Frequent Crashes & Poor Performance MacPro Late-2013

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Frequent Crashes & Poor Performance MacPro Late-2013

Hi,

The last couple of days my MacPro late-2013 model has crashed several times out of nowhere. No spinning beachball of death or software freeze or other warning sign. I'll literally turn away for a moment and computer has dropped to black.

This system primarily used for video editing and graphics production using the Adobe suite. Though frequent render issues and playback performance has me toying with FCP X. However, even FCP X is not running up to par, nowhere near the "smoking fast" speed descriptions I have read in other forums and reviews of FCP X on a new Mac Pro. In fact this morning, I attempted an export of a simple HD video only two minutes long and FCP X froze and I received "System has run out of application memory" warning. The only programs active at the time were FCP X, Google Chrome and Finder. I don't understand how that could overwhelm this hardware. In fact, I reverted the project in question over ot an older iMac system (so I can still work while I troubleshoot the almighty "trash can"), and the project exported with no problems in less than 10 minutes. It took ten minutes just for the MacPro to get to the point of running out of application memory on this same export.

I tried running the diagnostics feature, but no problems were identified. Reference Code: ADP000

Below are my system specs:

I also have two Drobos connected via thunderbolt where my project files and raw media live.

I have been reluctant to update Yosemite for fear of exacerbating the issues I have been experiencing. But these drop-out, black crashes are increasing in frequency even with decreased workload.

I must admit the fact that a new MacPro purchased in early 2015 is a late-2013 model is disconcerting. Either these towers are cost prohibitive for most or something is wrong steering professional users elsewhere. The performance of the older iMac system here is quite comparable to my working experience on the MacPro. I would expect an increase in performance and workload capacity, right? I mean I don't think I'm crazy...

Any thoughts or suggestions will be appreciated!

Mac Pro, OS X Yosemite (10.10.1), null

Posted on Jun 16, 2015 8:22 AM

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Answer 1

Jun 16, 2015 8:40 AM in response to EHTV_Wyo

crashed several times

Then your Mac will have stored kernel panic reports that can be copied and pasted to the forums. This article shows how to find them. Post only kernel panic reports, others are huge and not helpful, and screen shots or abridged reports are not helpful.

Mac OS X: How to log a kernel panic - Apple Support

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Answer 2

EHTV_Wyo Author

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Jun 16, 2015 8:53 AM in response to Grant Bennet-Alder

Thank you for the reply Grant. I have located the Logs>>Dianostic Reports, and there is no panic report. I did find it interesting that there are no diagnostic logs listed for the crashes I experienced today. There are logs for yesterday's crashes.

Other ideas?

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Answer 3

Linc Davis

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209,739 points

Jun 16, 2015 8:55 AM in response to EHTV_Wyo

There are logs for yesterday's crashes.

Please post one of those.

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Answer 4

SOKLY2

Level 1

0 points

Jun 16, 2015 9:07 AM in response to EHTV_Wyo

Thank you for the reply Grant. I have located the Logs>>Dianostic Reports, and there is no panic report. I did find it interesting that there are no diagnostic logs listed for the crashes I experienced today. There are logs for yesterday's crashes.

Other ideas?https://discussions.apple.com/index.a https://discussions.apple.com/index.japeHow do i speed my macbook back up?

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Answer 5

EHTV_Wyo Author

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Jun 16, 2015 9:08 AM in response to Linc Davis

Here is a link to the diagnostic log from yesterday. The file name indicates that iTunes caused the crash. Sometimes I will plug my iPhone in via USB to charge it. As soon as iTunes/iPhoto auto-loads, I close the programs as I don't use them for any practical purpose on this system. iTunes was not open during any of the crashes today.

https://drive.google.com/a/eastmans.com/file/d/0B6cKrHm9-hcIdlB2OUczVWVDb0U/view ?usp=sharing

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Answer 6

EHTV_Wyo Author

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Jun 16, 2015 10:14 AM in response to EHTV_Wyo

Interesting observation.

The MacPro just crashed again while idle with Chrome being the only application open. What's particularly interesting about this is that the power button itself on the tower is still illuminated though both monitors are dark. I tried unplugging/re-inserting the thunderbolts for each monitor, but that did not restore the image.

As I write this...I just heard the restart sound, and the white apple logo is visible on one monitor, but there is no progress bar or other sound/movement indicating the system is reloading.

Starting to think I may need to suck up the cost of a tech support phone call...

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Answer 7

Jun 16, 2015 10:15 AM in response to EHTV_Wyo

That google link you posted is private, and therefore useless.

post your report text directly on the forum or use pastebin.

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Answer 8

EHTV_Wyo Author

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Jun 16, 2015 11:18 AM in response to Grant Bennet-Alder

I have tried several times to copy/paste the log text directly into my reply, but the reply fails to submit.

Can you point me to the paste bin? I seem to be unable to locate that.

Thank you for your patience,

Lindsay

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Answer 9

Jun 16, 2015 11:41 AM in response to EHTV_Wyo

http://pastebin.com

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Answer 10

The hatter

Level 9

61,031 points

Jun 16, 2015 12:06 PM in response to EHTV_Wyo

> The MacPro just crashed again while idle with Chrome

Google Drive being used too? And try living w/o Chrome and use FF or something else while you figure out why and what is causing this... any freeze or crash - and 10x so if the system required a hard restart - as files and directory are compromised.

I would immediately on restart use Recovery Mode and DU Repair Disk (and volume, both) followed by Safe Boot, and only then a standard boot.

A clean test system - some like to do their testing - even for Mac OS X - in a VM (VMware for instance)

Consider a new "test user account"

When you clone using CCC it can do checksum on all files copied for a good checksum.

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Answer 11

EHTV_Wyo Author

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Jun 16, 2015 12:29 PM in response to EHTV_Wyo

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Answer 12

EHTV_Wyo Author

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Jun 16, 2015 12:52 PM in response to The hatter

Thanks for your input Hatter.

Apple phone support had me perform a hard shutdown and restart into Recovery mode. I ran the "Verify Disk" feature and nothing came up out of the ordinary. I may try that again and include the Safe Boot which I did not do the first time.

I have turned off Google Drive for now as you recommend. I'll need to do some reading on a clean test system as you mention, VMware. That is not a concept I am familiar with. Can you clarify the acronym CCC?

Apple highly recommended that I update my OS to the latest version of Yosemite 10.10.3 which I reluctantly did. After the the update was installed, I restarted the system, and left it idle for a little while, with no applications opened. Alas, it crashed again, unwitnessed by me, until I heard the restart sound in the background. Not sure if this is helpful, but I've linked the OS crash report from the most recent incident.

It's clear that those of you contributing are step above (or more!) I sincerely appreciate your input, and patience.

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Answer 13

Linc Davis

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209,739 points

Jun 16, 2015 1:12 PM in response to EHTV_Wyo

That's an iTunes crash, which would not in itself bring down the whole system. However, the crash report suggests that the contents of memory are being corrupted. Thunderbolt devices have driver-level direct memory access, so suspicion falls on them. You should at least disconnect the Drobo device as a test, and preferably also the display if you have another one available. I've seen anecdotal evidence that the Thunderbolt Display is not fully compatible with the current model Mac Pro.

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Answer 14

EHTV_Wyo Author

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Jun 16, 2015 1:17 PM in response to Linc Davis

Thanks Linc. I have had my two Drobos disconnected for the majority of this morning, including a couple of the crashes and diagnostics test that I ran. I will try disconnecting one display and then the other, both are thunderbolt linked. That is an interesting tidbit. Thank you for the input.

This is the OS report that came up after the last crash:

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Answer 15

EHTV_Wyo Author

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Jun 16, 2015 1:46 PM in response to EHTV_Wyo

I just disconnected one of my thunderbolt displays after the most recent restart. In hindsight I should have disconnected the display before the restart. Moments after I removed the thunderbolt cable from the tower itself, the system crashed. It was strange that just prior to this crash, my creative cloud app produced a notification that internet connectivity had been lost. I have feeling I just jostled my ethernet cable, but thought I would mention it just in case.

Going to try a Safe Boot now.

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