New Macbook Pro freezing (rainbow ball)

D

dennisaq

Registered
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
 
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.
 
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
 
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.
 
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.
 
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.
 
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.
 
For the CPU's you generally want to stay out of the 80's and high 70's
A good running temperature would be around 60. Whenever it gets up too high then blast the fan with SMC Fan control and make sure you never block the vents!
Meaning dont put the computer on your lap, a pillow, and type of soft cover really.

Glad to hear everythings working fine now.
 
Is it advisable to use a cooling pad (w/ an external fan) for the Mac or like in my old PC notebook, I used a notebook ball? Only weird thing is the unibody mac does not have vents in the underside unless you count the ports and disc slot?

How do you activate the SMC fan?
 
how does the smc fan control works?
what is the different if we set default and higher RPM?
Does Higher RPM cools the MBP faster ?


Thanks
 
To change speeds what you want to do is click on the smc fan control bar at the top, and go to preferences.
Then in the favourite selection, choose higher rpm, then change the speed to 5000.
For default you can do anything from 2000 - 3000 when on power.
When it gets hot, set it to higher rpm and you should hear the fan go, its a small price but yes it will cool everything faster.

Keep in mind, when your computer is fully charged you shouldn't keep it on the power for two reasons. 1) your computer gets hotter when you charge and use 2) its better for your battery to be used up and recharged.

If that doesn't work, there have been a few cases with snow leopard, download the older version of smc fan control (1.+) and that one is much easier to use but should work.
 
I realise when i'm in the screensaver and desktop application.
my window got hang for some time till i force quit the application.
wondering what causes it to hang when i'm setting the screen saver.

i set my screen saver to appear in 5 mins

my energy saver on battery set at 15mins and power source set at 20mins

is there any crash ? everytime when i enter the system preference / screen saver setting , my MBP got hang.
 
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