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Spinning Ball - help

DEXTERITY

DEXTERITY

macrumors 6502a
Original poster
Aug 14, 2004
693
367
Greetings,

I have a 2 X 2.66 Dual Core Intel Xeon with 10.4.8 and 2 gigs. It is about 6 months old and lately I constantly get the spinning rainbow ball when trying to do certain tasks. i can go stretches of time with no problems and then I have problems. half the time I have to force shut down. Relaunching the finder doesn't work.

When attempting to open certain files I have problems, sometimes when browsing the internet with crap fire fox the same thing happens as well.

I used disk warrior, that didn't help any.

I'm not sure if there any preferences I should trash or what else I can try.
knowing my experience with the hard drives apple uses it is probably the hard drive giving me an early warning sign. But I hope its not.

I would appreciate any help.


Thank you.
 
get the widget iStatPro. Even with the finder locked up, it should still function. Also try accessing the activity monitor. When you see the spinning ball (spinning optical disk) check the widget to see if a certain app is taking up all the CPU. Often though, it will just ambiguously tell you the the finder is the culprit.

I usually only lock up the finder when an external drive randomly disconnetcs or when I'm accessing files over my network from other computers.
 
thanks for the reply. is there no way to fix it? i never had this problem before and can't continue to work like that. thanks.
 
Try creating a new user. Log into that account and see if the problem persists.

When you say you "force shut down," do you mean the Mac or an application?
 
well it started with applications. then when the ball wouldn't stop. I had to hold the power button down and restart. I've had to do that at least 2 to 3 times a day the past few days.

if it is the user name which is the problem, are there any preferences i can delete or what step do i take next?

thank u
 
Maybe, but two or three hard restarts a day is a bad sign. The new user is worth a try, but if you've already checked the hard drive for errors, I suspect your problem is in hardware.
 
thanks.. yikes not a good thing lol. i have the worst luck with Apple lately.

you know what else happens, it is sluggish when i goto access files from the hard drive. for instance, i went to applications , it loaded up blank, then the icons appeared. does that on a regular basis now.
 
DEXTERITY,

It may be worth downloading and running Onyx (available free from http://www.titanium.free.fr/pgs2/english/download.html)

It allows you to run the Mac's own system maintenance routines at the click of a button. It's something I do on my Pro regularly and it helped me fix a problem with Spotlight on my machine not that long ago.

There are lots of options in Onyx and if you're not careful you theoretically could do more harm than good, but if you're at all worried by that then either check the documentation or follow the simple "5-minute" guide on my web site at http://www.claytonfamily.org.uk/macosx/hintsandtips/onyx.php

Hope that helps!
 
Just out of interest, what are your Activity Monitor stats looking like? Particularly page ins/outs and RAM usage?

How about CPU usage? When you view all processes, are there any that are hogging the CPU?

Do you have Techtool Deluxe (ie Applecare)? If so, run that, it can check for a range of hardware issues.

You could also boot off of your OS X CD and run Disk Utility - repair permissions and verify your hard drive.

You could also boot into the Apple hardware test and give that a go.
 
By any chance, are you working with network connections, especially not too stable ones???

i found the finder handles network shares poorly to say the least.

The beachball could just be a sign of the finder trying to reconnect to a lost network share.....
 
miniConvert said:
Just out of interest, what are your Activity Monitor stats looking like? Particularly page ins/outs and RAM usage?

How about CPU usage? When you view all processes, are there any that are hogging the CPU?

Do you have Techtool Deluxe (ie Applecare)? If so, run that, it can check for a range of hardware issues.

You could also boot off of your OS X CD and run Disk Utility - repair permissions and verify your hard drive.

You could also boot into the Apple hardware test and give that a go.
Click to expand...

He's got 2gb of RAM, so paging should not be an issue, and has already tried DiskWarrior. The Hardware Test CD can't hurt, but it's kind of a long-shot.
 
wow, thanks for all the info.

I'm going to look into onyx and see if that helps.

In regards to network connections, i'm only connected via my cable modem sometimes with ethernet sometimes wirelessly. but nothing out of the norm.


My usage is as follows (keep in mind everything is running properly for now). I will check when its acting up again:

Particularly page ins/outs and RAM usage?

read in: 102635
write out: 208037
pages in/outs 66257/3178
system memory used: 1.95 GB
(Is that ram usage)?

How about CPU usage?

user 6.75%
system: 2.75
nice: 0%
idle:91.25
threads: 218
process: 56

I have no idea what the above means lol..

I forgot I could boot off OS X and run disk utilities, maybe that does a better job then doing it without the disk.

Thanks again for everyones help.

P.S When you guys mention it may be hardware, do u mean the hard drive or something worst?
I also notice a lot of lag when trying to download or save files via firefox. ugh...
 
Having the same problem....

Dear Dexterity

I am having the same problems as you....would just like to hear if you have solved the problem....and not a least how if you have..

Best regards
Karlsen
 
Still having problems...

Try to see this from my Consol.....this is what happens when the spinning ball of death appears on my screen....: Hope someone can help....

Best regards
Karlsen

Jul 6 01:07:39 henrik-karlsens-macbook /System/Library/CoreServices/SystemUIServer.app/Contents/MacOS/SystemUIServer[86]: CPSPBGetProcessInfo(): This call is deprecated and should not be called anymore.
Jul 6 01:07:50 henrik-karlsens-macbook ntpd[13]: sendto(17.72.255.12) (fd=23): No route to host
Jul 6 01:08:56 henrik-karlsens-macbook ntpd[13]: sendto(17.72.255.12) (fd=23): No route to host
Jul 6 01:09:29 henrik-karlsens-macbook SystemUIServer[86]: Error: airportd MIG failed = 1 ((os/kern) invalid address) (port = 25943)
Jul 6 01:09:29 henrik-karlsens-macbook kernel[0]: AirPort: Link Up on en1
Jul 6 01:09:30 56343552 configd[33]: setting hostname to "56343552.rev.stofanet.dk"
Jul 6 01:09:31 56343552 kernel[0]: 11D beacon causing regdomain change to CC 276
Jul 6 01:09:31 56343552 kernel[0]: en1: 802.11d country code set to 'DE'.
Jul 6 01:09:31 56343552 kernel[0]: en1: Supported channels 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 36 40 44 48 52 56 60 64 100 104 108 112 116 120 124 128 132 136 140
Jul 6 01:09:31 56343552 kernel[0]: AirPort: Link Up on en1
Jul 6 01:09:41 56343552 SystemUIServer[86]: Error: Apple80211Scan() error -6
Jul 6 01:09:41 56343552 SystemUIServer[86]: Error: __performScan() failed (-6)
Jul 6 01:10:20 56343552 airportd[206]: Error: Apple80211Associate() failed -10
Jul 6 01:10:20 56343552 SystemUIServer[86]: Error: airportd MIG failed = -10 ((null)) (port = 25943)
Jul 6 01:10:20 56343552 airportd[206]: Error: process_command_dict() failed
Jul 6 01:10:20 56343552 airportd[206]: Error: Apple80211Associate() failed -10
Jul 6 01:10:20 56343552 airportd[206]: Error: process_command_dict() failed
Jul 6 01:10:20 56343552 SystemUIServer[86]: Error: airportd MIG failed = -10 ((null)) (port = 25943)
Jul 6 01:10:24 henrik-karlsens-macbook configd[33]: setting hostname to "henrik-karlsens-macbook.local"
Jul 6 01:10:30 henrik-karlsens-macbook kernel[0]: AirPort: Link Up on en1
Jul 6 01:13:13 henrik-karlsens-macbook ntpd[13]: sendto(17.72.255.12) (fd=23): No route to host
Jul 6 01:13:36 henrik-karlsens-macbook kernel[0]: AirPort: Link Up on en1
Jul 6 01:14:06 henrik-karlsens-macbook SystemUIServer[86]: Error: airportd MIG failed = -308 ((ipc/mig) server died) (port = 25943)
Jul 6 01:14:16 henrik-karlsens-macbook ntpd[13]: sendto(17.72.255.12) (fd=23): No route to host
Jul 6 01:14:22 henrik-karlsens-macbook kernel[0]: AirPort: Link Up on en1
Jul 6 01:14:22 henrik-karlsens-macbook /usr/sbin/spindump[224]: process 86 is being monitored
Jul 6 01:14:22 henrik-karlsens-macbook /usr/sbin/spindump[224]: process 117 is being monitored
Jul 6 01:14:22 henrik-karlsens-macbook /usr/sbin/spindump[224]: process 117 is being no longer being monitored
Jul 6 01:14:23 henrik-karlsens-macbook /usr/sbin/spindump[224]: process 86 is being no longer being monitored
Jul 6 01:15:08 henrik-karlsens-macbook /usr/sbin/spindump[232]: process 117 is being monitored
Jul 6 01:15:08 henrik-karlsens-macbook /usr/sbin/spindump[232]: process 117 is being no longer being monitored
Jul 6 01:15:18 henrik-karlsens-macbook ntpd[13]: sendto(17.72.255.12) (fd=23): Network is unreachable
Jul 6 01:15:39 henrik-karlsens-macbook /usr/sbin/spindump[233]: process 117 is being monitored
Jul 6 01:16:23 henrik-karlsens-macbook ntpd[13]: sendto(17.72.255.12) (fd=23): Network is unreachable
Jul 6 01:17:28 henrik-karlsens-macbook ntpd[13]: sendto(17.72.255.12) (fd=23): No route to host
Jul 6 01:18:18 henrik-karlsens-macbook /usr/sbin/spindump[241]: process 88 is being monitored
Jul 6 01:18:31 henrik-karlsens-macbook ntpd[13]: sendto(17.72.255.12) (fd=23): No route to host
Jul 6 01:18:42 henrik-karlsens-macbook kernel[0]: AirPort: Link Up on en1
Jul 6 01:18:51 henrik-karlsens-macbook /usr/sbin/spindump[241]: process 88 is being no longer being monitored
Jul 6 01:22:33 henrik-karlsens-macbook /usr/sbin/spindump[390]: process 338 is being monitored
Jul 6 01:23:02 henrik-karlsens-macbook kernel[0]: AirPort: Link Up on en1
Jul 6 01:23:48 henrik-karlsens-macbook kernel[0]: AirPort: Link Up on en1
Jul 6 01:23:55 henrik-karlsens-macbook ntpd[13]: sendto(17.72.255.12) (fd=23): No route to host
Jul 6 01:24:31 henrik-karlsens-macbook kernel[0]: PM notification timeout (pid 349, cupsd)
Jul 6 01:24:31 henrik-karlsens-macbook kernel[0]: hibernate image path: /var/vm/sleepimage
Jul 6 01:24:31 henrik-karlsens-macbook kernel[0]: sizeof(IOHibernateImageHeader) == 512
Jul 6 01:24:31 henrik-karlsens-macbook kernel[0]: Opened file /var/vm/sleepimage, size 1073741824, partition base 0xc805000, maxio 400000
Jul 6 01:24:31 henrik-karlsens-macbook kernel[0]: hibernate image major 14, minor 2, blocksize 512, pollers 4
Jul 6 01:24:31 henrik-karlsens-macbook kernel[0]: hibernate_alloc_pages flags 00000000, gobbling 0 pages
Jul 6 01:24:59 henrik-karlsens-macbook ntpd[13]: sendto(17.72.255.12) (fd=23): No route to host
Jul 6 01:25:01 henrik-karlsens-macbook kernel[0]: System SafeSleep
Jul 6 01:25:08 henrik-karlsens-macbook kernel[0]: hibernate_page_list_setall start
Jul 6 01:25:08 henrik-karlsens-macbook kernel[0]: hibernate_page_list_setall time: 135 ms
Jul 6 01:25:08 henrik-karlsens-macbook kernel[0]: pages 121337, wire 48329, act 7492, inact 30316, zf 46, throt 0, could discard act 3904 inact 30416 purgeable 834
Jul 6 01:25:08 henrik-karlsens-macbook kernel[0]: hibernate_page_list_setall found pageCount 86183
Jul 6 01:25:08 henrik-karlsens-macbook kernel[0]: IOHibernatePollerOpen, ml_get_interrupts_enabled 0
Jul 6 01:25:08 henrik-karlsens-macbook kernel[0]: IOHibernatePollerOpen(0)
Jul 6 01:25:08 henrik-karlsens-macbook kernel[0]: writing 85525 pages
Jul 6 01:25:08 henrik-karlsens-macbook kernel[0]: image1Size 77323776
Jul 6 01:25:08 henrik-karlsens-macbook kernel[0]: IOPolledInterface::checkForWork[4] 0xe00002eb
Jul 6 01:25:08 henrik-karlsens-macbook kernel[0]: all time: 3665 ms, comp time: 771 ms, deco time: 0 ms,
Jul 6 01:25:08 henrik-karlsens-macbook kernel[0]: image 0, uncompressed 236249088 (57678), compressed 94573888 (40%), sum1 bbc07e9, sum2 cd156fa7
Jul 6 01:25:08 henrik-karlsens-macbook kernel[0]: hibernate_write_image done(e00002eb)
Jul 6 01:25:08 henrik-karlsens-macbook kernel[0]: sleep
Jul 6 01:25:08 henrik-karlsens-macbook kernel[0]: System Wake
Jul 6 01:25:08 henrik-karlsens-macbook kernel[0]: State change timeout, state is 7
Jul 6 01:25:10 henrik-karlsens-macbook kernel[0]: 11D beacon causing regdomain change to CC 276
Jul 6 01:25:10 henrik-karlsens-macbook kernel[0]: en1: 802.11d country code set to 'DE'.
Jul 6 01:25:10 henrik-karlsens-macbook kernel[0]: en1: Supported channels 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 36 40 44 48 52 56 60 64 100 104 108 112 116 120 124 128 132 136 140
Jul 6 01:25:10 henrik-karlsens-macbook kernel[0]: AirPort: Link Up on en1
Jul 6 01:25:35 henrik-karlsens-macbook /usr/sbin/spindump[470]: process 86 is being monitored
Jul 6 01:25:47 henrik-karlsens-macbook kernel[0]: AirPort: Link Up on en1
Jul 6 01:25:55 henrik-karlsens-macbook mDNSResponder[21]: Note: Frequent transitions for interface en1 (192.168.2.112); network traffic reduction measures in effect
Jul 6 01:26:03 henrik-karlsens-macbook /usr/sbin/spindump[470]: process 86 is being no longer being monitored
Jul 6 01:26:29 henrik-karlsens-macbook kernel[0]: AirPort: Link Up on en1
Jul 6 01:26:36 henrik-karlsens-macbook mDNSResponder[21]: Note: Frequent transitions for interface en1 (192.168.2.112); network traffic reduction measures in effect
Jul 6 01:27:22 henrik-karlsens-macbook com.apple.launchd[68] (0x109c10.Locum[536]): Exited: Terminated
Jul 6 01:27:49 henrik-karlsens-macbook SystemUIServer[86]: Error: airportd MIG failed = 1 ((os/kern) invalid address) (port = 25943)
Jul 6 01:28:19 henrik-karlsens-macbook ntpd[13]: sendto(17.72.255.12) (fd=23): No route to host
Jul 6 01:29:24 henrik-karlsens-macbook ntpd[13]: sendto(17.72.255.12) (fd=23): No route to host
Jul 6 01:30:30 henrik-karlsens-macbook ntpd[13]: sendto(17.72.255.12) (fd=23): No route to host
Jul 6 01:31:35 henrik-karlsens-macbook ntpd[13]: sendto(17.72.255.12) (fd=23): No route to host
Jul 6 01:32:38 henrik-karlsens-macbook ntpd[13]: sendto(17.72.255.12) (fd=23): No route to host
Jul 6 01:33:44 henrik-karlsens-macbook ntpd[13]: sendto(17.72.255.12) (fd=23): No route to host
Jul 6 01:34:49 henrik-karlsens-macbook ntpd[13]: sendto(17.72.255.12) (fd=23): No route to host
Jul 6 01:35:54 henrik-karlsens-macbook ntpd[13]: sendto(17.72.255.12) (fd=23): No route to host
Jul 6 01:37:00 henrik-karlsens-macbook ntpd[13]: sendto(17.72.255.12) (fd=23): No route to host
Jul 6 01:38:04 henrik-karlsens-macbook ntpd[13]: sendto(17.72.255.12) (fd=23): No route to host
Jul 6 01:39:09 henrik-karlsens-macbook ntpd[13]: sendto(17.72.255.12) (fd=23): No route to host
Jul 6 01:40:12 henrik-karlsens-macbook ntpd[13]: sendto(17.72.255.12) (fd=23): No route to host
Jul 6 01:41:18 henrik-karlsens-macbook ntpd[13]: sendto(17.72.255.12) (fd=23): No route to host
Jul 6 01:42:23 henrik-karlsens-macbook ntpd[13]: sendto(17.72.255.12) (fd=23): No route to host
Jul 6 01:43:29 henrik-karlsens-macbook ntpd[13]: sendto(17.72.255.12) (fd=23): No route to host
Jul 6 01:44:34 henrik-karlsens-macbook ntpd[13]: sendto(17.72.255.12) (fd=23): No route to host
Jul 6 01:45:38 henrik-karlsens-macbook ntpd[13]: sendto(17.72.255.12) (fd=23): No route to host
Jul 6 01:46:42 henrik-karlsens-macbook ntpd[13]: sendto(17.72.255.12) (fd=23): No route to host
Jul 6 01:47:47 henrik-karlsens-macbook ntpd[13]: sendto(17.72.255.12) (fd=23): No route to host
Jul 6 01:48:53 henrik-karlsens-macbook ntpd[13]: sendto(17.72.255.12) (fd=23): No route to host
Jul 6 01:49:58 henrik-karlsens-macbook ntpd[13]: sendto(17.72.255.12) (fd=23): No route to host
 
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