Really slow system, even though it is fresh.

[macmath]

My system (10.3.2) was doing fine until about the time I had it compiling KDE (via Fink) for about a day and a half straight. Meanwhile my wife found that using her account while I was doing so made things slow. Figuring it was just the compiling work going on meanwhile, I did not think anything of it. Afterwords things still worked very slowly with a lot of beachballs. So I repaired permissions and used Onyx to empty the caches. Things go worse so I used DiskWarrior and then I got a gray screen with nothing else. So I did an Archive and Install and update to 10.3.2. The result was an incredible slowness. I did another Archive and Install and things were OK, but the startup times were bad and it still did not work right. That is when I made this post. The system.log did not show much more than what is in that post. Top did not show unusual usage even though there were a lot of stalls. Last night I did another Archive and Install and this time it took 8 minutes to start up. Meanwhile, if I boot up from the system on the other partition (also 10.3.2), it seems to work fine (haven't tested it long-term). The system.log about the time of the install shows
-----
Jan 26 23:46:30 localhost diskarbitrationd[106]: disk1s1s9 hfs D67D4409-0373-3EE8-8BC8-0453EE61A186 Mac OS X Install Disc 1 /Volumes/Mac OS X Install Disc 1
Jan 26 23:51:38 localhost diskarbitrationd[106]: disk1s1s9 hfs 9E985B5B-BB60-3471-A304-1415835F37F6 Mac OS X Install Disc 2 /Volumes/Mac OS X Install Disc 2
Jan 27 00:18:02 localhost diskarbitrationd[106]: disk1s1s9 hfs 5C2E1455-0246-33D0-B8EE-942357BC302A Mac OS X Install Disc 3 /Volumes/Mac OS X Install Disc 3
Jan 27 00:18:42 localhost kernel: resize: max chain len 14, new table size 8192
Jan 27 00:19:16 localhost crashdump: Unable to determine CPSProcessSerNum pid: 509 name: fc-cache
Jan 27 00:19:17 localhost crashdump: Started writing crash report to: /Library/Logs/CrashReporter/fc-cache.crash.log
Jan 27 00:19:18 localhost crashdump: Finished writing crash report to: /Library/Logs/CrashReporter/fc-cache.crash.log
Jan 27 00:19:56 localhost kernel: IOHIDSystem: doKickEventConsumer msg_send returned 268435459
Jan 27 00:20:02 localhost kernel: IOHIDSystem: doKickEventConsumer msg_send returned 268435459
Jan 27 00:30:51 localhost mDNSResponder[203]: mDNSResponder Sleeping at 3184226
Jan 27 00:30:52 localhost kernel: AppleNMI mask NMI
Jan 27 00:30:53 localhost kernel: IOAudioControl[0x1487200]::hardwareValueChanged(0x1216b40) - Error 0xe00002f0 - invalid value.
Jan 27 03:32:55 localhost kernel: System Sleep
Jan 27 03:32:58 localhost kernel: System Wake
Jan 27 03:32:58 localhost kernel: Wake event 0020
Jan 27 03:32:58 localhost kernel: AppleNMI unmask NMI
Jan 27 03:32:59 localhost mDNSResponder[203]: mDNSResponder Waking at 3191727
-----------------------

Here is the only thing odd in the system.log from the 8 minute restart:
--------------
Jan 27 03:37:44 localhost ConsoleMessage: Loading Shared IP extension
Jan 27 03:37:44 localhost syslogd: /dev/console: Input/output error
Jan 27 03:37:44 localhost init: kernel security level changed from 0 to 1
Jan 27 03:37:46 localhost ConsoleMessage: Starting printing services
Jan 27 03:37:47 localhost ConsoleMessage: Loading IP Firewall extension
Jan 27 03:37:48 localhost kernel: IP packet filtering initialized, divert enabled, rule-based forwarding enabled, default to accept, logging disabled
Jan 27 03:37:48 localhost kernel: IPv6 packet filtering initialized, default to accept, logging disabled
Jan 27 03:37:48 localhost kernel: IP firewall loaded
Jan 27 03:37:50 localhost ConsoleMessage: Starting internet services
Jan 27 03:38:12 localhost xinetd[269]: 269 {init_services} no services. Exiting...
Jan 27 03:40:16 localhost loginwindow[238]: Sent launch request message to DirectoryService mach_init port
Jan 27 03:40:18 localhost DirectoryService[311]: Launched version 1.6 (v255)
Jan 27 03:40:22 localhost loginwindow[238]: Error with bootstrap_look_up on server port after 10 tries: APIFramework/CClientEndPoint.cpp at: 247: Msg (1102) = unknown error code
Jan 27 03:40:23 localhost loginwindow[238]: Sent launch request message to DirectoryService mach_init port
----------------------
If there were something wrong with this partition, I would have thought that Disk Utility, fsck, or DiskWarrior would have caught it, but none of them mentioned it. The Apple Hardware Test finds nothing wrong. My next stop is to back-up everything, reformat, repartition, and install (when I get the time). Perhaps take out one of the two 256 MB RAM chips at a time?

Does anyone have any ideas?

[stetner]

You wouldn't have messed with the

/etc/mach.init.d/lookupd.plist

would you have?

At one point I was playing around with adding options to lookupd and messed this file up and saw the same thing you describe almost (mine would never get to the login window).


edit: PS the

Jan 27 03:37:44 localhost syslogd: /dev/console: Input/output error

is normal (at least it happens on my machine

[macmath]

No, I haven't touched that file, either with the original install or with any of the subsequent fresh install. Thanks for the response, stetner.

By the way:

I have about 21 GB left (only 35% used) on the drive. I did reset the PRAM.

As I mentioned, the smaller partition contains a working OS X 10.3.2 install, but it is a minimal install just for emergencies.

[stetner]

Have you looked in the 'Directory Access' application to see if anything strange has been turned on?

[macmath]

Quote: Originally posted by stetner Have you looked in the 'Directory Access' application to see if anything strange has been turned on?

No, I haven't. Could any of this be turned on by accident or immediately after a fresh (Archive and Install) install? If so, what would I look for, as I've never had the application open. At any rate, that machine (600 MHz Summer 2001 iMac) is at home so I'll have to wait.

Thanks (and not relishing waiting another 8-10 minutes for everything to start up).

[stetner]

Never done an Archive install, not too sure what gets saved/restored. I would assume that things like network prefs etc would be restored, but I am not sure.

[macmath]

The network preferences are restored, if you ask them to be. There is a special checkbox for that. However, mine were not because of a harmless installation failure (I asked for all the language support but did not check the box for all the associated fonts). I did an Archive and Install again, but basically nothing was transferred over because the old users had already been moved to "Previous Systems" and there was nothing to Archive. Then I moved the users files over by hand and set their permissions. I did not move over any preferences or any Library files except for bookmarks and Mailboxes.

The only boxes checked under Directory access are:
LDAPv3, Rendevous, SLP, SMB and the configurations that are there are simple like "Automatic" or nothing at all.

Right now I am in the process of getting a more recent backup. I can't burn images to cd's from this system because it always closes the track about 1/20th of the way through and fails with a message like "The buffer drained and there was no underrun protection." So, I have started up from the partition with the minimal system and I'm synchronizing those parts I want to backup, putting them on a disk image and then burning to a cd.

[stetner]

Yours

Jan 27 03:37:44 localhost init: kernel security level changed from 0 to 1
Jan 27 03:37:46 localhost ConsoleMessage: Starting printing services
Jan 27 03:37:47 localhost ConsoleMessage: Loading IP Firewall extension
Jan 27 03:37:48 localhost kernel: IP packet filtering initialized, divert enabled, rule-based forwarding enabled, default to accept, logging disabled
Jan 27 03:37:48 localhost kernel: IPv6 packet filtering initialized, default to accept, logging disabled
Jan 27 03:37:48 localhost kernel: IP firewall loaded
Jan 27 03:37:50 localhost ConsoleMessage: Starting internet services
Jan 27 03:38:12 localhost xinetd[269]: 269 {init_services} no services. Exiting...
Jan 27 03:40:16 localhost loginwindow[238]: Sent launch request message to DirectoryService mach_init port 
Jan 27 03:40:18 localhost DirectoryService[311]: Launched version 1.6 (v255)
Jan 27 03:40:22 localhost loginwindow[238]: Error with bootstrap_look_up on server port after 10 tries: APIFramework/CClientEndPoint.cpp at: 247: Msg (1102) = unknown error code 
Jan 27 03:40:23 localhost loginwindow[238]: Sent launch request message to DirectoryService mach_init port

Mine

Jan 29 01:29:22 localhost ConsoleMessage: Checking disks
Jan 29 01:29:22 localhost syslogd: /dev/console: Input/output error
Jan 29 01:29:22 localhost init: kernel security level changed from 0 to 1
Jan 29 01:29:23 localhost kernel: UniNEnet::monitorLinkStatus - Link is up at 100 Mbps - Full Duplex
Jan 29 01:29:23 localhost configd[93]: AppleTalk startup
Jan 29 01:29:23 localhost configd[93]: executing /System/Library/SystemConfiguration/Kicker.bundle/Contents/Resources/set-hostname
Jan 29 01:29:23 localhost configd[93]:   target=set-hostname: disabled
Jan 29 01:29:24 localhost DirectoryService[214]: Launched version 1.6 (v255.1.1)
Jan 29 01:29:24 localhost loginwindow[196]: Sent launch request message to DirectoryService mach_init port 
Jan 29 01:29:24 localhost ConsoleMessage: Loading Shared IP extension
Jan 29 01:29:24 localhost ConsoleMessage: Network Tuning
Jan 29 01:29:25 localhost ConsoleMessage: Network Tuning
Jan 29 01:29:26 localhost configd[93]: posting notification com.apple.system.config.network_change
Jan 29 01:29:26 localhost mach_init[2]: Server 0 in bootstrap d03 uid 0: "/usr/sbin/lookupd": exited as a result of signal 1 [pid 133]
Jan 29 01:29:26 localhost configd[93]: executing /System/Library/SystemConfiguration/Kicker.bundle/Contents/Resources/enable-network
Jan 29 01:29:26 localhost root: Nettune waiting for kernel firewall load
Jan 29 01:29:26 localhost lookupd[241]: lookupd (version 324) starting - Thu Jan 29 01:29:26 2004
Jan 29 01:29:27 localhost ConsoleMessage: Starting network time synchronization
Jan 29 01:29:27 localhost ConsoleMessage: Starting network file system
Jan 29 01:29:27 localhost ConsoleMessage: Starting Seti
Jan 29 01:29:27 localhost root: Nettune waiting for kernel firewall load
Jan 29 01:29:27 localhost ntpdate[291]: ntpdate 4.1.1@1.786 Fri Sep 12 18:30:10 PDT 2003 (1)

You know I never see a 'Link up' message in yours, are you on dial up?

Maybe you could post the system.log for the complete startup process, I know it is long, but it may reveal something.

[macmath]

After getting a fresh backup, I repartitioned and installed OS 10.3.0. The startup times aren't what they should be, particularly the time from the progress box disappearing and getting control of the mouse (several minutes). I''m not with the machine now, but I'll post the startup portion of a system.log file later unless we just agree that this is a hardware problem.

Everything works, just not like it is supposed to. The multitasking is just not what it should be, there are stalls, and sloooooowdooooooowns. It is kind of like using OS 8 or 9 while using VM when you don't have enough RAM.

Could this be caused by a defective RAM module? I have 2 256 MB modules installed...I'm thinking that if I remove one of them then I won't have enough remaining RAM to really tell if things are better or not, but that is probably what I'll do this evening. Everything passes the Apple Hardware Test CD and the TechTool Deluxe CD tests, but I imagine that this is not definitive. I still have 10.5 months left on my AppleCare, so if the RAM is not the issue, I'll send it off for repairs.

[macmath]

I called AppleCare and now have a case number. In the meantime they had me run the Apple Hardware test consecutively for a couple of hours. It found one error in that time, a Mass-Storage error with the code:

ata1/6/8/ HD:2,0

When I called back and reported this, they referred me to an Authorized Service Center about 50 miles away. I hope that this is the problem. For as much as it affects the briskness of the computer, this error did not show up very much in the test.

[macmath]

I have posted an Ethics Question in this thread for answer by Apple Certified Technicians. I am including a reference in this post, because CoatRoom posts don't appear on the front page.

[mervTormel]

Quote: Originally posted by macmath ... I am including a reference in this post, because CoatRoom posts don't appear on the front page.

?
they do here.

Quote: The Coat Room A place for general conversation not necessarily related to OS X or Macs... 02-01-2004 09:20 AM by macmath

[macmath]

Whenever I make a post to the CoatRoom, they do not show up (for me, anyway) on the front page of the main site (where the last 6 or so forum posts show up). I thought that this was because of the nature of the CoatRoom posts, but perhaps it is because of my preference settings?

[macmath]

I dropped my computer off for repair. Dropping my Mac off at the repair place was kind of like dropping a pet off at the Vets...it made me feel a little sad.

I am typing this on my 6100/60 with a 233 MHz Sonnett G3 card and System 8.1. Talk about taking me back in time. Netscape 4.7, a screen refresh every time you resize a window, no History (except for url completion). Its battery was dead, so I had to use the power-button technique to start it up. Then I got the flashing question mark. So I started it from the DW CD and noticed that the System Folder just needed blessing. Anyway, it is purring along again.

Question: Did I lead to the demise of my old drive by the combination of Fast user switching with a compile of KDE on one user while the other user was also actively using the computer to do things? My initial guess would be no, that there are many machines with a lot heavier use than that. Does anyone have a comment on this?

[macmath]

I just got my computer back. It was the hard drive. It now works fine! Thanks for all your suggestions along the way.

Ed