Level 1

133 points

CTO iMac, 3.6Ghz i5, 8Gb RAM random freezes

Hello to you all,

from day 1, October the 13th, my CTO iMac freezes randomly; it has frozen a total of 8 times, 3 of them during the last Apple Keynote, on October the 20th.

When it freezes and there is sound going, it continuously repeats the last sounds, very fast, and the first time this scared me a lot: the first time I thought the loudspeakers broke up (loud scratchy noises, like bangs).
In the other cases, the iMac just freezes, stays there, no heat, no fans going. So here what I've already done:

(1) Contacted Apple, they suggested to (and I did):
(2) Check disk - no problems
(3) Check permission - no problems, solved some inconsistencies
(4) Zap PRAM
(5) Run Hardware Test (I ran the full HW test, all is ok)

And I:

(6) Updated to 10.6.5 and to what System Update was telling me to. (10.6.5 was updated from Combo, as I always do with large system updates)
(7) Checked the temperature of the processor and other temperatures, are all ok
(8) Stressed the iMac with Call Of Duty 4, with the help of a gamer, he played for two hours two times, no freeze.

Until the end of october I had the iMac connected to my router with a Ethernet to power line communication adapter, so thinking that the problem could be related to noise on the power line, I stopped using them and, until today, the problem seemed solved.

Today, after 22 days after the last freeze, I've launched a check of one of my external HD with Sophos Antivirus (I have some Windows files there) and went to lunch. When back, the iMac was frozen, keyboard unresponsive, black screen (should this coming from power save mode).

Details:

(a) iMac i5@3.6 Ghz 8 Gb RAM, all of them same brand (0x80AD)
(b) Bluetooth keyboard and mouse
(c) Time Machine active, the TM HD normally is off, I decide when to make it.
(d) I have the full system.log; there are some errors that I can't explain, but they not always are followed by the freeze.

I've deleted the Chrome App, that was active in some cases; and almost always Safari was running.

I report pieces of my system.log just before the freezes:

(I)

Oct 13 15:07:01 Bugfixer PubSubAgent[298]: SQL Error: SQLITE_CANTOPEN[14.0]: Database file not found
Oct 13 15:09:53 localhost com.apple.launchd[1]: * launchd[1] has started up. *
Oct 13 15:09:57 localhost DirectoryService[15]: Improper shutdown detected

(II)

Oct 15 20:13:03 Bugfixer configd[13]: Hibernate Statistics
Oct 15 20:13:03 Bugfixer configd[13]: Kernel WDDMService com.apple.powermanagement.applicationresponse.cancelled
Oct 15 20:13:13 Bugfixer configd[13]: PMConnection mDNSResponder com.apple.powermanagement.applicationresponse.slowresponse 759 ms
Oct 15 20:13:49 localhost com.apple.launchd[1]: * launchd[1] has started up. *
Oct 15 20:13:53 localhost DirectoryService[15]: Improper shutdown detected

(III, this happened TWO times in a very similar way)

Oct 20 18:53:44 Bugfixer [0x0-0x28028].com.google.Chrome[288]: objc[302]: Class TaskOperation is implemented in both /Applications/Google Chrome.app/Contents/Versions/7.0.517.41/Google Chrome Helper.app/Contents/MacOS/../../../Google Chrome Framework.framework/Google Chrome Framework and /Applications/Google Chrome.app/Contents/Versions/7.0.517.41/Google Chrome Framework.framework/Internet Plug-Ins/PDF.plugin/Contents/MacOS/PDF. One of the two will be used. Which one is undefined.
Oct 20 18:53:44 Bugfixer [0x0-0x28028].com.google.Chrome[288]: objc[302]: Class WorkerPoolObjC is implemented in both /Applications/Google Chrome.app/Contents/Versions/7.0.517.41/Google Chrome Helper.app/Contents/MacOS/../../../Google Chrome Framework.framework/Google Chrome Framework and /Applications/Google Chrome.app/Contents/Versions/7.0.517.41/Google Chrome Framework.framework/Internet Plug-Ins/PDF.plugin/Contents/MacOS/PDF. One of the two will be used. Which one is undefined.
Oct 20 18:54:49 Bugfixer [0x0-0x28028].com.google.Chrome[288]: 2010-10-20 18:54:49.788 Google Chrome Helper[302:207] __CFServiceControllerBeginPBSLoadForLocalizations received error 1100 from bootstrap lookup2
Oct 20 18:58:50 Bugfixer fontd[171]: query/build result time = 0.216912 sec
Oct 20 19:42:14 Bugfixer com.apple.backupd-auto[362]: Not starting scheduled Time Machine backup - time machine destination not resolvable.
Oct 20 19:51:37 localhost com.apple.launchd[1]: * launchd[1] has started up. *
Oct 20 19:51:42 localhost DirectoryService[15]: Improper shutdown detected

(IV)

Oct 20 20:19:47 Bugfixer Nikon Message Center 2[198]: terminate
Oct 20 20:19:47 Bugfixer com.apple.launchd.peruser.501[163] (com.apple.CSConfigDotMacCert-bugfixer@me.com-SharedServices[189]): Exited with exit code: 1
Oct 20 20:20:40 Bugfixer login[217]: USER_PROCESS: 217 ttys000
Oct 20 20:22:30 Bugfixer [0x0-0x17017].com.apple.Safari[223]: FlateDecode: decoding error: incorrect data check.
Oct 20 21:27:18 localhost com.apple.launchd[1]: * launchd[1] has started up. *
Oct 20 21:27:21 localhost DirectoryService[15]: Improper shutdown detected
(V)
Oct 27 19:31:48 Bugfixer apsd-ft[204]: <APSCourier: 0x1022076f0>: Stream error occurred for <APSTCPStream: 0x102103e00>: Error Domain=kCFErrorDomainCFNetwork Code=2 UserInfo=0x10223f400 "The operation couldn’t be completed. (kCFErrorDomainCFNetwork error 2.)"
Oct 27 19:31:49 Bugfixer ntpd[25]: bind() fd 25, family 30, port 123, scope 4, addr fe80::cabc:c8ff:fe89:f4b8, in6is_addrmulticast=0 flags=0x11 fails: Can't assign requested address
Oct 27 19:31:49 Bugfixer ntpd[25]: unable to create socket on en0 (7) for fe80::cabc:c8ff:fe89:f4b8#123
Oct 27 19:31:52 Bugfixer configd[13]: network configuration changed.
Oct 27 19:31:52 Bugfixer configd[13]: Sleep: Success - AC - Software Sleep
Oct 27 19:31:52 Bugfixer configd[13]: Wake: Success - AC - EHC2
Oct 27 19:31:52 Bugfixer configd[13]: Hibernate Statistics
Oct 27 19:32:02 Bugfixer SoftwareUpdateCheck[351]: Checking for updates
Oct 27 19:32:05 Bugfixer apsd-ft[204]: <APSCourier: 0x1022076f0>: Received connected response OK
Oct 27 19:32:08 Bugfixer ntpd[25]: time reset -0.514471 s
Oct 27 19:32:22 Bugfixer loginwindow[35]: no spins reported for this wake
Oct 27 19:32:22 Bugfixer [0x0-0x31031].backupd-helper[343]: Not starting Time Machine backup after wake - failed to resolve alias to backup volume
Oct 27 19:33:59 Bugfixer SoftwareUpdateCheck[351]: SWU: scan found 0 products:
Oct 27 19:33:59 Bugfixer com.apple.launchd[1] (com.apple.suhelperd[352]): Exited with exit code: 2
Oct 27 19:33:59 Bugfixer com.apple.launchd.peruser.501[164] ([0x0-0x33033].SoftwareUpdateCheck[351]): Exited with exit code: 102
Oct 27 19:48:58 Bugfixer com.apple.backupd-auto[369]: Not starting scheduled Time Machine backup - time machine destination not resolvable.
Oct 27 19:52:50 localhost com.apple.launchd[1]: * launchd[1] has started up. *
Oct 27 19:52:56 localhost blued[17]: Apple Bluetooth daemon started
Oct 27 19:52:56 localhost DirectoryService[15]: Improper shutdown detected
(VI)
Oct 29 20:35:23 Bugfixer [0x0-0x6c06c].com.google.Chrome[650]: objc[704]: Class TaskOperation is implemented in both /Applications/Google Chrome.app/Contents/Versions/7.0.517.41/Google Chrome Helper.app/Contents/MacOS/../../../Google Chrome Framework.framework/Google Chrome Framework and /Applications/Google Chrome.app/Contents/Versions/7.0.517.41/Google Chrome Framework.framework/Internet Plug-Ins/PDF.plugin/Contents/MacOS/PDF. One of the two will be used. Which one is undefined.
Oct 29 20:35:23 Bugfixer [0x0-0x6c06c].com.google.Chrome[650]: objc[704]: Class WorkerPoolObjC is implemented in both /Applications/Google Chrome.app/Contents/Versions/7.0.517.41/Google Chrome Helper.app/Contents/MacOS/../../../Google Chrome Framework.framework/Google Chrome Framework and /Applications/Google Chrome.app/Contents/Versions/7.0.517.41/Google Chrome Framework.framework/Internet Plug-Ins/PDF.plugin/Contents/MacOS/PDF. One of the two will be used. Which one is undefined.
Oct 29 20:35:23 Bugfixer [0x0-0x6c06c].com.google.Chrome[650]: [650:24579:7185168778315:ERROR:/b/slave/chrome-official-mac/build/src/net/socke t/clientsocket_poolbase.cc(935)] No pending request for backup job.
Oct 29 20:37:14 localhost com.apple.launchd[1]: * launchd[1] has started up. *
Oct 29 20:37:18 localhost DirectoryService[15]: Improper shutdown detected
(VII)
Nov 21 13:01:27 Bugfixer Safari[523]: Error: Embedded profile header length is greater than data length.
Nov 21 13:01:27 Bugfixer [0x0-0x43043].com.apple.Safari[523]: Sun Nov 21 13:01:27 Bugfixer.local Safari[523] <Error>: Error: Embedded profile header length is greater than data length.
Nov 21 13:01:27 Bugfixer Safari[523]: Error: Embedded profile header length is greater than data length.
Nov 21 13:01:27 Bugfixer [0x0-0x43043].com.apple.Safari[523]: Sun Nov 21 13:01:27 Bugfixer.local Safari[523] <Error>: Error: Embedded profile header length is greater than data length.
Nov 21 13:03:17 Bugfixer SafariSyncClient[535]: LightweightMallornLoginSession is registered.
Nov 21 13:03:17 Bugfixer [0x0-0x46046].com.apple.Safari[532]: 2010-11-21 13:03:17.506 SafariSyncClient[535:903] LightweightMallornLoginSession is registered.
Nov 21 13:06:43 Bugfixer mDNSResponder[26]: Double NAT (external NAT gateway address 10.35.235.89 is also a private RFC 1918 address)
Nov 21 13:37:19 localhost bootlog[39]: BOOT_TIME: 1290343027 0
Nov 21 13:37:08 localhost com.apple.launchd[1]: * launchd[1] has started up. *
Nov 21 13:37:21 localhost fseventsd[31]: event logs in /.fseventsd out of sync with volume. destroying old logs. (9521 14 10864)
Nov 21 13:37:21 localhost fseventsd[31]: log dir: /.fseventsd getting new uuid: ACDF7605-4E75-445B-8081-3DBAA31EE377
Nov 21 13:37:22 localhost DirectoryService[36]: Improper shutdown detected
Thanks for your attention.

iMac 3.6Ghz i5,8Gb - iPhone 3G, iPad, Mac OS X (10.6.5)

Posted on Nov 21, 2010 12:30 PM

135 replies

Dec 2, 2010 1:29 PM in response to Bugfixer

Weird thing is I can watch the Apple Keynote using Chrome and it's fine with no freezing. But it's impossible with Safari. There's also a problem with Spotify because I've had a couple of freezes using it since my logic board replacement.

R Amaral

Level 1

8 points

Dec 2, 2010 7:45 PM in response to Bugfixer

Just to let you guys know there has been no freezes for the last few days (record in this machine). I've definitely changed three things:

1) Use of Parallels very judiciously. I don't leave it open anymore.
2) My USB hard disk has not gone to sleep for a few days already (doing a zero wipe on it - which is taking 5 days or so) -> And I'd say this is my best guess for my iMac not crashing
3) Also not using iTunes all the time (library is on a Firewire disk)

USB does sound the issue here for many reasons:
1) Whenever it crashes, this USB harddisk rebuilds from scratch, as if it had to rebuilt and only then remount (it doesn't show up immediately after reboot, but a few minutes later, after a lot of "blinking and scratching").
2) Plugging a simple iPhone + a extra USB pen drive simply cuts power in one of these hardware. It is important to know that the keyboard is the only non-powered USB connection in this case. I find it really strange an i5 can't handle 3 USB non-powered connections at the same time.

I used to have a similar problem on a miniMac unit, except that it didn't completely freeze: if you turned off this extra USB drive, it would un-freeze. However, I'd have to restart the computer in order to get the port working again.

Bugfixer Author

Level 1

133 points

Dec 3, 2010 1:06 AM in response to Kal Verdi

Kal Verdi wrote:
Weird thing is I can watch the Apple Keynote using Chrome and it's fine with no freezing. But it's impossible with Safari. There's also a problem with Spotify because I've had a couple of freezes using it since my logic board replacement.

Spotify? Music, so sound. Safary and keynote? Sound. I'm getting an intuition where the problem could be. In fact when it freezes it's not really locked up, but it makes (and continues to do) high and periodic strange sounds, as it were closed in a loop somewhere (sound driver?).

Bugfixer Author

Level 1

133 points

Dec 3, 2010 1:12 AM in response to R Amaral

R Amaral wrote:
Just to let you guys know there has been no freezes for the last few days (record in this machine). I've definitely changed three things:

1) Use of Parallels very judiciously. I don't leave it open anymore.
2) My USB hard disk has not gone to sleep for a few days already (doing a zero wipe on it - which is taking 5 days or so) -> And I'd say this is my best guess for my iMac not crashing
3) Also not using iTunes all the time (library is on a Firewire disk)

USB does sound the issue here for many reasons:
1) Whenever it crashes, this USB harddisk rebuilds from scratch, as if it had to rebuilt and only then remount (it doesn't show up immediately after reboot, but a few minutes later, after a lot of "blinking and scratching").
2) Plugging a simple iPhone + a extra USB pen drive simply cuts power in one of these hardware. It is important to know that the keyboard is the only non-powered USB connection in this case. I find it really strange an i5 can't handle 3 USB non-powered connections at the same time.

I used to have a similar problem on a miniMac unit, except that it didn't completely freeze: if you turned off this extra USB drive, it would un-freeze. However, I'd have to restart the computer in order to get the port working again.

Thanks for your info. USB and sound management, as I wrote in my last post, could be the issues. I'm just thinking... Suppose there is an error somewhere that makes the iMac believe that on a particular USB port is connected a USB mic or a sound peripheral that in fact is not there....

There is another thread related to strange sounds coming from speakers (it's here: http://discussions.apple.com/thread.jspa?threadID=2646347&tstart=0)

I think Apple OSX developers should take a look on sound management...

Dec 3, 2010 3:06 AM in response to Bugfixer

I've had many freezes when no sound is on. I'm on a web site in Safari, Chrome or Firefox with no music or sound and it'll freeze. This happens quite frequently. But had no freezes yesterday and I didn't change anything. Weird!

Bugfixer Author

Level 1

133 points

Dec 3, 2010 3:27 AM in response to Kal Verdi

Kal Verdi wrote:
I've had many freezes when no sound is on. I'm on a web site in Safari, Chrome or Firefox with no music or sound and it'll freeze. This happens quite frequently. But had no freezes yesterday and I didn't change anything. Weird!

I also had some without sound. If we're "lucky" there is more than one reason...

RSHFX

Level 1

5 points

Dec 3, 2010 6:36 AM in response to Bugfixer

I have tried both WiFi and Ethernet and have not had a crash on either. I leave my machine on at night with all apps including Safari and Outlook running. Each morning I would need to restart the machine using the button on the back. Last night, I left outlook open but No Safari and.....no freeze. First time in more than two weeks that I haven't had a overnight freeze. So - I'm putting my money on a conflict between these two apps as the root of my problem.

I still need to reintroduce Safari and test on both Wifi/Ethernet to replicate the freeze and then I can be sure. Will let you know.

Bugfixer Author

Level 1

133 points

Dec 3, 2010 7:08 AM in response to RSHFX

RSHFX wrote:
I have tried both WiFi and Ethernet and have not had a crash on either. I leave my machine on at night with all apps including Safari and Outlook running. Each morning I would need to restart the machine using the button on the back. Last night, I left outlook open but No Safari and.....no freeze. First time in more than two weeks that I haven't had a overnight freeze. So - I'm putting my money on a conflict between these two apps as the root of my problem.

I still need to reintroduce Safari and test on both Wifi/Ethernet to replicate the freeze and then I can be sure. Will let you know.

Thanks RSHFX. So your freezes seem to be related to Safari. I have to say that most of my freezes happened while into Safari or Safari was active in background. Another piece of the puzzle.

Do you have any particular reason to leave the iMac on overnight? I just put it in stop/sleep just before to go to sleep.

RSHFX

Level 1

5 points

Dec 3, 2010 11:41 AM in response to Bugfixer

Safari on it's own for me didn't cause freezing. In all of my cases - I feel it's Safari and Outlook (connected to an Exchange server) that, in combination, are causing the freezing.

This iMac is at work and at night, I VPN in to it from home from another machine.

Dec 3, 2010 12:14 PM in response to RSHFX

Hi Guys

In my freees was not necessarily using safari, or even playing music. I haven't found something common to detect the problem. Yesterday I deleted all my hard disk (erasing with zeros) and I installed the system again in version 10.6.4, I'm a few hours of use but so far I have had freeze. For now I will not upgrade because I remember that this version had no problems. I will be informed of developments.
In which version are you working?

Bugfixer Author

Level 1

133 points

Dec 3, 2010 12:51 PM in response to navginrau

navginrau wrote:
Hi Guys

In my freees was not necessarily using safari, or even playing music. I haven't found something common to detect the problem. Yesterday I deleted all my hard disk (erasing with zeros) and I installed the system again in version 10.6.4, I'm a few hours of use but so far I have had freeze. For now I will not upgrade because I remember that this version had no problems. I will be informed of developments.
In which version are you working?

navginrau,

when I had the first freeze, I was in 10.6.4. After the update to the 10.6.5 I had freezes anyway.

The very SAD thing is that I've installed Windows 7 in a BootCamp partition and today I've seen a freeze also in Windows 7 after connecting a USB disk; again I was surfing the net while the USB disk was attached.

I don't know what to think, at this point. I think that on monday I will call Apple and ask for their intervention. Last week I've also bought AppleCare.

I'm not happy.

Dec 3, 2010 2:15 PM in response to Bugfixer

Ok just had another freeze. This time copying a file of a CD and watching a movie. Had a very similar Console message as a previous poster-

03/12/2010 21:59:41 kernel Got boot device = IOService:/AppleACPIPlatformExpert/PCI0@0/AppleACPIPCI/SATA@1F,2/AppleIntel5Ser iesAHCI/PRT0@0/IOAHCIDevice@0/AppleAHCIDiskDriver/IOAHCIBlockStorageDevice/IOBlo ckStorageDriver/Hitachi HDS722020ALA330 Media/IOGUIDPartitionScheme/Macintosh HD@2
03/12/2010 21:59:41 kernel BSD root: disk0s2, major 14, minor 2
03/12/2010 21:59:41 kernel jnl: unknown-dev: replay_journal: from: 12922880 to: 15773696 (joffset 0x3a38000)
03/12/2010 21:59:41 kernel FireWire (OHCI) TI ID 823f built-in now active, GUID d8a25efffef2e28e; max speed s800.
03/12/2010 21:59:41 kernel USBMSC Identifier (non-unique): 000000009833 0x5ac 0x8403 0x9833
03/12/2010 21:59:41 kernel AppleBCM5701Ethernet: 0 0 start - failed to find Ethernet Low Power ACPI methods
03/12/2010 21:59:41 kernel USBMSC Identifier (non-unique): 574341565931323132363339 0x1058 0x1110 0x1032
03/12/2010 21:59:41 kernel jnl: unknown-dev: journal replay done.
03/12/2010 21:59:41 kernel hfs: Removed 12 orphaned / unlinked files and 55 directories
03/12/2010 21:59:37 com.apple.launchd[1] * launchd[1] has started up. *
03/12/2010 21:59:42 kernel BCM5701Enet: Ethernet address c4:2c:03:2b:aa:d4
03/12/2010 21:59:42 kernel systemShutdown false
03/12/2010 21:59:42 DirectoryService[15] Improper shutdown detected

Gonna call Apple tomorrow to tow this machine away or it's going out the window. >.<

Bugfixer Author

Level 1

133 points

Dec 3, 2010 2:30 PM in response to Kal Verdi

Sorry to read this, Kal.

You seem to have different log respect to mine, but what I see is a part of system.log AFTER the freeze, you should go a little bit back in the log. Normally you'll see the moment due to the difference in time after boot. Maybe before the freeze there is something more interesting.

Dec 4, 2010 5:41 AM in response to Bugfixer

Hi Kal.

This line: 03/12/2010 21:59:41 kernel AppleBCM5701Ethernet: 0 0 start - failed to find Ethernet Low Power ACPI methods.

It also appears in my logs. Do You feel may be related to the freeze? I say this because when my iMac was under repair found no HW failures and did not freeze, but when I got home and turned on wifi then froze.

This is the cause?

Dec 4, 2010 6:33 AM in response to navginrau

Another freezing. My theory test in version 10.6.4 has not worked. I put my log:

12/04/1910 15:25:02 kernel BSD root: disk0s2, major 14, minor 2
12/04/1910 15:25:02 kernel jnl: unknown-dev: replay_journal: from: 4281856 to: 6764544 (joffset 0x1d1c000)
12/04/1910 15:25:02 kernel AppleBCM5701Ethernet: 0 0 start - failed to find Ethernet Low Power ACPI Methods
12/04/1910 15:25:02 kernel USBMSC Identifier (non-unique): 000000009833 0x5ac 0x8403 0x9833
12/04/1910 15:25:02 kernel jnl: unknown-dev: journal replay done.
12/04/1910 15:25:02 kernel hfs: Removed 5 orphaned / unlinked files and 0 directories
12/04/1910 15:24:59 com.apple.launchd [1] * launchd [1] has started up. *
12/04/1910 15:25:02 DirectoryService [15] Improper shutdown detected
12/04/1910 15:25:03 kernel systemShutdown false

As you can see the line out again AppleBCM5701Ethernet 12/04/1910 15:25:02 kernel: 0 0 start - failed to find Ethernet Low Power ACPI methods.

No longer I can do more. I'm desperate.

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CTO iMac, 3.6Ghz i5, 8Gb RAM random freezes