Lion freezes after quitting an application...

Kalkin84,

It's hard to determine exactly what your issue is, but a few questions might reduce the suspects:

1. How much RAM do you have? Casual Lion users will do fine with 4gb, but this OS seems to hog resources; 8gb will increase speed and get rid of some of the slowdowns and lockups.

2. Specifically, which applications cause the problems you note? You mentioned iPhoto, a video application what demands a lot of RAM. You can monitor the amount of RAM being accessed by using Activiity Monitor.

3. Problems quitting? I can see how this could be annoying. But here, I'm going to suggest more a "band-aid" than a fix. First, if you notice an unaccountable delay or lockup, go to Apple Menu/Force Quit and scroll down; you will probably see the application in red, indicating that a process is stuck. Force quit the stalled application. Second, I'd avoid juggling too many applications at once - a real challenge if you're a multi-tasker. That's okay if you're using a desktop computer, but a MBP won't be as fast.

I hope you'll visit this thread again for additional questions and, hopefully, answers!

I had something like this the other day - one minute iPhoto was working fine - then it froze. I could see the cursor but couldn't get anything to happen. Qutting didn't work.

Running Lion on a brand new iMac 2.7GHz i5 4GB memory

PS I have also had a problem transferring files from my previous iMac using an external HDD - which Lion now says is damaged - though it never had any probs before and which my old iMac (running Tiger) can't now see! If I hadn't had a separate back up of my photos on a second hard disk drive I would have lost them all.

The disappearing cursor is an aggravating problem. You have more than enough RAM, and your activity easily supports the applications you use.

If this happens with all of your applications, I'm sorry to say that a comprehensive system update may be your only sensible option. No one knows when Apple is going to release its next upgrade, but apparently, they're working on it. There is a way to tinker with individual files, but there's no way to expect any user to do this, even if they had the expertise.

iPhoto seems to be a common issue for several users. One user came up with this fix:

That's a symptom of a damaged Library. Try restore from your back up. Or, if that's not possible:

Option 1

Back Up and try rebuild the library: hold down the command and option (or alt) keys while launching iPhoto. Use the resulting dialogue to rebuild. Choose to Rebuild iPhoto Library Database from automatic backup.

If that fails:

Option 2

Download iPhoto Library Manager and use its rebuild function. This will create a new library based on data in the albumdata.xml file. Not everything will be brought over - no slideshows, books or calendars, for instance - but it should get all your albums and keywords back.

Because this process creates an entirely new library and leaves your old one untouched, it is non-destructive, and if you're not happy with the results you can simply return to your old one. .

P.S. Apple is currently seeding 10.7.2 to developers, and iPhoto upgrades are in the works.

I have the exact same problem. 17 inch 2011 MacBook Pro upgraded to Lion. Frekvent freezes when quitting certain applications. Occurs most frekvently when quitting Firefox or iPhoto but has also occured with several others inkluding 1Password, Chrome and Starcraft II. As described by Kalkin84 the screen freezes and the cursor disapears. The only way to exit this state is a hard reset using the powerbutton. Is this problem isolated to 17 inch 2011 MacBook Pros? I hope Apple is aware of this and working on a fix!

This is the EXACT problem I am having!!!! I have a MacBook Pro 17 inch 2011 model (quadcore i7)

I first thought that it was something I am running causing it, like SIMBL, little snitch (or handsoff), Total Finder, Teleport, Snippet, Pochade, etc... but I have 4 macs. 1 MacbookPro 17, 1 Macbook Pro 2009, 1 MacPro Tower, and my wife has a Macbook pro 2009. All of my macs run SIMBL, and Total Finder, and Hands Off or Little Snitch (either or) and none of them have any issues. Only the MacBook Pro 17 is having the issue... I am not sure if its after the EFI update that just happened to fix the wifi issues? or if its always been happening, I only really noticed it of late... I created a BRAND new user and the problems still there... I am worried if i format my drive and restore from a time machine backup the problem will still be there...

Same symptoms. cursor vanishes. the computer locks up, no animation, (i can't see Hands off moving in my top nav bar, normally its a visual graph of in and out network activity, it hard freezes.) i can turn the volume up and down and HEAR the volume but can't see the animation. I can try and login via VNC / Remote desktop and the computer authenticates but my VNC client freezes trying to display, so i know a process is running but nothing more than that.

I just ordered a 800 dollar 512 gig Solid State Drive and I am going to install a new system from scratch on it in a few days but now hearing someone else has the exact same issues with the exact same mac makes me think its a EFI problem or a hardware issue involving our specific graphics card or something specific to the MBP 17. (Thunderbolt, graphics, etc).

It has NOTHING to do with iphoto. I don't even use iphoto and i get freezes. it happens on MAIL, Safari, Photoshop, dreamweaver, Skype, System Preferenecs, etc. its something that happens when an app quits... like garbage collection, or memory reallocation, or etc etc etc... wish i knew... 🙂 Hopefully apple figures it out. start testing your 17 inch 2011 MBP's apple! install total finder, SIMBL, little snitch, adobe apps, mail, safari, firefox, office, etc.. see if you can replicate it.

Edit: I just opened TERMINAL and my system froze, cursor vanished, so its not just quitting apps but opening them too.. for all i know it could just happen randomly with no quitting. just let it run and BOOM!

also.. open terminal and type this

sudo launchctl load -w /System/Library/LaunchDaemons/com.apple.stackshot.plist

stackshot lets you take a system snapshot of your console when your computer is frozen. you press Command + Control + option + shift and Period.

your log is saved in

/Library/Logs/stackshot-syms.log/Library/Logs/stackshot.log

Edit: JUST HAPPENED LOADING TERMINAL.. NOT QUITTING AN APP.. JUST BOOM!

To me it seems clear that this issue stems from OS X Lion and seemingly only occur on 17 inch 2011 Macbook Pros since A) It never happened before I upgraded to Lion and B) It doesn't seem to be reported by users on other systems. Apple please patch this since it is very annoying and a serious issue on these systems!

I am also having this issue on my new 17" 2011 MBP.

Another issue I'm having, and I don't know if it is related, but if my computer is open and asleep and I press the track pad / space bar sometimes it will wake up and other times the blacklit keyboard will come on but the display will not wake up. Generally with this problem closing it, letting it sleep, and opening it again fixes it but it is still annoying.

I also have that issue and that is "another" issue... i've had that issue since the first day I owned this laptop. they definetally have some quirks in this model. I've owned other MBP's and never had issues like this one has. Lets stay on task and see if we can solve the mouse dissapearing and laptop freezing issue that is currently being discussed. Once my new HD comes in a few days and I reinstall OS X from scratch and update to 10.7.1 i will try and see if it still happens.

Follow these steps, then create a Snow clone which you then can hold option to boot from, give Lion another whirl and if it fscks up again, then erase the drive from the Snow clone and reverse clone.

How can I uninstall OS X Lion and go back to Snow Leopard?

1: Copy your user file folders (Documents, Pictures, Movies, Music, not Library) to a external blank Disk Utility formatted HFS drive (not TimeMachine) and disconnect all drives. Make a note of your username and hard drive name. Write down any essential information like passwords stored in keychains and product serial keys.

2: Stick the 10.6 installer disk into the machine and reboot holding the c key down. Second screen in choose Disk Utility from the Utilities menu.

3: On the left select the hard drive makers name of your internal boot drive (important) then click Erase and Erase... button (if you want to wipe the drive of all lingering data then choose Security Option>Zero all data) when choosing a name for the drive, use the same drive name as before.

4: Quit and install 10.6, then go through setup, reboot and use the same user name as before. Software Update, install programs from fresh sources (enter any serial keys) Hold Option and click on Purchases in AppStore to redownload (not Lion of course) and then finally return user files to their respective folders on the Snow Leopard drive.

5: If you have issues with iPhoto, you can right click on the iPhoto Library and "Show Package contents" and in there is a folder with all your originals. Copy them out and delete the iPhoto Library and reboot, restart iPhoto and it should be recreated, which you can then import your copied originals again.

Note: using the same drive and user name as before, returning files exactly into their respective Music, Documents and Pictures folders like before matches any pathnames some files like iTunes has to the location of your files. If not done, then exclamation points will occur in iTunes when you click on a song. The iTunes Library will have to be opened in Text Edit and all the partial pathnames "find and replace" corrected to repair.

Optional, but recommended.

Ideally it's best to first Carbon Copy Cloner the 10.7 internal to another blank external HFS drive before doing the above steps 1-5 as that way you have a copy of everything in case you missed something or you need to hold option boot from the 10.7 clone. The clone can later be erased and used as a 10.6 clone. Or reversed cloned back onto the internal drive or as many external drives as needed. (don't use a clone on a different Mac)

Clones are hold option key bootable, TimeMachines drives are not.

Note: The above steps are ONLY for Mac's that didn't come with Lion preinstalled. For reverting a factory Lion to Snow Leopard requires other methods.

Best ds store!

I'm not trying to be rude but downgrading to Snow Leopard is not a serious solution to this problem and a clean reinstall of Lion has already been tried.

ok well here is where I am with this issue.

I set up a genius appointment at my local apple store today. I took the mac in and attempted to launch 100 apps at the same time, then rapidly quit them all. it worked fine. no freeze. I then tried to explain how it froze and i ended up just quitting Microsoft Communicator (because it was the last app open and was complaining that no network could be found) and BOOM! it happens... right in front of the apple genius employee. he was pretty impressed to say the least. We both agreed that regardless of how many apps you launch, or quit, or what you are doing, the cursor should never vanish and the volume keys still work, but the computer hard lock up. he definetally agreed it was a problem.

They are going to do a full diagnostic test of my system (multiple pass) which will check my hard drive, battery, computer, etc, etc.. and then we can rule out if its a hardware issue.

Next they will do a format and a clean install of my laptop and reinstall LION from scratch and then will proceed to test there.

We will see. Hopefully they will identify there is indeed a problem with 10.7.1 and the 2011 MBP, maybe there will be a update for this mac's software, or it could end up being something else entierly. I guess its out of my hands at the minute.

I will report back when I receive more info from Apple Genius Bar tomorrow.

Great job Zurie! Looking forward to your next post!

I'm having the same issues. I just got this brand new 17" Macbook Po and the only time mine freezes is when I quit an application. Most commonly Firefox and Aperture (I never use iPhone so i don't know abou that one)

The screen freezes and the cursor dissapears - and I have to hold down the power button and start over.

Just as an FYI - I've replaced the HD in the computer wondering if that's the problem and it's not - I replaced it yesterday and it's hard froze this way 4 times just today.

I wonder if Apple intended that the process of quitting their applications would be an absolute gamble.

Thanks for the thread - I'm actually really glad that I'm not the only one!

ok I just got my laptop back from Apple. They did a extensive diagnostic test of the hardware (multiple pass) ran it all night. The genius said he got 4 solid passes through the night and not one error hardware wise. So the next step is to format the drive and install a new system. They were going to format my drive and do this but I declined and took it back. I have a 512 SSD coming tomorrow or thursday and I am going to install a new fresh LION from the SSD off a apple USB install stick. Then I will run LION (10.7.1) and see if i can replicate the issue with a barebones system with no 3rd party software. If i can, then I will bring it back to Apple and continue my case from that point on. In the mean time I can use it in its current form without having to go through the hassle of formatting and restoring my current drive. I will keep you all posted.