New Macbook Pro freezing (rainbow ball)

dennisaq · #1 September 4th, 2009, 11:05 PM

Hi.

I'm wondering if there is a fix already to this symptom.

I've recently purchased a 13in. Macbook Pro Unibody (July 2009; 1st time mac user). 2.26, 160GB, OSX 10.5.8. All software upgraded and running latest version. 98 GB free memory.

Recently while watching movies using Quicktime or surfing via Safari, the mac would just freeze. A rainbow colored spinning ball would appear for 15-30 seconds and freeze the application and sometimes the entire system. I can still move the cursor but cannot click on any program.

I've tried the disk utility and repairing permissions. (although after verifying the same list would show up. mostly permissions differ relating to quicktime. is this normal?)

The freezing action would sometimes happen 5 - 10 times a day but on some days would not happen at all. The programs usually running are iMail, Safari, Excel, Finder, Transmission, iTunes.

Do I have to limit open programs? Add more RAM or HD space?
Could it be temperature related problem? Room temp is usually between 27 degrees Celsius to 37 degrees when I'm outside. (working now overseas in the Philippines) Is this a hardware problem? If software, any program I have to install. I've seen similar posts but only when changing the HD to SSD.

Pls help. Thanks

**Giaguara** · #2 September 5th, 2009, 02:24 AM

How much RAM do you have?
It could be memory...
You could also open Console (/Applications/Utilities) and keep it hidden, then look at what it generates while the beachball happens.

dennisaq · #3 September 5th, 2009, 04:12 AM

The Mac has 2 GB RAM. Do you think I should add?

dennisaq · #4 September 5th, 2009, 07:03 AM

2 GB RAM. Perhaps that's not sufficient and have to increase RAM or decrease no. of open programs.

Update: since yesterday, have not had the freezing problem. Few things I've done: make sure that there are max. 3 apps working in the background, used quicktime but closed other programs, added a temperature monitoring program.

will continue to observe

**Giaguara** · #5 September 5th, 2009, 02:30 PM

When it happens the next time, check with Console what it shows. If it's something else than just not enough memory, there should be something in there, as in what is trying to do what and why it's not working.

**chevy** · #6 September 5th, 2009, 05:04 PM

2 GB should be enough, even with 10 programs open at the same time. But disk space is critical. You should keep 15-20GB free all time. At least.

co19 · #7 September 6th, 2009, 10:48 AM

Use SMC fan control, or any program you prefer, but can you tell us what temperature your computer is operating at, living in a hot climate will severely affect your computers capabilities, and the hotter the computer is the slower it will run and then doing the most basic things will crash your computer. The normal region would be anywhere around 50 - 70 degrees celsius.

dennisaq · #8 September 6th, 2009, 12:10 PM

Thanks for the suggestions.

Update: Its been 2 whole days now and haven't experienced the rainbow ball once. I've monitored the temperature w/ the following results for the last 2 days: (in Celsius)

CPU A Temp diode MIN=37.0, MAX=83.0
CPU Core 1 MIN=34.0, MAX=82.0
CPU Core 2 MIN=36.0, MAX=75.0
Main Heatsink 2 MIN=30.0, MAX=68.0
Main Heatsink F MIN=30.0, MAX=67.0

Are these values too high?

Btw, Enclosure Bottomside MIN=29.0, MAX=37.0, so without the temperature program, can't really know how high temp. is.