User profile for user: dellphillius
dellphillius Author
User level: Level 1
20 points

iMac keeps shutting down randomly

Hi,


I have a late 2015, 27" iMac Retina 5K, running OS X El Capitan Version 10.11.6.


Recently I've been experiencing random, unexpected shut downs. I'm not putting the machine through anything strenuous, just listening to music, web browsing and looking at photos. It shuts off completely with no warnings. The iMac doesn't feel hot.


This has been happening a lot in the last couple of weeks. Although I've noticed the machine has been restarting alot while asleep. When I go to wake it I'm greeted with a message telling me the iMac restarted unexpectedly. To be honest it didn't occur to me that something could be wrong and I ignored it (I thought it could have restarted after updates etc) but the recent complete shut downs have me concerned. When it goes off it won't allow me to turn it back on unless the power cord has been pulled out for a while.


I left it unplugged overnight and removed both external hard drives and USBs. I have been on it most of the day and it's been behaving as normal but just shut down again completely unexpectedly.


I've owned this machine since new and have not had any issues with it unlike my previous late 2009 iMac which gave me continuous grief for 6 years. I have Applecare and spoke to someone on Wednesday about the shutdown issue. She was nice enough on the phone but didn't really help and wouldn't acknowledge the issue even though I was aware this had been happening to other owners, after I did a quick Google search on the issue. I did all the usual resets but still it keeps happening.


She suggested if the problem persisted to upgrade to the latest OS but I'm wary about doing this as I have a lot of third party applications that I'm not sure will be compatible as yet. Also I can't see it being an OS issue as the machine is 2 years old and has been running El Capitan since day 1.


I've read numerous causes from power supply's to poor fan control and overheating but the machine isn't hot, is well ventilated and hasn't been overworked.


Hopefully someone can help. I still have another year of Applecare but I've seen from other owners that unless the shutdown occurs when they are looking/testing it, they won't acknowledge it as an issue. I'm hoping to avoid sending it off at this stage as my previous machine spent more time with Apple repair than it did on my desk.


If anyone knows of a fix I'd be grateful.


Thanks,


Phil

iMac (Retina 5K, 27-inch, Late 2015), iOS 10.1.1

Posted on Oct 14, 2017 10:11 AM

Reply
23 replies
User profile for user: jerryfromak
jerryfromak
User level: Level 1
12 points

Dec 2, 2017 10:58 PM in response to dellphillius

I have this same problem. My report looks a lot worse than yours though.


EtreCheck version: 3.4.6 (460)

Report generated 2017-12-02 21:48:23

Download EtreCheck from https://etrecheck.com

Runtime: 5:18

Performance: Below Average


Click the [Lookup] links for more information from Apple Support Communities.

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

Click the [Remove/Report] links to remove adware or update the whitelist of legitimate software.

Click the [Clean up] link to delete unused files.


Problem: Other problem

Description:

iMac shuts down for no reason. Doesn’t sleep, shuts down.


Hardware Information:ⓘ

iMac (21.5-inch, Late 2013)

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

iMac - model: iMac14,3

1 2.9 GHz Intel Core i5 (i5-4570S) CPU: 4-core

8 GB RAM Upgradeable - [Instructions]

BANK 0/DIMM0

4 GB DDR3 1600 MHz ok

BANK 1/DIMM0

4 GB DDR3 1600 MHz ok

Handoff/Airdrop2: supported

Wireless: en1: 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac

iCloud Quota: 167.66 GB available


Video Information:ⓘ

NVIDIA GeForce GT 750M - VRAM: 1 GB

iMac 1920 x 1080


Disk Information:ⓘ

APPLE HDD HTS541010A9E662 disk0: (1 TB) (Rotational)

[Show SMART report]

EFI (disk0s1 - MS-DOS FAT32) <not mounted> [EFI]: 210 MB

Macintosh HD (disk0s2 - Journaled HFS+) / [Startup]: 999.35 GB (646.15 GB free)

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


USB Information:ⓘ

USB30Bus

GenesysLogic USB3.0 Hub

GenesysLogic USB3.1 Hub

GenesysLogic USB3.1 Hub

GenesysLogic USB3.1 Hub

Omars WitStick

WitStick disk6: (31.72 GB)

Seagate Backup+ Desktop

Backup+ Desktop disk1: (4 TB)

EFI (disk1s1 - MS-DOS FAT32) <not mounted> [EFI]: 210 MB

seagate r2d2 (disk1s2 - Journaled HFS+) /Volumes/seagate r2d2 : 4.00 TB (3.01 TB free)

Western Digital My Passport 0748

My Passport 0748 disk2: (2 TB)

EFI (disk2s1 - MS-DOS FAT32) <not mounted> [EFI]: 210 MB

My Passport (disk2s2 - Journaled HFS+) /Volumes/My Passport : 2.00 TB (1.38 TB free)

Apple Inc. BRCM20702 Hub

Apple Inc. Bluetooth USB Host Controller

Apple Inc. FaceTime HD Camera (Built-in)

GenesysLogic USB2.0 Hub

USB 2.0 Hub [MTT]

Macally Peripherals Macally MKEYE/MKEYX USB Keyboard

Lexar USB Flash Drive

USB Flash Drive disk7: (15.7 GB)

FOXFIRERED (disk7s1 - MS-DOS FAT32) /Volumes/FOXFIRERED : 15.70 GB (15.39 GB free)

EPSON EPSON WorkForce 545 Series

LaCie d2 quadra (button)

d2 quadra disk3: (1 TB)

(disk3s1) <not mounted> [partition_map]: 32 KB

R2D2 (disk3s3 - Journaled HFS+) /Volumes/R2D2 : 1.00 TB (130.62 GB free)

GenesysLogic USB2.0 Hub

GenesysLogic USB2.0 Hub

General UDisk

UDisk disk4: (8.05 GB)

GenesysLogic USB2.0 Hub

General UDisk

UDisk disk5: (2.1 TB)

blueBACKUP (disk5s1 - ExFAT) /Volumes/blueBACKUP : 2.10 TB (2.10 TB free)

Logitech USB Trackball


Thunderbolt Information:ⓘ

Apple Inc. thunderbolt_bus


Virtual disks:ⓘ

ORANGE BAND (disk4 - MS-DOS FAT32) /Volumes/ORANGE BAND : 8.04 GB (7.93 GB free)

Physical disk: UDisk 8.04 GB (7.93 GB free)

MN8 PINK (disk6 - MS-DOS FAT32) /Volumes/MN8 PINK : 31.71 GB (31.65 GB free)

Physical disk: WitStick 31.71 GB (31.65 GB free)


System Software:ⓘ

macOS High Sierra 10.13.1 (17B1003) - Time since boot: less than an hour


Gatekeeper:ⓘ

Mac App Store and identified developers


Possible adware:ⓘ

Unknown file: ~/Library/Caches/com.apple.Safari/Extensions/wrc.safariextension

One possible adware file found. [Remove/Report]


Clean up:ⓘ

~/Library/LaunchAgents/com.symantec.NortonInstaller.plist

~/Downloads/Install Norton Security.localized/Install Norton Security.app/Contents/MacOS/Install Norton Security

Executable not found!

One orphan file found. [Clean up]


Kernel Extensions:ⓘ

/Library/Application Support/Avast/components/fileshield/unsigned

[loaded] com.avast.FileShield (3.0.0 - SDK 10.9) [Lookup]


/Library/Application Support/Avast/components/proxy/unsigned

[loaded] com.avast.PacketForwarder (2.1 - SDK 10.11) [Lookup]


/Library/Extensions

[loaded] com.paragon-software.filesystems.ntfs (14.2.288 - SDK 10.5) [Lookup]


/System/Library/Extensions

[not loaded] com.ViKernel (1.4 - SDK 10.10) [Lookup]

[not loaded] com.silex.driver.sxuptp (1.10.10 - SDK 10.6) [Lookup]


System Launch Agents:ⓘ

[not loaded] 9 Apple tasks

[loaded] 167 Apple tasks

[running] 112 Apple tasks


System Launch Daemons:ⓘ

[failed] com.apple.updateEFIDesktopPicture-apfs.plist (Apple, Inc. - installed 2017-10-25)

[not loaded] 37 Apple tasks

[loaded] 178 Apple tasks

[running] 114 Apple tasks


Launch Agents:ⓘ

[running] com.avast.update-agent.plist (AVAST Software a.s. - installed 2017-09-22) [Lookup]

[loaded] com.avast.userinit.plist (Shell Script bb25154c - installed 2017-09-22) [Lookup]

[running] com.epson.Epson_Low_Ink_Reminder.launcher.plist (EPSON - installed 2016-03-19) [Lookup]

[loaded] com.epson.esua.launcher.plist (Seiko Epson Corporation - installed 2017-11-27) [Lookup]

[running] com.epson.eventmanager.agent.plist (Seiko Epson Corporation - installed 2017-06-15) [Lookup]

[running] com.epson.scannermonitor.plist (Seiko Epson Corporation - installed 2017-06-15) [Lookup]

[running] com.mcafee.menulet.plist (McAfee, Inc. - installed 2016-10-23) [Lookup]

[running] com.mcafee.reporter.plist (McAfee, Inc. - installed 2016-10-23) [Lookup]

[running] com.paragon-software.NTFS.fsnotify.agent.plist (? dcda45f4 848b1897 - installed 2017-04-16) [Lookup]

[loaded] com.paragon-software.facebook.agent.plist (? 95fb0bd4 e9648c48 - installed 2017-04-16) [Lookup]


Launch Daemons:ⓘ

[loaded] com.adobe.fpsaud.plist (? 2afb3af7 defea098 - installed 2017-10-25) [Lookup]

[not loaded] com.apple.installer.cleanupinstaller.plist (? 1963bf56 0 - installed 2017-12-01)

[loaded] com.apple.installer.osmessagetracing.plist (Apple, Inc. - installed 2017-10-25)

[loaded] com.avast.init.plist (Shell Script fc55b6fa - installed 2017-09-22) [Lookup]

[loaded] com.avast.uninstall.plist (Shell Script 22f94791 - installed 2017-09-22) [Lookup]

[loaded] com.avast.update.plist (Shell Script d6c32197 - installed 2017-09-22) [Lookup]

[running] com.mcafee.cspd.plist (McAfee, Inc. - installed 2016-03-14) [Lookup]

[not loaded] com.mcafee.ssm.ScanFactory.plist (? 0 ? - installed 2016-07-26) [Lookup]

[not loaded] com.mcafee.ssm.ScanManager.plist (? 0 ? - installed 2016-07-26) [Lookup]

[running] com.mcafee.virusscan.fmpd.plist (McAfee, Inc. - installed 2016-03-29) [Lookup]

[loaded] com.microsoft.autoupdate.helper.plist (Microsoft Corporation - installed 2017-10-14) [Lookup]

[loaded] com.microsoft.office.licensingV2.helper.plist (Microsoft Corporation - installed 2017-07-02) [Lookup]

[running] com.paragon-software.NTFS.fsnotify.daemon.plist (? 66744841 b1cb5590 - installed 2016-08-29) [Lookup]

[loaded] com.paragon.NTFS.launch.plist (Apple, Inc. - installed 2017-10-25)


User Launch Agents:ⓘ

[running] com.amazon.cloud-player.plist (? 9d19e67a 3c81e3e5 - installed 2014-06-16) [Lookup]

[loaded] com.avast.home.userinit.plist (Shell Script e9af16c6 - installed 2017-09-22) [Lookup]

[loaded] com.dropbox.DropboxMacUpdate.agent.plist (Dropbox, Inc. - installed 2017-08-22) [Lookup]

[failed] com.symantec.NortonInstaller.plist (? ac2584ce 0 - installed 2017-11-27) [Lookup] - ~/Downloads/Install Norton Security.localized/Install Norton Security.app/Contents/MacOS/Install Norton Security: Executable not found!


User Login Items:ⓘ

iTunesHelper Application (Apple, Inc. - installed 2017-10-31)

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

Quicken 2015 Application

(/Applications/Quicken 2015.app)

Dropbox Application

(/Applications/Dropbox.app)

StartAgent SMLoginItem - Hidden (Apple, Inc. - installed 2017-06-14)

(/Volumes/seagate r2d2/[redacted]’s iMac/2017-11-30-022241/Macintosh HD/Applications/CalendarFree.app/Contents/Library/LoginItems/StartAgent.app)

StartAgent SMLoginItem - Hidden (Apple, Inc. - installed 2017-06-14)

(/Applications/CalendarFree.app/Contents/Library/LoginItems/StartAgent.app)


Internet Plug-ins:ⓘ

OfficeLiveBrowserPlugin: 12.3.6 (installed 2013-11-16) [Lookup]

FlashPlayer-10.6: 27.0.0.187 (installed 2017-11-14) [Lookup]

QuickTime Plugin: 7.7.3 (installed 2017-10-25)

Flash Player: 27.0.0.187 (installed 2017-11-14) [Lookup]

SiteAdvisor: 2.0 (installed 2014-12-05) [Lookup]


Safari Extensions:ⓘ

[enabled] SiteAdvisor - McAfee - http://www.siteadvisor.com (installed 2016-10-23)

[enabled] Adblock Plus - Eyeo GmbH - https://adblockplus.org/ (installed 2017-01-11)

[not loaded] Avast Online Security - AVAST Software - http://www.avast.com (installed 2015-04-12)


3rd Party Preference Panes:ⓘ

Flash Player (installed 2017-10-25) [Lookup]

Paragon NTFS for Mac ® OS X (installed 2017-11-30) [Lookup]

Paragon NTFS for Mac® (installed 2017-04-16) [Lookup]


Time Machine:ⓘ

Skip System Files: NO

Auto backup: YES

Volumes being backed up:

Macintosh HD: Disk size: 999.35 GB Disk used: 353.20 GB

Destinations:

seagate r2d2 [Local]

Total size: 4.00 TB

Total number of backups: 19

Oldest backup: 11/30/17, 5:14 AM

Last backup: 12/2/17, 9:38 PM

Size of backup disk: Excellent

Backup size 4.00 TB > (Disk size 999.35 GB X 3)


Top Processes by CPU:ⓘ

99% VShieldScanManager

53% mdworker

37% mdworker

30% mdworker

28% mds_stores


Top Processes by Memory:ⓘ

703 MB kernel_task

391 MB com.apple.WebKit.WebContent

343 MB mds_stores

279 MB Safari

183 MB com.avast.daemon


Top Processes by Network Use:ⓘ

Input Output Process name

154 KB 71 KB mDNSResponder

59 KB 154 KB Dropbox

23 KB 43 KB apsd

54 KB 6 KB com.avast.proxy

2 KB 2 KB netbiosd


Top Processes by Energy Use:ⓘ

95.10 VShieldScanManager

53.12 mdworker

32.04 mdworker

29.38 mdworker

26.94 mdworker


Virtual Memory Information:ⓘ

2.76 GB Available RAM

114 MB Free RAM

5.24 GB Used RAM

2.65 GB Cached files

35 MB Swap Used


Software installs (last 30 days):ⓘ

Microsoft PowerPoint for Mac: (installed 2017-11-03)

Microsoft OneNote for Mac: (installed 2017-11-03)

Microsoft Excel for Mac: (installed 2017-11-09)

Microsoft Word for Mac: (installed 2017-11-09)

Visioneer Scanner: (installed 2017-11-11)

Visioneer Scanner: (installed 2017-11-13)

Adobe Flash Player: (installed 2017-11-14)

Disk Doctor: 3.8 (installed 2017-11-17)

CalendarPro: 3.0.2 (installed 2017-11-17)

EPSON Software Updater: (installed 2017-11-27)

Microsoft Excel for Mac: (installed 2017-11-27)

Microsoft PowerPoint for Mac: (installed 2017-11-27)

Microsoft OneNote for Mac: (installed 2017-11-27)

Microsoft Word for Mac: (installed 2017-11-29)

Paragon NTFS for Mac ® OS X: (installed 2017-11-30)

Paragon NTFS for Mac ® OS X: (installed 2017-11-30)

Disk Doctor: 3.8 (installed 2017-12-01)


Install information may not be complete.


Diagnostics Events (last 3 days for minor events):ⓘ

2017-12-02 21:11:11 VShieldScanManager High CPU use [Open] [Details]

2017-12-01 20:59:34 mdworker High CPU use [Open] [Details]

2017-12-01 19:54:58 Safari.app Hang [Open]

2017-12-01 19:51:58 Quicken 2015.app Hang [Open]

2017-12-01 19:50:53 Neat.app Hang [Open]

Help, please. Thank you in advance

Reply
User profile for user: SeaPapp
SeaPapp
User level: Level 7
26,502 points

Dec 3, 2017 4:10 AM in response to jerryfromak

You should have started your own thread instead of piggy backing onto this one, you'd get more responses that way.

BUT......your problem is self inflicted by installing not one, not two but THREE of the most useless poeces of junk software ever written for a Mac. Google for instructions on how to remove ALL of the anti virus crap installed on your computer. Click the remove link in the report to remove the installed adware. Click the clean up link in the report to remove orphaned files. Restart.

Reply
User profile for user: Rahsten
Rahsten
User level: Level 1
4 points

Mar 20, 2018 6:03 PM in response to ScottSieg

I am having this exact same issue. I went away on vacation for 10 days, prior to that everything was running fine. Now, back from vacation I turn on my iMac and it keeps randomly shutting down and I can't power it back on un;ess I unplug it and plug it back in. I have tried all of the suggested trouble shooting (Updates (weren't any), First Aid, SMC, PRAM, swapped out memory, tried alternate power cord, etc.) I've also turned off screensaver and set display to never sleep just to make sure if going into those modes was triggering the shutdown... they are not. It just randomly shuts down minutes after booting.

Reply
User profile for user: dellphillius
dellphillius Author
User level: Level 1
20 points

Feb 21, 2018 4:48 AM in response to konafire

That's interesting.


I have two external Lacie drives I use for Time Machine backups. The first I've had for 9 years and was used as my main Time Machine backup on my previous iMac with no issues. It's still going strong today. My second I bought when I got my current iMac and is 2 and a half years old. I've not had any issues with it and I think my shut down cause was definitely the power supply but this is something to keep in mind if I get any problems in the future (which I'm sure I will).


Cheers

Reply

This thread has been closed by the system or the community team. You may vote for any posts you find helpful, or search the Community for additional answers.

iMac keeps shutting down randomly

Welcome to Apple Support Community
A forum where Apple customers help each other with their products. Get started with your Apple Account.
Learn more Sign up