Q: OSX Lion + 2011 iMac 27'' + Video = Freeze

The German computer magazine c't also picked up the topic yesterday: 

http://www.heise.de/mac-and-i/meldung/Nutzerberichte-Einfrierende-iMacs-unter-Li on-1285755.html

I have a 2008 MBP and this is occuring to mine very bad.  The WindowServer process is at 99 to 100% and nothing can be done so it's not specific to new iMACs.  It's clearly something with Lion

Hi Y'all, could some of you who can reproduce this problem do the following :

- Enable Remote Login (under sharing)

- ssh into your mac using another system when the GUI hangs (this is still possible)

- Perform a shutdown ($ sudo shutdown now)

- Your ssh session will disconnect but the GUI still hangs

- After a few minutes power off and power on

Now check the /Library/Logs/DiagnosticReports for new files around the time of the shutdow

Now check for the files with the Extension .shutdownStall

I have for example a file called Google Chrome Helper.....shutdownStall showing a stacktrace like below :

The systemreports probably won't be generated when you just press the powerbutton when the GUI is

hanging (hence the ssh shutdown)

Process:         Google Chrome Helper [5267]

Path:            /Applications/Google Chrome.app/Contents/Versions/12.0.742.112/Google Chrome Helper.app/Contents/MacOS/Google Chrome Helper

Architecture:    i386

UID:             501

  Thread 0x36ea4    

  User stack:

    101 ??? (in Google Chrome Helper) [0x1f16]

      101 ??? (in Google Chrome Helper) [0x1f58]

        101 ChromeMain + 3391 (in Google Chrome Framework) [0xd1bf]

          101 ChromeMain + 36928372 (in Google Chrome Framework) [0x2343ff4]

            101 ChromeMain + 8823188 (in Google Chrome Framework) [0x876614]

              101 ChromeMain + 8649412 (in Google Chrome Framework) [0x84bf44]

                101 ChromeMain + 8651435 (in Google Chrome Framework) [0x84c72b]

                  101 -[NSApplication run] + 904 (in AppKit) [0x993424cb]

                    101 -[NSApplication nextEventMatchingMask:untilDate:inMode:dequeue:] + 113 (in AppKit) [0x99346159]

                      101 _DPSNextEvent + 678 (in AppKit) [0x993468ec]

                        101 BlockUntilNextEventMatchingListInMode + 88 (in HIToolbox) [0x92ebec32]

                          101 ReceiveNextEventCommon + 381 (in HIToolbox) [0x92ebedc3]

                            101 RunCurrentEventLoopInMode + 318 (in HIToolbox) [0x92eb7487]

                              101 CFRunLoopRunInMode + 120 (in CoreFoundation) [0x9ade3098]

                                101 CFRunLoopRunSpecific + 332 (in CoreFoundation) [0x9ade31ec]

                                  101 __CFRunLoopRun + 1112 (in CoreFoundation) [0x9ade39d8]

                                    101 __CFRunLoopDoSources0 + 246 (in CoreFoundation) [0x9adb9ac6]

                                      101 __CFRUNLOOP_IS_CALLING_OUT_TO_A_SOURCE0_PERFORM_FUNCTION__ + 15 (in CoreFoundation) [0x9adba10f]

                                        101 main + 13255 (in Flash Player Plugin for Chrome) [0x7bcc037]

                                          101 ??? (in Flash Player Plugin for Chrome) [0x7a73578]

                                            101 ??? (in Flash Player Plugin for Chrome) [0x7a64c0f]

                                              101 ??? (in Flash Player Plugin for Chrome) [0x7ac0fa0]

                                                101 ??? (in Flash Player Plugin for Chrome) [0x7afe603]

                                                  101 ??? (in Flash Player Plugin for Chrome) [0x7afd04f]

                                                    101 ??? (in Flash Player Plugin for Chrome) [0x7827bea]

                                                      101 ??? (in Flash Player Plugin for Chrome) [0x7827b6d]

                                                        101 ??? (in Flash Player Plugin for Chrome) [0x782754d]

                                                          101 ??? (in Flash Player Plugin for Chrome) [0x782544a]

                                                            101 main + 186932 (in Flash Player Plugin for Chrome) [0x7bf66a4]

                                                              101 VDADecoderDecode + 362 (in VideoDecodeAcceleration) [0xba18942]

                                                                101 VTDecompressionSessionDecodeFrame + 464 (in VideoToolbox) [0x914376db]

                                                                  101 ??? (in VideoToolbox) [0x91437496]

                                                                    101 ??? (in VideoToolbox) [0x914ab2c6]

                                                                      101 ??? (in AppleGVA) [0xdbee880]

                                                                        101 ??? (in AppleGVA) [0xdbddb30]

                                                                          101 ??? (in AppleGVA) [0xdbdd15d]

                                                                            101 ??? (in AppleGVA) [0xdbdd061]

                                                                              101 scheduleCommandList + 116 (in ATIRadeonX3000VADriver) [0xe13cbb9]

                                                                                101 scheduleCommand + 120 (in ATIRadeonX3000VADriver) [0xe13ca9b]

                                                                                   101 DecodePicture + 705 (in ATIRadeonX3000VADriver) [0xe13c7f7]

                                                                                     101 GeDectDstIOSurfaceInfo + 551 (in ATIRadeonX3000VADriver) [0xe13b955]

                                                                                       101 AMDVAD_CreateKernelIOSurfaceTexture + 253 (in ATIRadeonX3000VADriver) [0xe13b127]

                                                                                         101 IOConnectCallMethod + 400 (in IOKit) [0x969fb556]

                                                                                           101 io_connect_method + 465 (in IOKit) [0x96a4c495]

                                                                                             101 mach_msg_trap + 10 (in libsystem_kernel.dylib) [0x9bf4dc22]

  Kernel stack:

    101 hndl_mach_scall + 222 (in mach_kernel) [0xffffff80002d803e]

      101 thread_set_child + 896 (in mach_kernel) [0xffffff80002ae5b0]

        101 mach_msg_overwrite_trap + 184 (in mach_kernel) [0xffffff800021bb58]

          101 ipc_kmsg_send + 105 (in mach_kernel) [0xffffff8000214829]

            101 ipc_kobject_server + 342 (in mach_kernel) [0xffffff8000222ff6]

              101 iokit_server_routine + 31048 (in mach_kernel) [0xffffff80002a3738]

                101 is_io_connect_method + 368 (in mach_kernel) [0xffffff8000652ff0]

                  101 IOUserClient::externalMethod(unsigned int, IOExternalMethodArguments*, IOExternalMethodDispatch*, OSObject*, void*) + 768 (in mach_kernel) [0xffffff8000652888]

                    101 shim_io_connect_method_structureI_structureO + 181 (in mach_kernel) [0xffffff80006515c5]

                      101 IOATIR800DVDContext::new_texture(VendorNewTextureDataStruc*, sIONewTextureReturnData*, unsigned long long, unsigned long long*) + 80 (in ATIRadeonX3000) [0xffffff7f815dcb54]

                        101 IOATIR800Accelerator::acceleratorWaitEnabled() + 55 (in ATIRadeonX3000) [0xffffff7f815ce55b]

                          101 lck_mtx_sleep + 74 (in mach_kernel) [0xffffff8000227e5a]

                            101 thread_block_reason + 299 (in mach_kernel) [0xffffff800022f36b]

                              101 thread_continue + 1661 (in mach_kernel) [0xffffff800022f0ed]

                                101 machine_switch_context + 361 (in mach_kernel) [0xffffff80002c0939]

I went to the Apple store yesterday. This is how my 2011 21.5 I5 got fixed- Did the PRAM reset then before the computer beeped again hit shift. rebooted. Uninstalled Flash. Installed the Beta version of flash for Lion from the Adobe website(After uninstalling  Flash you can just go to youtube and try and open a video and it will ask you if you want to install flash, too). Between last night and all of today I came out of sleep at least 25 times and no lock ups. The Genius told me the Snow Leopard version of Flash is not compatible with Lion. Flash does not come with Lion. Good Luck!

Please explain how to ssh into the computer... when I have time on th weekend I'll make her lock up which is not too hard.

On another mac open terminal then type : ssh -l <username> <ip of your hanging mac> if you have a pc

running windows you can use putty.exe (freeware). Example :

$ ssh -l fast 192.168.2.150

Password:

Last login: Thu Jul 28 01:24:58 2011 from 192.168.2.100

imac:~ fast$

I am having the exact same problem with my new 27" iMac I purchased late May.  I had no problems until I installed Lion.  It has crashed on me twice when I tried to watch a YouTube video on social media sites.  (one on Facebook, another on G+)  I had to hard re-set because my mouse would move, but I could not click on anything because there was no response.    It is true that both times it only happened after my computer came out from sleep mode.  I have wacthed YouTube videos successfully otherwise.  I have not had it crash on me yet for anything else.  But yes, a big fix is needed.  Some were suggesting upgrading to the new Adobe beta version which I will try when I get home.  Seeing I downloaded Adobe Flash less than a month ago, it's not like I have an ancient version on my computer. 

Another blog has picked this up:

http://www.product-reviews.net/2011/07/26/youtube-flash-videos-crash-and-freeze- mac-os-x-lion-10-7/

Ha.. reluctant to click on the video on that article. Don't want to restart the computer.

I'm glad that blogs are starting to pick up this thread now...we really need to get this figured out. I have to admit, some of the above advise...logging into your hung Mac remotely, resetting PRAM etc etc.. that's stuff's going over my head. I would assume if I brought the iMac to the Genius bar they'd be doing that kind of stuff if that was indeed needed?

Would they also reinstall SL??

I'll give this another week... if nothing... then I'm downgrading. Enough is enough. Plain and simple.

An admitted shot in the dark (since my new iMac is yet to arrive), but does Lion already include the iMac Graphic FirmWare Update 2.0?  Would applying that upgrade after installing Lion be helpful?

http://support.apple.com/kb/DL1389

"This software is not supported on your system"

Either I already have it, or its for a different iMac.

(I have the mid 2011 27")

The day I bought my iMac an automatic firmware update was applied. This may be it... Not sure.

Either way, not related to the thread, it seems

mattfromnewtown said :

I went to the Apple store yesterday. This is how my 2011 21.5 I5 got fixed- Did the PRAM reset then before the computer beeped again hit shift. rebooted. Uninstalled Flash. Installed the Beta version of flash for Lion from the Adobe website(After uninstalling  Flash you can just go to youtube and try and open a video and it will ask you if you want to install flash, too). Between last night and all of today I came out of sleep at least 25 times and no lock ups. The Genius told me the Snow Leopard version of Flash is not compatible with Lion. Flash does not come with Lion. Good Luck!

Like all of you I already tried a bunch of things without ANY success.  BUT THIS IS THE SOLUTION.  You have to do it exactly like this :

1) Reset the PRAM (Hold CMD + ALT + P + R at startup)

2) Boot in safe mode right after (Hold SHIFT before the second beep) (You should see a progress bar you don't normally see)

3) In safe mode go to Applications/Utilies/Adobe Flash Manager and uninstall Flash Player

4) Always in safe mode (DON'T LOG OUT) go to YouTube to be prompt to install latest Flash Player version. Do so.

5) Restart the computer and enjoy Snow Leopard stability in Lion… Resolved freeze with flash video AND .mp4 video AND any other video type after several sleep...

First observation : Only uninstalling Flash do NOT resolve the problem

Second observation : Uninstalling Flash and reinstalling without reseting PRAM or Safe Booting do NOT resolve the problem.

Third observation : After those manipulations the Adobe Flash Player does not appear in System Report under Applications…. STRANGE…

Please keep me up to date with your results!

Don't forget to install the Lion Beta version of Flash.

Adobe automatically install the 10.7 Beta version!

Wow, I was kind of hopeful... Went through your steps, exactly as described... First try after a sleep and it crashed just as usual.