MacBookPro3,1 freezes after 10.8.5 or 10.9 install

[crenz]

I recently installed the OS X 10.8.5 update on my MacBookPro3,1. Ever since, the laptop will freeze about 1-3 minutes after booting, meaning: any activity will stop, screen is unchanged, laptop doesn't react anymore to keyboard input, trackpad or network pings. I tried disconnecting all external devices, but the same behaviour continues.

If I boot the computer in rescue mode or from an older backup, no freezes occur. Any idea how I could fix the problem without a reinstall, or at least how I could investigate it?

Update: Same problem appears with 10.9, please see last post.

 

[interseb42]

Same thing here

I had 4 freezes today as well on a MacBook Pro 3,1.
I first suspected some memory dimm failure, but after a successful memory test, I remembered I upgraded to OS X 10.8.5 just the day before.

Are there other cases out there ?

 

[gpatpandp]

Same for my MacBook Pro 3,1 2.2 GHz MA895LL/A

Oddly I have been combing the net looking (actually hoping) for others with this same mac who are reporting the same difficulty as I did not want to the ONLY one experiencing this. At the onset, I can attest to the fact that my MacBook Pro runs OS X 10.8.4 flawlessly. Furthermore, the Apple Service Diagnostic disc for my MacBook 3,1 reports absolutely NO Hardware issues whatsoever. I have tried EVERYTHING in performing ALL the obvious troubleshooting (i.e. permissions repair, SMC & PRAM rest etc.).

I have also installed OS X 10.8.5 in all three (3) possible configurations (software update, combo update and the full/clean Mountain Lion OS X 10.8.5 .app install) and all have produced the same result with the system freezing. The vast majority of times after a successful install, it will freeze right at boot up (i.e. white screen, grey apple, and spinning wheel) though several times I have actually gotten to both the login stage as well as in the desktop itself before it freezes. I have tried installing it both on internal and external hard drive yet it makes no difference. I am at a complete and utter loss as to what the heck to do. I have owned a mac of some sort since 1998 and I have never experienced a situation regarding an incremental OS update like this ever before.

 

[marinelli]

I have iMac 20" mid 2007 similar problem

Just after update from 10.8.4 to 10.8.5 after booting freezing definitely.
I tried to turn on again but freezing again.
I reinstalled and still the same.
I unplugged LAN cable and connect via wifi and works perfectly.
But if I will plug again LAN cable it freezing after few seconds and I need reinstall all system.
Anyone understand what is going on?

 

[johng63]

MacBookPro3,1 - same issue heere

After installing 10.8.5 system freezes after several minutes of use - happened 10 -15 times today;

anyone finds a solution, please let the list know...

 

[crenz]

I'm glad to hear I am not the only one with this laptop and this problem. Has anybody seen any helpful error messages on the system console, perhaps?

 

[gpatpandp]

My Hunch...

I'm glad to hear I am not the only one with this laptop and this problem. Has anybody seen any helpful error messages on the system console, perhaps?

I have a sneaky suspicion that the 10.8.5 release exist somewhat as a "weeding out" process for the upcoming OS X 10.9 Final Master. The contrast in how my MacBook 3,1 runs 10.8.4 (perfectly) compared to 10.8.5 (a non functional os) is just to stark. I predict that when Mavericks is released, it will no longer support those macs that where "on the fence" (i.e. the 2007 models) when Apple made there last cuts with those machines that would no longer be officially supported with Mountain Lion.

 

[crenz]

I have a sneaky suspicion that the 10.8.5 release exist somewhat as a "weeding out" process for the upcoming OS X 10.9 Final Master.

Hmmm. Interesting suspicion, but I don't think so. Apple has not been hesitant in the past to officially announce lack of support for some features or whole OS versions for their devices. Doing a silent "weeding out" would just drive up cost of support.

As far as I know, Apple has already announced support for late 2007 MacBook Pros (MacBookPro3,1).

By the way - I reinstalled Mountain Lion, applied the 10.8.4 combo update and now the laptop is doing fine again. Strange.

 

[gpatpandp]

Very strange indeed...

Hmmm. Interesting suspicion, but I don't think so. Apple has not been hesitant in the past to officially announce lack of support for some features or whole OS versions for their devices. Doing a silent "weeding out" would just drive up cost of support.

As far as I know, Apple has already announced support for late 2007 MacBook Pros (MacBookPro3,1).

By the way - I reinstalled Mountain Lion, applied the 10.8.4 combo update and now the laptop is doing fine again. Strange.

That is truly the odd aspect of all of this...the simple fact that our MacBooks run OS X 10.8.4 perfectly/all day long with no issues or any concerns whatsoever. If it's any consolation, I have been finding MANY forum post from various mac sites including Apple's own discussion forum where this exact phenomenon is being widely reported.

 

[gpatpandp]

Sorry to say...

Hmmm. Interesting suspicion, but I don't think so. Apple has not been hesitant in the past to officially announce lack of support for some features or whole OS versions for their devices. Doing a silent "weeding out" would just drive up cost of support.

As far as I know, Apple has already announced support for late 2007 MacBook Pros (MacBookPro3,1).

By the way - I reinstalled Mountain Lion, applied the 10.8.4 combo update and now the laptop is doing fine again. Strange.

Just to give my suspicion a bit more credence and out of curiosity, I cloned my Mavericks Developer Preview version 7 partition to an external and attempted to boot it on my MacBook Pro...guess what...got to the desktop and 20 seconds later FREEZE in an identical fashion as 10.8.5 is doing.

 

[RipperG]

MacPro 3,1 Freezes after 10.8.5

Something in there might help you even though the system is a 2008 MacPro 3,1

https://discussions.apple.com/message/23304103#23304103

Look at the last post from Pascal88

 

[crenz]

Happens on 10.9 as well

Time to revive this thread. I upgraded my system to 10.9 a while ago - and sure enough, the same crashes/hangs reappear.

I filed a bug about this, and Apple suggested the problem might be my Samsung 830 SSD, and I should upgrade the firmware. Thing is, it's already at the latest firmware. I've tried to do a core dump over an ethernet connection - and the core dumping works while the machine is running, but not anymore after it crashed .

If anybody else has similar problems with 10.9, I suggest you post the hardware modifications made to the original system. Mine are:

• 3rd-party RAM upgrade from 2 GB to 4 GB
• Replaced stock drive with Samsung 830 SSD

 

[gopherdelta]

MAC OS X 1.8.5 build 12F45

I have MAC OS X 1.8.5 build 12F45 and it hangs every time it goes lock, after the hitting password and login.
It also hangs when I reboot or start the computer with a big interrogation mark inside a box [?] signal.
Also hangs sometimes after restarting and hitting the password and login.
Besides when starting my acc has a alert that says: Update Needed but I have done all the updates.

Does anybody experienced such issue ?
Thanks

 

[cjmillsnun]

GeForce 8600M GT... Tells me all I need to know. It's 90% likely this is GPU failure.