After Sierra update, Arabesque screensaver runs choppy

Question

Greetings. I&#x27;ve recently updated to Sierra 10.12.4 on my Mac Mini. It seemed to install ok until it failed to fully reboot at the end. I waited approximately 15 minutes before forcing a shutdown by holding down the "on" button, and then restarting. I noticed no problems after restart until the screensaver (Arabesque) started after 20 minutes of idle time. It played quite slowly, as though it were running at 5 frames per second- slow and choppy. All the other screensavers seemed to run fine, however. I tried to rename and then restore the file in question from backup but the system did not allow this. I ran Etrecheck against the system and found no anomalies other than a couple of adware entries. Is there a way to re-install the Arabesque screensaver or at least determine if the file has been corrupted?Thanks for your input.R

fullyladenswallow · Answer

Yes. I deleted the adware and ran Etrecheck a second time.EtreCheck version: 3.1.5 (343)Report generated 2017-04-13 10:33:03Download EtreCheck from https://etrecheck.comRuntime 1:24Performance: ExcellentClick the [Support] links for help with non-Apple products.Click the [Details] links for more information about that line.Problem: No problem - just checkingHardware Information: ⓘ    Mac mini (Late 2014)     [Technical Specifications] - [User Guide] - [Warranty &amp; Service]    Mac mini - model: Macmini7,1    1 3 GHz Intel Core i7 (i7-4578U) CPU: 2-core    16 GB RAM Not upgradeable        BANK 0/DIMM0            8 GB DDR3 1600 MHz ok        BANK 1/DIMM0            8 GB DDR3 1600 MHz ok    Bluetooth: Good - Handoff/Airdrop2 supported    Wireless: UnknownVideo Information: ⓘ    Intel Iris        HP 2509 1920 x 1080 @ 60 HzSystem Software: ⓘ    macOS Sierra  10.12.4 (16E195) - Time since boot: about 13 hoursDisk Information: ⓘ    APPLE SSD SM0128F disk0 : (121.33 GB) (Solid State - TRIM: Yes)    [Show SMART report]        EFI (disk0s1) &lt;not mounted&gt; : 210 MB         Boot OS X (disk0s3) &lt;not mounted&gt; : 134 MB         Macintosh HD (disk2) /  [Startup]: 1.11 TB (876.75 GB free)            Core Storage: disk0s2 120.99 GB Online            Core Storage: disk1s2 999.35 GB Online    APPLE HDD HTS541010A9E662 disk1 : (1 TB) (Rotational)    [Show SMART report]        EFI (disk1s1) &lt;not mounted&gt; : 210 MB         Recovery HD (disk1s3) &lt;not mounted&gt;  [Recovery]: 650 MB         Macintosh HD (disk2) /  [Startup]: 1.11 TB (876.75 GB free)            Core Storage: disk0s2 120.99 GB Online            Core Storage: disk1s2 999.35 GB OnlineUSB Information: ⓘ    NEC Corporation USB2.0 Hub Controller         SanDisk ImageMate CF-SD      Apple Inc. MacBook Air SuperDrive     Apple, Inc. IR Receiver     Apple Inc. BRCM20702 Hub         Apple Inc. Bluetooth USB Host Controller     Microsoft Microsoft® Comfort Mouse 4500     Apple, Inc. Keyboard Hub         Apple Inc. Apple Keyboard Thunderbolt Information: ⓘ    Apple Inc. thunderbolt_busGatekeeper: ⓘ    Mac App Store and identified developersKernel Extensions: ⓘ        /Applications/Apowersoft Mac Audio Recorder/Apowersoft Mac Audio Recorder.app    [loaded]    com.Apowersoft.driver.AudioDevice (1.6.7 - SDK 10.11 - 2017-03-19) [Support]    [not loaded]    com.Cycling74.driver.Soundflower (1.0.0 - SDK 10.8 - 2017-03-19) [Support]        /Library/Extensions    [not loaded]    com.wacom.kext.ftdi (1.0 - SDK 10.10 - 2017-04-07) [Support]    [loaded]    jp.plentycom.driver.SteerMouse (4.2.5 - SDK 10.6 - 2017-04-07) [Support]        /System/Library/Extensions    [not loaded]    com.microsoft.driver.MicrosoftMouse (8.2 - 2017-04-07) [Support]    [not loaded]    com.wacom.kext.wacomtablet (Wacom Tablet 6.3.11-3 - SDK 10.9 - 2017-04-07) [Support]        /System/Library/Extensions/MicrosoftMouse.kext/Contents/PlugIns    [not loaded]    com.microsoft.driver.MicrosoftMouseBluetooth (8.2 - 2011-07-27) [Support]    [not loaded]    com.microsoft.driver.MicrosoftMouseUSB (8.2 - 2011-07-27) [Support]System Launch Agents: ⓘ    [not loaded]    7 Apple tasks    [loaded]    181 Apple tasks    [running]    94 Apple tasksSystem Launch Daemons: ⓘ    [failed]    com.apple.Kerberos.kdc.plist (2017-03-22)    [not loaded]    42 Apple tasks    [loaded]    175 Apple tasks    [running]    101 Apple tasksLaunch Agents: ⓘ    [not loaded]    com.adobe.AAM.Updater-1.0.plist (2017-01-11) [Support]    [failed]    com.adobe.ARMDCHelper.cc24aef4a1b90ed56a725c38014c95072f92651fb65e1bf9c8e43c37a 23d420d.plist (2017-01-10) [Support]    [running]    com.adobe.AdobeCreativeCloud.plist (2017-04-03) [Support]    [running]    com.wacom.wacomtablet.plist (2015-03-05) [Support]Launch Daemons: ⓘ    [loaded]    com.adobe.ARMDC.Communicator.plist (2017-01-10) [Support]    [loaded]    com.adobe.ARMDC.SMJobBlessHelper.plist (2017-01-10) [Support]    [running]    com.adobe.adobeupdatedaemon.plist (2017-04-03) [Support]    [running]    com.adobe.agsservice.plist (2017-03-07) [Support]    [loaded]    com.adobe.fpsaud.plist (2017-03-24) [Support]    [loaded]    com.macpaw.CleanMyMac3.Agent.plist (2016-09-23) [Support]User Launch Agents: ⓘ    [loaded]    com.adobe.AAM.Updater-1.0.plist (2016-09-23) [Support]    [loaded]    com.macpaw.CleanMyMac3.Scheduler.plist (2017-04-12)User Login Items: ⓘ    iTunesHelper    Application   (2017-03-26)        (/Applications/iTunes.app/Contents/MacOS/iTunesHelper.app)    SteerMouse Manager    Application Hidden  (2015-10-11)        (/Applications/Utilities/SteerMouse.app/Contents/MacOS/SteerMouse Manager.app)    Calendar    Application          (/Applications/Calendar.app)    Mail    Application          (/Applications/Mail.app)    CleanMyMac 3 Menu    Application   (2017-03-04)        (/Applications/CleanMyMac 3.app/Contents/MacOS/CleanMyMac 3 Menu.app)Internet Plug-ins: ⓘ    AdobeAAMDetect: 3.0.0.0 - SDK 10.9 (2017-04-03) [Support]    FlashPlayer-10.6: 25.0.0.148 - SDK 10.9 (2017-04-12) [Support]    QuickTime Plugin: 7.7.3 (2017-04-07)    AdobePDFViewerNPAPI: 17.009.20044 - SDK 10.11 (2017-04-12) [Support]    AdobePDFViewer: 17.009.20044 - SDK 10.11 (2017-04-11) [Support]    Flash Player: 25.0.0.148 - SDK 10.9 (2017-04-12) [Support]    EPPEX Plugin: 10.0 (2016-05-22) [Support]    PepperFlashPlayer: 25.0.0.148 - SDK 10.9 (2017-04-11) [Support]    WacomTabletPlugin: WacomTabletPlugin 2.1.0.6 - SDK 10.9 (2015-03-05) [Support]Safari Extensions: ⓘ    EuloPhiella - Eula Phillips - http://www.yahoo.com (2015-08-06)3rd Party Preference Panes: ⓘ    Flash Player (2017-03-24) [Support]    SteerMouse (2015-10-11) [Support]    WacomTablet (2015-09-26) [Support]Time Machine: ⓘ    Mobile backups: OFF    Auto backup: YES    Volumes being backed up:        Macintosh HD: Disk size: 1.11 TB Disk used: 237.73 GB    Destinations:        Data [Network]         Total size: 2.00 TB         Total number of backups: 107         Oldest backup: 11/4/15, 1:24 AM         Last backup: 4/13/17, 9:32 AM         Size of backup disk: Adequate            Backup size 2.00 TB &gt; (Disk used 237.73 GB X 3)Top Processes by CPU: ⓘ        15%       kernel_task         3%       WindowServer         2%       backupd         2%       diskimages-helper         1%       fontdTop Processes by Memory: ⓘ    1.11 GB       kernel_task    360 MB        firefox    246 MB        plugin-container    180 MB        mds_stores    180 MB        Adobe CEF Helper(2)Virtual Memory Information: ⓘ    11.76 GB      Available RAM    6.06 GB       Free RAM    4.24 GB       Used RAM    5.70 GB       Cached files    0 B           Swap UsedDiagnostics Information: ⓘ    Apr 12, 2017, 09:12:26 PM    /Library/Logs/DiagnosticReports/WacomTabletDriver_2017-04-12-211226_[redacted]. crash        com.wacom.WacomTabletDriver - /Library/Application Support/Tablet/WacomTabletDriver.app/Contents/MacOS/WacomTabletDriver    Apr 12, 2017, 09:12:17 PM    Self test - passed    Apr 12, 2017, 08:50:00 PM    /Library/Logs/DiagnosticReports/firefox_2017-04-12-205000_[redacted].cpu_resour ce.diag [Details]        /Applications/Firefox.app/Contents/MacOS/firefox    Apr 12, 2017, 08:43:36 PM    /Library/Logs/DiagnosticReports/WacomTabletDriver_2017-04-12-204336_[redacted]. crashFiles deleted by EtreCheck: ⓘ    Apr 12, 2017, 09:09:32 PM - ~/Library/LaunchAgents/com.jdibackup.ZipCloud.autostart.plist    Apr 12, 2017, 09:09:32 PM - ~/Library/LaunchAgents/com.jdibackup.ZipCloud.notify.plist

TrekkerUK · Answer

I have this same issue on my 2012 MBP Retina - the whole screensaver and then unlocking is *VERY* laggy. Even previewing in the &#x27;Desktop and Screensaver&#x27; settings drags the whole machine down.It seems to be to do with switching between the low- and high-performance graphics modes.I&#x27;m guessing Arabesque has been updated to not require high-performance graphics to save battery, but now really struggles on old machines. If you go into Energy Saver and turn off &#x27;Automatic graphics switching&#x27; it runs great.I&#x27;ve tried copying and messing with the plist to force High-Perf, but I don&#x27;t think that will work.If you or someone has access to an El Capitan machine (or earlier) try copying it&#x27;s &#x27;/System/Library/Screen Savers/Arabesque.saver&#x27; to &#x27;/Users/YOURNAME/Library/Screen Savers/&#x27; and see if it works. I can&#x27;t try this.Love this screensaver and would really like it back 😟.

fullyladenswallow · Answer

TrekkerUK-Thanks for your reply. I have a 2015 Mac Mini and the energy saver window doesn&#x27;t offer "Automatic Graphics Switching". The odd thing is that it runs quite nicely in the small preview window.  I was hoping that I could simply download a fresh copy of Arabesque directly from Apple, but there doesn&#x27;t seem to be any mechanism in place for doing that. I don&#x27;t see it in the App Store either. I suppose I could take my Mini to the nearest Apple Store and have them deal with it but...And yes, it is a a nice screensaver and I miss having it as well.Thanks again.

gromaniuk · Answer

I have the exact same issue down to a T, even with what you said about it running fine in the small preview window. I have already contacted apple support and tried everything, it doesn&#x27;t work in Safe Mode which means it&#x27;s a system wide problem. I also just tried reinstalling the OS Sierra to no avail... this is apples problem now and must be addressed in the next update as there seems to be no way to fix it on our own.

fullyladenswallow · Answer

Eric-Thanks. I noticed this and updated the tablets&#x27; driver. If the software really is crashing, the tablet doesn&#x27;t seem to know or care about it- I&#x27;m using it in PS right now with out a problem. Very odd. Went back and uninstalled and then reupdated drvr. Etrecheck no longer has a crash entry for the driver. Too bad this didn&#x27;t help the screen-saver problem.Thanks again.

ctojustin · Answer

After multiple restarts, clearing the memory, entering safe mode nothing helps.I looked at the BSD Linux Kernel and nothing has changed.I then changed the screen saver from Arab to Flurry.Everything works fine now.Clearly a bug in the code for the Arab screensaver. Not too sure what its doing, but CPU heats up and alot of compute.

ctojustin · Answer

Interestingly I have just updated one of my Macs with an Intuos to Wacom&#x27;s new driver and I have just started experiencing this problem with the Arab screensaver. Hmmmm. I think there is a connection with the Wacom driver and the Arab screensaver as I have an identical cloned machine (which I keep at home) and I haven&#x27;t got the choppy screensaver. Ironically I worked at Wacom for 10 years....payback ?! lol Swap to Flurry you will be fine (and annoy Dave Fleck at Wacom who probably wrote the driver!)

Eric Root · Answer

Your Wacom software is crashing. Try uninstalling it using the developer&#x27;s uninstall instructions.

Eric Root · Answer

Did you delete the adware Etrecheck showed? Try running the report again and post the output in a reply.

John Galt · Answer

Are you aware that "CleanMyMac" is installed on that Mac?

fullyladenswallow · Answer

Yes, I am aware.

fullyladenswallow · Answer

Gromaniuk-Thanks for your input. I might have tried re-installing the OS after trying Safe Mode but you saved me the trouble and I appreciate that. Thanks again.

maz_mac · Answer

This. 🙂