OS X 10.9 freeze when WiFi is turned off (POSSIBLE SOLUTION)

I'm experiencing a similar issue.

In my case, a conflicting kext (kernel extension) from a vitual machine (VirtualBox) was causing an immediate freeze after turning Wi-Fi off. After disabling the kext's scripts, I can now disable Wi-Fi safely but if I reboot then the system hangs at radom instances of boot sequence (for example while showing the apple logo, or at the login screen or a few seconds after entering the password).

I can only boot in single user mode (command-option-S) so after looking around a way to turn on WiFi from the command line, I ended up using a daemon (boot script) that turns on WiFi before anything else happens (at least as soon as the airport card is running).

In any case, I left the instructions here, just for reference.

The script should be created in /Library/LaunchDaemons

It can have any name with "plist" extension, I choosen "com.fixwifi.wifion.plist"

To create the file type: nano /Library/LaunchDaemons/com.fixwifi.wifion.plist

Enter the following text (it's a lot of text, I know, but it is better than nothing):

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>

<!DOCTYPE plist PUBLIC "-//Apple Computer//DTD PLIST 1.0//EN" "http://www.apple.com/DTDs/PropertyList-1.0.dtd">

<plist version="1.0">

<dict>

<key>Label</key>

<string>com.fixwifi.wifion</string>

<key>RunAtLoad</key>

<true/>

<key>KeepAlive</key>

<dict>

<key>SuccesfulExit</key>

<false/>

</dict>

<key>ProgramArguments</key>

<array>

<string>networksetup</string>

<string>-setairportpower</string>

<string>en1</string>

<string>on</string>

</array>

<key>StartInterval</key>

<integer>2</integer>

</dict>

</plist>

When finished, type "ctrl-x", then "y" to save and enter. Reboot.

This script will:

- try to power on the en1 interface as soon as the script loads

- if it fails (because the interface is not running yet), will try to turn it on every two seconds

- once the interface is on (exit is succesful), then unload the script.

Note that this script assumes the airport interface is named "en1". It can also work with the word "airport" (at least in my tests).

Good luck!

I am having exactly the same problem on my MBP 3,1 (oldie, I know). Turning off wifi freezes the entire Mac. I have had the same problem twice. The first time I turned off wifi and my Mac froze up completely. I had to force a restart by holding the power button for several seconds. The problem persisted however after reboot. I tried several reboots but I did not get past the grey boot screen. Even in safe mode it would not start. Single user mode did work, but I was unable to determine the problem there. Eventually I reinstalled Mavericks from the recovery screen, but that did not help either. In the end (after many hours) I ended up recovering from time capsule to a state of two days earlier, that did help.

At this point I did not yet know the problem was because of the wifi. So after recovering I turned off wifi again. Almost right away the system froze up again. Luckily this time the system did not save the 'wifi off' state yet, so I was able to reboot with wifi on and continue.

I am trying to determine the cause but at this point the logs do not seem to contain any useful information. I had installed vmware and parallels at some point. But as far as I know there were no kernel extensions left to mess up the system (safe mode should have disabled them anyway).

Obviously I am not going anywhere near the wifi setting at the moment but I would still like to have a solution to this problem.

I am having this exact same problem with my macbookpro3,1 too!!!

This has been driving me nuts for a week. I reinstalled mavericks countless times to no avail. I can't believe the simple act of turn off wifi kills the computer.

Arghhhhh!

Ira

Here is my work-around to this wi-fi / freeze-on-boot issue:

Don’t turn off Wi-Fi in 10.9! (And how to recover a frozen Mac if you do)

Regards,

Ira

Repair freeze after Wi-Fi off in OS X 10.9:

1. boot in single user mode (command-option-S)
2. delete file "/Library/Preferences/SystemConfiguration/preferences.plist"
3. reboot

Or delete file "/Library/Preferences/SystemConfiguration/preferences.plist" another different method.

Best regards,

vos

hi,

I had the same issue right after doing the wonderful "free" 10.9 upgrade on my macbook pro 3,1.

Thanks for the free headhache apple ! and no official update or fix yet as far as I know ?? Apple is the windows or what ? it *****...

computer runs 10.9 just fine but freeze within seconds EACH time I turn off the wifi.

And the worst as mentioned that no reboot of any kind will complete if the system starts with the wifi disabled afterwards !

So after trying everything I also found out the single file that store the wifi state. Accessing your hard drive in target mode, go to:

/Library/Preferences/SystemConfiguration/com.apple.airport.preferences.plist

and rename the file to com.apple.airport.preferences.plist~bad for example do disable it and reboot.

but it's terrible, I feel that I'm back to my old days on windows spending sleepless nights sweating cold staring at wiping/installing/updating/rebooting/etc...screens, all that windows nonsense way of wasting your time and driving you insance.

How somwthing so problematic yet apparently simple and so commented all over the web from day 1 of the 10.9 release is still not resolved ?

Steve Job is dead and so is apple, very sad.

Your remark saved half a day's work. I wanted to use my MBP in my studio whitout wifi. Everything happend as discribed here, ze frozen screens etc. as if we are still in the age of windows 3.1

I first tried

1. boot in single user mode (command-option-S)
2. rm /Library/Preferences/SystemConfiguration/preferences.plist checked, and yes the file disapeared
3. reboot

It did not work: it apeared that preferences.plist was rewritten after reboot. Same for the rename

/Library/Preferences/SystemConfiguration/com.apple.airport.preferences.plist to something.else

So I also added:

1. boot in single user mode (command-option-S)
2. rm /Library/Preferences/SystemConfiguration/preferences.plist
3. mv /Library/Preferences/SystemConfiguration/com.apple.airport.preferences.plist backup.list make a backup like siliconfarm.com sugested
4. shut down, and use the standard apple rituals like: disconect from power, remove batery, wait some time and reboot with Option-Command-P-R until startup sounds a second time

and It worked!

Sillconfarm's method worked for me. Thanks!!!!!!

Turn off your bluetooth..... problem solved =)

Hi Colum N,

I have the same freeze issue with my Macbookpro3,1 whether Bluetooth is on or off. For me, the trick was turning Wi-Fi on and keeping it on. What device are you running 10.9 on?

Regards,

Ira

Ah right different model. Maybe different issue altogether...

Hello all!

I can confirm that the issue appears to be fixed in 10.9.2... at least in my MacBook Pro late 2007.

Good luck!

AMD