System Preferences - Network option hangs processeas indefinitely

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Level 1

8 points

System Preferences - Network option hangs processeas indefinitely

When accessing "Network" under "System Preferences", it would cause the process to hang (spinning beachball). After a number of seconds "System Preferences" would also hang. Both confirmed in the "Activity Monitor" to be not responding. See below.

Other items under "System Preferences" seem to be okay.

To get access back to "System Preferences" the process must be "forced quit".

I am running macOS Sierra (Version 10.12.6) on a iMac 27-inch, Mid 2010 (iMac 11,3)

iMac 27", 10.12

Posted on Jan 25, 2019 10:41 AM

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Answer 1

Best reply

jchintor Author

Level 1

8 points

Feb 8, 2019 4:55 PM in response to jchintor

I found a solution.

I followed the instructions in Network Preferences Not Responding - Apple Community (https://discussions.apple.com/thread/7315709?answerId=29235446022#29235446022). It says to open "Services" and move the content to trash. These files are plist files.

Just like the other user encountered, I was unable top delete the file com.apple.Boot.plist. I left it. Network in System Preferences now work again.

After a reboot, it is working again.

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Answer 2

jchintor Author

Level 1

8 points

Jan 25, 2019 10:59 PM in response to Eric Root

Here are my attempts (all hung processes):

Login with an existing admin account - "System Preference - Network" hangs processes indefinitely
Login my account in safe mode - "System Preference - Network" hangs processes indefinitely
Login in normal mode with an existing admin account again

ran etrcheck
see attached report and https://pastebin.com/DgyuvhCc

EtreCheck Report 20190126

Created a new admin account. Login in normal mode - "System Preference - Network" hangs processes indefinitely
Login in normal mode with my account - "System Preference - Network" hangs processes indefinitely

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Answer 3

Eric Root

Level 10

684,039 points

Jan 25, 2019 10:57 AM in response to jchintor

Might be a corrupt .plist.

Do a backup, preferably 2 backups on 2 separate drives.

Quit System Preferences.

Go to Finder and select your user/home folder. With that Finder window as the front window, either select Finder/View/Show View options or go command - J. When the View options opens, check ’Show Library Folder’. That should make your user library folder visible in your user/home folder. Select Library. Then go to Preferences/com.apple.systempreferences.plist. Move the .plist to your desktop.

Restart the computer, open the application, and test. If it works okay, delete the plist from the desktop.

If the application is the same, return the .plist to where you got it from, overwriting the newer one.

Thanks to leonie for some information contained in this.

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Answer 4

Eric Root

Level 10

684,039 points

Jan 25, 2019 7:11 PM in response to jchintor

You are welcome. Try setting up another admin user account to see if the same problem continues. Please post back on whether or not this worked. Also try the Safe Mode. Please post back on whether or not this worked.

Isolating an issue by using another user account

Safe Mode - About

If it works in the Safe Mode, try running this program when booted normally and then copy and paste the output in a reply. The program was created by Etresoft, a frequent contributor. Please use copy and paste as screen shots can be hard to read. Click “Share Report” button in the toolbar, select “Copy to Clipboard” and then paste into a reply. This will show what is running on your computer. No personal information is shown.

Etrecheck – System Information

If the log won’t post, try posting it in Pastebin and provide a link in a reply Pastebin

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Answer 5

jchintor Author

Level 1

8 points

Jan 27, 2019 1:03 PM in response to Eric Root

The problem still exists. None of the uninstall helps. The installs were clean uninstalls. All remnants in ~/Library were removed too.

After I uninstall each of the apps I attempted to access "System Preferences". Most time System Preferences is immediately hung. After uninstalling all four apps the process froze after I selected "network" The "%CPU" is pegged at 100% . This was what was happening at the start of this debugging process.

Uninstall

McAfee (Bell Canada)
malwarebytes
tunnel bear
expressvpn

I can try uninstalling each of the non-Apple apps and see what happens. Maybe the only option is to reinstall the OS. But that will take me a while to do.

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Answer 6

jchintor Author

Level 1

8 points

Jan 30, 2019 3:46 PM in response to Eric Root

The macOS Sierra 10.12.6 Combo installed failed.

I also tried re-installing Sierra from COMMAND-R method. System Preferences pegs the CPU at 100% the process soon after selecting it. I clean up my disk a bit to make sure I have some extra disk space. It was a bit low.

Is this a problem with Sierra OS itself?? I do not have this problem, with High Sierra on my MacBook Pro.

Any other thoughts?

Thanks

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Answer 7

Eric Root

Level 10

684,039 points

Jan 26, 2019 8:56 AM in response to jchintor

I would uninstall MacAfee. It tends to interfere with the computer's operation while providing minimal to no benefit. Most long time posters recommend not using antivirus software or cleaning software such as CleanMyMac.

McAfee Uninstall near bottom of the page

McAfee uninstall

Try disabling the VPN to see if that helps.

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