My positivities were short-lived. After an hour or more of normal running whilst I was making an iMovie, the dreaded tick tick tick of a computer in loop appeared, then shut down. This kept happening for four of five restarts until I gave up. Now returning home I find a circle with a line through it.
I’ve rebooted into Recovery, run disk utility and reloaded the OSX. If it happens again, I’m off to MacWorx. :-( Tim > On 3 Nov 2020, at 8:46 am, Tim Law <[email protected]> wrote: > > Good morning, > > After a couple of days of no random freezes I’m becoming confident a solution > has appeared. The initial problem I feel was RAM being moved a fraction > whilst the computer was being transported, screen down, in my car. > > I focused on testing RAM one stick at a time and moving it around into > various bays. Plus resetting PRAM, SMC, reinstalling the OS from recovery, > held D on restart for a test process to commence, but still the freezes would > come. > > One thing I didn’t do very well was the restarting procedure. I don’t > normally have to restart the iMac, so wasn’t familiar with how long to hold > the power button for. Once I read on the Apple support description on adding > RAM > "Your iMac performs a memory initialisation procedure when you first turn it > on after upgrading memory or rearranging DIMMs. This process can take 30 > seconds or more, and the display of your iMac remains dark until it's > finished. Make sure you let the memory initialisation complete.” > > I realised I had probably been interrupting this. I then held the power > button for about half a second to get it going and walked away until it did > it’s thing and bingo, the iMac has stayed running correctly. > > Simple really….. :-) > > Thanks > > > > > >> On 30 Oct 2020, at 1:07 am, Daniel Kerr <[email protected]> wrote: >> >> No worries, fingers crossed something there resolves it! Good luck with it :) >> Kind regards >> Daniel >> >> --- >> Daniel Kerr >> MacWizardry >> >> Phone: 0414 795 960 >> Email: <daniel AT macwizardry.com.au> >> Web: <http://www.macwizardry.com.au> >> >> >> **For everything Apple** >> >> NOTE: Any information provided in this email may be my personal opinion and >> as such should be taken accordingly, and may not be the views of >> MacWizardry. Any information provided does not offer or warrant any form of >> warranty or accept liability. It would be appreciated that if any >> information in this email is to be disseminated, distributed or copied, that >> permission by the author be requested. >> >>> On 29 Oct 2020, at 10:51 pm, Tim Law <[email protected]> wrote: >>> >>> Getting somewhere I think Daniel. Thanks heaps >>> >>> Tim's red iPhone >>> >>>> On 29 Oct 2020, at 10:07 pm, Daniel Kerr <[email protected]> wrote: >>>> >>>> Hi Tim >>>> >>>> Generally I use the bottom slot, as that tends to be the first one it >>>> checks. (And Apple ship in the bottom two by default,..so I assume that >>>> first one is the first one it checks). >>>> Kind regards >>>> Daniel >>>> >>>> --- >>>> Daniel Kerr >>>> MacWizardry >>>> >>>> Phone: 0414 795 960 >>>> Email: <daniel AT macwizardry.com.au> >>>> Web: <http://www.macwizardry.com.au> >>>> >>>> >>>> **For everything Apple** >>>> >>>> NOTE: Any information provided in this email may be my personal opinion >>>> and as such should be taken accordingly, and may not be the views of >>>> MacWizardry. Any information provided does not offer or warrant any form >>>> of warranty or accept liability. It would be appreciated that if any >>>> information in this email is to be disseminated, distributed or copied, >>>> that permission by the author be requested. >>>> >>>>> On 29 Oct 2020, at 9:23 pm, Tim Law <[email protected]> wrote: >>>>> >>>>> Always helpful Daniel >>>>> >>>>> Does it matter which slot I have the RAM in? >>>>> >>>>> >>>>> >>>>> Tim's red iPhone >>>>> >>>>>>> On 29 Oct 2020, at 9:12 pm, Daniel Kerr <[email protected]> >>>>>>> wrote: >>>>>> >>>>>> Hi Tim >>>>>> >>>>>> When you removed and replaced the RAM, did you put it all back or test >>>>>> it separately? >>>>>> That would be one check, is just run it on one stick of RAM at a time. >>>>>> It will be slow, but this can narrow down if a stick is faulty. >>>>>> >>>>>> Also, you can check the drive as well to ensure that’s ok. >>>>>> I recommend the following SMART Utility. (You can run it in Shareware >>>>>> mode) >>>>>> https://www.volitans-software.com/apps/smart-utility/ >>>>>> This will check the drives and advise is “Passed” (green), “Failing” >>>>>> (orange) or “Failed” (red). It works with Fusion Drives as well and will >>>>>> test both HDD and SSD separately. >>>>>> I’ve used it to find faulty drives even before Apple Disk Utility finds >>>>>> them. So it’s a good little tool. >>>>>> >>>>>> That would be my first things to try anyway, just to rule out a stick of >>>>>> RAM and drive is ok. >>>>>> Also try an SMC reset and PRAM reset. (I have steps on my FAQ page of my >>>>>> website if you’re not familiar with that. >>>>>> >>>>>> Try those and see how you go. >>>>>> If no success, and seeing you’re up Duncraig way I’d recommend MacWorx >>>>>> Joondalup. (Delage Street, Joondalup) - www.macworx.com.au >>>>>> >>>>>> Hope something there helps. >>>>>> Kind regards >>>>>> Daniel >>>>>> >>>>>> Sent from my iPhone 12 Pro >>>>>> >>>>>> --- >>>>>> Daniel Kerr >>>>>> MacWizardry >>>>>> >>>>>> Phone: 0414 795 960 >>>>>> Email: <daniel AT macwizardry.com.au> >>>>>> Web: <http://www.macwizardry.com.au> >>>>>> >>>>>> >>>>>> **For everything Apple** >>>>>> >>>>>> NOTE: Any information provided in this email may be my personal opinion >>>>>> and as such should be taken accordingly, and may not be the views of >>>>>> MacWizardry. Any information provided does not offer or warrant any form >>>>>> of warranty or accept liability. It would be appreciated that if any >>>>>> information in this email is to be disseminated, distributed or copied, >>>>>> that permission by the author be requested. >>>>>> >>>>>>> On 29 Oct 2020, at 8:39 pm, Tim Law <[email protected]> wrote: >>>>>>> >>>>>>> Hello folks. >>>>>>> >>>>>>> I have an unhappy iMac (Retina 5K, 27-inch, 2017) >>>>>>> 40Gb RAM >>>>>>> 10.15.7 >>>>>>> >>>>>>> >>>>>>> Problem is random restarts. >>>>>>> First symptom is the mouse freezes then about 30 seconds later the >>>>>>> computer turns off and restarts. This happens enough to be very >>>>>>> annoying, and has occurred whilst I was drafting this message. >>>>>>> >>>>>>> The problem first occurred after I had transported the computer, screen >>>>>>> down, on the seat of my car. No physical external damage is apparent. >>>>>>> >>>>>>> >>>>>>> Problem does occur in Safe Boot mode, though not as frequently as in >>>>>>> normal mode. >>>>>>> >>>>>>> EtreCheck shows nothing out of order >>>>>>> Rebooting into recovery mode and running both Disk Utility and reload >>>>>>> latest operating system have been done. >>>>>>> >>>>>>> *** MCA Error Report *** >>>>>>> CPU Machine Check Architecture Error Dump (CPU: Intel(R) Core(TM) >>>>>>> i5-7500 CPU @ 3.40GHz, CPUID: 0x906E9) >>>>>>> CATERR detected! No MCA data found. >>>>>>> >>>>>>> >>>>>>> I had assumed it was a hardware problem triggered by moving the machine >>>>>>> but nothing is showing up in any errors that I have seen. I have >>>>>>> removed and replaced the RAM. When running, it functions normally as >>>>>>> expected. >>>>>>> >>>>>>> Any thoughts on what else I could do before taking it to the doctor? >>>>>>> Which doctor is recommended. >>>>>>> I live in Duncraig area. >>>>>>> >>>>>>> >>>>>>> >>>>>>> Thanks >>>>>>> >>>>>>> >>>>>>> >>>>>>> >>>>>>> >>>>>>> -- The WA Macintosh User Group Mailing List -- >>>>>>> Archives - <http://www.wamug.org.au/mailinglist/archives.shtml> >>>>>>> Guidelines - <http://www.wamug.org.au/mailinglist/guidelines.shtml> >>>>>>> Settings & Unsubscribe - >>>>>>> <http://lists.wamug.org.au/listinfo/wamug.org.au-wamug> >>>>>> >>>>>> -- The WA Macintosh User Group Mailing List -- >>>>>> Archives - <http://www.wamug.org.au/mailinglist/archives.shtml> >>>>>> Guidelines - <http://www.wamug.org.au/mailinglist/guidelines.shtml> >>>>>> Settings & Unsubscribe - >>>>>> <http://lists.wamug.org.au/listinfo/wamug.org.au-wamug> >>>>> >>>>> -- The WA Macintosh User Group Mailing List -- >>>>> Archives - <http://www.wamug.org.au/mailinglist/archives.shtml> >>>>> Guidelines - <http://www.wamug.org.au/mailinglist/guidelines.shtml> >>>>> Settings & Unsubscribe - >>>>> <http://lists.wamug.org.au/listinfo/wamug.org.au-wamug> >>>> >>>> -- The WA Macintosh User Group Mailing List -- >>>> Archives - <http://www.wamug.org.au/mailinglist/archives.shtml> >>>> Guidelines - <http://www.wamug.org.au/mailinglist/guidelines.shtml> >>>> Settings & Unsubscribe - >>>> <http://lists.wamug.org.au/listinfo/wamug.org.au-wamug> >>> >>> -- The WA Macintosh User Group Mailing List -- >>> Archives - <http://www.wamug.org.au/mailinglist/archives.shtml> >>> Guidelines - <http://www.wamug.org.au/mailinglist/guidelines.shtml> >>> Settings & Unsubscribe - >>> <http://lists.wamug.org.au/listinfo/wamug.org.au-wamug> >> >> -- The WA Macintosh User Group Mailing List -- >> Archives - <http://www.wamug.org.au/mailinglist/archives.shtml> >> Guidelines - <http://www.wamug.org.au/mailinglist/guidelines.shtml> >> Settings & Unsubscribe - >> <http://lists.wamug.org.au/listinfo/wamug.org.au-wamug> > > -- The WA Macintosh User Group Mailing List -- > Archives - <http://www.wamug.org.au/mailinglist/archives.shtml> > Guidelines - <http://www.wamug.org.au/mailinglist/guidelines.shtml> > Settings & Unsubscribe - > <http://lists.wamug.org.au/listinfo/wamug.org.au-wamug> -- The WA Macintosh User Group Mailing List -- Archives - <http://www.wamug.org.au/mailinglist/archives.shtml> Guidelines - <http://www.wamug.org.au/mailinglist/guidelines.shtml> Settings & Unsubscribe - <http://lists.wamug.org.au/listinfo/wamug.org.au-wamug>
