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TICKET ARCHIVE -> Delay In File | Open Process

shuwarger - May 30, 2005 - 4:59 pm

Same behavior on two Macs:
When in an application, any application, and I go to File|Open or File|Save (or Save As), the computer takes about one minute to bring up the dialogue box (to save, open, or whatever). Happens every time in any app. Has continued from OS 10.3.8 -> 10.3.9 -> 10.4.

Attempted, unsuccessful remedies:
1. Repair permissions
2. Disk repair (starting up from system on optical drive).

Computer specs:
1. eMac G4, 1GHz, 1GB RAM, OS 10.3.9, SuperDrive, no Microsoft apps., base OS X apps plus Firefox, Keynote and Pages (but problem preceeded these).

2. iBook G4, 1.25 GHz, 512MB RAM, Combo Drive, OS 10.4 (problem existed long before upgrading), only apps are OS X base + MS Office 2004 + Firefox.

Cheryl - Jun 1, 2005 - 8:39 pm

Don,

If you shut down these computers every night, the system is not doing the routine maintenances that need to be done nightly, weekly and monthly.

I suggest you download and install Macaroni.
http://www.macupdate.com/info.php/id/9633

Once installed, have it do all the routines, then set it to do them when you start up the computers.

After three days, you will notice a major difference.

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Let me know if you need further assistance and thank you for using MacOSX.com !

Cheryl

shuwarger - Jun 2, 2005 - 5:21 am

I've run macaroni for > 1 year on both these machines. i love it.

i've also noted this behavior anytime a similar activity takes place, such as trying to "save as" in a document, or "open with application..." from a download.

any other ideas?

below is a sample of my recent macaroni history log:

[2005-05-24 00:01:04 -0400]: starting job sophos anti-virus
[2005-05-24 00:20:11 -0400]: sophos anti-virus completed
[2005-05-25 00:00:01 -0400]: starting job daily unix maintenance
[2005-05-25 00:00:53 -0400]: daily unix maintenance completed
[2005-05-25 00:01:01 -0400]: starting job set time
[2005-05-25 00:01:05 -0400]: set time completed
[2005-05-25 00:01:11 -0400]: starting job sophos anti-virus
[2005-05-25 00:48:50 -0400]: sophos anti-virus completed
[2005-05-26 00:00:00 -0400]: starting job daily unix maintenance
[2005-05-26 00:00:53 -0400]: daily unix maintenance completed
[2005-05-26 00:01:00 -0400]: starting job set time
[2005-05-26 00:01:03 -0400]: set time completed
[2005-05-26 00:01:10 -0400]: starting job sophos anti-virus
[2005-05-26 00:48:43 -0400]: sophos anti-virus completed
[2005-05-27 00:00:58 -0400]: starting job daily unix maintenance
[2005-05-27 00:01:50 -0400]: daily unix maintenance completed
[2005-05-27 00:01:58 -0400]: starting job set time
[2005-05-27 00:02:02 -0400]: set time completed
[2005-05-27 00:02:08 -0400]: starting job sophos anti-virus
[2005-05-27 00:49:46 -0400]: sophos anti-virus completed
[2005-05-28 00:00:56 -0400]: starting job daily unix maintenance
[2005-05-28 00:01:51 -0400]: daily unix maintenance completed
[2005-05-28 00:01:56 -0400]: starting job set time
[2005-05-28 00:02:01 -0400]: set time completed
[2005-05-28 00:02:06 -0400]: starting job sophos anti-virus
[2005-05-28 00:50:30 -0400]: sophos anti-virus completed
[2005-05-29 00:00:54 -0400]: starting job daily unix maintenance
[2005-05-29 00:01:48 -0400]: daily unix maintenance completed
[2005-05-29 00:01:54 -0400]: starting job set time
[2005-05-29 00:01:58 -0400]: set time completed
[2005-05-29 00:02:04 -0400]: starting job sophos anti-virus
[2005-05-29 00:51:18 -0400]: sophos anti-virus completed
[2005-05-29 00:51:26 -0400]: starting job mac os x repair permissions
[2005-05-29 00:59:08 -0400]: mac os x repair permissions completed
[2005-05-30 02:53:36 -0400]: starting job daily unix maintenance
[2005-05-30 02:54:29 -0400]: daily unix maintenance completed
[2005-05-30 02:54:36 -0400]: starting job set time
[2005-05-30 02:54:41 -0400]: set time completed
[2005-05-30 02:54:47 -0400]: starting job sophos anti-virus
[2005-05-30 03:15:25 -0400]: sophos anti-virus completed
[2005-05-30 03:15:27 -0400]: starting job weekly unix maintenance
[2005-05-30 03:16:47 -0400]: weekly unix maintenance completed
[2005-05-31 00:00:47 -0400]: starting job daily unix maintenance
[2005-05-31 00:01:43 -0400]: daily unix maintenance completed
[2005-05-31 00:01:47 -0400]: starting job set time
[2005-05-31 00:01:50 -0400]: set time completed
[2005-05-31 00:01:57 -0400]: starting job sophos anti-virus
[2005-05-31 00:53:55 -0400]: sophos anti-virus completed
[2005-06-01 00:00:45 -0400]: starting job daily unix maintenance
[2005-06-01 00:02:44 -0400]: daily unix maintenance completed
[2005-06-01 00:02:45 -0400]: starting job set time
[2005-06-01 00:02:50 -0400]: set time completed
[2005-06-01 00:02:55 -0400]: starting job sophos anti-virus
[2005-06-01 00:55:07 -0400]: sophos anti-virus completed
[2005-06-02 00:00:43 -0400]: starting job daily unix maintenance
[2005-06-02 00:01:42 -0400]: daily unix maintenance completed
[2005-06-02 00:01:43 -0400]: starting job set time
[2005-06-02 00:01:47 -0400]: set time completed
[2005-06-02 00:01:53 -0400]: starting job sophos anti-virus
[2005-06-02 00:54:18 -0400]: sophos anti-virus completed

Cheryl - Jun 2, 2005 - 5:28 pm

Don,

The Macaroni log looks good. Are you running the latest version of Macaroni?

I am perplexed with this, but I will stay with you until this is solved.

I need a bit of history. Can you remember when this started? Was it with the 10.3.8 update or earlier? Have you installed the security updates?

Do you have a third party Firewall installed? (Like Norton's Personal Firewall)
Do you have Konfabulator or any system enhancer installed?

Are you using a third party font manager?

There is one way to find out what is happening. Go to the Utility folder on one of the machines and start up Console.

When that opens, you will see many lines of activity. Click on the Clear icon - a whisk broom- Now move that window to a side where you can monitor it, then do a normal activity - open a document, save as, etc.

When done, check the Console window, see what it reports. Copy and paste that report in a response here. I'll go over it to see what is happening.

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Let me know if you need further assistance and thank you for using MacOSX.com !

Cheryl

shuwarger - Jun 5, 2005 - 7:58 am

Can you remember when this started? Was it with the 10.3.8 update or earlier? Have you installed the security updates?

I believe it started around 10.3.7. I've applied all security updates.

Do you have a third party Firewall installed? (Like Norton's Personal Firewall)
Do you have Konfabulator or any system enhancer installed?

No to all the above. I do run Sophos Anti-Virus, but I've tried removing it, repairing permissions, restarting, repairing permissions again and no change.

Are you using a third party font manager? No.

Copy and paste that report in a response here. I'll go over it to see what is happening.

This is the only thing in the Console window after I opened three apps and three documents, saved as, and quit.

===== Sun Jun 05 2005 ===== 07:51:26 US/Eastern =====
Mac OS X Version 10.3.9 (Build 7W98)
2005-06-05 07:27:07 -0400
2005-06-05 07:27:07.412 SystemUIServer[510] Normally WeatherPopMenuExtra would not have been loaded as a Menu Extra.
2005-06-05 07:27:17.605 SystemUIServer[510] Vended com.glu.WeatherPop0
Jun 5 07:27:22 Don-Shuwargers-Computer diskarbitrationd[89]: SystemUIServer [510]:16435 not responding.
Jun 5 07:27:25 Don-Shuwargers-Computer /Library/Receipts/QuickTime701.pkg/Contents/Resources/QuickTimeStartup.app/Contents/MacOS/applet: LaunchApplication(/Applications/QuickTime Player.app)
-----> using the default for dK=[icon] tS=[currentconds]
Jun 5 11:27:57 Don-Shuwargers-Computer webdavd[562]: webdav_close: fd is already closed
2005-06-05 07:28:43.973 Mail[531] *** Failed to decode plain data, treating as binary
(event handler):Value undefined (result of expression oSender.getElementsByTagName) is not object.
(event handler):Value undefined (result of expression oSender.getElementsByTagName) is not object.
Jun 5 07:47:13 Don-Shuwargers-Computer lookupd[207]: NetInfo connection failed for server 127.0.0.1/local
-----> using the default for dK=[icon] tS=[currentconds]

Thanks for sticking with me!

Don

Cheryl - Jun 5, 2005 - 8:08 am

Don,

I think I found the problem.

1. Open Directory Access (/Applications/Utilities).
2. Authenticate if necessary. (click on Authentication button, then click on the pad lock at the bottom left. You will be asked for your password)

3. Click on Services Deselect NetInfo.

4. Click Apply.

Now Quite Directory Access and give the computer a test run.

--------
Let me know if you need further assistance and thank you for using MacOSX.com !

Cheryl

shuwarger - Jun 7, 2005 - 4:59 am

I went to Directory Access; NetInfo was already unchecked.

Checked were AppleTalk, LDAPv3, Rendezvous, SMB, and SLP.

Don

Cheryl - Jun 7, 2005 - 8:09 am

Don,

Go to Home folder>Library>Preferences. Trash the following:
com.apple.BezelServices.plist
com.apple.finder.plist
com.apple.FolderActions.plist - in OS 10.4
com.apple.LaunchServices.plist
com.apple.systemuiserver.plist

Now go to System Preferences (light switch in dock)>Accounts. Click on your user name and check the Login Items.
Click on iTunes Helper, then click on the minus button at the bottom of that window.

Restart the computer, then empty the trash. Give it a test run and let me know if this speeds up things.

--------
Let me know if you need further assistance and thank you for using MacOSX.com !

Cheryl

shuwarger - Jun 8, 2005 - 5:55 am

Well, startup is snappy quick now. Thanks!

The file>open or file>save or file>save as is noticeably better in most apps, e.g. Safari, FireFox, GraphicConverter.

BTW, on my iBook, running 10.4.1, there is no com.apple.Folderactions.plist in the home/Library/Preferences directory.

But, Rats! No better in any of the MS Office 2004 apps.

In those apps, the delay to open the File>Open dialogue box can be up to two minutes of spinning pizza wheel - BUT this is just occurs the FIRST TIME that activity is performed. Subsequent trips to the File>whatever menu, it brings up the save/open/whatever dialogue box immediately.

I feel we have made progress with this step. I hope you and I can wrap it up with a fix for MS Office's behavior.

Don

Cheryl - Jun 8, 2005 - 8:30 am

Don,

I am glad we have things working smoother.

MS Office is another tricky cookie. As you work with it/them, does the action get any faster? Or is there still a long delay?

Test it out for a day and let me know.

--------
Let me know if you need further assistance and thank you for using MacOSX.com !

Cheryl

shuwarger - Jun 8, 2005 - 12:19 pm

The very first time I use the File>whatever menu, it takes forever....but from then on, it is snappy!

Something's hanging the initial scan of the directories, IMHO.
(Just a gynecologist, not a computer specialist).

Don

Cheryl - Jun 8, 2005 - 8:40 pm

Don,

The speediness will come. In Tiger (10.4) Spotlight is cataloging everything. As you continue to work, things speed up.

--------
Let me know if you need further assistance and thank you for using MacOSX.com !

Cheryl