mhutson

Q: macOS Sierra keeps freezing

I installed Sierra on my MacBook Pro a few days ago, and several times it has frozen. First the computer stops responding to my external mouse. About 30 seconds later it stops responding to the trackpad and keyboard. I have to force a restart. Why is this?

 

Perhaps relevant: According to Activity Monitor, kernel_task now frequently uses several hundred (and sometimes more than 2,000) percent of my CPU. Who knew that was possible?

MacBook Pro with Retina display, macOS Sierra (10.12)

Posted on Sep 24, 2016 9:38 PM

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Q: macOS Sierra keeps freezing

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  • by John Galt,

    John Galt John Galt Sep 24, 2016 11:34 PM in response to mhutson
    Level 9 (50,065 points)
    Mac OS X
    Sep 24, 2016 11:34 PM in response to mhutson

    Back up your Mac if you have not done so already. To learn how to do that please read https://www.apple.com/support/backup/. To learn how to use Time Machine read Use Time Machine to back up or restore your Mac.

     

    Then, shut down your Mac and restart it in "Safe Mode". To learn how to do that please read: Try safe mode if your Mac doesn't finish starting up. Compare how your Mac works in Safe Mode to how it has been.

     

    Then, restart normally. If the same problem returns, please read the section If an issue doesn't happen in safe mode for Apple's recommended actions.

     

    Finally, you can temporarily create a new User Account, and log in to that account to determine if the problem also exists when logged in to that Account. To learn how to do that read How to test an issue in another user account on your Mac. When you are finished troubleshooting, you can remove the temporary User Account by following these instructions: macOS Sierra: Delete a user or group. Before removing it, confirm you don't need any of the files you might have created in that Account.

     

    Let me know what you determine.

  • by red2678,

    red2678 red2678 Sep 26, 2016 8:39 AM in response to mhutson
    Level 1 (4 points)
    Sep 26, 2016 8:39 AM in response to mhutson

    Were you able to fix this? I am having the same issue.

  • by Lvivske,

    Lvivske Lvivske Sep 26, 2016 10:27 AM in response to mhutson
    Level 1 (8 points)
    Notebooks
    Sep 26, 2016 10:27 AM in response to mhutson

    I'm having this exact same issue, started when I installed the Sierra beta, and has continued with the GM. Updating to Beta 1 now to see if it helps.

     

    When it freezes I'm using an external cinema display, and a USB mouse. It freezes, so I flip open my macbook to use the trackpad, and seconds later that locks up too. Music will continue to play, but I've see things like the App Store never finish loading (the window was open when it last froze).

  • by Bench Monkey,

    Bench Monkey Bench Monkey Sep 26, 2016 11:13 AM in response to mhutson
    Level 1 (12 points)
    Sep 26, 2016 11:13 AM in response to mhutson

    cpu utilization over 100% can mean a couple of things.

     

    What exact model of mbp do you have?

  • by HAVOK121121,

    HAVOK121121 HAVOK121121 Sep 28, 2016 11:14 AM in response to Lvivske
    Level 1 (4 points)
    Sep 28, 2016 11:14 AM in response to Lvivske

    I had a similar issue and my advice is to disconnect your peripherals to see whether that solves the problem. In my situation, I had a MBP 15' 2010 connected to USB mouse and external monitor via DisplayPort, and reconnecting either seemed to induce a kernal panic.

  • by red2678,

    red2678 red2678 Sep 28, 2016 5:09 PM in response to Lvivske
    Level 1 (4 points)
    Sep 28, 2016 5:09 PM in response to Lvivske

    Same here. Whenever I have my MBP mid-2015 connected to an external display,the issue comes up.

  • by macboi45,

    macboi45 macboi45 Sep 29, 2016 4:10 PM in response to mhutson
    Level 1 (4 points)
    Sep 29, 2016 4:10 PM in response to mhutson

    I have the same Issue ! It's a real ****** too !!!!

     

    I have Two LG monitors  one is LG ULTRAWIDE Display 2560x1080 and the other is LG IPS FULLHD Display 1080P After updating to sad *** sierra the ultra wide would only read 1080p and look horrific. My workaround  was to purchase a third party app $16 Switch ResX  it works but the highest refers rate I could get it to set to was 54mh not 60 like it should be.  Now after working for about 20-30 min the mouse would freeze and then 30 sec later the track pad and mouse internal freezes and I have to reboot.  It’s a real ****** as my MBP keeps getting very hot and the fans keep running .....My set up was working with no issues and now its a crap shoot !  I wish apple would freaking get their shet together before releasing a new OP system... I have probably been on the phone with tech over 5.5 hrs the past two weeks... THIS IS NOT GOOD APPLE !  My apple has a worm!

  • by mhutson,Solvedanswer

    mhutson mhutson Sep 29, 2016 4:29 PM in response to mhutson
    Level 1 (12 points)
    Mac OS X
    Sep 29, 2016 4:29 PM in response to mhutson

    I removed some login items from my user preferences, and the computer hasn't frozen in 3 or 4 days. Also kernel_task now rarely goes over 100% of CPU.

     

    WindowServer regularly takes up double-digit % CPU though, and the fan seems to run a lot more than it should, but the fan problem has been going on for a long time.

  • by mhutson,

    mhutson mhutson Sep 30, 2016 6:52 AM in response to mhutson
    Level 1 (12 points)
    Mac OS X
    Sep 30, 2016 6:52 AM in response to mhutson

    Yesterday I posted that I had solved my problem, but I spoke too soon. It froze again just now.

     

    Others mention that they have an external display and/or an external mouse. I'm not sure if it matters, but I use a second display (Asus) and a mouse (Logitech) with my MBP (late 2012 15" Retina).

  • by red2678,

    red2678 red2678 Sep 30, 2016 6:57 AM in response to mhutson
    Level 1 (4 points)
    Sep 30, 2016 6:57 AM in response to mhutson

    I have an Acer 34" and Logitech G502. The kernal_task spikes to 1300%+ sometimes. If I disconnect my mouse and my monitor, the kernel_task CPU utilization drops down to the average level.

     

    What "login items" did you remove?

  • by Bownse,

    Bownse Bownse Sep 30, 2016 7:30 AM in response to HAVOK121121
    Level 1 (8 points)
    iOS Apps
    Sep 30, 2016 7:30 AM in response to HAVOK121121

    I've noticed an on-going issue around external USB devices. Keystrokes will get lost (and I don't type that fast). Some drives don't get "seen" by the system so they have to be power cycled or unplugged from the USB chain and then plugged back in.

     

    Not exclusive to Sierra since it was in the previous version too.

     

    It's as if polling of the USB/USB Cache isn't properly implemented.

  • by macalicious,

    macalicious macalicious Sep 30, 2016 7:20 PM in response to mhutson
    Level 1 (4 points)
    Mac OS X
    Sep 30, 2016 7:20 PM in response to mhutson

    same here ... you should uncheck this as answered ... mine happens on RMBP 2012 . I loose all functionality (seems like a kernel panic) The majority of the time it happens with safari opened .

  • by mhutson,

    mhutson mhutson Sep 30, 2016 8:02 PM in response to macalicious
    Level 1 (12 points)
    Mac OS X
    Sep 30, 2016 8:02 PM in response to macalicious

    I wish I could uncheck it as solved. I had to create a whole new unsolved thread that links to this one so that this one doesn't get overlooked: https://discussions.apple.com/thread/7690198

  • by ARB-82,

    ARB-82 ARB-82 Oct 4, 2016 12:12 AM in response to mhutson
    Level 1 (20 points)
    Mac OS X
    Oct 4, 2016 12:12 AM in response to mhutson

    Exact same issue here on a 2015 13" MBP and 2012 15" MBP. It's working fine without displays connected. Connecting external displays, including an Apple Thunderbolt Display, cause the whole system to freeze exactly as described.

     

    This behaviour is both on stable as well as PB versions of MacOS.

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