FleaDogg

Q: iMac intel randomly shuts off. Can't figure out why.

Hello,


I have an Intel based iMac purchased in 2012 running on a 2.9GHz Intel Core i5 with 8GB of RAM.


Over the past 4 months the computer randomly shuts off with no warning. The only way to power  it back up is to reset the SMC, but then it will eventually shut off again.


I have tried:

-changing plugs

-changing power strips

--brought to Mac service desk where they said nothing is wrong with the machine

-replaced power cord

-checked temps

-increased fan speeds

-unplugging hardware

-restoring to factory settings


None of this was worked. It still continues to shut down seemingly at random. It shuts down when I'm actively using it, when it is on but idle, and when it is in sleep mode. It shuts down at random times of the day, it's happened in the morning, afternoon, evening and middle of the night.


I am running the most recent version of Mavericks.

I have read through many threads on similar topic but nothing I've seen so far works.

Can anyone help or does anyone have any suggestions on what to do?

 

This is really frustrating and making it very difficult to finish projects.

 

Please help!!!

iMac, OS X Mavericks (10.9.5)

Posted on Oct 8, 2014 8:13 PM

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Q: iMac intel randomly shuts off. Can't figure out why.

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  • Helpful answers

  • by Kappy,

    Kappy Kappy Oct 8, 2014 8:17 PM in response to FleaDogg
    Level 10 (271,367 points)
    Desktops
    Oct 8, 2014 8:17 PM in response to FleaDogg

    Start by replacing your RAM. Sounds like a random memory failure.

     

    If you have experienced a kernel panic, then it would help to post the log: Mac OS X- How to log a kernel panic.

     

    Also, see OS X- About kernel panics.

  • by FleaDogg,

    FleaDogg FleaDogg Oct 8, 2014 11:52 PM in response to Kappy
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Oct 8, 2014 11:52 PM in response to Kappy

    Hey Kappy,

    thanks for your help with this.

     

    Looked into the kernal panic and not sure if that's what is happening.  There is no "restart screen".  And no other options when the computer eventually is re-booted.  The computer shuts off without any warning, and when you reboot it behaves as it would if there was an unexpected power outage.

     

    Is there anything in the console that would indicate kernal panic?

    the console just before a shut down today looked like this:

     

    10/8/14 4:26:06.219 PM com.apple.internetaccounts[316]: *** Entitlement com.apple.private.iaaccounts is missing.

    10/8/14 4:26:06.219 PM Finder[274]: *** remoteObjectProxyWithErrorHandler failed: Error Domain=NSCocoaErrorDomain Code=4097 "Couldn’t communicate with a helper application."; {

    }

    10/8/14 4:26:06.817 PM com.apple.IconServicesAgent[237]: main Failed to composit image for binding VariantBinding [0x113] flags: 0x8 binding: FileInfoBinding [0x421] - extension: plist, UTI: com.apple.property-list, fileType: ????.

    10/8/14 4:26:06.818 PM quicklookd[1125]: Warning: Cache image returned by the server has size range covering all valid image sizes. Binding: VariantBinding [0x203] flags: 0x8 binding: FileInfoBinding [0x103] - extension: plist, UTI: com.apple.property-list, fileType: ???? request size:64 scale: 1

    10/8/14 4:26:06.827 PM com.apple.IconServicesAgent[237]: main Failed to composit image for binding VariantBinding [0x221] flags: 0x8 binding: FileInfoBinding [0x341] - extension: rtf, UTI: public.rtf, fileType: ????.

    10/8/14 4:26:06.827 PM quicklookd[1125]: Warning: Cache image returned by the server has size range covering all valid image sizes. Binding: VariantBinding [0x403] flags: 0x8 binding: FileInfoBinding [0x303] - extension: rtf, UTI: public.rtf, fileType: ???? request size:64 scale: 1

    10/8/14 4:26:07.102 PM com.apple.IconServicesAgent[237]: main Failed to composit image for binding VariantBinding [0x425] flags: 0x8 binding: FileInfoBinding [0x117] - extension: h, UTI: public.c-header, fileType: ????.

    10/8/14 4:26:07.103 PM quicklookd[1125]: Warning: Cache image returned by the server has size range covering all valid image sizes. Binding: VariantBinding [0xa03] flags: 0x8 binding: FileInfoBinding [0x903] - extension: h, UTI: public.c-header, fileType: ???? request size:64 scale: 1

    10/8/14 4:30:13.000 PM kernel[0]: Limiting icmp unreach response from 414 to 250 packets per second

     

     

     

     

    Then it happened again only 10 minutes later, this time the the computer logged this before shutdown:

     

     

     

     

    10/8/14 4:33:01.654 PM Dock[161]: Failed to mmap file. The file has zero length.

    10/8/14 4:33:01.654 PM Dock[161]: Failed to mmap file. The file has zero length.

    10/8/14 4:33:01.654 PM Dock[161]: Failed to mmap file. The file has zero length.

    10/8/14 4:33:01.655 PM Dock[161]: Failed to mmap file. The file has zero length.

    10/8/14 4:33:01.790 PM com.apple.IconServicesAgent[193]: Failed to mmap file. The file has zero length.

    10/8/14 4:33:02.173 PM xpcd[169]: restored permissions (100600 -> 100700) on /Users/FleaDog/Library/Containers/com.apple.soagent/Container.plist

    10/8/14 4:33:02.205 PM WiFiKeychainProxy[199]: [NO client logger] <Nov 10 2013 18:30:13> WIFICLOUDSYNC WiFiCloudSyncEngineCreate: created...

    10/8/14 4:33:02.205 PM WiFiKeychainProxy[199]: [NO client logger] <Nov 10 2013 18:30:13> WIFICLOUDSYNC WiFiCloudSyncEngineRegisterCallbacks: WiFiCloudSyncEngineCallbacks version - 0, bundle id - com.apple.wifi.WiFiKeychainProxy

    10/8/14 4:33:02.472 PM xpcd[169]: restored permissions (100600 -> 100700) on /Users/FleaDog/Library/Containers/com.apple.ShareKitHelper/Container.plist

    10/8/14 4:33:02.487 PM accountsd[220]: assertion failed: 13F34: liblaunch.dylib + 25164 [A40A0C7B-3216-39B4-8AE0-B5D3BAF1DA8A]: 0x25

    10/8/14 4:33:02.837 PM xpcd[169]: restored permissions (100600 -> 100700) on /Users/FleaDog/Library/Containers/com.apple.CalendarAgent/Container.plist

    10/8/14 4:33:02.864 PM com.apple.SecurityServer[15]: Session 100012 created

    10/8/14 4:33:04.294 PM accountsd[220]: /SourceCache/Accounts/Accounts-336.9/ACDAuthenticationPluginManager.m - -[ACDAuthenticationPluginManager credentialForAccount:client:handler:] - 230 - The authentication plugin for account "fleadog75@yahoo.com" (17E9DBEA-E159-472D-886B-9C5CC94EA1B9) could not be found!

    10/8/14 4:33:04.295 PM accountsd[220]: /SourceCache/Accounts/Accounts-336.9/ACDAccountStore.m - __62-[ACDAccountStore credentialForAccountWithIdentifier:handler:]_block_invoke389 - 857 - No plugin provides credentials for account fleadog75@yahoo.com. Falling back to legacy behavior.

    10/8/14 4:33:04.472 PM apsd[192]: Unrecognized leaf certificate

    10/8/14 4:33:05.919 PM com.apple.time[151]: Interval maximum value is 946100000 seconds (specified value: 9223372036854775807).

    10/8/14 4:33:06.143 PM com.apple.imfoundation.IMRemoteURLConnectionAgent[229]: ERROR: __CFURLCache:CreateTablesAndIndexes version create - database is locked. ErrCode: 5.

    10/8/14 4:33:06.143 PM com.apple.imfoundation.IMRemoteURLConnectionAgent[229]: __CFURLCache:RecreateEmptyPersistentStoreOnDiskAndOpen: create tables and index failed.

    10/8/14 4:33:07.258 PM com.apple.dock.extra[227]: <NSXPCConnection: 0x7fc062456680>: received an undecodable message (no exported object to receive message). Dropping message.

    10/8/14 4:33:07.732 PM com.apple.SecurityServer[15]: Session 100015 created

    10/8/14 4:33:08.320 PM com.apple.time[151]: Interval maximum value is 946100000 seconds (specified value: 9223372036854775807).

    10/8/14 4:33:08.798 PM com.apple.NotesMigratorService[235]: Joined Aqua audit session

    10/8/14 4:33:10.485 PM gamed[218]: CKSoftwareMap: Registering with Daemon

    10/8/14 4:33:12.051 PM parentalcontrolsd[240]: StartObservingFSEvents [849:] -- *** StartObservingFSEvents started event stream

    10/8/14 4:33:20.633 PM KeyboardSetupAssistant[196]: writeKeyboardType <50484-1133-0> 40

    10/8/14 4:33:55.000 PM kernel[0]: Limiting icmp unreach response from 414 to 250 packets per second

    10/8/14 4:34:03.852 PM com.apple.SecurityServer[15]: Session 100007 created

    10/8/14 4:34:06.000 PM kernel[0]: firefox (map: 0xffffff801fc24780) triggered DYLD shared region unnest for map: 0xffffff801fc24780, region 0x7fff87e00000->0x7fff88000000. While not abnormal for debuggers, this increases system memory footprint until the target exits.

    10/8/14 4:34:12.459 PM firefox[248]: stat on /Users/FleaDog/Library/Application Support/Firefox/Profiles/h76z5rok.default/sessionstore.js: No such file or directory

    10/8/14 4:34:13.000 PM kernel[0]: Limiting icmp unreach response from 421 to 250 packets per second

     

     

     

     

    Is there anyway to test the RAM to see if that is the problem before it is replaced?

    As I stated in the OP, the computer has already been to Mac Support and they said all was well with the machine, would they have tested the RAM?

     

    thanks again for your help with this.

  • by Kappy,

    Kappy Kappy Oct 9, 2014 9:32 AM in response to FleaDogg
    Level 10 (271,367 points)
    Desktops
    Oct 9, 2014 9:32 AM in response to FleaDogg

    I'm sure those logs mean something to someone, but I'm no system programmer, so I don't know what the entries mean unless they are obvious. For example: 10/8/14 4:33:01.654 PM Dock[161]: Failed to mmap file. The file has zero length. This one seems to refer to the Dock. Another line mentions FireFox profiles as the source. But I don't know much more than that, I'm afraid.

     

    As for memory tests unless you run them for several days continuously you may never catch the error, but that information was in your AHT report which you should take with you if you go back to the shop. The only thing you can try is to remove one module then run the AHT memory test long-term. If you don't get the error then try the other module by itself. If you still get no error, then it could have been just a glitch.

     

    I have no idea what they did at the shop. I can only state that if you experience the problem even when running a completely virgin OS X, then it's a hardware problem.

  • by ~Bee,

    ~Bee ~Bee Oct 9, 2014 9:49 AM in response to FleaDogg
    Level 7 (31,792 points)
    Mac OS X
    Oct 9, 2014 9:49 AM in response to FleaDogg

    Hi FleaDog --

     

    What is connected to your Mac at home, that was not connected at the store?

  • by FleaDogg,

    FleaDogg FleaDogg Oct 9, 2014 12:20 PM in response to Kappy
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Oct 9, 2014 12:20 PM in response to Kappy

    Ok, thanks for the advice. I will look into the memory situation and try and find out if the RAM is bad and needs to be replaced.

  • by FleaDogg,

    FleaDogg FleaDogg Oct 9, 2014 12:24 PM in response to ~Bee
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Oct 9, 2014 12:24 PM in response to ~Bee

    The only thing I can think of would be a wireless Logitech keyboard/mouse combo that connects thru one USB port. I also use the wireless Apple track pad

  • by Kappy,

    Kappy Kappy Oct 9, 2014 1:07 PM in response to FleaDogg
    Level 10 (271,367 points)
    Desktops
    Oct 9, 2014 1:07 PM in response to FleaDogg

    Be sure you are using the most recent Logitech software. I use it and have not had problems with it.

  • by FleaDogg,

    FleaDogg FleaDogg Oct 9, 2014 11:53 PM in response to Kappy
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Oct 9, 2014 11:53 PM in response to Kappy

    ***UPDATE***

     

    So tested the RAM with MemTest. Checked out with no errors. Then after iMac shuts off.

     

    Decide to try another factory reset and test the RAM again. This time iMac shuts off during reboot!

    Unplug, start up again, this time has to do internet hookup, and then can only install Mountain Lion. In the middle of that install, iMac shuts off.

     

    Tried again with same results.  Going to try one more time and then call it a day. See what happened in the morning.

     

    Also on the first re-attempt had all Logitech hardware disconnected. Still shut off.

     

    So my question now is does this still sound like a RAM problem?  Thinking I should pull one 4GB chip at a time and see what happens? 

  • by Kappy,

    Kappy Kappy Oct 10, 2014 9:30 AM in response to FleaDogg
    Level 10 (271,367 points)
    Desktops
    Oct 10, 2014 9:30 AM in response to FleaDogg

    If it is not RAM, then there are only two other likely candidates:

     

    1. Bad logic board.
    2. Bad hard drive.
  • by FleaDogg,Solvedanswer

    FleaDogg FleaDogg Oct 29, 2014 11:05 PM in response to Kappy
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Oct 29, 2014 11:05 PM in response to Kappy

    ***UPDATE***

     

    Ended up bringing the machine back to the Apple store.  They did further diagnostics and then ended up replacing the AC Power Supply.  Cost: $89. 

    That was a few weeks ago, since then it's been running great with no shutdowns.  Upgraded to Yosemite without any issues.

     

    Hope this helps anyone experiencing similar difficulties.  Definitely a frustrating situation.