Troubleshooting Tips
Read these 46 Troubleshooting Tips tips to make your life smarter, better, faster and wiser. Each tip is approved by our Editors and created by expert writers so great we call them Gurus. LifeTips is the place to go when you need to know about Macintosh tips and hundreds of other topics.
Errors of Type 1 & 2
Type 1 errors usually indicate that your program ran out of memory. Technically, the program tried to access a chunk of memory that didn't exist. You can usually remedy a Type 1 error by allocating more RAM to your program, upgrading the amount of RAM in your machine, or simply by re-booting to shuffle your existing RAM back into contiguous sections.
Errors of Type 2 are also related to memory use. Your Mac tried to store data in an address that couldn't contain it. Reboot to shuffle your RAM.
System Freezes While Printing
If you get recurrent freezes or crashes while printing, there may be insufficient memory to run the Print Monitor. Turning on Virtual Memory may help, or increasing the memory allocation of the Print Monitor itself. If you use Adobe Type Manager, try increasing the cache setting in ATM for documents that use a lot of fonts.
On some printers (notably older Epson Inkjets) your printer driver may have been corrupted. Re-install it from the original disks, or, if you've had your printer for a while, there may be an upgrade available for your printer driver software. Check the manufacturer's website ... usually driver upgrades are a free download.
Sad Mac, Bombs and Other Disasters
I have a copy of this book, and have found it to be indispensible, particularly for Mac users who 'push the envelope' with their machines. Here's a further recommendation from respected Mac Authority, Schoun Regan:
"Having troubles with your Mac? Want to uncover those little secrets that keep the professionals working? Keep your Mac happy and learn a little, too, with one of the best troubleshooting books available. Authored by Ted Landau, founder of MacFixIt, "Sad Macs, Bombs, and Other Disasters" is one great book for learning tips and tricks for dealing with a problem Mac."
Sad Macs, Bombs and Other Disasters
Rebooting After a Hard Crash
If your Mac is crashing repeatedly, turn the power switch off (or pull the plug, if your don't have a power switch) and wait a few minutes. This will reset the RAM. If you just press the reset button to reboot, the computer may be coming up with faulty information still in RAM, causing another crash.
Rebuild Your Desktop File
When your Finder can't find things, you'll start getting strange errors while you're on your desktop. This means it's time to rebuild your desktop!
Rebuilding should be part of your monthly maintenance routine, and should be your next "fix" (after qitting the Finder) if you start getting Finder errors.
1. Restart your Mac with Extensions Off (hold down the shift key while you restart).
2. Once you get the "Extensions Off" message, hold down the Command and Option keys until you get a dialog box asking if you want to rebuild your desktop.
3. Click OK.
4. Wait for the rebuild ... be patent, don't start clicking about until it's done!
Note: If you have partitioned your hard drive, the machine will automatically ask you if you want to rebuild the desktop on each partition. Click OK.
Cursor Freeze Fixers
If your cursor freezes, but your keyboard stays alive, particularly in System 7, you may want to try shareware like RecognizeMouse, Escapade, or YesNoCancel. The RecognizeMouse application tells the Mac to try harder to use your pointer. The other two are control panels which let you make choices in dialog boxes with the keyboard.
Most of us are so mouse-bound that we forget that a Macintosh can also be operated without a mouse using Easy Access or the freeware KeyMenu control panel.
What's an Error -39?
An Error -39 is an end-of-file message. If you've gotten en error -39 while printing or otherwise outputting a file, it most likely means that the file is corrupt. Less frequently, it could be caused by a corrupted print driver.
You can try fixing the file by copying it into another program, and using that data to re-create it in the original program.
If you get this error on more than one file, replace your printer driver by re-installing if from your original install disks.
G4s and Sleep Mode
If your Power Mac G4 has an ATI Rage 128 PCI card, the fan on your computer will continue running when it goes into sleep mode. This is because the ATI card does not have a low power setting. If the hum really bugs you, you'll have to shut down the machine rather than letting it sleep.
Directory - Repair or Rebuild?
If you suspect your directory is corrupted (see Directory Disasters) you can try to repair or rebuild it. Either Tech Tool Pro or Norton Disk Doctor can make basic directory repairs. If you have both, use the most current one; do not use both, as they act in different ways and can make things worse.
Before doing anything, back up what you can't afford to lose. DO NOT write any more files to disk; you may be writing over something else. Back up your files to CD or to another drive; use a file recovery utility (File Buddy is a good one) to attempt to locate files you've lost.
Run NDD or TTP to repair your directory, but don't immediately trust your Mac to be clean again. Fixing the directory may not fix whatever caused it to corrupt in the first place ... it may become corrupted again in a short time. If it does, take your Mac to a dependable repair center.
If you would like to try rebuilding your entire directory, Disk Warrior is the simplest way. Again, the above caveats apply.
get Tech Tool Pro
get Disk Warrior
get Norton Utilities
Recovering a Trashed File
Sooner or later everyone does it ... you empty your Trash, and suddenly the metallic taste of panic is on your tongue as you realize you just threw away something you desperately need!
The first thing to do is STOP whatever you're doing. Don't save anything else to your hard drive; you may write over the lost file. If you have not shut down your machine since you emptied the trash, try this:
Reboot immediately by pressing [control] [command] and the power key. DON'T use the Shut Down or Restart commands. Macs don't really delete a file until they go through the shutdown process. If you're lucky, when your machine comes back up, you will find your file either still in the trash, or wherever it was before you put it in the trash.
If that doesn't work, or if you've already shut down the machine, use one of the following utilities to recover your data. The sooner you do this, the better your chances.
Norton Utilities
Use "Unerase"
Data Rescue
Shareware; get it at Wildbits
There are other shareware recovery utilities available. The most important thing is to have a recovery utility on hand BEFORE disaster strikes!
Monitor Starts B/W, then Reverts to Color
If your monitor is black-and-white when the system comes up, then suddenly reverts to its normal color mode, your Finder Preferences are probably corrupt. Go to your System Folder, find the Preferences Folder, and drag "Finder Preferences" to the trash. Reboot your machine and it should be OK!
Problems with Rewind Extension
Problems have been reported with the Rewind Extension. If you're experiencing failure to mount CDs with your iMac, try disabling Rewind. Likewise, if you have created an iDisk and are having trouble connecting to it, Rewind may be the culprit. It has also been reported as making Photoshop 6 crash.
Unexpected Shutdown
If your Mac shuts down unexpectedly and refuses to restart, two possibilities are a bad logic board battery, or corrupted PRAM. Since the PRAM problem is easiest to fix, try restarting while holding down the Control-Option-P-R keys.
If that doesn't fix the problem, you should have your logic board battery tested.
MacAddict's 7-Step Tuneup
If your Mac has gone schizophrenic on you, here's a "highly effective" seven-step tuneup to return you to Macintosh Nirvana, from Dave Reynolds of MacAddict Magazine:
(Guru's Note: Be sure you back up ALL the data from your hard drive before you format it. You'll need a copy of MicroMat's Tech Tool Pro, and it wouldn't hurt to list and locate all the driver upgrades you will need before you start. For updates to Apple drivers, go to http://asu.info.apple.com/)
1. Do a low-level format using the latest version of Apple's Hard Disk Setup, to clean out your grungy drive thoroughly. Update the disc driver while you're at it.
2. Use Tech Tool to zap your PRAM. Using Command-Option-P-R is fine for monthly maintenance but when you're trying to mend fences you need to be thorough.
3. Perform a clean installation of the most recent system software that will work on your machine.
4. Update all your drivers, whether they're for your scanner, printer, or Mac-powered pencil sharpener.
5. Install all applications (and fonts) from their original discs, and update them all to the latest versions.
6. To reduce the risk of recontaminating your system, copy over only the important files you need.
7. Use Tech Tool Pro to rebuild your desktop with extensions off.
Startup Freezes - First Step
The point in time at which a startup freeze occurs can help you diagnose the problem. Here are some general rules of thumb:
Freezes when starting up, before the extensions load -- probably a hardware problem.
Freezes when starting up, during extension loading -- probably a bad extension or extension conflict.
Freezes after extensions load, when the Finder starts -- probably a Desktop or Finder problem.
Corruption of MacTCP DNR
Numerous users, through several OS's, have reported problems with the MacTCP DNR file being corrupted; the file will suddenly be named with garbage characters. No cause for this has ever been determined, but if it's happening to you, try this for an until-the-next-time fix: Drag the MacTCP DNR file to the trash, but don't empty it. Restart your Mac. A new DNR file will be created by the system, an you can then flush your old one.
Shut Down and Restart Problem
There have been a number of reports of shutdown and startup problems being caused by the Apple Audio Extension. If you're having startup or shutdown crashes, try disabling this extension.
First Thoughts on Finding Problems
The first thing to think about when you system crashes is whether you just installed or enabled new software. If so, that's the place to start. A new extension could be causing the problem, or the software you just installed could be incompatible with your OS.
Did you remember to disable your virus-protection software before installing?? If not, you may have gotten an incomplete or damaged install.
Visit MacFixit Today and Every Day!
MacFixIt is a "must bookmark" site; the publication and the community that surrounds it provides you with the latest information about virtually any Mac and MacOS. Forums dedicated to software titles or topics can answer your questions quickly ... if the info's not already there, just ask!
Special sections are updated daily when a major release takes place (Troubleshooting Mac OS 9 is an example), and you'll be amazed at the help and great answers you receive! Visit http://www.macfixit.com/ today, and return regularly to stay up-to-date on the latest bugs and fixes!
Errors of Type 3
Type 3 errors are known as illegal instruction errors. Your Mac tried to execute an instruction it couldn't understand. The cause of type 3 errors is usually an out-of-date extension or driver.
Quitting a Frozen Application in OS X
There are three ways to accomplish a Force Quit in OS X. First is the Classic OS keyboard shortcut, command-option-escape. Second, you can select Force Quit from the Apple menu. Third, you can force a quit from the dock by clicking on the application's icon and holding. A pop-up menu will appear with a Quit option. Holding down the option key will change that to Force Quit.
All of these methods will result in bringing up the Force Quit Application window, where you can select the application you want to shut down.
Quitting a Stalled Application
When you're in an application and your screen freezes, don't immediately go for the restart switch. Try quitting the application itself first.
To exit from a frozen app, hold down the option and command keys, and press the esc (escape) key. Often this will quit the application, leaving your finder intact, and you can go on to debug the problem with the application.
Be Prepared for Disaster
Always have a set of current, bootable emergency disks for troubleshooting. Three separate disks are suggested by Those Who Know ... one with Apple's Disk First Aid and Norton Disk Doctor or the equivalent, one with hard drive formatting software, and one with a virus checker. To be bootable, of course, the disks must also contain a basic System Folder.
Boot Crash After OS Upgrade
Regardless of your physical RAM, only a limited amount of RAM is available during the early stages of boothing up; apparently only about 4MB. Occasional conflicts with some PCI cards have been reported, particularly on older systems. Unfortunately this problem does not appear to have been addressed by Apple, and occasionally an upgrade to a newer OS will suddenly cause your machine to refuse to boot up. If you experience a problem booting with a new OS, and have several PCI cards plugged in to slots on your machine, you may have to learn to live without one to use your new system!
Error Type -39
A -39 error usually means a corrupted file. Specifically, it indicates and end-of-file message, encountered where the program was expecting more data. If you get it when you're tryng to print, the file you''re printing is corrupted. If it occurs on startup, your Launcher Control Panel may be corrupted. Try dragging it to the trash and then re-installing it.
Color Monitor Becomes B&W
If you boot your color Mac one day and suddenly find yourself looking at black-and-white video, it may not be a monitor problem. This is often one of the first symptoms of a dying system battery. Another good indication is when your date and time are suddenly wrong.
For info on Mac batteries in general, check out this website:
http://www.academ.com/info/macintosh/
Error Types 17 through 24, 26, 27, 30 and 31
Your Mac tried to access a standard routine in the System File, and couldn't find it. This usually indicates a corrupted System File. Install a fresh one to replace it.
OS 9.1 Slower than OS 9.0.4??
If you are experiencing a slowdown after upgrading to OS 9.1, turn Virtual Memory on. Although VM has long been known as a bit of a bugaboo, with OS9 the bugs appear to finally be gone, and OS9.1 actually requires VM to run in top form.
Keyboard or Mouse Freeze
If your keyboard or mouse freezes, check all your cables first to be sure they're tight. If you use more than one pointing device, try them both ... a trackball may still work when your mouse is frozen, or vice-versa. If you have USB connections, try substituting another device for the frozen one. (Don't try this with an ADB or SCSI connection without shutting down first!!)
Extra Memory
When your applications are running, they store much of their code in RAM. To avoid 'out of memory' errors, go to the Finder, select the application's icon, and Get Info (command-i), then increase the amount in the "Preferred Size" field.
Directory Disasters
A corrupted directory is one of the scariest things that can happen to your Mac, outside of a full-on drive crash. Once the directory structure starts to go, almost anything can happen, but the first thing you will probably notice is files "vanishing" from your hard drive. Although it's easy enough to misplace a file you've created, even on a Mac, several "vanished files" in a few days (or hours) should make you suspicious of directory problems. If any of your System Folder files, or an application, suddenly disappear, it's time to shut down the machine and call for help. Any further files you create may write over another file you need.
If you're pretty Mac-savvy, you can try rebuilding your directory, but that may not fix the problem that caused it to corrupt. For information on repairing your directory, go to this tip: Directory - Repair or Rebuild
Boot Crashes - Check Your Printer Queue
If your machine crashes or freezes every time you boot, and you have an unprinted document waiting, attempting to print may be the reason. To clear the print queue:
Restart with the extensions off (hold down Shift during restart) and locate your desktop printer icon (it may have an X through it). Drag it to the trash to clear your print queue, then try another reboot.
Printer Problem After Upgrade
If you've upgraded your system software and are having trouble with your printer, your printer driver may be incompatible with your new OS. Check your printer manufacturer's website for an upgraded driver. They're usually a free download.
Clearing the print queue
If you have an unprinted document stuck in the queue, and it's messing up your system, you need to clear it out. To clear the print queue:
Restart with the extensions off (hold down Shift during restart) and locate your desktop printer icon (it may have an X through it). Drag it to the trash to clear your print queue, then reboot.
How to Reboot a Crashed Desktop Mac
Restarts are performed on different Macs in different ways. Most pre-G3 Macs can be restarted by pressing Control, Option, and the power key on the keyboard. If you don't have an extended keyboard, or it lacks a power key, just press the main power switch, wait ten seconds, and start the machine again. If you have a programmer's restart switch, you can also reboot with that.
If all else fails, just pull the plug ... not recommended except as a final attempt, although it's supposed to be harmless to Macs. Leave it unplugged until the unit cools (a half hour should do it).
I have about 1Gb of RAM, and I can't use VM!
Sorry, this is not a glitch with your system. If you have over 960Mb of RAM installed, Virtual Memory is automatically disabled.
Shortened Startup Chord
As your Mac passes the system diagnostic tests on startup, it sounds a musical chord to let you know all is well. But what does it mean if that startup chord is very short??
It means you have an AppleVision 1710AV display. With this particular display, the power doesn't always reach the speakers of the monitor before the computer finishes its diagnostics. You may hear the full tone, a partial tone, or none at all. This does NOT indicate a problem.
The only way to always hear the complete tone upon startup while using the 1710AV is to remove the sound out cable from your computer.
Time and Date Problems
If you start your Mac and the time and date are off, don't shrug and get to work … you run the risk of confusing your Finder terribly. Use the Time and Date Control Panel to correct your settings, and re-start you machine before doing anything else.
If you're not sure how long your settings have been incorrect, you can use Disk Warrior to ensure that your critical files have the correct time and date stamps. Get in the habit of using your Date and Time Control Panel to synchronize your Mac with a dependable time server.
Beware the Static Zap!
You should always wear a grounding strap when working inside your computer. Just about everyone knows that, and most people who muck about with their Mac's innards own one and know how to use it, or use some other method of grounding.
But believe it or not, it is possible to fry a mouse or other peripheral by touching it when you're carrying a static charge. If you can feel the zap, you are transmitting 3,000 to 10,000 volts of static electricity, or even more. Your devices are vulnerable to 100 volts, or less. This is particularly a problem during cold, dry weather. If you feel a static zap when you touch a doorknob, or if your cat is starting to eye you warily after a few supercharged caresses, be very wary of touching your mouse or keyboard without discharging first.
How do you discharge? Just touch something metal, like some shelves or a filing cabinet, before you touch your machine.
Did You Know?
Handling an electronic device when you're carrying a static charge is not what damages it. It simply becomes charged with the same voltage you have. It's when you then ground the device (such as inserting a new DIMM) that the charge finds a path, and does the damage.
Replacing the Backup Battery in a Powerbook 5xx
The backup battery, which powers the date and time while your computer is shut down, and lets you boot up without the AC adapter, is quite easy to replace on a Powerbook 5xx. All that's needed is a small TORX driver (available at any hardware store for less than $5.00), a grounding wrist strap and some common sense. JB Cole shows you how on his web page:
http://members.home.net/jbcole/pb500help.html
Things to Check When Your System Won't Boot
If you're sitting there staring at a blank monitor, here are some thing to try:
• Check all your external cables, to be sure everything is snug.
• Check your power source.
• Try restarting with Extensions off (hold down the shift key). If it restarts OK, you can suspect an extension conflict.
• Try restarting from a CD or emergency startup disk. If it starts OK, then you may have to re-install your OS.
If nothing is helping, you can also try these inside-the-machine checks, assuming you are comfortable with the internal workings of your Mac:
• Check all internal cable connections
• Reseat your DIMMS (or SIMMS or whatever you have for RAM)
• Reseat the processor board
• Check ALL your cards to make sure they're snugly in place
Another thought would be your motherboard battery. If it is not properly seated, or dead, you machine won't boot.
Heat Solution
Macs are pretty trouble-free when it comes to overheating. But if you run into this problem, as I did once when I was forced to set up my Mac in an unventilated loft for a few weeks, you'll love Drive Cool. This tiny fan (barely 1/4" thick) attaches directly to your hard drive, right in the bay. You can find out more about it at http://www.pcpowercooling.com/products/cooling/drive/drive_cool/
Error Type 11
Specific to Power Macs, a Type 11 error can be just about anything; they refer to errors in reading PowerPC native code. Usually it's a bus error, address error or illegal instruction ... in other words, a glitch. Type 11 errors rarely repeat themselves, but if they do, the program you're using is probably corrupted.
Freezes Related to Floppies or CDs
Sometimes you will experience frequent freezes when loading a particular floppy disk or CD. This may be an indication of a dirty or damaged disk.
CDs may need cleaning; check the data surface (the rainbow side) for grunge, scratches, or spots. Use CD cleaning cloths and spray to clean, and be sure you're following manufacturer's directions.
Floppies are not really cleanable ... if you have one which is damaged or dirty, try Norton Utilities (Floppier) to copy the data to a clean disk, and throw the old one away. If you have trouble mounting the disk, try shaking it gently from side to side, and then re-inserting it. It's a good idea to use a cleaning floppy to clean your disk drive after encountering a dirty or damaged disk.
Take Advantage of Apple's TIL
Apple's Technical Info Library is a gold mine, with all kinds of technical information about your Mac, its hardware and software, and tips on how to best use certain resources. Before you curse your Mac, check Apple's online TIL, at http://til.info.apple.com/
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