Imac - almost daily crashes

I own a iMac desktop and macAir. Both have started crashing almost daily. The desktop, which is circa 2014, is the worse. This started around July 18. I've ordered a refurbished Mac Proc to replace the MacAir. It is almost full, and is even older therefore I understand why it is crashing. However, the hard drive on the iMac is only using 2.4 out of 3.12 T.


I plan to order a new desktop in the next 6 months. The desktop is my usual workhorse. But the crashes concern me. Will it be safe to migrate data from my desktop to a new desktop? After today's crash, the system reopened with a message that it had lost the keychain data.


Related question: should I get another iMac? None of the existing iMacs have a 27 inch screen. Could I order a Mac mini and use that with my existing 27 inch screen??

iMac 27″, macOS 11.7

Posted on Sep 14, 2023 3:27 PM

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Question marked as Best answer

Get rid of all of the add-on security apps, as a starting point.


Given all the the debris here, including all the pieces of the add-on security apps, and given the list of missing components, I’d back up, back up again, wipe and re-install, and migrate files and documents and not apps from one of the backups.


I’d probably also skip the adware and the personal-data-collection-ware too, but that’s your choice.


Check for a Parallels update, MacFUSE, and others, too.


iLifeSlideshows is having issues, though that app seems to have been deprecated. I’d skip re-installing thar, if it;s even still available.


I’d probably skip the WD add-ons, too.


Spotlight is crashing a lot, which can be a volume corruption, file corruption, or a hardware problem. Given the other crashes, and the add-on anti-malware, I’d first assume a volume or file corruption, or issue with the anti-malware.

Posted on Sep 18, 2023 9:05 AM

10 replies

Sep 14, 2023 5:50 PM in response to marianfromla

marianfromla wrote:

I own a iMac desktop and macAir. Both have started crashing almost daily. The desktop, which is circa 2014, is the worse. This started around July 18...


One or the other crashing would be more common when some hardware fails, but both crashing points to something else causing issues; some common add-on app (add-on VPN app, add-on anti-malware, add-on cleaper app, maybe?), or maybe network or power.


...Will it be safe to migrate data from my desktop to a new desktop? After today's crash, the system reopened with a message that it had lost the keychain data.


You'll want to ensure Time Machine or some other backup is running.


Related question: should I get another iMac?


That's your decision.


None of the existing iMacs have a 27 inch screen.


The only current model is 24". Other options are a Mac mini, or maybe Mac Studio, with an external monitor, or one of the 4K Smart TVs or such.


Could I order a Mac mini and use that with my existing 27 inch screen??


No. Neither end of that will work. The iMac is too new, and any 2020 or later Mac is too new for Target Display Mode.


Question marked as Helpful

Sep 14, 2023 6:26 PM in response to marianfromla

Although it is not related to your question, you might want to investigate the cause of the crashes. Perhaps it's fixable. EtreCheck may reveal some actionable information, or not.


Also, it just goes without saying: if you do not back up your Macs, then the prospect of permanently losing all the information they contain does not concern you.


Back up your files with Time Machine on Mac - Apple Support


Some people already know that and don't care, but others don't know and are horrified at the prospect.

Question marked as Best answer

Sep 18, 2023 9:05 AM in response to marianfromla

Get rid of all of the add-on security apps, as a starting point.


Given all the the debris here, including all the pieces of the add-on security apps, and given the list of missing components, I’d back up, back up again, wipe and re-install, and migrate files and documents and not apps from one of the backups.


I’d probably also skip the adware and the personal-data-collection-ware too, but that’s your choice.


Check for a Parallels update, MacFUSE, and others, too.


iLifeSlideshows is having issues, though that app seems to have been deprecated. I’d skip re-installing thar, if it;s even still available.


I’d probably skip the WD add-ons, too.


Spotlight is crashing a lot, which can be a volume corruption, file corruption, or a hardware problem. Given the other crashes, and the add-on anti-malware, I’d first assume a volume or file corruption, or issue with the anti-malware.

Sep 18, 2023 9:50 AM in response to John Galt

Ok, this is scary. I don't think that I've ever wiped the Mac and re-installed before. I may skip Parallels and windows since I don't need it for work any longer.


iLifeSlideshows?

MacFuse is a mystery. I've never used it, but I found it online. Reading about it now.

The WD add-ons were added by one of the backup drives. I'll be glad to get rid of it.

Sep 18, 2023 1:00 PM in response to marianfromla

If you have an abundance of time and patience, it might be possible to eradicate the remnants of all the junk. If you want to do that by all means write back.


Otherwise I agree with MrHoffman's sage advice. It's generally easier and less time-consuming to perform an "erase and reinstall" and that's my recommendation also.


  Kernel extensions present - This computer has kernel extensions that may not work in the future.


"May not work" also means "may cause problems".


  System extensions installed - This computer has system extensions installed. System extensions can be difficult to uninstall.


That's an understatement. The problem with anything that gets inserted in /Library/SystemExtensions is that it can become "grandfathered" and no longer un-installable after a subsequent macOS upgrade, in which case nothing short of an erase and reinstall can fix it. Both "Kaspersky" and "Symantec" have affected that folder. Normally, it's empty.


  Configuration profiles found - This computer may have configuration profiles installed.


That's another problem.


Perhaps I should stop looking for more.


As I write this MrHoffman's recommendations are looking better and better.

Sep 19, 2023 11:22 AM in response to MrHoffman

Can I review my instructions here?


1) I need to create a bootable installer for MacOS

Create a bootable installer for macOS - Apple Support


These instructions look as if they include the command to erase the drive


2) After I install MacOs, I'll have to download the software that I already own again.


Is there anything that I am missing? I found a page about installing from macOS Recovery

How to reinstall macOS - Apple Support

Is that what I should be using instead of recreating a bootable installer?



Sep 19, 2023 2:50 PM in response to marianfromla

0: Back up once. Back up again, to a separate target device. Your data is the most important thing here.


1: A bootable installer, or Internet Recovery, yes. If your internet connection is slow, then creating and using a bootable installer is probably the better approach, as you can see the progress with that. As it is already downloaded and local, the bootable installer tends to be faster than booting over the internet.


2: Yes, and you will want to be selective about what gets installed. I’d avoid add-on anti-malware, add-on cleaner apps, add-on first-few-hops VPN client apps, and similar. And I’d minimize add-on apps for added hardwaee; stay wih the standard drivers and AirPrint where available.

Imac - almost daily crashes

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