9.2.2 freezes while starting

Arden

Arden

Where mah "any" keys at?
Recently, I managed to get my system to freeze while trying to boot up 9.2.2 again. The last time this happened, Cheryl recommended I trash the Appletalk, Finder & Mac OS preference files. I trashed all but the Appletalk preferences and it still freezes. I can boot into Jaguar and I can start up 9 with extensions off, but not with them on. I disabled the Apple Ethernet extension, and it still happens. I will try tossing the Appletalk preference file, but assuming that's not the cause, what can I do?
 
Definitely sounds like an extension issue. Best I can recommend is to divide and conquer.
By that I mean turn 1/2 of you extensions OFF. Save this. try a restart. If it starts, one of these OFF extensions is the culprit. If it doesn't start up, turn the OFF extensions On and the other half OFF, save with a new name. Restart. Find the half that Doesn't start and divide that half in half. Rename and restart. Keep going until you find the bad extension.

This is time consuming but works. Also if that doesn't work, do the same with control panels.

HIH
 
Good idea. I tried this one time, but it was a long time ago and I'd forgotten about the technique. I'll try it at home.
 
As the machine boots and the extensions load, you see the icons pop up along the bottom of the screen. Whatever is the last one you see before the crash is probably the culprit.

Chris
 
I've installed a couple things, but nothing that ever caused problems before.

It's interesting, the problem only seems to happen after the computer crashes, and if I boot without extensions, it goes back to normal. Also, sometimes it will freeze, then be fine, and sometimes it keeps freezing while starting up (before any icons appear, though the first is the Ethernet icon).
 
I've had crashes like this before...and usually after it booted without extensions, the problem would be gone. Or else the Finder preferences were bad, in which case I simply tossed out that file and everything was then OK.

Chris
 
Tossing the preferences for the Finder is a great first start. Also, view all your preferences by date. Sometimes the more recent preferences hide the bad one, so look there first. Save a copy of the preferences that you delete outside the system folder so if you mess something up you can always go back (like losing a serial number of a game you have saved that you "lost" the original packaging to, wink wink.)

Have you zapped the PRAM (command + option + P + R). Hold this key combo down long enough to hear the computer restart three times. Then restart with extensions on.

Have you used Disk First Aid to find any bad blocks? Use Norton and or Disk Warrior to locate any bad data.

Have you rebuilt the desktop? Hold the shift key down to restart without extensions, then right after the dialog says "Extensions Off" in the Mac OS box at start up do the Command + Option thing and rebuild that desktop. Sometimes this is all it takes.

Have you turned off any unused extensions and put them in a place other than the Extensions Disabled folder? Remove stuff like "Speech" etc. that you never use.

Hope this helps!
 
Originally posted by Natobasso
Tossing the preferences for the Finder is a great first start. Also, view all your preferences by date. Sometimes the more recent preferences hide the bad one, so look there first. Save a copy of the preferences that you delete outside the system folder so if you mess something up you can always go back (like losing a serial number of a game you have saved that you "lost" the original packaging to, wink wink.)

Have you zapped the PRAM (command + option + P + R). Hold this key combo down long enough to hear the computer restart three times. Then restart with extensions on.
Click to expand...
I have not zapped the PRAM... I will next time I try to get on.
Have you used Disk First Aid to find any bad blocks? Use Norton and or Disk Warrior to locate any bad data.
Click to expand...
I used Techtool Pro on it and ran the full sweep, except for disk stuff. I'll try it with that, I'll use Disk First Aid too...
Have you rebuilt the desktop? Hold the shift key down to restart without extensions, then right after the dialog says "Extensions Off" in the Mac OS box at start up do the Command + Option thing and rebuild that desktop. Sometimes this is all it takes.
Click to expand...
I haven't rebuilt the Desktop, I'll do that when I zap the PRAM too... Maybe I'll turn off extensions, maybe not. It depends on if it freezes with them or not.
Have you turned off any unused extensions and put them in a place other than the Extensions Disabled folder? Remove stuff like "Speech" etc. that you never use.
Click to expand...
Who says I never use Speech? :) I turned off some of the stuff I don't use, like all the printers I don't have and anything related to printing, but I don't want to deactivate too much because turning off things like Open Transport can inhibit Quicktime operation (or vice versa).
Hope this helps!
Click to expand...
While I know about all your suggestions and have performed them many times in the past, I appreciate the help as I have not tried all of them yet (and probably wouldn't have without the suggestions). Thanks, and I'll keep you all posted.
 
I think you might be able to download an evaluation copy, which will let you troubleshoot this problem before the evaluation period expires. Besides finding extension conflicts, it has a feature that will go through your system folder and check all of the files for corruption. More than once, it has helped me.

The Conflict Catcher demo is on this page:

http://www.casadyg.com/lib/?page=form/download

Chris
 
I know there's an evaluation version of Conflict Catcher, but I don't want to download it because I don't like software that times out. I can understand for something like this, but stuff like graphics/audio software that doesn't let you save anyway shouldn't time out. But thanks for the suggestions.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top