything like it before. I noticed "The Ghost"'s post above and that seems very helpful, but I have a few further questions. I think that erase and install wipes the harddrive completely, therefore I need to:

a) back up the iTunes library (including a lot downloaded from iTunes);
b) back up my photos
c) back up my documents (mainly Word and Excel)
d) back up my emails.

I have Time Capsule but am not sure how this would work after wiping the hard drive. Does anyone have any suggestions about the best way to back all of this up (and have I thought of the things I need to do) and whether it is possible to do so (I am not sure about permissions on iTunes and have no idea how you'd do it with the emails)?

Thank you very much in advance. I am genuinely appreciative of the support that forum users give to everyone in their spare time.

Matthew
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User profile for user: drdrei
drdrei
User level: Level 1
9 points

Sep 18, 2009 4:57 PM in response to Fivehatters

I have been having exactly the same issues with Snow Leopard. No matter what application(s) I am running, there is a recurrent spinning wheel -every few minutes- that prevents me from using the computer for any other task. I have tried updating to 10.6.1 and repairing, but no luck. Like many on this forum, I am deeply disappointed with Apple on this release of OS X. I am eagerly waiting for Apple to address this problem sooner rather than later.
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User profile for user: K T
K T
User level: Level 7
23,877 points

Sep 18, 2009 5:06 PM in response to drdrei

Hey, dr drei and welcome:

I have been having exactly the same issues with Snow Leopard


I'm prompted to stop you there, sorry.

You have no way of knowing that your installation, configuration and usage is identical, meaning you have no way of proclaiming you have the exact/same issues.

Please try to post non-anecdotal comments free of conjecture and simple complaint....it is fine to express dismay, but it diminishes your credibility when making sweeping 'me-too' statements like this and only makes it harder for everyone to approach resolution if in fact there are blanket issues that affect multiple users. For the record, my SL is working great and there is no way (esp. as a developer) I'd go back to any previous version.
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User profile for user: DavidWil
DavidWil
User level: Level 1
20 points

Sep 18, 2009 9:47 PM in response to K T

My hangs in SL 10.6.1 are a bit different.

The MacBook (Late 2008 alum) frequently hangs when going to sleep, on restart, or shutdown. This was an upgrade from 1.5.8, not a fresh install. The only way out is a forced power off.

I'm not sure what puts the machine in this mode. However I'm guaranteed that it will hang on sleep or shutdown IF iTunes will not start (gets stuck as 'not responding' and will often not 'force kill'), or if Parallels 4 will not start my Windows 7 VM.

I also happened to notice that it is impossible to eject or unmount the external USB hard drive in these cases and that might actually be the first symptom. Eject requests seem to hang and might take several minutes to fail. This external HD is used mostly for Time Machine backups but not on a scheduled basis - I manually trigger a backups when I want one.

No matter what is hanging up - a sleep, restart, shutdown, VM start, or iTunes - I can always break the log jam by powering off the external HD.

I use the VM only occasionally and am pretty sure that isn't what is responsible for keeping the external drive tied up. I've checked for open files on the device when the machine is in this state and nothing shows as open on the external from Mac side.
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Snow Leopard freezes constantly

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