New Here - And Having the ODDEST Problem with iChat!!

[dmbfloydian]

Hey all. Friend of mine referred me here to ask y'all about a little iChat issue I'm having all of a sudden.

I just installed Panther the other day, and I don't recall having this problem before.

Ok, iChat runs just fine regularly, I can talk to people and everyone just fine, no problems - have lots of IMs and other programs open, all is well.

BUT

As soon as I even just open an IM window for this one person (a person i talk to alot), iChat immediately begins using around 80-85% of the CPU (under "My Processes), and couple that with the 20+% system CPU time we've got all 100% of my processor being used.

I sit here with the Activity Monitor open, and literally just watch it happen. Restart didn't work. Closing the IM window doesn't stop it. I have to fully quit iChat.

What could possibly be casuing this? Never had this issue before. I'm using wireless. Could it have something to do with the connection between the 2 computers? Should I try plugging in directly to ethernet?

Would a reinstall of Panther fix this maybe?
I was thinking of installing Panther fresh, doing a format and whatnot. I don't think I really need OS 9.

Anyway, any ideas or advice would be helpful!
Thanks so much!

 

[jeff.macaddict]

I can't help with your problem, but noticed your name.

WTF!

 

[Koodauw]

iChat

I have the same problems with iChat as well. It is only certain people who send the CPU usage skyrocketing. I am also on a wireless connection. I have tried formatting and doing a fresh install of Panther to no avail. I have found however, that if I DELETE the said buddy from my buddy list, quit iChat, and re-launch the program, add back the buddy, I am able to talk just fine. Rather annoying though, esp seeing as how it only last for no more than a day, and I have to do the whole procedure again. I am interested in finding a solution as well, so please keep us posted.

 

[dmbfloydian]

Re: iChat

Originally posted by Koodauw
I have the same problems with iChat as well. It is only certain people who send the CPU usage skyrocketing. I am also on a wireless connection. I have tried formatting and doing a fresh install of Panther to no avail. I have found however, that if I DELETE the said buddy from my buddy list, quit iChat, and re-launch the program, add back the buddy, I am able to talk just fine. Rather annoying though, esp seeing as how it only last for no more than a day, and I have to do the whole procedure again. I am interested in finding a solution as well, so please keep us posted.

I'm glad it's not just me.

And it's not jsut us either, because I just had my other friend who runs iChat to merely open an IM window for that person, and his CPU went skyrocketting.
His reaction was kinda funny.

I will try the deleting thing.

I'm also gonna ask the person to restart their computer maybe.

And, this really needs to be solved, cause...that one person...is my girlfriend!! lol!

EDIT: ALso, I plugged into hardline ethernet, and it still did it before...so its nothing wireless related.

 

[zimv20]

koodauw and poopguy -

do you have the thing in common that you:
- while running jaguar, added a buddy to ichat
- updated to panther
- found that said buddy caused described problem

is that common to both of you?

 

[Koodauw]

Nope

This buddy has been on my buddylist since I was a Windoze user. When I switched to Apple, I just set up iChat with my AIM account an off I went. (That was with Jaguar.) All my buddies from the buddy list came along. I have no clue why it is just this one user. I do know he is running Winows 98 if that makes any difference, however I doubt it does because if I simply open the window to talk to him, without typing a thing, CPU usage go through the roof.

 

[zimv20]

Re: Nope

Originally posted by Koodauw
(That was with Jaguar.)

oh, so it's not even a panther problem. interesting. maybe it's something in the implementation of the IM. be interesting to see if the delete-then-add thing works.

or i wonder if there's something about that person's profile, like maybe their picture has something wrong w/ it (e.g. corruption), or it's being pulled from a non-responsive server.

i've decided it could be anything. and that i'm not very helpful

 

[Koodauw]

Re: Re: Nope

Originally posted by zimv20
oh, so it's not even a panther problem.

I believe it is a Panther problem. I Never had this problem in Jaguar. I was just saying that when I started to use iChat, it was with Jaguar. So that would of been the first time iChat saw this particular buddy. The CPU usage problem only happend with the Panther upgrade.

 

[zimv20]

Re: Re: Re: Nope

Originally posted by Koodauw
I believe it is a Panther problem. I Never had this problem in Jaguar. I was just saying that when I started to use iChat, it was with Jaguar. So that would of been the first time iChat saw this particular buddy. The CPU usage problem only happend with the Panther upgrade.

oh, i misread you. the 'nope' meant you had the buddy even before jaguar.

but it _is_ the case that you both had buddies that worked fine under jaguar, but went haywire under panther.

panther bug, then. have you checked the apple discussion forums to see if there's a thread on it?

 

[dmbfloydian]

Yes, I'm with that other dude.

My buddy has been on my list since long before I even got my Mac.
THen with Jaguar, and iChat, she was already there. No problems.

Unpgrade to Panther - boom. Porblem.

That delete - close - reopen -add buddy trick does work.

But for how long...

Where are the Apple forums? (i'[m dumb)

 

[Kwyjibo]

on apple.com then click the support tab and then you'll see a link to the discussions

 

[zimv20]

Originally posted by manEatingPOOP

That delete - close - reopen -add buddy trick does work.

But for how long...

i suspect it will stay fixed

 

[dmbfloydian]

Originally posted by zimv20
i suspect it will stay fixed

I'll see your "stay fixed,"

and raise you "i'll check back in the morning."

 

[Powerbook G5]

Just a shot in the dark, but are any of these people using that new AOL 9 with those super buddy icons that are supposed to be animated? Maybe that is causing the weird error. I don't see what else could be causing the CPU to work when you're just opening an IM to a person. I guess your computer just gets fluttered and hot whenever you are talking to your girlfriend.

 

[zimv20]

Originally posted by manEatingPOOP
"i'll check back in the morning."

did you get a chance to check it?

 

[dmbfloydian]

Originally posted by Powerbook G5
Just a shot in the dark, but are any of these people using that new AOL 9 with those super buddy icons that are supposed to be animated? Maybe that is causing the weird error. I don't see what else could be causing the CPU to work when you're just opening an IM to a person. I guess your computer just gets fluttered and hot whenever you are talking to your girlfriend.

Nope, she doesn't use AOL at all.
regular AIM on her Road Runner connection. And i've had animated buddy icons before, - though iChat doesn't show them anyway. But nope it's not the problem.

And so far today - its been ok. I keep checking every hour or so, and everytime i talk to her.

I'll keep ya posted.

Thanks everyone! Appreciate it!