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Level 1

8 points

My iMac (pre June 2013) keeps freezing

I have a late 2012, 21.5-inch iMac with running OS10.10.4, 2.7GHz Intel Core 15 processor,16GB 1600 MHz DDR3 memory, NCIDIA GeForce GT 640M 512 MB Graphics.

I have a 3 TB WD external hard drive connected as my back up drive.

A few months ago, not long after updating to 10.10 (Yosemite) I started having issues with Safari freezing (colour wheel spinning, cursor freezing, websites taking a long time to load). At the time, I presumed it was a problem with my internet provider.

Gradually all my apps started to freeze up and I couldn't even type an e-mail without getting the colour wheel spinning - it's doing it now.

I tried simple things like closing applications, removing external drives and removing and checking all peripherals.

I ran the Apple Hardware Test and repaired all disk permissions, but there are no problems there.

Zapped the PRAM and reset the SMC.

Nothing worked so eventually I re-formated my hard drive and did a complete clean re-install of the system.

Everything was working fine for a few days and then the freezing started again.

From it working fine to freezing I had not added any new software or changed the way I use my Mac in fact I hadn't changed anything previously either except to update to OS10.10.

The freezing happens arbitrarily. I can do a few things fine and then I can't and have to wait until it unfreezes. There is nothing logical about this.

Have tried all sorts of suggestions that I've come across and nothing works.

I have thought about taking it to Apple to be checked, but I live in Thailand and it will need to go to Bangkok and explaining the problem when I don't speak Thai will not be easy. If they do what I have done and then return it as is, in all likelihood the problem will return a few days later.

I am at my wits end and the only thing I can think of doing now is trying to install a previous version of the operating system (presumably 10.9) but I don't know if this is possible and I really don't want to do another clean re-install as it takes so long to get all the permissions re-set to access files.

Please note that although I do know Macs to an extent I am not a tech sort of person.

I hope someone out there can help.

iMac, OS X Yosemite (10.10.4), Late 2012 21.5-inch

Posted on Jul 5, 2015 5:42 AM

18 replies

mls_15 Author

Level 1

8 points

Jul 6, 2015 6:01 AM in response to SeaPapp

I only have the options you have for my external drive, not the internal one.

mls_15 Author

Level 1

8 points

Jul 6, 2015 6:16 AM in response to Linc Davis

Thanks Linc.

Had pretty much come to that conclusion.

It seems to back up to Time Machine OK so hopfully that will be sufficient to restore everything once it's repaired, though there may well be some corrupted files I expect.

Is it really necessary to erase the data as I would have presumed it couldn't be accessed without my user password. However I will check the link you provided to make sure.

We don't have any Apple Stores as such in Thailand, only authorised sellers so I don't know if I can make a Genius appointment either but I will check all that. I know it will have to go to Bangkok for repair and will take forever.

Really annoying when it's only just over 2 years old.

mls_15 Author

Level 1

8 points

Jul 17, 2015 4:32 AM in response to Linc Davis

Hi Linc,

I did everything required and took my iMac in to iCare (it's what we have in Thailand). Luckily I found one in Chonburi, only an hour away, so didn't have to get it sent to Bangkok.

They did all the hardware tests and found nothing wrong. Everything was functioning perfectly.

The only thing they could suggest was that it was software related and told me that some people are having issues with 10.10.4 and suggested we backtrack to 10.10.

I agreed to try this and it all looked fine till I got home and realised they hadn't formatted my drive for a Restore partition. Not good, but lucky for me a Mac friend here found he had 10.10 installer on a memory stick, so I borrowed that and started again from scratch.

Everything is working now, though I am having some issues with restoring data and files. I have had to update iTunes to the most recent version as as the older one just didn't seem to want to work with my Apple TV. I tried to restore iPhoto but it made a second version and I don't know how to retrieve the files stored in Photos.

All rather confusing, but guess I'll get there in the end and at least nothing is freezing up so far.

Would be interested to know if anyone else you've come across have had problems with 10.10.4.

Thanks again for your help.

My iMac (pre June 2013) keeps freezing