My MacBook Pro is hanging for very long periods of time whenever I try to perform any functions.

Question

My MacBook Pro is hanging for very long periods of time whenever I try to perform any functions.

Hello Collective Wisdom,

I have a MacBook Pro from mid-2009 and have recently experienced some problems. There's an above-average bootup time, and whenever I try to perform any functions (say, open a browser window, go into Finder, launch an app, try to type a URL, search for anything), the Spinning Ball of Death comes up for about 5-7 minutes before the function resolves.

I've been able to get into Disk Utility and it suggested I use Command + R at the bootup screen to do a HD Repair, which I did. But the problem is still occuring.

What do I Do?

Posted on Mar 23, 2013 1:36 PM

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Answer 1

Best reply

Linc Davis

Level 10

209,547 points

Mar 23, 2013 3:43 PM in response to ArtHistoryMajor703

The next time you have the problem, note the exact time: hour, minute, second.

If you have more than one user account, these instructions must be carried out as an administrator.

Launch the Console application in any of the following ways:

☞ Enter the first few letters of its name into a Spotlight search. Select it in the results (it should be at the top.)

☞ In the Finder, select Go ▹ Utilities from the menu bar, or press the key combination shift-command-U. The application is in the folder that opens.

☞ Open LaunchPad. Click Utilities, then Console in the icon grid.

Make sure the title of the Console window is All Messages. If it isn't, select All Messages from the SYSTEM LOG QUERIES menu on the left. If you don't see that menu, select

View ▹ Show Log List

from the menu bar.

Scroll back in the log to the time you noted above. Select any messages timestamped from then until the end of the episode. Copy them to the Clipboard (command-C). Paste into a reply to this message (command-V).

When posting a log extract, be selective. In most cases, a few dozen lines are more than enough.

Please do not indiscriminately dump thousands of lines from the log into this discussion.

Important: Some private information, such as your name, may appear in the log. Anonymize before posting.

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Answer 2

DLMiller

Level 2

395 points

Mar 23, 2013 3:47 PM in response to ArtHistoryMajor703

Try using disc utility to repair the issue

http://support.apple.com/kb/HT1782

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Answer 3

Mar 23, 2013 4:05 PM in response to DLMiller

I've already done that. No improvements.

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Answer 4

Mar 24, 2013 9:26 PM in response to Linc Davis

Linc,

I've followed your instructions, but due to the nature of the problem it's difficult to get several dozen lines of the log. Here's what I did:

1) Open the console and get All Messages up

2) Open Chrome

3) Type a letter. At this point, the Spinning Ball appeared and function was locked. Notably, the clock still ran and the dock still appeared/disappeared.

4) After the letter appeared about 4 minutes later, I attempted to close the window but it locked up my computer (frozen clock). But I was able to pull the console up. I typed the letter at 11:13:18, and the only log after that is:

11:14:01 PM kernel: disk0s2: I/O error.

11:14:57 PM kernel: disk0s2: I/O error.

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Answer 5

Linc Davis

Level 10

209,547 points

Mar 24, 2013 10:10 PM in response to ArtHistoryMajor703

The boot drive is failing, or you have some other hardware fault.

Back up all data immediately, then make a "Genius" appointment at an Apple Store to have the machine tested.

If privacy is a concern, erase the data partition(s) with the option to write zeros* (do this only if you have at least two complete, independent backups, and you know how to restore to bare metal from any of them.) Don’t erase the recovery partition, if present.

*An SSD doesn't need to be zeroed.

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Answer 6

Mar 25, 2013 10:08 AM in response to Linc Davis

Hmm. That may be difficult as the nearest Apple Store is quite far from here.

Strangely, other functions work. I'm able to launch other apps, other browsers, and do system work. Last night I even reinstalled Lion with no problems.

The only time there's an error/hangup/freeze is when I launch Chrome and try to type an address into the Omnibox.

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