Apps refusing to launch/quit, can't log out/reboot

[Nermal]

This is a very strange issue.

Yesterday my laptop (OS 10.14.6) refused to launch a couple of apps: they'd just bounce in the Dock "forever". Other apps would fail to quit, with their windows closing but the "dot" under their icon not disappearing. I also couldn't log out or reboot: I'd confirm the action and it just wouldn't do it. In the end I had to open Terminal (which, thankfully, did open) and do a "sudo shutdown -r now".

If it had ended there it would've been strange but ultimately inconsequential. However, my desktop (OS 12.6.7) just did the same thing! Safari was running but refused to open most websites, apps were bouncing in the Dock, I couldn't log out, and in this case I couldn't open Terminal either. I ended up having to hold the power button.

Does anyone have any idea what could be going on here? For it to affect both machines, it makes me wonder whether something (XProtect?) is trying to check in with Apple and failing (although I'd have hoped that it would fail gracefully in that case). Are there logs somewhere? Can anyone give any advice around how to prevent this from happening in the future?

 

[bogdanw]

Other than turning off the Internet connection, I don’t think there is much a user can do about this problem.
https://www.macrumors.com/2020/11/12/mac-apps-not-opening/

 

[Nermal]

Thanks. I remember that debacle now that you've reminded me!

 

[Fishrrman]

I'd press and hold the power on button until the Mac shut down.

Then, I'd reboot, and start over.

Does doing this change anything?

 

[Nermal]

That's how I ended up recovering in the first place (on the desktop). I haven't had the issue since.

Something that occurred to me after posting was that maybe yanking the Ethernet cable could have helped. I won't know unless it happens again.