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Level 1

79 points

Hard drive constantly accessing

I've seen a few similar posts to this but can't find a good answer. Two days ago the hard drive in my iMac at work started acting up. It is constantly making the buzzing sound of the read/write heads. It's the same sound you hear if you are running something to scan the drive, only it never stops. It doesn't appear to be Spotlight indexing, and TimeMachine is turned off. People's first reaction (including our IT guy who isn't a Mac "expert") is that the drive is going bad. I don't agree with that. To me it's more like some program is causing it as if, like I said, it's scanning the drive. It starts even before I login at the opening screen and if I shutdown it continues all the way until the power cuts off. When the computer is on after about 5 or 6 hours it stops doing it for a short time.

As it happens, I get a lot of beachballs and stalling. Music in iTunes randomly pauses for up to a second or 2. The computer has to catch up when I type. IT does have things like McAfee & Citrix installed but those were there before this started.

This is driving me absolutely insane. Does anyone have any ideas?

Posted on Jan 9, 2015 12:12 PM

24 replies

Kappy

Level 10

361,741 points

Jan 12, 2015 10:00 AM in response to Scott Kopp

I see. I'm wondering if this is a result of a bad system installation. Give this a try:

Reinstalling OS X Without Erasing the Drive

Boot to the Recovery HD: Restart the computer and after the chime press and hold down the COMMAND and R keys until the menu screen appears. Alternatively, restart the computer and after the chime press and hold down the OPTION key until the boot manager screen appears. Select the Recovery HD and click on the downward pointing arrow button.

Repair the Hard Drive and Permissions: Upon startup select Disk Utility from the main menu. Repair the Hard Drive and Permissions as follows.

When the recovery menu appears select Disk Utility. After DU loads select your hard drive entry (mfgr.'s ID and drive size) from the the left side list. In the DU status area you will see an entry for the S.M.A.R.T. status of the hard drive. If it does not say "Verified" then the hard drive is failing or failed. (SMART status is not reported on external Firewire or USB drives.) If the drive is "Verified" then select your OS X volume from the list on the left (sub-entry below the drive entry,) click on the First Aid tab, then click on the Repair Disk button. If DU reports any errors that have been fixed, then re-run Repair Disk until no errors are reported. If no errors are reported click on the Repair Permissions button. Wait until the operation completes, then quit DU and return to the main menu.

Reinstall OS X: Select Reinstall OS X and click on the Continue button.

Note: You will need an active Internet connection. I suggest using Ethernet if possible because it is three times faster than wireless.

Also see:

Reinstall OS X Without Erasing the Drive

OS X Yosemite- Reinstall OS X

Note: You will need an active Internet connection. I suggest using Ethernet

if possible because it is three times faster than wireless.

Scott Kopp Author

Level 1

79 points

Jan 12, 2015 11:13 AM in response to Kappy

Yeah, I've tried all those, unfortunately. 😟 SMART is verified, I've run Repair Disk Permissions and Repair Disk, I reinstalled Yosemite without erasing the disk.

A "bad system install" is intriguing but it was fine until last Wed. (I upgraded to Yosemite about a week or 2 earlier.) I've also used AdwareMedic, AppCleaner and CleanMyMac2 to see if they find anything but I didn't see anything promising.

The problem is getting worse. Everything I do now I have to wait several seconds for a beachball.

It just completed a TimeMachine backup, so I think my only option now is to (reluctantly) have the IT guy do a clean rebuild. At least with the backup I'll still have the stuff he misses.

Kappy

Level 10

361,741 points

Jan 12, 2015 11:48 AM in response to Scott Kopp

Well, one thing you can do is to uninstall/remove CleanMyMac and any similar software you have installed. This junk can actually cause more problems than it cures. I also suggest you download the free EtreCheck 2.1.3 and install it. Run the program, make a copy to your clipboard of the program's resulting output, then paste that here in your next post.

Scott Kopp Author

Level 1

79 points

Jan 12, 2015 12:05 PM in response to Kappy

I downloaded those applications days after this whole thing started. So I know they're not causing it. I was hoping they'd help me find and remove the problem. I don't use them for things like defrag or anything like that.

I also want to thank you again for spending so much time on this with me. I do appreciate it.

Problem description:

constant hard drive accessing

EtreCheck version: 2.1.5 (108)

Report generated January 12, 2015 at 1:52:58 PM CST

Click the [Support] links for help with non-Apple products.

Click the [Details] links for more information about that line.

Click the [Adware] links for help removing adware.

Hardware Information: ℹ️

iMac (21.5-inch, Late 2009) (Verified)

iMac - model: iMac10,1

1 3.33 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo CPU: 2-core

8 GB RAM Upgradeable

BANK 0/DIMM0

2 GB DDR3 1067 MHz ok

BANK 1/DIMM0

2 GB DDR3 1067 MHz ok

BANK 0/DIMM1

2 GB DDR3 1067 MHz ok

BANK 1/DIMM1

2 GB DDR3 1067 MHz ok

Bluetooth: Old - Handoff/Airdrop2 not supported

Wireless: en1: 802.11 a/b/g/n

Video Information: ℹ️

ATI Radeon HD 4670 - VRAM: 256 MB

iMac 1920 x 1080

Cinema 1680 x 1050

System Software: ℹ️

OS X 10.10.1 (14B25) - Uptime: 0:16:18

Disk Information: ℹ️

ST31000528ASQ disk0 : (1 TB)

EFI (disk0s1) <not mounted> : 210 MB

Macintosh HDD (disk0s2) / : 999.35 GB (860.84 GB free)

Recovery HD (disk0s3) <not mounted> [Recovery]: 650 MB

OPTIARC DVD RW AD-5680H

USB Information: ℹ️

Apple Internal Memory Card Reader

Apple, Inc. Keyboard Hub

Apple, Inc Apple Keyboard

Apple Computer, Inc. Apple Cinema Display

Apple Inc. Built-in iSight

Apple Inc. BRCM2046 Hub

Apple Inc. Bluetooth USB Host Controller

Apple Computer, Inc. IR Receiver

Configuration files: ℹ️

/etc/sysctl.conf - Exists

Gatekeeper: ℹ️

Mac App Store and identified developers

Kernel Extensions: ℹ️

/Applications/VMware Fusion.app

[not loaded] com.vmware.kext.vmci (90.4.19) [Support]

[not loaded] com.vmware.kext.vmioplug.10.1.26 (10.1.26) [Support]

[not loaded] com.vmware.kext.vmnet (0194.56.92) [Support]

[not loaded] com.vmware.kext.vmx86 (0194.56.92) [Support]

[not loaded] com.vmware.kext.vsockets (90.4.24) [Support]

/System/Library/Extensions

[not loaded] com.GSI.kext.gsidrv (1 - SDK 10.6) [Support]

Startup Items: ℹ️

cba8: Path: /Library/StartupItems/cba8

HP IO: Path: /Library/StartupItems/HP IO

Startup items are obsolete in OS X Yosemite

Launch Agents: ℹ️

[not loaded] com.adobe.AAM.Updater-1.0.plist [Support]

[loaded] com.citrix.AuthManager_Mac.plist [Support]

[running] com.citrix.ReceiverHelper.plist [Support]

[running] com.citrix.ServiceRecords.plist [Support]

[running] com.jamfsoftware.jamf.agent.plist [Support]

[loaded] com.oracle.java.Java-Updater.plist [Support]

[not loaded] com.teamviewer.teamviewer.plist [Support]

[not loaded] com.teamviewer.teamviewer_desktop.plist [Support]

Launch Daemons: ℹ️

[loaded] com.adobe.fpsaud.plist [Support]

[invalid?] com.adobe.SwitchBoard.plist [Support]

[loaded] com.barebones.textwrangler.plist [Support]

[running] com.GSI.Servlet.plist [Support]

[running] com.jamfsoftware.jamf.daemon.plist [Support]

[not loaded] com.jamfsoftware.startupItem.plist [Support]

[running] com.jamfsoftware.task.1.plist [Support]

[loaded] com.macpaw.CleanMyMac2.Agent.plist [Support]

[loaded] com.microsoft.office.licensing.helper.plist [Support]

[loaded] com.oracle.java.Helper-Tool.plist [Support]

[loaded] com.teamviewer.Helper.plist [Support]

[not loaded] com.teamviewer.teamviewer_service.plist [Support]

User Launch Agents: ℹ️

[loaded] com.adobe.ARM.[...].plist [Support]

[loaded] com.google.keystone.agent.plist [Support]

[loaded] com.macpaw.CleanMyMac2Helper.diskSpaceWatcher.plist [Support]

[loaded] com.macpaw.CleanMyMac2Helper.scheduledScan.plist [Support]

[loaded] com.macpaw.CleanMyMac2Helper.trashWatcher.plist [Support]

User Login Items: ℹ️

iTunesHelper Application (/Applications/iTunes.app/Contents/MacOS/iTunesHelper.app)

VMware Fusion Start Menu Application (/Applications/VMware Fusion.app/Contents/Library/VMware Fusion Start Menu.app)

Lotus Notes Application (/Applications/Lotus Notes.app)

Safari Application (/Applications/Safari.app)

Microsoft Lync Application (/Applications/Microsoft Lync.app)

Internet Plug-ins: ℹ️

FlashPlayer-10.6: Version: 16.0.0.235 - SDK 10.6 [Support]

Default Browser: Version: 600 - SDK 10.10

AdobePDFViewerNPAPI: Version: 10.1.13 [Support]

AdobePDFViewer: Version: 10.1.13 [Support]

Flash Player: Version: 16.0.0.235 - SDK 10.6 [Support]

QuickTime Plugin: Version: 7.7.3

CitrixICAClientPlugIn: Version: 11.9.0 - SDK 10.9 [Support]

SharePointBrowserPlugin: Version: 14.4.7 - SDK 10.6 [Support]

Silverlight: Version: 5.1.30317.0 - SDK 10.6 [Support]

MeetingJoinPlugin: Version: Unknown - SDK 10.6 [Support]

JavaAppletPlugin: Version: Java 8 Update 25 Check version

Safari Extensions: ℹ️

ClickToPlugin [Installed]

TinEye [Installed]

3rd Party Preference Panes: ℹ️

Flash Player [Support]

Java [Support]

Time Machine: ℹ️

Skip System Files: NO

Mobile backups: OFF

Auto backup: NO - Auto backup turned off

Volumes being backed up:

Macintosh HDD: Disk size: 999.35 GB Disk used: 138.51 GB

Destinations:

MBookPro backup(2) [Local]

Total size: 2.00 TB

Total number of backups: 1

Oldest backup: 2015-01-12 18:27:47 +0000

Last backup: 2015-01-12 18:27:47 +0000

Size of backup disk: Adequate

Backup size 2.00 TB > (Disk used 138.51 GB X 3)

Top Processes by CPU: ℹ️

77% tail

3% WindowServer

2% jamfAgent

1% eclipse

1% mds

Top Processes by Memory: ℹ️

352 MB eclipse

332 MB com.apple.WebKit.WebContent

155 MB Finder

137 MB Safari

129 MB mds_stores

Virtual Memory Information: ℹ️

2.48 GB Free RAM

4.62 GB Active RAM

734 MB Inactive RAM

753 MB Wired RAM

1.41 GB Page-ins

0 B Page-outs

Diagnostics Information: ℹ️

Jan 12, 2015, 01:37:26 PM Self test - passed

Jan 12, 2015, 12:56:54 PM /Library/Logs/DiagnosticReports/fmpd_2015-01-12-125654_[redacted].crash

Jan 10, 2015, 08:34:23 AM /Library/Logs/DiagnosticReports/VShieldScanner_2015-01-10-083423_[redacted].cra sh

Kappy

Level 10

361,741 points

Jan 12, 2015 12:24 PM in response to Scott Kopp

Are these needed:

Startup Items: ℹ️

cba8: Path: /Library/StartupItems/cba8

HP IO: Path: /Library/StartupItems/HP IO

Startup items are obsolete in OS X Yosemite

Top Processes by CPU: ℹ️

77% tail

What is this? It's hogging a lot of CPU time. Use Activity Monitor to kill it.

Jan 12, 2015, 12:56:54 PM /Library/Logs/DiagnosticReports/fmpd_2015-01-12-125654_[redacted].crash

Jan 10, 2015, 08:34:23 AM /Library/Logs/DiagnosticReports/VShieldScanner_2015-01-10-083423_[redacted].cra sh

I don't know what VShieldScanner is but probably some sort of anti-malware software. Get rid of it.

fmpc is part of McAfee software. Get rid of McAfee software.

Safari Extensions: ℹ️

ClickToPlugin [Installed]

TinEye [Installed]

Disable TinEye for now.

Get rid of the MacPaw software, CleanMyMac2.

Scott Kopp Author

Level 1

79 points

Jan 12, 2015 12:51 PM in response to Kappy

I'm pretty sure VShield is part of McAfee. I've been trying to get rid of all of it but I'm having trouble. And I just can't stop in Activity Monitor. It's required by the company so IT has it loaded in a way that I can't turn it off. (I have suspicions that something could've been updated last week causing the problem. But other iMacs nearby aren't having issues.) As for those other things, I have no idea what they are. And I don't see them in Activity Monitor... at least not as those names.

I'm ready to give up.

Kappy

Level 10

361,741 points

Jan 12, 2015 12:57 PM in response to Scott Kopp

It's apparent that the McAfee software has crashed, so something is wrong with it. If it's under IT's control then ask them to fix it for you.

Scott Kopp Author

Level 1

79 points

Jan 12, 2015 1:28 PM in response to Kappy

We've come full circle. haha. Our I.T. people aren't interested in trying to figure out what the problem is. (Or possibly they don't know how on a Mac.) Their solution is, "Just reinstall everything." Never mind that it wastes my time having to reinstall software and get things back to "normal". But that's what I'm going to have them do.

Scott Kopp Author

Level 1

79 points

Jan 13, 2015 10:20 AM in response to Scott Kopp

We've concluded that the hard drive is failing after all. So I have to eat my words. I was sure it was a software issue.

After reformatting the drive and installing the OS, the problem didn't go away. So the drive is going to be replaced.

Thanks to everyone for your help.

Hard drive constantly accessing