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TICKET ARCHIVE -> Slow Startup
pelemat - Apr 17, 2005 - 6:29 pm
My startup takes to long.
When I boot from my LaCie (10.3.9) it runs well, but from my internal HD (also 10.3.9) it takes at least one minute more.
The menubar takes the extra time.
I've tried all the known tricks: font prefs and caches, repair permissions, fsck -y, Cocktail, Defrag, Optimizer etc.
Still it's not working as it should.
I'm running a iMac G5 1.8 1024MB
The same problem occurred on a eMac 1.25 768 MB
Hopefully you know the answer.
Peter Thissen, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
When I boot from my LaCie (10.3.9) it runs well, but from my internal HD (also 10.3.9) it takes at least one minute more.
The menubar takes the extra time.
I've tried all the known tricks: font prefs and caches, repair permissions, fsck -y, Cocktail, Defrag, Optimizer etc.
Still it's not working as it should.
I'm running a iMac G5 1.8 1024MB
The same problem occurred on a eMac 1.25 768 MB
Hopefully you know the answer.
Peter Thissen, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
Cheryl - Apr 17, 2005 - 7:29 pm
Peter,
My name is Cheryl and I will be assisting you. You did do a good job of trying to troubleshoot the problem.
Check to see what programs are loading at the time of start up. Go to System Preferences and select Accounts. Click on your user name at the left, then click on the Startup Items button.
You may have some programs that are starting up automatically that is slowing down your computer. Check that list to see if you really need those programs to start up. For instance, if you do not use iTunes, you do not need iTunes helper to start up. If you do not use iCal, you can take all the iCal files off the list.
You also should have a program on your computer that takes care of the routine maintenances that run late at night in OS X.
Macaroni does this well without any intervention by you. You can find more information at:
http://www.macupdate.com/info.php/id/9633
--------
Let me know if you need further assistance and thank you for using MacOSX.com !
Cheryl
My name is Cheryl and I will be assisting you. You did do a good job of trying to troubleshoot the problem.
Check to see what programs are loading at the time of start up. Go to System Preferences and select Accounts. Click on your user name at the left, then click on the Startup Items button.
You may have some programs that are starting up automatically that is slowing down your computer. Check that list to see if you really need those programs to start up. For instance, if you do not use iTunes, you do not need iTunes helper to start up. If you do not use iCal, you can take all the iCal files off the list.
You also should have a program on your computer that takes care of the routine maintenances that run late at night in OS X.
Macaroni does this well without any intervention by you. You can find more information at:
http://www.macupdate.com/info.php/id/9633
--------
Let me know if you need further assistance and thank you for using MacOSX.com !
Cheryl
pelemat - Apr 18, 2005 - 3:14 am
Cheryl,
Thanks for your reply.
I already removed unnecessary startup items, and I'm also using Macaroni.
The problem must be somewhere else.
Peter.
Thanks for your reply.
I already removed unnecessary startup items, and I'm also using Macaroni.
The problem must be somewhere else.
Peter.
Cheryl - Apr 18, 2005 - 8:23 am
Peter,
While this may seem bizarre, check your internet settings from the System Preferences>Network. Make sure you have active the connection you use to get on the internet at the top of the list.
Choose Active Network Ports from the Show menu.
If the interface you use is not at the top of the list, drag it to the top.
Click Apply Now.
When you upgraded the memory, did you install exact pairs? This is important as the G5 uses pairs. The same size memory stick should be paired together in the paired sockets.
--------
Let me know if you need further assistance and thank you for using MacOSX.com !
Cheryl
While this may seem bizarre, check your internet settings from the System Preferences>Network. Make sure you have active the connection you use to get on the internet at the top of the list.
Choose Active Network Ports from the Show menu.
If the interface you use is not at the top of the list, drag it to the top.
Click Apply Now.
When you upgraded the memory, did you install exact pairs? This is important as the G5 uses pairs. The same size memory stick should be paired together in the paired sockets.
--------
Let me know if you need further assistance and thank you for using MacOSX.com !
Cheryl
pelemat - Apr 18, 2005 - 1:08 pm
Cheryl,
My hardware is ok because booting from my external HD goes very fast.
The memory is installed in pairs.
I've put my VPN connection on top, followed by Ethernet.
It doesn't make a difference.
Peter.
My hardware is ok because booting from my external HD goes very fast.
The memory is installed in pairs.
I've put my VPN connection on top, followed by Ethernet.
It doesn't make a difference.
Peter.
Cheryl - Apr 18, 2005 - 6:09 pm
Peter,
Do you shut down your computer every day? It could be that since you do that, the routine maintenances are not being done.
I suggest you use Macaroni.
http://www.macupdate.com/info.php/id/9633
Once downloaded and installed, have it run all the maintenances right away.
Now set it so it will do these routines when you start up.
You will notice a difference after a couple of days if not the very next time you start up.
--------
Let me know if you need further assistance and thank you for using MacOSX.com !
Cheryl
Do you shut down your computer every day? It could be that since you do that, the routine maintenances are not being done.
I suggest you use Macaroni.
http://www.macupdate.com/info.php/id/9633
Once downloaded and installed, have it run all the maintenances right away.
Now set it so it will do these routines when you start up.
You will notice a difference after a couple of days if not the very next time you start up.
--------
Let me know if you need further assistance and thank you for using MacOSX.com !
Cheryl
pelemat - Apr 19, 2005 - 3:42 pm
Cheryl,
In the Console I found that this action at startup takes a minute:
kernel: AppleSMU::PMU vers = 0x000d004c, SPU vers = 0x15, SDB vers = 0x01,
I discovered that SMU stands for System Management Unit, and PMU is an older version of it.
Hopefully you know why it takes so long to load this unit.
Thanks anyway for your help so far.
Peter.
In the Console I found that this action at startup takes a minute:
kernel: AppleSMU::PMU vers = 0x000d004c, SPU vers = 0x15, SDB vers = 0x01,
I discovered that SMU stands for System Management Unit, and PMU is an older version of it.
Hopefully you know why it takes so long to load this unit.
Thanks anyway for your help so far.
Peter.
Cheryl - Apr 19, 2005 - 6:29 pm
Peter,
PMU is actually the power management unit. Resetting it should make things start up quicker.
1. Shut down the computer.
2. Locate the following keys on the keyboard: Command, Option, P, and R. You will need to hold these keys down simultaneously in step 4.
3. Turn on the computer.
4. Press and hold the Command-Option-P-R keys. You must press this key combination before the gray screen appears.
5. Hold the keys down until the computer restarts and you hear the startup sound for the second time.
6. Release the keys.
The date and time may need resetting, but the start up should be better.
--------
Let me know if you need further assistance and thank you for using MacOSX.com !
Cheryl
PMU is actually the power management unit. Resetting it should make things start up quicker.
1. Shut down the computer.
2. Locate the following keys on the keyboard: Command, Option, P, and R. You will need to hold these keys down simultaneously in step 4.
3. Turn on the computer.
4. Press and hold the Command-Option-P-R keys. You must press this key combination before the gray screen appears.
5. Hold the keys down until the computer restarts and you hear the startup sound for the second time.
6. Release the keys.
The date and time may need resetting, but the start up should be better.
--------
Let me know if you need further assistance and thank you for using MacOSX.com !
Cheryl
pelemat - Apr 22, 2005 - 2:40 pm
Cheryl,
My only startup item is PopChar.
The problem must be software related.
Otherwise I would have the same problem booting from my external HD.
I had a problem with the 2nd install disk that came with my iMac G5.
My drive threw the disk out. The reseller send another one which was accepted by the drive.
Now I wonder if the first disk could be of poor quality, and that reason for the slow startup lays there.
Peter.
My only startup item is PopChar.
The problem must be software related.
Otherwise I would have the same problem booting from my external HD.
I had a problem with the 2nd install disk that came with my iMac G5.
My drive threw the disk out. The reseller send another one which was accepted by the drive.
Now I wonder if the first disk could be of poor quality, and that reason for the slow startup lays there.
Peter.
Cheryl - Apr 22, 2005 - 5:16 pm
Peter,
Did you install the language kit - that is do you have more than one language on your computer - English plus Dutch or any other language?
It could be that the long start up is caused by the extra languages loading.
You stated that you defrag and optimized. What program did you use for this?
How did you do it? - Did you start up the computer with a CD to optimize and defrag or did you do it on the fly with the computer using the hard drive?
This could be the problem. You can not do a defrag or optimization correctly if files are open and running on the drive. The system is open and running on your hard drive unless you start up with a CD.
Also, Norton Utilities is not to be used on any drive that has OS X on it. Symantec has pulled its support for Utilities on OS X. You need Disk Warrior or Drive 10 or TechTool Pro to do the job.
--------
Let me know if you need further assistance and thank you for using MacOSX.com !
Cheryl
Did you install the language kit - that is do you have more than one language on your computer - English plus Dutch or any other language?
It could be that the long start up is caused by the extra languages loading.
You stated that you defrag and optimized. What program did you use for this?
How did you do it? - Did you start up the computer with a CD to optimize and defrag or did you do it on the fly with the computer using the hard drive?
This could be the problem. You can not do a defrag or optimization correctly if files are open and running on the drive. The system is open and running on your hard drive unless you start up with a CD.
Also, Norton Utilities is not to be used on any drive that has OS X on it. Symantec has pulled its support for Utilities on OS X. You need Disk Warrior or Drive 10 or TechTool Pro to do the job.
--------
Let me know if you need further assistance and thank you for using MacOSX.com !
Cheryl
Cheryl - May 11, 2005 - 8:30 am
Peter,
I found a speed up procedure that just might work for you.
Here is the list of the steps you should perform:
1). Reset Open Firmware
Reboot and hold down the CMD+OPT+O+F keys. A white open firmware screen will appear. At the prompt type reset-all and then hit return. Your computer should reboot itself. If not, type bye and hit return.
2). Run a file system check
During the next reboot, hold down the CMD+S keys. This will boot you into a text-based single user mode. You can let go of the keys when the black screen and text appears. When the sh-2.05a$ shell prompt appears (after a couple of screens of text), type fsck –y and hit return. This will run a file system check and answer 'yes' to all user prompts automatically. After a series of test passes, it should return results. If it says:
***** FILE SYSTEM WAS MODIFIED *****
then you should re-run fsck –y and hit return. You should run it as many times as necessary until it reports no problems found. (On my system, I only had to run it twice.)
After successfully repairing the file system, at the sh-2.05a$ shell prompt, type reboot and hit return. Your computer will reboot.
If you notice that your computer boots faster, congratulations! You’re almost done.
3). Repair ownership and permissions
One last step: Launch Disk Utility (/Applications/Utilities/Disk Utility) and click on the 'First Aid' tab. Select your startup disk (internal hard drive) in the list of drives to the far left. Then click on the Repair Disk Permissions button. This will fix any errant permissions or ownership settings on certain critical system files. It should take about 15 minutes to complete.
Quit and reboot for good measure.
That should do it.
--------
Let me know if you need further assistance and thank you for using MacOSX.com !
Cheryl
I found a speed up procedure that just might work for you.
Here is the list of the steps you should perform:
1). Reset Open Firmware
Reboot and hold down the CMD+OPT+O+F keys. A white open firmware screen will appear. At the prompt type reset-all and then hit return. Your computer should reboot itself. If not, type bye and hit return.
2). Run a file system check
During the next reboot, hold down the CMD+S keys. This will boot you into a text-based single user mode. You can let go of the keys when the black screen and text appears. When the sh-2.05a$ shell prompt appears (after a couple of screens of text), type fsck –y and hit return. This will run a file system check and answer 'yes' to all user prompts automatically. After a series of test passes, it should return results. If it says:
***** FILE SYSTEM WAS MODIFIED *****
then you should re-run fsck –y and hit return. You should run it as many times as necessary until it reports no problems found. (On my system, I only had to run it twice.)
After successfully repairing the file system, at the sh-2.05a$ shell prompt, type reboot and hit return. Your computer will reboot.
If you notice that your computer boots faster, congratulations! You’re almost done.
3). Repair ownership and permissions
One last step: Launch Disk Utility (/Applications/Utilities/Disk Utility) and click on the 'First Aid' tab. Select your startup disk (internal hard drive) in the list of drives to the far left. Then click on the Repair Disk Permissions button. This will fix any errant permissions or ownership settings on certain critical system files. It should take about 15 minutes to complete.
Quit and reboot for good measure.
That should do it.
--------
Let me know if you need further assistance and thank you for using MacOSX.com !
Cheryl
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