OS X EL Capitan crashes and shuts down my computer 2-3 times a day

I removed Clean my Mac and the Norton products I had, re-installed the OS X one more time. Eureka, it seems to have worked. I haven't had a spontaneous shutdown in 3 days now. Thanks to you and Barney-15E for your help and suggestions. The only thing that seems to have stayed behind is a problem with Safari sucking up memory. If I leave it on for more than a few minutes, it quickly increases its use of memory to the point that my Mac slows to almost frozen. On Activity Monitor, it goes up over 16 Gigs of memory. I'll do another search for that problem, but wanted to thank you for helping me with the main problem. People like you two make me proud to be in the Mac family.

Look for Flash plugins which take up quite a few resources in Safari.

If you have Flash Player installed and can't manage to live without it, try Click-to-flash or Click-to-plugin Safari extensions. They will prevent Flash content from loading unless you click on it or add the site a whitelist.

There is a lot of Flash crap on the internet that does not include stuff you want to view.

Just found this thread as my Dad is having similar issues to those in these posts – need to get more info from him but again happening just while using internet, reading mails etc, – I know he does use Onyx to clean and I think he does run Anti-Virus (although which I don't know).

Is Onyx to be avoided also? I do use it myself admittedly occasionally to repair permissions (as Disk Utility would hang often doing it) and deleting stubborn trash files. I've not had the crashes myself, but that could be down to me doing a clean install for EL Capitan...

Thanks!

I use Onyx and load it on most of the machines I support. Remember that there is a version specific to the OS version, and not to use a version made for another. As with any tool used, use with discretion. I have not found Onyx to be an issue. Onyx is only running when you call on it, not running all of ht time.

As most everyone else, I do not like Flash, and if it wasn't for the fact that a couple of the web developers have to use, it would never be loaded, if I can help it. Same with Java. Loaded only as needed.

AntiVirus, I have to load by policy, require way above my pay grade, but would as a rule, also not load it. I have had false positive hits reported to me by the cybersecurity office, and been forced to reload the OS, because of it.

Yeah - I always make sure he updates to the specific version for the OS!

Respectfully, here’s what is not true:

“Every piece of software has bugs. So does El Capitan.”

Been working on Macs since beginning of 90s and I can assure you I never, ever had experienced crashing and/or other problems I have now, since upgrading to El Capitan.

“There are millions of users of El Capitan, and most of them have had no issues.”

Maybe there are millions of users, maybe there are more and more prudent ones who waited to see what’s up, before upgrading. We used to do it all the time with Microsoft’s OSs (till mid 90s I used Mac only at the workplace, although my husband even then had had Macintosh Portable, if you know what’s that).

But where did you get that most of Mac users have had no issues with El Capitan? Not complaining doesn’t give not having issues. I would’ve never posted here hadn’t I felt provoked by your claims. I came just to see if anyone had a solution.

And I have no third party hardware nor software installed. No cleaners od antiviruses.

BTW detailed info on issues with El Capitan are all over the internet.

I only hope Apple techs read them.

I concur with your observations and can trump you with my use of Macs since 1986, a Mac Classic. I had never had any problems with any of the many Macs I have owned until my new 13" MBP purchased August 31, 2015. After upgrading to el Capitan the crashes were DAILY on waking and intermittently throughout the day with Safari and Mail being the most frequent offenders. After hours of discussion boards and phone support, Barney- 15E suggested there might be problem with the logic board which, in fact, turned out to be correct. I mailed off the MBP on a Saturday, with a box a senior advisor sent out, and had it back on that Tuesday. It has been over a month now and I have had NO problems whatsoever - they way Macs are supposed to work. I don't know your specific issues but if you post them here, an intelligent and knowledgeable member of the ASC will try to help solve the problem. Good luck, Carl

to Barney-15E: I was certain I posted a "Thank You" for your help but hadn't checked the site until today when I responded to Moniqueque. Looking back and not seeing the post suggests I screwed up so let me say, again, Thank You for your assistance in helping solve the problem by suggesting it might have been a hardware problem, it was, and getting my MBP working the way it's supposed to, it does.

Attention people who are reading this! you are probably on this page because you are experiencing the same problem. Like me 2 weeks ago. My 2,5 year old top-noch iMac started shutting down on me, until one morning it wouldn't start up anymore at all. Dead harddrive. No data could be recovered. At all. So remember: back up all of your files!!!!

Moniqueque, don't worry for the capital crime of complaining that factually El Capitan after many years of AAPL is the worst upgrade I have ever experienced with problems, I now have had the discussion board thought police inform me today my post has been deleted. One does get helpful posts here to assist and while my experience is now improving, presumably there are fixes going in, I still get occasional crashes particularly on mail when using the reply button.

Thanks to all for your replies. My Mac is relatively old, late 2011, working perfectly till El Capitan, and I strongly doubted there were any hardware problems. Too much of a coincidence. So I turned on the Activity Monitor and I found out that El Capitan eats up my RAM (all 4Gb of it). Although the main culprits are Safari and Mail, as someone already said, I accuse El Capitan as a whole, since I had had no problems whatsoever while running on Yosemite or Maverick. And while Safari freezes the system, I think the Mail is even bigger problem because it simply has to stay open in the background - that is, if you want to use it at all.

As for Safari, once the speediest browser on the net is lagging more and more - so I installed Chrome just to test. The result is very interesting: Chrome is much faster (although, admittedly, without AddBlock+) and about four times cheaper in memory usage.

I still don't like Chrome, but...

Now it would be very nice if kind people from Apple try to find out why these two apps misbehave so much and try to fix them.

Thanks and kudos to all co-sufferers :-)

I have an old Mac Book Pro & I too have this issue. However, I think I've found a solution! I created a new Admin User & deleted my old User account. It set the new User up with iCloud and Keychain & such. My old account has been through the many apple changes (.mac, mobile me, etc.) so I think this cleaned up a bunch of stuff related to older versions of OS X and apple networking. Hope this helps!

I am having this problem as well. I have had El Capitan since it came out but only recently started having this problem.

Here is my Etrecheck report:

EtreCheck version: 2.9.3 (253)

Report generated 2016-02-10 21:36:04

Download EtreCheck from http://etrecheck.com

Runtime 1:38

Performance: Excellent

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

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

Click the [Remove] links to remove adware.

Click the [Check files] link for help with unknown files.

Problem: Apps are crashing

Description:

Apps continuously stop responding, leading me to force quit them. This is a recent problem, and started only after I installed El Capitan. My mac is also incredibly slow, RAM is filling up quickly, and I cannot have more than two applications open at once.

Hardware Information: ⓘ

MacBook Pro (Retina, 13-inch, Mid 2014)

[Technical Specifications] - [User Guide] - [Warranty & Service]

MacBook Pro - model: MacBookPro11,1

1 2.6 GHz Intel Core i5 CPU: 2-core

8 GB RAM Not upgradeable

BANK 0/DIMM0

4 GB DDR3 1600 MHz ok

BANK 1/DIMM0

4 GB DDR3 1600 MHz ok

Bluetooth: Good - Handoff/Airdrop2 supported

Wireless: en0: 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac

Battery: Health = Normal - Cycle count = 305 - SN = D864276T2DQFVN7A1

Video Information: ⓘ

Intel Iris

Color LCD 2560 x 1600

System Software: ⓘ

OS X El Capitan 10.11.3 (15D21) - Time since boot: about one hour

Disk Information: ⓘ

APPLE SSD SD0128F disk0 : (121.33 GB) (Solid State - TRIM: Yes)

EFI (disk0s1) <not mounted> : 210 MB

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

Macintosh HD (disk1) / : 120.10 GB (34.19 GB free)

Encrypted AES-XTS Unlocked

Core Storage: disk0s2 120.47 GB Online

USB Information: ⓘ

Apple Inc. Apple Internal Keyboard / Trackpad

Apple Inc. BRCM20702 Hub

Apple Inc. Bluetooth USB Host Controller

Thunderbolt Information: ⓘ

Apple Inc. thunderbolt_bus

Gatekeeper: ⓘ

Anywhere

Adware: ⓘ

~/Library/LaunchAgents/Dailybugget.AppVemoral.plist

~/Library/LaunchAgents/Dailybugget.btvlit.plist

~/Library/LaunchAgents/Dailybugget.dolnwoad.plist

~/Library/LaunchAgents/Dailybugget.uadpte.plist

~/Library/Safari/Extensions/Ebay Shopping Assistant.safariextz

~/Library/Safari/Extensions/Omnibar-2.safariextz

6 adware files found. [Remove]

Unknown Files: ⓘ

/Library/LaunchAgents/com.googlecode.munki.ManagedSoftwareCenter.plist

/Library/LaunchAgents/com.lanschool.lsutil.plist

/Library/LaunchAgents/com.lanschool.student.plist

/Library/LaunchAgents/org.rectoryschool.dockmanager.plist

/Library/LaunchDaemons/com.lanschool.lsdaemon.plist

/Library/LaunchDaemons/com.macpaw.CleanMyMac3.Agent.plist

~/Library/LaunchAgents/com.macpaw.CleanMyMac3.Scheduler.plist

7 unknown files found. [Check files]

Kernel Extensions: ⓘ

/System/Library/Extensions

[loaded] com.protech.NoSleep (1.4.0 - SDK 10.10) [Support]

System Launch Agents: ⓘ

[killed] com.apple.AssetCacheLocatorService.plist

[killed] com.apple.CallHistoryPluginHelper.plist

[killed] com.apple.CallHistorySyncHelper.plist

[killed] com.apple.EscrowSecurityAlert.plist

[killed] com.apple.FolderActionsDispatcher.plist

[killed] com.apple.Maps.pushdaemon.plist

[killed] com.apple.SafariNotificationAgent.plist

[killed] com.apple.SafariPlugInUpdateNotifier.plist

[killed] com.apple.cloudd.plist

[killed] com.apple.cloudphotosd.plist

[killed] com.apple.coreservices.appleid.authentication.plist

[killed] com.apple.gamed.plist

[killed] com.apple.icloud.fmfd.plist

[killed] com.apple.nsurlsessiond.plist

[killed] com.apple.photolibraryd.plist

[killed] com.apple.scopedbookmarkagent.xpc.plist

[killed] com.apple.telephonyutilities.callservicesd.plist

[running] net.culater.SIMBL.Agent.plist [Support]

[loaded] 152 Apple tasks

[running] 67 Apple tasks

17 processes killed due to insufficient RAM

System Launch Daemons: ⓘ

[killed] com.apple.AssetCacheLocatorService.plist

[killed] com.apple.coresymbolicationd.plist

[killed] com.apple.icloud.findmydeviced.plist

[killed] com.apple.ifdreader.plist

[killed] com.apple.nsurlsessiond.plist

[killed] com.apple.sandboxd.plist

[killed] com.apple.softwareupdated.plist

[killed] com.apple.wdhelper.plist

[loaded] 200 Apple tasks

[running] 79 Apple tasks

8 processes killed due to insufficient RAM

Launch Agents: ⓘ

[loaded] com.googlecode.munki.ManagedSoftwareCenter.plist [Support]

[loaded] com.googlecode.munki.MunkiStatus.plist [Support]

[loaded] com.googlecode.munki.managedsoftwareupdate-loginwindow.plist [Support]

[running] com.lanschool.lsutil.plist [Support]

[running] com.lanschool.student.plist [Support]

[loaded] org.rectoryschool.dockmanager.plist [Support]

Launch Daemons: ⓘ

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

[loaded] com.cyberghostsrl.CyberghostPrivilegedHelper.plist [Support]

[loaded] com.googlecode.munki.logouthelper.plist [Support]

[loaded] com.googlecode.munki.managedsoftwareupdate-check.plist [Support]

[loaded] com.googlecode.munki.managedsoftwareupdate-install.plist [Support]

[loaded] com.googlecode.munki.managedsoftwareupdate-manualcheck.plist [Support]

[running] com.lanschool.lsdaemon.plist [Support]

[loaded] com.macpaw.CleanMyMac3.Agent.plist [Support]

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

User Launch Agents: ⓘ

[loaded] Dailybugget.AppVemoral.plist Adware! [Remove]

[loaded] Dailybugget.btvlit.plist Adware! [Remove]

[loaded] Dailybugget.dolnwoad.plist Adware! [Remove]

[loaded] Dailybugget.uadpte.plist Adware! [Remove]

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

[loaded] com.macpaw.CleanMyMac3.Scheduler.plist [Support]

[running] com.spotify.webhelper.plist [Support]

User Login Items: ⓘ

Flux Application (/Applications/Flux.app)

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

Spotify Application Hidden (/Applications/Spotify.app)

Google Chrome Application (/Applications/Google Chrome.app)

Google Drive Application (/Applications/Google Drive.app)

Alfred 2 Application (/Applications/Alfred 2.app)

CleanMyMac 3 Menu Application (/Applications/CleanMyMac 3.1.1.app/Contents/MacOS/CleanMyMac 3 Menu.app)

Spotifree Application Hidden (/Applications/Spotifree.app)

CrossOver CD Helper UNKNOWN (missing value)

Other Apps: ⓘ

[running] com.apple.xpc.launchd.oneshot.0x10000004.EtreCheck

[running] com.google.Chrome.46432

[running] com.google.GoogleDrive.46752

[running] com.if.Amphetamine.37152

[loaded] com.if.Amphetamine.LaunchAtLoginHelper

[running] com.macpaw.CleanMyMac3.Menu.3232

[running] com.microsoft.Word.53792

[running] com.microsoft.autoupdate.fba.6112

[running] com.runningwithcrayons.Alfred-2.36832

[running] com.spotify.client.61152

[running] de.eneas.Spotifree.60832

[running] org.herf.Flux.44512

Internet Plug-ins: ⓘ

FlashPlayer-10.6: Version: 20.0.0.306 - SDK 10.6 [Support]

QuickTime Plugin: Version: 7.7.3

Flash Player: Version: 20.0.0.306 - SDK 10.6 [Support]

Google Earth Web Plug-in: Version: 7.1 [Support]

Default Browser: Version: 601 - SDK 10.11

Safari Extensions: ⓘ

Omnibar Adware! [Remove]

Adblock Plus

Dailybugget

Ebay Shopping Assistant Adware! [Remove]

3rd Party Preference Panes: ⓘ

Flash Player [Support]

NoSleep [Support]

Time Machine: ⓘ

Skip System Files: NO

Mobile backups: OFF

Auto backup: YES

Volumes being backed up:

Macintosh HD: Disk size: 120.10 GB Disk used: 85.91 GB

Destinations:

G-DRIVE mobile USB [Local]

Total size: 999.86 GB

Total number of backups: 5

Oldest backup: 8/24/14, 12:21 PM

Last backup: 8/27/15, 11:25 AM

Size of backup disk: Excellent

Backup size 999.86 GB > (Disk size 120.10 GB X 3)

Top Processes by CPU: ⓘ

45% Google Chrome Helper(15)

27% Google Chrome

14% WindowServer

7% kernel_task

3% bluetoothaudiod

Top Processes by Memory: ⓘ

2.14 GB Google Chrome Helper(15)

980 MB kernel_task

811 MB Spotify Helper(2)

262 MB Google Chrome

139 MB Spotify

Virtual Memory Information: ⓘ

777 MB Free RAM

7.24 GB Used RAM (2.01 GB Cached)

115 MB Swap Used

Diagnostics Information: ⓘ

Feb 10, 2016, 08:54:05 PM /Library/Logs/DiagnosticReports/Safari_2016-02-10-205405_[redacted].cpu_resourc e.diag [Details]

/Applications/Safari.app/Contents/MacOS/Safari

Feb 10, 2016, 08:20:29 PM Self test - passed

I would really appreciate some help with this. Missing the fast mac I used to have.

After a fortnight monitoring activity I found a solution: don't overuse Safari (by opening zillion windows) and frequently quit it.

Chrome, which I hailed in the last post as four times "cheeper" is in fact much more RAmemory-expensive! It was cheeper while still fresh, but as soon as you start opening windows it accumulates the data in "Google Chrome Helpers" (so called in Activity Monitor) and at the end uses much more RAM than Safari.

I still think something is very wrong with El Capitan RAM usage, because earlier I had had zillion Safari windows open, never pressed cmd+q and my Mac worked without a single hiccough. But I'll have to settle with this change, for now.

But I have to add, I'm impressed with the way Grifbatman426 lost all seven Gb! What does it mean? My future mac'll have to take about 70Gb RAM in order to work normally?

If I may give an advice: @Grifbatman426loose Chrome and CleanMyMac :-)

And I forgot: Thanks to all, again, for input and help :-))