System Freezes Randomly after 10.6.3 Update

Hi,

I have seen other people post various other problems they have experienced after 10.6.3. But I want to dedicate this thread specifically to Macs freezing randomly during operation after applying the 10.6.3 update.

It has happened twice in the past 24 hours. While using my iMac, the system becomes unresponsive and exhibits the following symptoms:

1. Though the mouse pointer moves, I cannot click on icons, links, select text or interact with anything using the mouse.
2. The system is also unresponsive to key presses on the keyboard, whether they be individual key presses or pre-defined keyboard shortcuts.
3. The only way to make the system respond is by holding down the power button until the iMac shuts down.

I cannot tell if the problem is related to the specific activity I was performing on the Mac - the freezing may seem random to me but it could be caused by the same event (maybe Flash, Javascript, or some background program)

If you are having the same issue, please post here by copying and pasting the text below and entering your answers:

1. Problem started happening after 10.6.3 update? Yes/No
2. Did you get any errors during 10.6.3 update process? Yes/No
3. Mouse cursor moves? Yes/No
4. Mouse clicking does nothing? Yes/No
5. Keyboard key presses do nothing? Yes/No
6. Only way to re-animate system is by holding down power button? Yes/No
7. Mouse/Keyboard Model?

I'll fill in mine to start:
1. Problem started happening after 10.6.3 update? Yes
2. Did you get any errors during 10.6.3 update process? No
3. Mouse cursor moves? Yes
4. Can you click anything with the mouse? No
5. Does the system respond to keyboard key presses? No
6. Only way to re-animate system is by holding down power button? Yes
7. Mouse/Keyboard Model? Magic Mouse/Apple Aluminum KB w/number pad

iMac 24" (Late 2008), Mac OS X (10.6.3)

Posted on Mar 30, 2010 11:06 PM

Reply
682 replies

Apr 22, 2010 10:59 AM in response to retiredoc

Same here. Tried everything and eventually spent hours reinstalling first 10.5 then 10.6 upgrade but stuck at combo 10.6.2 having read all comments in this thread. Of course we are all suffering from collective hysteria.

imac 7.1
intel core 2 duo
ATI Radeon HD2600
4gb ram (still had same problem when replaced original samsung 2*1gb ram)

1. Problem started happening after 10.6.3 update? Yes
2. Did you get any errors during 10.6.3 update process? No
3. Mouse cursor moves? Yes
4. Mouse clicking does nothing? Clicks and moves are delayed up to about 5 seconds, then executed.
5. Keyboard key presses do nothing? Same as above
6. Only way to re-animate system is by holding down power button? No, logout/login helps.
7. Mouse/Keyboard Model? Aluminium Keyboard & Wireless mighty mouse

Apr 22, 2010 11:52 AM in response to sherifhanna

Of the 4 computers I've updated, only my Mac Pro (early 2008) does this. Machine has been rock solid from day one until 10.6.3. Glad to have found this thread I've been worried it was a hardware problem. Applied the v1.1 combo update & seemed to help, but didn't cure it. I also suspect it's a graphics issue, I have 3 monitors on 2 ATI cards, on one freeze last night the 3rd monitor went dark. Frustrating that there are no console messages or error logs. Nothing to send a report to Apple.

1. Problem started happening after 10.6.3 update? Yes
2. Did you get any errors during 10.6.3 update process? No
3. Mouse cursor moves? No
4. Mouse clicking does nothing? Yes, nothing
5. Keyboard key presses do nothing? Yes, nothing
6. Only way to re-animate system is by holding down power button? Yes
7. Mouse/Keyboard Model? Aluminium Keyboard & Wireless Magic Mouse

Apr 22, 2010 7:13 PM in response to sherifhanna

Sam problem here, but when this occurs my network is still running. So I think the system is still working but somehow the usb devices are all dead. There is NO power to the mouse, USB mic and USB speaker, all DEAD.

1. Problem started happening after 10.6.3 update? Yes
2. Did you get any errors during 10.6.3 update process? No
3. Mouse cursor moves? No
4. Mouse clicking does nothing? No
5. Keyboard key presses do nothing? No
6. Only way to re-animate system is by holding down power button? Yes
7. Mouse/Keyboard Model? Kensington Expert Mouse / Apple Compact USB Keyboard

Apr 23, 2010 5:05 AM in response to vanessa19

I redid my mac a few times and now stayed with leo since everything works (till I saw a new update for snoleo, then I'd reinstall snoleo) but I saw in a post elsewhere.... "If you have not run Disk Utility and used Repair Disk Permissions since upgrading to Snow Leopard, you may want to do that as a first step.

Then, to further isolate your problem, create a new admin user account in System Preferences Accounts pane.

http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?path=Mac/10.5/en/8235.html

Log out and log in to the new account. You will be using default user preference settings and only standard processes will be running in the background (unless you installed third-party software that runs at the system level). Try whatever causes the problem in the new account, and note if it recurs.

I have done this for the several minor issues I ran into, and in the new post-upgrade account, there was never a problem. Then, I did some more detailed trouble-shooting in my pre-SL user account to figure out what was causing the problem (usually a preference file that I had to trash)."

there were replys to other questions as well that cud be helpfull to the freezing issue, but I'm not sure I want to try any of it till I see 10.6.4! one good thing to do is do a time machine backup of yur new virgin installed OS. I have the backup but havent reverted completely to it via the instalation disc utilities yet, but its there! hopefully if I DO need to use the virgin installs from backup they dont take as long as from a disc!

Apr 23, 2010 8:44 AM in response to planetjt

planetjt wrote:
there were replys to other questions as well that cud be helpfull to the freezing issue, but I'm not sure I want to try any of it till I see 10.6.4!


Keep in mind that updates very rarely cure the kind of problems discussed in what you quoted. Usually, the opposite occurs: things just get worse because the already 'sick' system is trying to apply the update to itself. If it helps, think of it like a demented doctor trying to cure himself. He is likely to do more damage than good.

If nothing else, run Disk Utility's Verify Disk & Permissions Repair on your system, if necessary from the "Utilities" menu of the installer DVD after starting up from it. (You can think of the OS on the DVD like a healthy doctor treating a possibly demented colleague.)

Apr 23, 2010 10:12 AM in response to sherifhanna

I am having the exact same problem with my MacbookPro.
2.53 GHz Core 2 duo processor
4GB 1067 mHz DDR3 memory
MacBook Pro model 5,5
Drive is SSD TS256A - 251 G

The problem with my MacBook freezing began immediately after upgrading to 10.6.3. Unit would freeze at random times. Only way to unfreeze was to reboot. After experiencing this for several days, I reinstalled OS 10.6. Everything worked fine until I "upgraded" to 10.6.3. Same problem returned. Since I have warranty coverage I called Apple and they had me do the usual things (resetting several things, etc. etc. etc.). Nothing worked so they sent a FedEx box to my home to pick it up. The next day I got a call from Apple saying that they couldn't replicate the problem. I told them to just let it set and it would happen. They did and it did. They said the only thing they could do was to erase the drive and reinstall the operating system. I told them to go ahead.

When my computer returned the next day it had 10.6.2 installed as the "latest version of the operating system certified for my computer."

I then called Apple and asked if I should "upgrade" to 10.6.3 and they said "yes."

When I upgraded to 10.6.3 the same problem returned. I am now in contact with an Apple senior technician who, theoretically, is working with me to resolve the problem. He originally thought that it might be the check mark to put the drive (solid state) to sleep after 20 minutes. I uncheked his option and it appeared to solve the problem for about 36 hours then back to the same problem.

The senior tech is supposed to get back to me within 24 hours (I have his name and extension) so I will keep everyone updated as to my progress.

I have no idea how to go back to 10.6.2 - right now I would do that if I could or maybe make a good boat anchor for my neighbor's new sea runner :-/

Rob

Apr 23, 2010 3:01 PM in response to norwichrob

norwichrob wrote:
I have no idea how to go back to 10.6.2 - right now I would do that if I could …


There are many topics in this forum that explain how to do that, often with topic titles that explicitly ask that. From the main Discussions > Mac OS X v10.6 Snow Leopard > Installation and Setup topic listing page, just enter the word "downgrade" into the "Search Discussions" search box on the right side of the page, tap the return key, & you will find all you need to know about how to do that & more.

Apr 25, 2010 9:42 PM in response to sherifhanna

Well here is the latest ...

After talking with three "Senior Apple Technical Advisors," I have learned the following:
1. The Senior Advisors are a call center located in Toronto, Canada
2. They are not, in my opinion, technical people.
3. They, collectively, believe that my problem is related to a bad solid state drive.
4. They are sending me a new solid state drive (value $980).
5. This is because even using 10.6.2 the free space on my drive, as reported by "get info" varies from 105 Gb to 25 Gb even with no activity.
6. I have learned: (1) never upgrade to the next OS until at least six weeks have passed, and (2) the solid state drives are not ready for prime time.

More as I learn more.

Rob

Apr 25, 2010 11:25 PM in response to Brent Carroll

I started experiencing these sudden freezed a couple of days after upgrading my Mac Mini Server.

Two days of trying to fix it (and with three loong calls to Apple support) all I got out from it was a way to back up my boot drive from the install dvd and reinstall. Upgraded to 10.6.2 and everything has been running smooth ever since.

Apple did not acknowledge the problem in any way and kept insisting it must be my faulty hw.. shrug

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System Freezes Randomly after 10.6.3 Update

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