Programs quit unexpectedly

This error message is the OS's way to saying that your MBP is having a problem managing resources. In other words, one or more application that either conflict or there's too much activity for your computer to handle at once. This message has happened to most users.

How do you fix this? I'm afraid to say, there aren't simple fixes, since I don't know anything about your system, your applications, or how you use your MBP. But there are some ways you can track down the most likely culprits:

1. Make a log. Whenever a program quits unexpectedly, document the application involved, the other things you had on at the same time, and the time. With this basic info, you'll have the basic data to begin investigating.

2. Get RAM. If you have 2gb RAM, that's the problem. Upgrade to 4gb RAM minimum, and more if you feel you require it.

3. Update. Make sure your MBP has all the latest updates, even for third-party applications. Developers write applications to avoid errors like you're encountering.

4. Diagnostics. Go to Disk Utility, and perform a preferences repair. Reboot.

There are other potential solutions to this message, but begin with these four. Post if this was successful or not.

Some things you can try...

1. Run Disk Utility from your installer DVD or recovery partition to verify/repair your boot drive.

2. Boot in safe mode, then reboot again. This clears out a few caches among other things.

3. See if the problem occurs when you create and log into another account.

These are some initial diagnostic steps. Depending on what these results are will determine what to do next.

Poikkeus wrote:

This error message is the OS's way to saying that your MBP is having a problem managing resources.

That is incorrect.

The message indicates that a (relatively) serious error has occurred, eg, the application has tried to read data from a non-existent memory address. Errors occur all the time, and their causes vary from software bugs to hardware problems; most of them are not serious enough to cause an app to crash, but some are.

Occasional app crashing is a normal part of using a computer, because all software has bugs (when I was in school, the average figure quoted to us was 1 error for every 300 lines of code). But if specific apps crash on a regular basis, then you need to troubleshoot it. Read

<http://support.apple.com/kb/HT3159>

<http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?path=Mac/10.6/en/8750.html>

Under normal circumstances, the system (specifically CrashReporter) generates a report for such an event. You can see it immediately, or later with Console.app (first place to look is under User Diagnostic Reports). Interpreting such a report is not a task for laypersons, but sometimes you may get an inkling of what's going on by looking at the type of 'exception' (crash) and what code libraries were loaded by the crashed thread.

fane_j,

My comment may or may not be correct, but it's hard to tell because it seems the OP has disappeared. In any case, think we'd both agree that we need additional information in order to give a more complete answer. Any of the responses so far:

- making a log

- check RAM requirements

- update

- disk utility, from desktop or DVD

- crash reporter

...are appropriate.

You might have been infected with a hidden Java exploit used by the OSX/FlashBack malware.

If you want some help, contact the VirusBarrier researchers at Intego, who discovered the threat.

sample@virusbarrier.com

http://blog.intego.com

Philip Barrier wrote:

You might have been infected with a hidden Java exploit used by the OSX/FlashBack malware.

Don't scare the poor bloke needlessly. Skype (or any other app) crashing is not an indication of being infected with the Flashback trojan. There are other, more pertinent symptoms.

fane_j wrote:

Philip Barrier wrote:

You might have been infected with a hidden Java exploit used by the OSX/FlashBack malware.

Don't scare the poor bloke needlessly. Skype (or any other app) crashing is not an indication of being infected with the Flashback trojan.

Actually, it is. Intego confirmed to me yesterday that Skype and Safari are two of the network applications that are being infected with code injection in order to harvest UserName / Password pairs. Some of the first indications they had were of Skype crashes.

To find out open the Terminal app (in /Applications/Utilities/, copy the following "defaults read ~/.MacOSX/environment" without the quotes, paste it into a Terminal window and hit return. If it mentions anything about "DYLD_INSERT_LIBRARIES" it is infected. If it cannot find the domain or says something else, it's OK.

MadMacs0 wrote:

Actually, it is.

Would you like me to list all the times Skype and Safari crashed on my Mac, although I'm not infected? Apps crash all the time, for any number of reasons. Infection with any kind of malware, let alone with this particular trojan, accounts for a very small number of them.

So far, there is nothing in the OP to indicate that its author's machine is infected. As you know better than I, there are other symptoms, much more conclusive than iTunes and Skype crashing.

To find out open the Terminal app (in /Applications/Utilities/, copy the following "defaults read ~/.MacOSX/environment" without the quotes

Thank you, MadMacs0. My memory isn't what it used to be, so please help me out here -- wasn't I who suggested this very item to you?

fane_j wrote:

So far, there is nothing in the OP to indicate that its author's machine is infected. As you know better than I, there are other symptoms, much more conclusive than iTunes and Skype crashing.

My impression is that we've got yet another version in operation over the last day and a half, or so. Infected users were not reporting the strange Finder labels and one of the files has moved to an /Applications/Support/ directory.

I do agree that so far the evidence isn't there. All I was trying to say is not to dismiss Skype crashes (which I have yet to see on my setup) as an indication. Now that I think about it, iTunes is a network application, as well.

And yes I do recall our discussion, but was hoping the OP might pick up on it.

MadMacs0 wrote:

Now that I think about it, iTunes is a network application, as well.

And, if I'm not mistaken, both iTunes and Skype use CoreAudio, don't they? Not a lot of passwords to harvest there.

And yes I do recall our discussion, but was hoping the OP might pick up on it.

?

<https://discussions.apple.com/thread/3760250?answerId=17687157022#17687157022>

Hello there, I have an issue with my mac and if anyone can help me I will be very thankful.Sometimes when I surffing the internet or run different programs, my mac crashes and gets a white screen or sometimes black stripes and the screen gets blurry, and after it restarts...Does anyone know how can solve this problem?

Please start a new discussion. This one is three years old so I'm probably the only one still watching it (not sure why I am) and it's unlikely anybody else will ever see it here.

That's just the way this forum works.