Screen freezes for a few seconds

Hello,

a few days ago, I began to notice my mac is getting issues with completely freezing up for a few seconds. The screen is completely stationary, the cursor isn't moving and the clock's seconds do not count forwards. Audio is still continuing to run fine. No particular action on my part is prompting this behavior, it just completely randomly freezes up.

I ran the console in the background to see if there are consistent messages that appear whenever these freeze-ups occur. I finally found them, apparently there is some issue with the intel integrated graphics:

fault 10:14:07.579724 +0200 kernel virtual IOReturn IOAccelEventMachine2::waitForStamp(int32_t, stamp_t, stamp_t *): initial wait for 1 second expired. Continue wait for 4 seconds. stamp 804926 (gpu_stamp=804925)

fault 10:14:11.580622 +0200 kernel virtual IOReturn IOAccelEventMachine2::waitForStamp(int32_t, stamp_t, stamp_t *): timeout waiting for IntelAccelerator stamp 804926 (gpu_stamp=804925)

fault 10:14:11.580639 +0200 kernel void IOAccelEventMachine2::handleFinishChannelRestart(IOReturn, int32_t, uint32_t) - Setting restart type to 4

fault 10:14:11.580643 +0200 kernel void IOAccelEventMachine2::handleFinishChannelRestart(IOReturn, int32_t, uint32_t): GPURestartDequeued stampIdx=4 type=4 fromWhere=1 waitingOnIdx=4

fault 10:14:11.580692 +0200 kernel void IOAccelEventMachine2::restart_channel(): GPURestartSkipped stampIdx=4 type=4

fault 10:14:11.580695 +0200 kernel void IOAccelEventMachine2::restart_channel(): no channel associated with stamp_idx 4 (type 4)

fault 10:14:12.642643 +0200 kernel virtual IOReturn IOAccelEventMachine2::waitForStamp(int32_t, stamp_t, stamp_t *): initial wait for 1 second expired. Continue wait for 4 seconds. stamp 804927 (gpu_stamp=804926)

fault 10:14:16.642803 +0200 kernel virtual IOReturn IOAccelEventMachine2::waitForStamp(int32_t, stamp_t, stamp_t *): timeout waiting for IntelAccelerator stamp 804927 (gpu_stamp=804926)

fault 10:14:16.642817 +0200 kernel void IOAccelEventMachine2::handleFinishChannelRestart(IOReturn, int32_t, uint32_t) - Setting restart type to 4

fault 10:14:16.642821 +0200 kernel void IOAccelEventMachine2::handleFinishChannelRestart(IOReturn, int32_t, uint32_t): GPURestartDequeued stampIdx=4 type=4 fromWhere=1 waitingOnIdx=4

fault 10:14:16.642869 +0200 kernel void IOAccelEventMachine2::restart_channel(): GPURestartSkipped stampIdx=4 type=4

fault 10:14:16.642872 +0200 kernel void IOAccelEventMachine2::restart_channel(): no channel associated with stamp_idx 4 (type 4)

Model Name:	MacBook Pro
Model Identifier:	MacBookPro11,4
Processor Name:	Intel Core i7
Processor Speed:	2.2 GHz
Number of Processors:	1
Total Number of Cores:	4
L2 Cache (per Core):	256 KB
L3 Cache:	6 MB
Memory:	16 GB
Boot ROM Version:	MBP114.0183.B00

System Version:	macOS 10.13.5 (17F77)
Kernel Version:	Darwin 17.6.0

I was wondering if someone else has similar issues and if there are potential fixes out there. These hangs are very annoying and completely random. Also, I don't remember installing some particular piece of software before this issue started occurring, so I'm stumped as to what has changed. Could this be a hardware issue?

MacBook Pro with Retina display, macOS High Sierra (10.13.5)

Posted on Jul 13, 2018 1:27 AM

Top-ranking reply

gplewis

Level 1

4 points

Posted on Jun 17, 2019 11:16 AM

Hey have you tried turning 'automatic graphics switching' off in the energy panel of settings? The thinking being it will force use of the GPU rather than the integrated intel graphics chip and hopefully stop the kernel fault.

View in context

257 replies

yello73

Level 1

4 points

Oct 4, 2019 7:07 AM in response to r. christopher

I have the same problem. Is there a solution?

dennyAtk

Level 1

13 points

Nov 12, 2019 1:41 PM in response to NachbarsKatze

I have the same issue and the same console message.

BDAqua

Level 10

250,259 points

Nov 12, 2019 5:34 PM in response to yello73

Thanks, nice clue.

Jan 22, 2020 5:50 AM in response to FabGau

Same computer I have and this problem seems to have just started after installing Mojave. I think.

I'm now checking the Console messages.

Apr 6, 2020 12:47 AM in response to Buuuf

Having to turn off iCloud is NOT a fix.

Buuuf

Level 1

4 points

Apr 7, 2020 4:46 PM in response to McKinney777

Whatever you want to call it. It stops the screen from freezing every minute.

Zero100

Level 1

4 points

May 24, 2020 8:01 PM in response to Xcoder

Two years later. Still the same problem. No answers?

robogobo

Level 2

362 points

May 25, 2020 1:30 AM in response to Zero100

After a certain amount of time passes these kinds of things are unlikely to ever be fixed. We are the lucky ones.

Jun 8, 2020 5:05 AM in response to Jeremy_H

I don’t have Word installed, but Safari is always running on my machine so I’d say it’s definitely a contributor.

Aug 6, 2018 3:01 PM in response to terence1957

That actually sounds like you are having a hardware issue, possibly defective graphics card (you have dedicated graphics, right?).

There is no pattern in my freezes and I don’t have to force reboot. My iMac used to do what you describe and it fried its graphics card. Back up your data ASAP! There is no way to recover data from these new MacBooks if the logic board fails!

By the way, I believe setting the screen resolution back to native (rather than scaled) solved the issue, at least I didn’t have freeze ups for a while. Still needs some A/B testing to be sure. Does anyone else in the thread who has the same Console messages have their screen set to a scaled resolution setting?

Nov 7, 2018 7:11 PM in response to NachbarsKatze

I'm having this same issue, on the same configuration of machine:

Model Name: MacBook Pro

Mode Identifier: MacBookPro11,4

Processor Name: Intel Core i7

Number of Processors: 1

Total Number of Cores: 4

L2 Cache (per Core): 256 KB

L3 Cache: 6 MB

Memory: 16 GB

Boot ROM Version: 187.0.0.0.0

SMC Version (system): 2.29f24

Also the same error messages in my Console:

virtual IOReturn IOAccelEventMachine2::waitForStamp(int32_t, stamp_t, stamp_t *): timeout waiting for IntelAccelerator stamp 1450088 (gpu_stamp=1450087)

Whatever's happening here, it's clearly systemic, and repeatable. I bought this machine refurbished, from Apple, in January 2017, running Sierra. I upgraded to High Sierra in fall of 2017, and that's when the screen hangs started happening. I tried various reconfigurations and wipes/re-installs, hoping to get rid of whatever might be causing the problem, but I couldn't track it down. I upgraded to Mojave this month, hoping it might contain a patch to clear the problem, but it's still happening, just as bad as ever.

For what it's worth, the screen freeze causes Call of Duty 4 to crash. But I get the screen freeze pretty regularly whether I play CoD or not.

Apple needs to get on top of this.

Hardware Overview:

Nov 17, 2018 2:51 PM in response to NachbarsKatze

Same happens to me in Mojave 10.14.1

Model Name: MacBook Pro

Model Identifier: MacBookPro11,1

Processor Name: Intel Core i5

Processor Speed: 2,4 GHz

Number of Processors: 1

Total Number of Cores: 2

L2 Cache (per Core): 256 KB

L3 Cache: 3 MB

Memory: 8 GB

Boot ROM Version: 149.0.0.0.0

SMC Version (system): 2.16f68

Nov 28, 2018 2:53 PM in response to OstapBender

Same issue here extreme randomly with 10.13 and 10.14. Today annoying often, until I closed some open unused Apps (fx. Safari included). Next I'll start keeping an eye if Safari is running forces this issue.

Dec 3, 2018 7:15 PM in response to printhead

My report is not duplicate and I received an answer:

Enable tailspin by opening Terminal.app and typing `tailspin enable`. Then reproduce the issue and take a sysdiagnose immediately after reproducing the issue. Once complete, please disable tailspin with `tailspin disable`.

I guess my report is the first one.

Dec 6, 2018 9:04 PM in response to Obstkäufer

I've found a consistent correlation between having a browser window open in the background, to a video streaming service like Netflix or Amazon Prime, and this error. I have also noticed a correlation between the error and browser windows that have video frames in them. So if a webpage has a video-heavy ad or something, this error will crop up sometimes. I don't get it if all browser windows are closed. And I don't think I've seen it if I don't have video in one of my browser tabs somewhere.

The longer I watch it, and the more I read other people's reporting about it, the more it looks to me like a GPU load balancing fault.

Basically, the fault only seems to occur when it's under a heavy graphics load, while it's doing something else.

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.

Screen freezes for a few seconds

fault	10:14:07.579724 +0200	kernel	virtual IOReturn IOAccelEventMachine2::waitForStamp(int32_t, stamp_t, stamp_t *): initial wait for 1 second expired. Continue wait for 4 seconds. stamp 804926 (gpu_stamp=804925)
fault	10:14:11.580622 +0200	kernel	virtual IOReturn IOAccelEventMachine2::waitForStamp(int32_t, stamp_t, stamp_t *): timeout waiting for IntelAccelerator stamp 804926 (gpu_stamp=804925)
fault	10:14:11.580639 +0200	kernel	void IOAccelEventMachine2::handleFinishChannelRestart(IOReturn, int32_t, uint32_t) - Setting restart type to 4
fault	10:14:11.580643 +0200	kernel	void IOAccelEventMachine2::handleFinishChannelRestart(IOReturn, int32_t, uint32_t): GPURestartDequeued stampIdx=4 type=4 fromWhere=1 waitingOnIdx=4
fault	10:14:11.580692 +0200	kernel	void IOAccelEventMachine2::restart_channel(): GPURestartSkipped stampIdx=4 type=4
fault	10:14:11.580695 +0200	kernel	void IOAccelEventMachine2::restart_channel(): no channel associated with stamp_idx 4 (type 4)
fault	10:14:12.642643 +0200	kernel	virtual IOReturn IOAccelEventMachine2::waitForStamp(int32_t, stamp_t, stamp_t *): initial wait for 1 second expired. Continue wait for 4 seconds. stamp 804927 (gpu_stamp=804926)
fault	10:14:16.642803 +0200	kernel	virtual IOReturn IOAccelEventMachine2::waitForStamp(int32_t, stamp_t, stamp_t *): timeout waiting for IntelAccelerator stamp 804927 (gpu_stamp=804926)
fault	10:14:16.642817 +0200	kernel	void IOAccelEventMachine2::handleFinishChannelRestart(IOReturn, int32_t, uint32_t) - Setting restart type to 4
fault	10:14:16.642821 +0200	kernel	void IOAccelEventMachine2::handleFinishChannelRestart(IOReturn, int32_t, uint32_t): GPURestartDequeued stampIdx=4 type=4 fromWhere=1 waitingOnIdx=4
fault	10:14:16.642869 +0200	kernel	void IOAccelEventMachine2::restart_channel(): GPURestartSkipped stampIdx=4 type=4
fault	10:14:16.642872 +0200	kernel	void IOAccelEventMachine2::restart_channel(): no channel associated with stamp_idx 4 (type 4)