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

If you can't be bothered to read then I will explain: This does not work for this bug... The keyboard is unresponsive when it freezes.

I understand your frustration...I was just trying to help. I don't have this problem, so I'm not about to read 450 replies, sorry.

I did think it was worth 10 secs of my time to write and 10 secs of yours to read just in case someone didn't know / hadn't tried this...apologies for my presumption.

Without having finished reading all 31 pages of this discussion... I think this is a broader issue than iMac+video+flash=freeze.

There are other threads with MacBook pros freezing with the spinning beach ball.  Windows can be moved around the screen, but everything else is frozen.  Can't force quit.  Hard reboot required.  Have reset PRAm/VMRAM, updated flash, deleted all other startup software, and booted in safe mode.  The freezes continue.  Interestingly, video isn't required to cause freezing as described by other users in other threads.

I am using both 3rd party RAM and installed 3rd party HD since I am a year out of my AppleCare protection plan and any warrantees.

I am having the same issue, just bought the 27" iMac last week, upgraded to Lion.  I have been converting my mpeg files to .mov files and noticed that after they have been converted, and I open the file, the file launches in quicktime, and all that you see is a distorted screen filled with colors. Then the system freezes.

I also dl's adobe flash and have found several time sthat the system locks up and freezes randomly when video tries to play, like at ESPN.com.

I have removed the flash plugin, but not sure what to do with the movie files.

Note, after I reboot, I go to open the same movie file and it works just fine.

Do you really think it would have taken 450 replies before someone had thought to try the keyboard shortcut?

LOL, anyway, thanks for trying to help

21514 views of this thread with 453 replies. And the greater majority are usually silent.

Says it all Steve...

My (new) MacBookPro is harassing me with the same troubles as you guys. Haven't read all the pages here-in but can say I find I am seeing Spotlight re-index (3 times now during the freeze). Once it's done I am back in gear. Weird stuff.

Also, I am seeing same video artefacts in Photoshop that I once had in a Macpro 3 years ago. Apple 'finally' conceded my prob was with the card.

I wish there was a way for the world to see the respect we are repaid by these kinds of corporations. Stand up friends, be heard. The best way to be heard is to close your wallet & hide your credit cards. I'm guessing it's the only kind of communication they react to.

And, finally I am sus that the auto save is doing weird thigs too... like opening a file that has since been worked on. So some of my changes seem to revert.

Cheerios and good luck. I have a trade show tomorrow. It's nearly 1am. Sitting in a hotel freaking that this once reliable (on SL) computer is going to let me down, very badly... A month of video prep and I may not be able to use it. I am a dope for popping a new OS on a machine before a critical event, but not as dopey as the team that let this Lion into the circus.

This is also happening on imacs though which will not have this option..

Having the same issue, bought my mid 2011 21,5' iMac two months ago. Few days ago updated to Lion and it freezes, mouse is working, but everything else is frozen.

I had 2 freezes on 3 weeks. Both when starting a video with flash player

Adobe admists on their website they have known compatibility issues with Lion.

I've installed a new flashplayer (beta) hoping this will resolve the issue.

http://get.adobe.com/nl/flashplayer/

@wallewalle - Read the thread, this doesn't work, it's not an Adobe issue, this happens with any GPU assisted video decoding. There may be issues with Flash in Lion, but this is much bigger than that. Please don't encourage the less tech savvy out there to follow a failed troubleshooting path, you're just wasting their time.

FML, anyone had any problems with their SSD?

Mine has completely vanished from the system profile and disk utility from the snow leopard boot disk. Now installing to internal hard drive..

I have new iMac 21" since end of july with the OS X Lion and I'm very happy about it, besides the 7 freezes I had.
It always seems to occur when it comes out his sleeping status, and you try using youtube, flashplayer, vlc, quicktime or applestore. (which is very slow for such kind of app)

I hope apple will do something about it!

Has anybody noticed if the iMac's in the Apple Stores have been freezing as well? I'm going to try to swing by tonight to see for myself.

I beleive it has something to do with when the computer wakes from sleep mode on my mid 2011 iMac runing Lion I started to notice weird things in various combinations in the energy saver pref pane.  I too have been having the Freezing issue when the iMac wakes.  It appears something is getting messed up upon the wake up.  Whether I am using QuickTime, iTunes or Safari to view video the freeze happens.  My solution at this piont is to never let the iMac Sleep.  Simple enough solution that has worked for the past 3 days.  Zero Freezing issues becuase the machine never sleeps.  This may concern some, but I am happy to never let it sleep then to allow it to freeze up.  

Considering there are different builds for the MacBook Air and Mac Mini http://www.zdnet.com/blog/apple/lion-build-number-bingo-11a511-vs-11a2061-vs-11a 2063/10714 I suspect a new build will be coming for the mid 2011 iMac.  For those running other machines I am not sure.  Good luck to all. 

P.S. I am have been working with Apple with this issue for the past weekend and nothing they have suggested has worked.  AppleCare at this point has not been helpful. 

I am working with my 27" iMac each day and i am getting 3 - 5 times the day a freeze.

Freeze means:

Only the mouse is movable, keyboard input gets discarded and only holding down the power button resets the problem.

Reason:

Playback of Flashvideos or H.264 material in Safari.

Please fix that Apple, the betaPhase already ended.