Mac Beta freezes machine -- constantly

Some days everything is okay, tonight is another story.

The only time I have a problem with SL/Mac is when it totally locks up my machine. The only way out is to reboot the computer. The mouse/cursor dissappears, and if there is a sound playing either in SL, iTunes, whatever; then it sits and skips like the computer is totally lost where it was.

This happens when I have no other apps open, and even when nothing is going on in SL. I've moused over a menu and have it crash.

I have become so irritated at this appplication that I have deleted all SL files off of my computer.

Comp config:

Apple 15" PowerBook
1.25GHz
1GB RAM
80GB HD

Have you tried uninstalling and re-installing?

haven't seen this problem and I'm running on an 867 G4.. the FPS is kinda bad, but other than that I rarely get crashes.. Only when the simulator crashes. I had 1 crash when I clicked on screen snap to diisk but that's it.

What version of OSX do you have? Have you tried contacting SecondLife support? (Support@secondlife.com, or call their 800#). I'm sure they'd be very interested in hearing about a major crash like this.

I have the same problem, 17" PowerBook 1.33ghz, similar setup.

Install of OS X was clean, in fact when it first happened it was fresh from the factory.

The sound skipping from iTunes or whatever happens in the same manner too..

I've been sending crash reports in on it, hopefully they can figure it out.

Hey si Money,

I've been talking to LL about this and so far there is no resolution. Do you, by any chance, use WiFi for your connection or are you jacked into the LAN?

cheers,
jovino

What's WiFi?

Wireless. 802.11g

Why, are you crashing too?

Actually, yes, I use the built in airport extreme on it.

Haven't tried it wired.

Nope im not crashing - i also am running SL via. Ariport wireless....

Have you got AGP acceleration turned on in the Options tab in prefs? This makes the graphics fly but causes similar hangs for me.

KM

Ah! That might be a clue. What kind of hangs are you having? Serious ones like mine where the machine totally freezes? I find it rather odd that a video driver can cause so much havoc.

How is the performance compared between having AGP on/off? I never really noticed and "flying graphics" when the setting was on, so I am wondering if it's going to be totally painful when it's off. I read somewhere else that if you set your Video Memory preferences to less than what you actually have, it makes things more stable as well. Granted, theings don't draw in as fast, but I suppose stability is a tradeoff.

I might try a reinstall this weekend and see if it makes things more stable.

This is also constantly happening to me. I am also connected with an 802.11g network. However, after reading your posts, I have turned off AGP acceleration and we'll see if I get another freeze.

I, too, have been experiencing complete lock ups. It's such a bummer because I love my Mac and I love SL.

Jess

Well, with AGP accel on, things are noticeably faster on redraw and fraame rate. Unless it is the famous "technology placebo effect" lol.

But I get these hangs, where, as you describe, mouse pointer disappears, keyboard control locks up. All you can do is switch the caps lock light on and off. Which is kind of pretty but gets a bit dull after a while...

So I am SLing without AGP on and things are fine actually. A bit slower, but I have got used to it. No hangs. This rev of the beta client is much better and faster than the one I started with anyway, so I am a happy bunny.

15" 1.25GHz FW800 Powerbook, 64MB Radeon 9600, 512MB RAM

Well hot damn. I suppose I'll try it this way before running out and getting an ethernet cable to run down my hallway so I can plug in every time I want to play SL. This is especially promising since we have the same computer config.

Are you a bunny to? I'll have to run into you in SL and show off my (interim) bunny suit.

jovino

Yeah! Bunnies forever!