WindowServer Quit Unexpectedly

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Liempie60 Author

Level 1

5 points

WindowServer Quit Unexpectedly

A number of times on a daily basis the following happens:

My iMac loses connection with my Apple wireless keyboard and mouse.
The computer returns a screen that I have to login again, which I try to keep off in my system settings.
Once I login again, it seems that I lost the specific wallpaper (a family picture) and screen saver (a folder with family pictures) that I installed in my system settings.
A few hours later the same happens again from step 2 onwards (I cannot verify if this also followed step 1 that my iMac loses connection with my keyboard/mouse).

Grateful if someone can tell me how I can resolve this issue.

Liempie60, 7 April 2024

iMac

Posted on Apr 7, 2024 3:16 AM

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Answer 1

Top-ranking reply

BDAqua

Level 10

250,253 points

Apr 7, 2024 8:12 AM in response to Liempie60

Have you run Disk Utility's Disk First Aid on all connected drives?

Are you running any VPN, Anti-Virus, or Cleaning apps?

We need to see what all is running, a report from this will not display any personal info...

Using EtreCheck - Apple Community

EtreCheck is a FREE simple little diagnostic tool to display the important details of your system configuration and allow you to copy that information to the Clipboard. It is meant to be used with Apple Support Communities to help people help you with your Mac. It will not display any personal info.

https://www.etrecheck.com/

Thanks for Old Toad’s etrecheck instructions…

Slow iMac 2017 - Apple Community

Use the Note tool on the bottom of this editor's toolbar, as shown in the image, to copy and paste the output from EtreCheck. In a Reply before you click post, look for this to add longer texts...

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Answer 2

Old Toad

Level 10

215,184 points

Apr 7, 2024 10:50 AM in response to Liempie60

Anther "basic" fix you can try is to boot into Safe Mode according to How to use safe mode on your Mac and test to see if the problem persists. Reboot normally and test again.

NOTE 1: Safe Mode boot can take up to 3 - 5 minutes as it's doing the following;

• Verifies your startup disk and attempts to repair directory issues, if needed

• Loads only required kernel extensions (prevents 3rd party kernel/extensions from loading)

• Prevents Startup Items and Login Items from opening automatically

• Disables user-installed fonts

• Deletes font caches, kernel cache, and other system cache files

NOTE 2: if you have a wireless keyboard with rechargeable batteries connect it with its charging cable before booting into Safe Mode. This makes it act as a wired keyboard as will insure a successful boot into Safe Mode.

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Answer 3

Liempie60 Author

Level 1

5 points

Apr 9, 2024 2:33 AM in response to BDAqua

As a first step, I changed the system settings by:

simplifying the wallpaper to one specific photo (I used a folder on my desktop of 6 pictures as wallpaper), and
simplifying my screen saver using the folder with 6 pictures on my desktop, instead of using an album containing 317 photos on Photos.

Result: problem solved! My Mac did not show the problem that I had before.

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