Freezes after 10.6.6 upgrade

Question

Freezes after 10.6.6 upgrade

I have been having trouble with my iMac (freezes, spinning ball, inability to shut down with keyboard, etc.) After experiencing the spinning ball with nearly every keystroke, I began thinking it had something to do with my most recent upgrade to OS 10.6.6. I can't be sure, however, since proximity doesn't necessarily mean cause.

When I began researching possible solutions, I discovered an article "Best Practices for Updating or Upgrading Mac OS X." I had never considered doing anything other than just hitting "Upgrade" whenever the "Software Update" window came up with software that I needed.

I am currently reinstalling the OS X software that came with the computer (Ver. 10.6.2), and I am wondering what steps I should take so that FROM NOW ON, I to attempt to keep my Mac running smoothly.

If anyone has a "Pre/Post software update checklist" or if someone could refer me to an Apple article that has been archived on this topic, I'd appreciate it.

Thanks in advance.

Gary

iMac 27" i7, Mac OS X (10.6.2), Two OWC 250 GB 400 Firewire Drives; 1 OWC 1TB 800 Firewire drive; Sony HC 9

Posted on Feb 8, 2011 6:22 PM

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Answer 1

baltwo

Level 9

62,362 points

Feb 8, 2011 6:36 PM in response to Gary Markovich

Get a bootable, external HD (preferably FireWire, since it's 40-50% faster than USB 2 and designed for data transfers), make a bootable backup/clone, using something like Carbon Copy Cloner or SuperDuper!, before updating/upgrading, and ensure that it's bootable and works like the original. That allows you to revert to the previous good state without having to reinstall or reset anything. See these for details:

http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?artnum=106941
http://www.macmaps.com/upgradefaq.html
http://www.macmaps.com/backup.html
http://www.thexlab.com/faqs/installswupdates.html
http://www.thexlab.com/faqs/backuprecovery.html

If you only have a Time Machine backup, ensure that you can reliably restore it to another disk/volume/partition before updating/upgrading.

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Answer 2

Feb 8, 2011 6:50 PM in response to baltwo

After the reinstallation began, it ran for about 20 minutes, then I just got an error message saying the Installation failed because the software could not remove the software "Macintosh HD" then it gave me the option to restart the process again.
I hit restart, however I forgot to hold down the "C" key. I'm now waiting for the little gray wheel thingy to stop spinning...

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Answer 3

baltwo

Level 9

62,362 points

Feb 8, 2011 7:07 PM in response to Gary Markovich

Press the power button on the screen's back and, when you hear the chime, hold down the C key.

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Answer 4

Feb 8, 2011 7:30 PM in response to baltwo

OK. I have been working on this for a bit now, and now I got a message saying "Install Failed Mac OS X could not be installed on your computer. The Installer encountered an error that caused the installation to fail. Contact the software manufacturer for assistance.
Click to restart your computer and try installing again. "

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Answer 5

baltwo

Level 9

62,362 points

Feb 8, 2011 10:12 PM in response to Gary Markovich

Have a backup? A bootable one? A Time Machine one? Have a spare external HD? Without any of those, your odds of recovery w/o losing all of your data is minimal.

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Answer 6

Feb 9, 2011 7:00 AM in response to baltwo

After about a dozen attempts, I finally got the OS software successfully installed. The display said I needed to restart the computer, so I pushed the "Restart" button on the display, heard the chime, but now I have a off-white screen with a grey apple logo in the center and the little spinning grey wheel below that has been spinning for about an hour.

I think it's time to make an appointment to bring it in.

(No, I don't have a bootable external drive, nor do I have a Time Machine external drive. Maybe I should purchase one--or two--when I bring it in.

Unless someone has another suggestion?

Thanks, Baltwo, by the way.

Gary

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Answer 7

chuque74

Level 1

0 points

Feb 9, 2011 7:35 AM in response to Gary Markovich

Hi guys!
I just got off the phone with an apple support assistant and they told me to do something that worked just fin for me. I'll post the links and hope it works for you you as well.

http://support.apple.com/kb/HT3964

http://support.apple.com/kb/HT1379

http://support.apple.com/kb/HT1509

Doing the first two links was enough for me.

Wish you all the best!

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Answer 8

rkaufmann87

Level 10

140,808 points

Feb 9, 2011 7:43 AM in response to chuque74

You were lucky this time that a SMC and PRAM resets took care of your problem. However get yourself at least one (probably best with 2) external HD's and begin using Time Machine and creating a bootable clone. Operating without backup is dangerous if you care at all about the data on your computer. I'd recommend carefully reading this recent MacWorld article.

Roger

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Answer 9

baltwo

Level 9

62,362 points

Feb 9, 2011 10:44 AM in response to chuque74

My initial response to the OP applies to you.

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Answer 10

baltwo

Level 9

62,362 points

Feb 9, 2011 10:45 AM in response to Gary Markovich

Let us know how that turns out.

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Answer 11

Kevin_OM

Level 1

5 points

Mar 6, 2011 6:46 PM in response to Gary Markovich

Does anyone have a solution to this problem which has been approved by Apple? It is clearly an OS problem as many people I talk to have this issue. Mine freezes after going "to sleep" and I cannot solve the problem. I have done all the resets available.

Currently running 10.6.6. Help with the system freezing would be greatly appreciated.

Also, not sure, but does Apple actually monitor these boards? Seems odd that there could be hundreds of posts about an operating system freezing, pretty much everyone who is stating it talks about it in the same way, and no one from Apple is responding. Any help with that would be appreciated.

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Answer 12

Mar 6, 2011 7:02 PM in response to Kevin_OM

No. If you read the TOU you will discover that they don't.

I have to say that none of my Macs nor any of the dozen that I support are suffering from this problem. So much for your saying that is a common problem caused by OS X.

.
.
| ___________________

Allan

___________________

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Answer 13

Kevin_OM

Level 1

5 points

Mar 6, 2011 7:08 PM in response to Allan Eckert

Great. Your evidence of "one" is meaningless. I also notice you are running 12gb of RAM which few do. Anyone way, your response did not help the hundreds who are asking this question. Thanks anyway.

Does anyone on the board have any assistance to offer?

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Answer 14

Kevin_OM

Level 1

5 points

Mar 6, 2011 7:10 PM in response to chuque74

Did the solution sustain? I did the first one but am reluctant on the second until I hear it sustained itself. Let me know. Thanks for the. Suggestions.

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