Comments on: Strange intermittent Macbook slowdown persists http://www.speedofcreativity.org/2008/05/10/strange-intermittent-macbook-slowdown-persists/ Weblog of Wesley Fryer Fri, 10 Feb 2012 00:55:00 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Wesley Fryer http://www.speedofcreativity.org/2008/05/10/strange-intermittent-macbook-slowdown-persists/comment-page-1/#comment-52086 Wesley Fryer Tue, 13 May 2008 11:42:30 +0000 http://www.speedofcreativity.org/2008/05/10/strange-intermittent-macbook-slowdown-persists/#comment-52086 John: Thanks for the clarification on the dual processor / over 100% issue. I did have a previous issue with the heat sensor which led to Apple replacing my entire logic board. They have actually done that twice now. I agree that sounds like a reasonable cause. I had the laptop on all morning taking notes before that shutdown took place. The bad thing is I'll have to part with the laptop for awhile.... but I will live. Hopefully the shutdown problem won't recurr, <a href="http://www.speedofcreativity.org/2006/08/14/macbook-random-shutdown-problems/" rel="nofollow">Back in August of 2006 when I had a lot of random shutdown problems</a> they replaced the logic board right away, but in <a href="http://www.speedofcreativity.org/2008/01/17/surviving-11-days-without-my-macbook/" rel="nofollow">January of this year I was without for 11 days during a repair</a>. That was painful. This week I really don't have time to take it in, so we'll see how it continues to do. These problems give me incentive to continue putting PDF copies of my presentations on the web so I can download those if needed to another computer for a presentation. Yesterday I almost had to use someone else's laptop for my presentation. My computer crashed running <a href="http://www.neooffice.org/neojava/en/index.php" rel="nofollow">NeoOffice</a> and upon restart wouldn't open my file, it wants to rebuild files that were open at the crash. Problem is there is not a button to rebuild... Thankfully Joel (the presenter from Google) had a Macbook and was able to create a PDF for me of my preso that I transferred on a flash drive... He saved my life! This is the first time I've ever had a problem with my Macbook like this during a presentation, and I think it is all related to this same hardware issue.... John: Thanks for the clarification on the dual processor / over 100% issue. I did have a previous issue with the heat sensor which led to Apple replacing my entire logic board. They have actually done that twice now. I agree that sounds like a reasonable cause. I had the laptop on all morning taking notes before that shutdown took place. The bad thing is I’ll have to part with the laptop for awhile…. but I will live. Hopefully the shutdown problem won’t recurr, Back in August of 2006 when I had a lot of random shutdown problems they replaced the logic board right away, but in January of this year I was without for 11 days during a repair. That was painful. This week I really don’t have time to take it in, so we’ll see how it continues to do. These problems give me incentive to continue putting PDF copies of my presentations on the web so I can download those if needed to another computer for a presentation. Yesterday I almost had to use someone else’s laptop for my presentation. My computer crashed running NeoOffice and upon restart wouldn’t open my file, it wants to rebuild files that were open at the crash. Problem is there is not a button to rebuild… Thankfully Joel (the presenter from Google) had a Macbook and was able to create a PDF for me of my preso that I transferred on a flash drive… He saved my life! This is the first time I’ve ever had a problem with my Macbook like this during a presentation, and I think it is all related to this same hardware issue….

]]> By: John Hendron http://www.speedofcreativity.org/2008/05/10/strange-intermittent-macbook-slowdown-persists/comment-page-1/#comment-52085 John Hendron Tue, 13 May 2008 10:46:14 +0000 http://www.speedofcreativity.org/2008/05/10/strange-intermittent-macbook-slowdown-persists/#comment-52085 Wesley, I am also unfamiliar with the items you mentioned; but these processes are taking over the machine (for likely software, but also possibly hardware reasons). 116% is because you have a dual processor machine. In theory, it could max-out at 200%. A Google search of XULrunner returns that's part of Firefox or another Mozilla browser. Good luck at the Apple store. The shutdown is likely the heat sensor kicked in, and shut things down to cool the laptop off. Wesley, I am also unfamiliar with the items you mentioned; but these processes are taking over the machine (for likely software, but also possibly hardware reasons).

116% is because you have a dual processor machine. In theory, it could max-out at 200%.

A Google search of XULrunner returns that’s part of Firefox or another Mozilla browser.

Good luck at the Apple store. The shutdown is likely the heat sensor kicked in, and shut things down to cool the laptop off.

]]> By: Wesley Fryer http://www.speedofcreativity.org/2008/05/10/strange-intermittent-macbook-slowdown-persists/comment-page-1/#comment-52072 Wesley Fryer Mon, 12 May 2008 18:53:36 +0000 http://www.speedofcreativity.org/2008/05/10/strange-intermittent-macbook-slowdown-persists/#comment-52072 This happened again this morning with the process "soffice.bin." My machine also shut down unexpectedly. I definitely have some hardware issues here! Off to the Apple store I go! This happened again this morning with the process “soffice.bin.” My machine also shut down unexpectedly. I definitely have some hardware issues here! Off to the Apple store I go!

]]> By: Dean Mattson http://www.speedofcreativity.org/2008/05/10/strange-intermittent-macbook-slowdown-persists/comment-page-1/#comment-52065 Dean Mattson Mon, 12 May 2008 04:14:28 +0000 http://www.speedofcreativity.org/2008/05/10/strange-intermittent-macbook-slowdown-persists/#comment-52065 Hm. I'm not sure what xulrunner is. I've been looking for that come up on my laptop and have yet to see it. (I'm running X 10.5.2.) One of the things you can do in Activity Monitor is stop individual processes that go out of control like that. Maybe try that the next time it happens. Hm. I’m not sure what xulrunner is. I’ve been looking for that come up on my laptop and have yet to see it. (I’m running X 10.5.2.) One of the things you can do in Activity Monitor is stop individual processes that go out of control like that. Maybe try that the next time it happens.

]]> By: Wesley Fryer http://www.speedofcreativity.org/2008/05/10/strange-intermittent-macbook-slowdown-persists/comment-page-1/#comment-52062 Wesley Fryer Sun, 11 May 2008 23:21:32 +0000 http://www.speedofcreativity.org/2008/05/10/strange-intermittent-macbook-slowdown-persists/#comment-52062 Wow, thanks for those tips. The problem just happened again, and this time a process called "xulrunner" took over (it said) 116% of the CPU... not sure how it can take more than 100%, but that is what iStat menu said. I will definitely try the hardware test on the install DVD for Leopard later tonight. If not, I'll be off to chat with the Apple Genius again! Wow, thanks for those tips. The problem just happened again, and this time a process called “xulrunner” took over (it said) 116% of the CPU… not sure how it can take more than 100%, but that is what iStat menu said. I will definitely try the hardware test on the install DVD for Leopard later tonight. If not, I’ll be off to chat with the Apple Genius again!

]]> By: john hendron http://www.speedofcreativity.org/2008/05/10/strange-intermittent-macbook-slowdown-persists/comment-page-1/#comment-52058 john hendron Sun, 11 May 2008 14:54:51 +0000 http://www.speedofcreativity.org/2008/05/10/strange-intermittent-macbook-slowdown-persists/#comment-52058 Safari at 27%? What happens when you don't run Safari? Safari for me (working for days and days, with probably total 28-30 tabs) has memory leaks and does well to get a nice restart. There are a couple of things I'd try, after seeing if Safari is the culprit (and I only suspect as much, from what I saw in your screenshot). a) Look at top -u in terminal (or Activity monitor) to see what's hogging CPU cycles when the sluggish behavior takes place b) look at Console.app and look at the logs when the problem comes up... If this data watching isn't particularly helpful, Apple will tell you to reinstall from scratch before they troubleshoot. You've done that. Try and see if one or more programs is running when the slowdown happens--and if not--then I think it could be a hardware issue. The boot DVD comes with a hardware test; it's on a separate partition (load with option key down on boot). If that doesn't come up with anything, the Apple store has more intensive tests they can run independent of your OS X installation. Good luck. Safari at 27%? What happens when you don’t run Safari?

Safari for me (working for days and days, with probably total 28-30 tabs) has memory leaks and does well to get a nice restart. There are a couple of things I’d try, after seeing if Safari is the culprit (and I only suspect as much, from what I saw in your screenshot).

a) Look at top -u in terminal (or Activity monitor) to see what’s hogging CPU cycles when the sluggish behavior takes place
b) look at Console.app and look at the logs when the problem comes up…

If this data watching isn’t particularly helpful, Apple will tell you to reinstall from scratch before they troubleshoot. You’ve done that. Try and see if one or more programs is running when the slowdown happens–and if not–then I think it could be a hardware issue.

The boot DVD comes with a hardware test; it’s on a separate partition (load with option key down on boot). If that doesn’t come up with anything, the Apple store has more intensive tests they can run independent of your OS X installation.

Good luck.

]]> By: Dean Mattson http://www.speedofcreativity.org/2008/05/10/strange-intermittent-macbook-slowdown-persists/comment-page-1/#comment-52052 Dean Mattson Sun, 11 May 2008 12:02:05 +0000 http://www.speedofcreativity.org/2008/05/10/strange-intermittent-macbook-slowdown-persists/#comment-52052 Err . . . I meant to ask, "Have YOU launched Activity Monitor?" Sorry, too much in a hurry, as always! Err . . . I meant to ask, “Have YOU launched Activity Monitor?” Sorry, too much in a hurry, as always!

]]> By: Dean Mattson http://www.speedofcreativity.org/2008/05/10/strange-intermittent-macbook-slowdown-persists/comment-page-1/#comment-52051 Dean Mattson Sun, 11 May 2008 11:59:25 +0000 http://www.speedofcreativity.org/2008/05/10/strange-intermittent-macbook-slowdown-persists/#comment-52051 Have to launched Activity Monitor? That might identify the culprit since it breaks down how much each process is taxing the CPU. Have to launched Activity Monitor? That might identify the culprit since it breaks down how much each process is taxing the CPU.

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