# MacBook Keeps Freezing



## Ankh (Jul 8, 2009)

My MacBook was working perfectly until a couple days ago, when it suddenly started hanging every time I booted it up. I gave it a day, and managed to complete some software updates the next time I logged in, after which it started working fine again. Now, however, it KEEPS freezing every ten seconds no matter what I'm doing. The worst part is, it freezes for about five seconds (the pointer becomes a pinwheel, which keeps rotating, as if my laptop's processing something), and then it starts working again. I ran a virus scan to no avail, and have rebooted my MacBook countless times. I don't know what's wrong with my laptop, and I'd really appreciate any help I can get!

Thanks in advance!

Ankh


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## Doctor X (Jul 8, 2009)

Have you done any maintenance on it?  

Things like *Onyx* or *Cocktail*?

--J.D.


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## Ankh (Jul 8, 2009)

I'm a real beginner to the world of Macs: only had mine for about a year now. What are Onyx and Cocktail, and how do I go about conducting these checks?

Thanks a lot!

Ankh


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## djackmac (Jul 8, 2009)

Be nice to have some specs on it. Size of HD? How much RAM? Processor speed? Without any of that I'd say go to Applications/Utilities/Disk Utility to at least Verify the disk and see if it verifies OK. Macbooks tend to have HD issues.


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## Jesse714 (Jul 8, 2009)

Why don't you see whats in your start up files? Go to System preferences/Accounts/login items.


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## Doctor X (Jul 9, 2009)

Sorry, have been busy and will be busy, so I cannot give my characteristically detailed and magNIfIcent responses.  However, Macs do enjoy periodic maintenance such as clearing of caches.

You can do this on your own, which is complicated or your can get the Freeware *Onyx* or the shareware *Cocktail*.  There are others, but they are the ones I am familiar with.

I got *Cocktail* before I learned of *Onyx*.  I prefer it because you can have it run the daily, weekly, and monthly scripts.  *Cocktail* will also find some of the more common trojans, apparently.  That is not a reason to get it.

You do not have to "Repair Permissions" each time which takes a long time--though less time now in 10.5.7.

*Onyx* is a bit more involved in that it will check the integrity of your Volume--not a bad thing to discover--but will run a bunch of the major scripts at once and then require you to reboot.  Rebooting is not a "bad thing" because as Gurus will tell you, you periodically need to rebuild your Shutdown Cache.

Useth thou teh G00gl3 to find those.  Must run!

--J.D.


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## Ankh (Jul 9, 2009)

Hey guys! Thank you all for your responses. I verified my disk, and it says there's an invalid volume file count, and an invalid volume directory count. When I click "Repair Disk Permissions" it doesn't entirely repair. Will Onyx or Cocktail help in repairing the disk? If not, what should I go about doing next?

EDIT: 

MacBook specs
Processor 2.4 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo
Memory 2 GB 667 MHz DDR2 SDRAM
Mac OS X Version 10.5.7


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## Doctor X (Jul 9, 2009)

No . . . you need to sacrifice a virgin to Ianna and then [Stop that!--Ed.]

Right.  Here is what you need to do:

1. _Go forth from this place of sin and iniquity and take about $100 and buy an External Hard Drive_: you need to back up your data.  NOW.  Sure, it will recreate the volume problems, but you will still have your papers, your files, your porn.  If what follows does not correct the problem, you may need to do something which will destroy such data.  Besides, in this modern world, you will find frequent back-ups useful.  I recommend *SuperDuper!* since it will make a BOOTABLE clone--in other words, whenever I frell my MacBook beyond all comprehension, I merely boot from my Ex-HD.

2. _Reboot on Your Install Disk:_ When you go to *Disk Utility* you will see not only the ability to "verify" the disk, you can now Repair it:







I am not booted on it, so mine is gray, but you get the idea.  Clicketh repair, pour a stiff drink, and sing praises to . . . ME!

If it tells you it cannot be repaired you have a problem.  Hold that thought.  Check that it is "SMART."  To do that you have to click on the ENTIRE HD:






as in my case.  If it is NOT you have a problem with your HD . . . and backing up your data was a good idea was it not? 

You should praise me more.

After Repairing the disk . . . do it again.  Verify.  Make sure it is fine.  If it be fine . . . then DEFINITELY get *Onyx* and make sure it is fine--it picks up volume problems better than *Disk Utility* in my experience . . . even if does not fix them.

Then relax . . . and compose more praises . . . to ME!

3. _What?  It Did Not Work?_ Well you are frelled!  Actually not.  You have a few options IF YOU BACKED UP YOUR DATA.

a. Option the First: Send me your bank account, social security numbers, PIN [Stop that!--Ed.]  Er . . . yes . . . you can try *Archive and Install*.  This will re-install your *OS*.  It saves your data and "you" and that usually fixes whatever was frelled.  If not, you need to move on to the next ideas.  ONCE you have re-installed you need to UPDATE.  Rather than use *Software Update*, go to the Apple Page . . . www.apple.com . . . and DOWNLOAD the *Combo Updates*.  This is the best way to do it.  Then update everything else.  That should do it.

b. Option the Second: Unless that does not.  So, instead, you can consider a *Repair Program*.  These can be expensive, but they can be a saver.  *Disk Warrior* has an uncanny ability to fix a few Volume problems *Disk Utility* and *Tech Tools*--and when it was relevant *Norton Disk Doctor*--could not.  I like it for ONE reason: it can take a "picture" of your frelled drive which you can then access.  So . . . someday if your HD is FAILING, and you did NOT back up your data like you should, you may still save your Jenna Jameson pictures.  *DW* and *TT* will run you about $100.

c. Option the Third: Clean Install.  This erases your HD and installs a new OS.  Takes care of all problems that are not "the HD is failing."  Of course, that means you lose your data.  That is the most extreme solution, but sometimes it is necessary.  However, IF you . . . 

. . . come on!  You know the answer!

. . . BACKED UP YOUR DATA, you can do that.  Granted, if you backed up from a frelled Volume, you are going to have to file-by-file largely pick out each and bring it back over--since Volume problems can, obviously, affect your data and will eventually in my experience.

Now, in the future, you will be prepared.  You have an EX-HD, and you have *SuperDuper* backing up your Internal HD every night--takes less than a half-an hour since it will simply update what you have changed.  Next time pain happens, you merely confirm your EX-HD is okay, boot from it, and then clone it back to your Internal HD in less time than it takes to fix the volume on your HD.  *Time Machine* is another option, but I never used it since it did not create a BOOTABLE clone.  This may have changed, and a Guru may be able to correct me on that.

And you will grin, and laugh, and chortle, and sing further praises . . .

. . . to me.

--J.D.


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## ElDiabloConCaca (Jul 9, 2009)

Ankh said:


> I verified my disk, and it says there's an invalid volume file count, and an invalid volume directory count.



If you ran the "Verify Disk" _while booted from your hard drive_, then the error messages you see may be benign.

You need to boot from the Mac OS X Install/Restore DVD, launch "Disk Utility" from the "Utilities" menu after selecting a language, then doing a "Verify Disk" procedure.

In order to correctly verify and repair a disk, you need to be booted from a medium _other than the disk you want to verify and/or repair_.

Note that this does NOT hold true for verifying and/or repairing _permissions_ -- only when you want to verify and/or repair the disk.


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