sherifhanna
Level 1 (0 points)

Q: 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

Close
sherifhanna

Q: System Freezes Randomly after 10.6.3 Update

  • All replies
  • Helpful answers

first Previous Page 36 of 46 last Next

  • by bobtibb,

    bobtibb bobtibb Nov 14, 2010 12:18 PM in response to sherifhanna
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Nov 14, 2010 12:18 PM in response to sherifhanna
    I have been running 10.6.5 now for 2 days. I had no problems until this afternoon when I was messing with 'Growl'. I had done the latestest software update to Java and iTunes prior to this happening. I was testing the different Growl screen message options and the system froze as I was doing this. One freeze so far. The screen adopted the colour scheme of the Growl message selection and filled the screen with that colour. Reboot. I have disabled Growl and await another freeze! If this happens again I will revert to 10.6.2 again. Doesn't Apple read any of our findings? Or.... are they sure that this problem will be sorted with 'Lion'? More money spent!!!

  • by T-squared,

    T-squared T-squared Nov 14, 2010 8:09 PM in response to Eminemdrdre00
    Level 1 (10 points)
    Nov 14, 2010 8:09 PM in response to Eminemdrdre00
    Yes. AppleCare replaced my video card and the freezes went away. The freezes started when I upgraded to 10.6.3. Freezes also occurred on 10.6.4. Reverting back to 10.6.2 and I had no freezes. My iMac was stable at 10.6.2. I worked with AppleCare, ran their tests, sent them logs, sent them pictures of the frozen screen. They replaced the video card and I haven't had any freezes on 10.6.3 or 10.6.4.

  • by jaycee1980,

    jaycee1980 jaycee1980 Nov 14, 2010 8:50 PM in response to sherifhanna
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Nov 14, 2010 8:50 PM in response to sherifhanna
    Apple replace the card and the freezes go away - this tells me one of two things, either there is a newer firmware in the cards that solves the problem, or it is a thermal issue. My bets are on the latter.

    However, my machine never used to have problems under Windows XP, running the latest ATI drivers there. I may have to install Windows and try stressing the GPU with some GPU stress tool. If that shows lockups and/or artifacts, then it's a thermal/GPU issue. If not, it's a software/firmware one.

    I expect I'll get some vitriol about Windows being somehow inferior but this is not the case - Apple's drivers are way behind the equivalents on Windows, and I can say that officially as a game dev.

  • by Tom in London,

    Tom in London Tom in London Nov 15, 2010 12:45 AM in response to sherifhanna
    Level 4 (1,626 points)
    Mac OS X
    Nov 15, 2010 12:45 AM in response to sherifhanna
    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? Yes
    5. Keyboard key presses do nothing? Yes
    6. Only way to re-animate system is by holding down power button? Yes

  • by Tom in London,

    Tom in London Tom in London Nov 15, 2010 1:03 AM in response to Tom in London
    Level 4 (1,626 points)
    Mac OS X
    Nov 15, 2010 1:03 AM in response to Tom in London
    The part I don't accept about all this is:

    Under 10.6.4 everything was running perfectly.

    After installing 10.6.5 suddenly I'm supposed to get involved in all sorts of diagnosics, RAM checks, disk repairs, re-installing, etc.

    No thanks. I have work to do and if, after CORRECTLY installing the system update, things have gone wrong, that is Apple's fault, not mine.

  • by Tom in London,

    Tom in London Tom in London Nov 15, 2010 1:09 AM in response to Tom in London
    Level 4 (1,626 points)
    Mac OS X
    Nov 15, 2010 1:09 AM in response to Tom in London
    OOps

    wwrong thread

  • by jaycee1980,

    jaycee1980 jaycee1980 Nov 15, 2010 11:05 PM in response to sherifhanna
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Nov 15, 2010 11:05 PM in response to sherifhanna
    OK, so under Windows XP 32-bit with ATI's latest "Catalyst" 10.10 driver, the machine is totally stable while under GPU stress using a well known GPU stress program called "FurMark". The GPU never gets hotter than 41c and the CPU cores don't get much beyond 55c. All well within safe limits.

    So Apple - own up, it's a driver issue, not a hardware one. Sort it out.

  • by paultageist,

    paultageist paultageist Nov 17, 2010 12:41 AM in response to dneu
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Nov 17, 2010 12:41 AM in response to dneu
    Thanks for that dneu, I will try it. But first I am going to upgrade to 10.6.5 because it may put things right; you never know. It's not looking too hopeful though as one or two users are still having trouble with it.

  • by AntonioT,

    AntonioT AntonioT Nov 17, 2010 1:19 AM in response to sherifhanna
    Level 1 (0 points)
    iPhone
    Nov 17, 2010 1:19 AM in response to sherifhanna
    I've the same problem.

    1. Problem started happening after 10.6.3 update? Yes(but only after 10.6.5)
    2. Did you get any errors during 10.6.3 update process? No
    3. Mouse cursor moves? Yes
    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? MacBook Pro's Trackpad/Keyboard

  • by paultageist,

    paultageist paultageist Nov 17, 2010 6:13 AM in response to dneu
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Nov 17, 2010 6:13 AM in response to dneu
    I have upgraded to 10.6.5 this morning, plus also I have installed the smcFanControl app. that you suggested. Well I like a good gadget! I have set the the fan settings to around 3000rpm. The reported temperature dropped from 43degC to a more modest 27degC, so the app works anyway (though it hadn't been tested on an iMac7,1 before).

    I haven't had a freeze for two hours or more, so there is room for optimism! I will let you know in about two weeks time what transpires.

    The logical thing is to get the system board cleaned of course. My machine is over three years old so must have accumulated a bit of dust - there were signs of some when I upgraded the memory last year. What I need now is a good reference article for opening up an iMac... Anyone?

  • by Ricardo A.,

    Ricardo A. Ricardo A. Nov 18, 2010 2:51 PM in response to sherifhanna
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Nov 18, 2010 2:51 PM in response to sherifhanna
    I don't get it. Tons of people have reported this issue, now they release 10.6.5, and still no solution? I'm tired of not being able to update some apps because of my OS X version. Don't they read their forums?

  • by napabill,

    napabill napabill Nov 18, 2010 3:03 PM in response to Ricardo A.
    Level 1 (4 points)
    Mac OS X
    Nov 18, 2010 3:03 PM in response to Ricardo A.
    No, they don't. These are self-help forums for users.

  • by Ricardo A.,

    Ricardo A. Ricardo A. Nov 18, 2010 5:01 PM in response to napabill
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Nov 18, 2010 5:01 PM in response to napabill
    So, there ain't no way that we can make them take notice of this issue, besides the usual reporting system?

  • by Tazthed,

    Tazthed Tazthed Nov 19, 2010 5:00 AM in response to sherifhanna
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Nov 19, 2010 5:00 AM in response to sherifhanna
    The funny thing is that Apple has just released an update to Safari 5.0.3 and we can't install it on Snow Leopard 10.6.3! It has to be on 10.6.4 which makes our iMac crash/freeze!

    So now it is iLife '11 and Safari 5.0.3 that we can't install......!

  • by magofdl,

    magofdl magofdl Nov 20, 2010 5:36 PM in response to Tazthed
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Nov 20, 2010 5:36 PM in response to Tazthed
    I am losing hope that apple fix this error, at least in snow leopard. there should be a way to communicate together to apple this error to take it in a future update.
first Previous Page 36 of 46 last Next