After Installing OS X Lion iMac freezes while watching flash videos!

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After Installing OS X Lion iMac freezes while watching flash videos!

I just recently purchased a 21.5 inch iMac and since I updated to OS X Lion it seems that for the most part when I begin to watch a flash based video, such as youtube or other websites the iMac completely freezes, the only movement is from the mouse. I can't even force quit. This only began when Lion was installed. Is it the machine or Lion, I don't want to take my iMac to an apple store for them to tell me it's the software. Anybody else having this issue?

iMac, Mac OS X (10.7)

Posted on Jul 26, 2011 7:36 PM

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Answer 1

Jul 26, 2011 8:01 PM in response to vaham07

I have the exactly same issue.. I bought my 21.5 inch iMac last Saturday, and updated to Lion. Since then it has freezed EVERY SINGLE DAY... its so annoying....

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Answer 2

rkaufmann87

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141,132 points

Jul 26, 2011 8:09 PM in response to Forest2011

Apple does not include Flash with new Macs, you need to download it from Adobe's web site. However you both should read Adobe's release about the problems their software is having with Lion. You can find it at:

http://kb2.adobe.com/cps/905/cpsid_90508.html

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Answer 3

Jul 26, 2011 8:25 PM in response to vaham07

there is already a mega-thread on the subject:

https://discussions.apple.com/thread/3194165?tstart=0

and its not just flash... quicktime, itunes, quicklook, vlc, etc will crash it...

It seems like a hardware video decoding bug in the graphic drivers... Apple remains mum on the subject, though

Turn off sleep, this has worked for me thus far... The bug seems to show up most often after the computer has been in a sleep cycle.

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Answer 4

vaham07 Author

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Jul 26, 2011 10:02 PM in response to vaham07

So I uninstalled flash from my computer, and downloaded chrome to my iMac, I went to video and everything works fine as of now. I put it to sleep and then turned it on and went to youtube on chrome and no issue. I wonder if it has to do with safari and flash. Tried that, it worked for me until Apple releases a firmware update.

Cheers

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Answer 5

vaham07 Author

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Jul 26, 2011 10:03 PM in response to vaham07

Went to youtube and watched videos no problem...

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Answer 6

rkaufmann87

Level 10

141,132 points

Jul 26, 2011 10:07 PM in response to vaham07

One thing you could do is Quite Safari then locate ~/library/preferences/com.apple.Safari.plist and drag the com.apple.Safari.plist to the desktop and then restart Safari and see how it works.

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Answer 7

Jul 27, 2011 8:33 AM in response to rkaufmann87

So, according to vaham07, if i uninstalled flash and only use chrome instead of safari, everything should be fine, right?

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Answer 8

Jul 27, 2011 8:48 AM in response to Forest2011

Its worth a shot. Cross your fingers really hard, because it did not work for me.

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Answer 9

rkaufmann87

Level 10

141,132 points

Jul 27, 2011 9:11 AM in response to Forest2011

Did you try the suggestion I provided about the Safari plist file? It's a much more elegant solution and very well could work for your situation.

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Answer 10

Jul 27, 2011 9:22 AM in response to rkaufmann87

I wish i did..sorry as i said i just bought my iMac, still not familiar with it.. dont know how to locate the things you said could you explain it a bit more? Thank you!

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Answer 11

Jul 27, 2011 9:29 AM in response to Celshader

turn off sleep, do you mean computer sleep or monitor sleep, or both?

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Answer 12

rkaufmann87

Level 10

141,132 points

Jul 27, 2011 9:33 AM in response to Forest2011

I see, OK. I thought you might be experienced so let me give you a little insight and instruction. The path ~/library/preferences/com.apple.Safari.plist is to a file called the com.apple.Safari.plist file. This is a file that contains the preferences to Safari. Plist files can become corrupted, this is unusual however it can happen. Most plist files are located in the Library. Up until Lion came out Apple made Library visible to all users, however beginning with Lion they hid it to prevent unknowledgable users from messing up the OS. It's stil there it's just hidden. So how do you get to it....easy!

Open Finder - Go Menu - Go to Folder then type ~/library/

Note: The ~ stands for your user name.

Once in the Library open the Preferences folder

Scroll down until you locate com.apple.Safari.plist and then drag that file to your desktop.

Restart Safari and then test to see if it worked for you.

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Answer 13

Jul 27, 2011 9:36 AM in response to Forest2011

Computer sleep.

To test the bug, you have to put the computer to sleep, wake it back up, then try to play a video...

It will most likely freeze.

https://discussions.apple.com/thread/3194165?start=240&tstart=0

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Answer 14

Jul 27, 2011 9:35 AM in response to vaham07

Try this. Just a preamble, 10.7 no longer supports flash, java, etc. You have to manually install it. Go to your Utilities folder from Finder by holding down Shift,⌘(place of interest or Apple key on older Macs) ,U, again that combo is Shift, ⌘, U. Then go to Java Preferences. If you haven't stumbled upon this App before, you will be prompted to install the Java update, which will effectively, and hopefully, rectify this problem. Try it and then tell me what happens. It worked for me.

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Answer 15

vaham07 Author

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Jul 27, 2011 9:56 AM in response to vaham07

Well, it seemed that chrome was not the solution either. So, when my iMac comes out of sleep and I go to youtube or any flash based website to view videos it will freeze, the mouse is the only thing that moves. It happened today when when it came off sleep and went on chrome to youtube. I just spoke with Apple tech support and they don't have any solution for it. The guy basically told me that I can wait for the update since people have been finding so many things with Lion or go back to snow leopard for now. I will try the solutions given through here, if anybody here's about anything else let me know.

Thanks

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