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User profile for user: marsofearth
marsofearth Author
User level: Level 1
21 points

Mouse Pointer stutters and freezes

Currently using macOS Sierra 10.12.6

iMac (Retina 5K, 17- 27-inch, Late 2015) At home


However, I also have two laptops, a MacBook air, and MacBook Pro (older pro model not the new fashion model)


At work we are using an iMac 5k, 27-inch, Late 2015, and also a 2013 Mac Pro.


All these mac devices are updated to the latest versions of macOS Sierra 10.12.6, since the macs are used for work we are staying away from High Sierra. All these various macs have installed 4gb for MacBook air, 8gb for MacBook pro, 32gb for iMac's and 32gb for 2013 Mac Pro. Even ran very thorough memtest and Rember, on the RAM over night with no block errors.


Problem: While browsing websites in Chrome, Firefox, Safari the mouse pointer will freeze from time to time for periods of 1s up to 15s. I have run EtreCheck on all but the MacBook air and there does not appear to be any hardware issues, and the minor issues are mainly unsigned software.


Of note:


On my home iMac 5k I uninstalled all unsigned software, reset the NVRAM (what I knew to be PRAM back in the day) created a vanilla login account fresh and new, and have removed any USB peripherals except keyboard, and wired mouse.


On macbook air, I completely wiped the drive and re-installed a fresh copy of macOS Sierra. Problem still occurs with mouse freezing when just using the trackpad and browsing websites.


None of these steps have helped, the mouse still freezes and lags.


Searching the internets this seems to be a very common issue, and the solutions are quite varied with mixed results.


What is the actual cause of this issue? How can I get back to a productive OS without moving over to Windows 10 which pains me to say is running really well in our mixed office environment? Unfortunately I live in Canada so the Apple customer support is pretty much non-existent unless you live next door to an Apple Store.

iMac (Retina 5K, 27-inch, Late 2015), macOS Sierra (10.12.1), 'stickers'

Posted on Mar 17, 2018 11:10 AM

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User profile for user: Kappy
Kappy
User level: Level 10
361,709 points

Mar 17, 2018 11:18 AM in response to marsofearth

Have you tried any of these?


You should try each, one at a time, then test to see if the problem is fixed before going on to the next.


Be sure to backup your files before proceeding if possible.


  1. Shutdown the computer, wait 30 seconds, restart the computer.
  2. Disconnect all third-party peripherals and remove any support software like drivers and plug-ins.
  3. Resetting your Mac’s PRAM and NVRAM
  4. Reset the System Management Controller (SMC)
  5. Start the computer in Safe Mode, then restart normally. This is slower than a standard startup.
  6. Repair the disk by booting from the Recovery HD. Immediately after the chime hold down the Command and R keys until the Utility Menu appears. Choose Disk Utility and click on the Continue button. Select the indented (usually, Macintosh HD) volume entry from the side list. Click on the First Aid button in the toolbar. Wait for the Done button to appear. Quit Disk Utility and return to the Utility Menu. Restart the computer from the Apple Menu.
  7. Create a New User Account Open Users & Groups preferences. Click on the lock icon and enter your Admin password when prompted. On the left under Current User click on the Add [+] button under Login Options. Setup a new Admin user account. Upon completion log out of your current account then log into the new account. If your problems cease, then consider switching to the new account and transferring your files to it - Transferring files from one User Account to another.
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User profile for user: itst
itst
User level: Level 1
9 points

May 3, 2018 1:44 AM in response to marsofearth

I am experiencing this behavior, too.


macOS Sierra 10.12.6 (16G1314), MacBookPro11,4 (MacBook Pro "Core i7" 2.2 15" Mid-2015)


I only started to experience this a few hours ago after the installation of the Security Update 2018-002, and only in Safari. Mouse/Trackpad and Keyboard, built-in as well as Bluetooth connected, would freeze for 5 to maybe 20 seconds.


I am using Chrome right now, Safari is still running but behind Chrome's window: No issues. As soon as I alt-tab back into Safari, the pointer freezes and keyboard input is buffered until after a delay of up to 20 seconds.


Weird.

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User profile for user: Kappy
Kappy
User level: Level 10
361,709 points

Mar 17, 2018 11:59 AM in response to marsofearth

OK. Just checking to be sure there weren't any basic things tried. Since it would appear that it is not a software issue, what can you do to test if it's the mouse (is it an Apple mouse?), a cable, or a port? Or have you also explored these as well? I have a question, though. Does this stuttering only occur when you are using a keyboard that sits above a trackpad?


It seems particularly unusual that the problem appears on all of your computers and cannot be fixed on any of them despite all the troubleshooting you have done. I would call this an odd glitch or have a tech look at the problem.

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User profile for user: marsofearth
marsofearth Author
User level: Level 1
21 points

Mar 17, 2018 12:26 PM in response to Kappy

Odd glitch? Seems like a bug to me, but you are probably right it is something I have done to mess up all my macs and the macs at work.


I have a colleague who works part time at our business and at another, with two different iMacs. She never had an issue with any of her Macs until a particular .1 upgrade of sierra. I wish I collected that data at the time, but as you say, it just felt like a small glitch at the time, until it started to populate across more an more Macs.


Hmmm Cables.


No cables on my MacBook Air or MacBook Pro, just the built in keyboard and trackpad.


The iMac I have at work has a wired mouse to back of the USB port on the 2013 Mac Pro, and I did try connecting to different ports. I also unplugged all USB peripherals to that Mac Pro, with on the Wired Keyboard, and wired mouse (razer death adder)


My colleagues iMac uses a magic trackpad and a wireless logitech mouse, not much of anything else is plugged into here Macs unless sneaker netting a USB drive. The mac she uses at her other work, it looks like an older model iMac 20" with basic mac keyboard and what ever mouse came with the iMac.


Have a tech look at the problem? Here in Canada that would mean me sending away a production machine for at least 2+ weeks. As I mentioned I do not live next door to an Apple Store. There really is no apple support per say in Canada if you do not live next to an apple store.

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User profile for user: Kappy
Kappy
User level: Level 10
361,709 points

Mar 17, 2018 12:53 PM in response to marsofearth

I spend summers in Vancouver each year. Vancouver is loaded with Apple retailers and one actual Apple Store. I'm guessing you may find the same in Montreal and Toronto. Maybe even Ottawa. Not sure what you may find elsewhere. Places may not have an Apple Store but may have local Apple resellers such as Best Buy or a local individual business or small Canadian chain. In Vancouver, I've only done business with a locally-owned shop and Simply. When the Apple Store came to town a couple of years ago these local shops lost a lot of customers.

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User profile for user: marsofearth
marsofearth Author
User level: Level 1
21 points

Mar 24, 2018 2:58 PM in response to Eric Root

Not sure what EtreCheck will show, I may still upload it, but when dealing with a straight up vanilla iMac with fresh install still seeing issue. It seems to take a few more tabs for the bug to show it self though.


I have tested this now on over 12 macintosh computers and laptops. Two of the laptops running Mavericks do not show any symptoms of the mouse pointer bug even after opening up 50 tabs in Safari, Chrome and FireFox with the usual gratuitous ad play running.


The other 10 macs mixed of iMacs, Laptops, and Tube MacPros all display symptoms of mouse lag with just 10-15 browser tabs open. These other 10 Macs are running Sierra.


Take also into consideration the software installed is different across all these macs, my mother's laptop and iMac is pretty much just used for browsing and some design software. Another friend has an iMac 27" 2015 and uses photoshop, final cut x and browsing. He also confirms that he notices the mouse lag/freeze since upgrading to Sierra. The macs in our work environment are mostly the same with Adobe Creative suite, some other design software and browsing. Also on Sierra.


So most the macs that are seeing the issue are later models 2015 or 2013 mac pros running Sierra. Older models of laptops still running Mavericks are having no troubles with this issue, even though the older 2008-10 models are slower and see lots of spinning beach balls, there is no mouse freeze/stutter.


I ran a completely new instal Sierra on 2015 iMac i7 with 32GB of RAM and saw the stutter with only the wired mouse and wired keyboard attached. Of course this is after opening 30+ browser tab.


I do not believe this is a hardware issue. This completely appears to be a software bug in the operating system.


I am looking to roll back our computers to El Capitan here shortly for other issues with Sierra, mainly due to file saving issues, corruptions over network file saves. Many issues have been will documented by professionals in their various fields, photography, video, graphic design.


The state of MacOS is feeling more and more like System 7 did back in the early 90's. I can remember Apple and strange fan-boys at the time defending System 7 vs Windows, but System 7 was a complete horror show for professionals.


I really hope MacOS is not headed back in that direction.


I am just amazed no one here on the Apple Forums has ever encountered this annoying UI bug. Perhaps I am living in a reality distortion field?

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Mouse Pointer stutters and freezes

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