Can't shutdown or restart iMac

[mmitchem]

I have an iMac Retina 27" running El Capitan 10.11.5. This past week iTunes updated to 12.4.0.119. Whether that triggered the problem or not, I don't know.

I can't shut the Mac down by using the commands on the menu bar or by terminal or key strokes. I can put the computer to sleep by the pull down menu. When I attempt to shutdown the menu bar at the top disappears and nothing happens. The dock is still visible and the computer still functions.

1-I have checked the HD for errors and there are no problems
2-I have reset reset SMC and PRAM as well as corrected disk permissions.

I have pretty much tried every fix I could find on line. Only thing I haven't tried is reinstalling the OS. Any help would be appreciated...thanks

 

[Fishrrman]

Something to try (no promises that it will solve the problem):

1. LOG OUT of your account
2. You will now be at the login screen, with restart and shut down buttons at the bottom.
3. Try pressing the shut down button.
4. What happens?

 

[mmitchem]

Something to try (no promises that it will solve the problem):

1. LOG OUT of your account
2. You will now be at the login screen, with restart and shut down buttons at the bottom.
3. Try pressing the shut down button.
4. What happens?

[doublepost=1463844082][/doublepost]Hmm hadn't tried logging out. That doesn't work and the menu bar also disappears

 

[997440]

This might help the knowledgable members (not me) here to help you.
Not a solution but for troubleshooting -- Does this also occur using a different user account?

 

[grahamperrin]

… can't shut the Mac down … by terminal …

With ssh enabled at the Mac, use a terminal application on another computer to remotely run the following commands (two windows, one command in each window):

tail -f -n 50 /var/log/system.log

sync ; sudo shutdown -h now

 

[mmitchem]

I ran both from my MacBook. It let me shut it down remotely. What do I do with system log...thanks

 

[rezwits]

If you have Apple Remote Desktop near by on another machine yeah gong in there and using restart menu is fine, but

This terminal command will logout any account you are in, then you can click restart:

sudo launchctl bootout user/$(id -u username)

replace username with your short username

Then click restart or Shutdown. If you are having problems install OS updates, click Download & Restart on the OS update, but then before install begins, logout in terminal using above, then restart with the buttons, then hold down shift when you restart, go back into that account and then install OS update then restart.

Notes:

1. Put Terminal in your Dock, in case you LogOut or Restart accidentally. With no Finder the Dock will still be there for you put this LogOut Command in Terminal.

2. If you restart with Shift held down, booting will be a lot slower, and you won't have Internet...

3. This is a little better than "sudo shutdown -h now" because that doesn't necessarily kill stop everything nicely ;D Thats a cold halt, that's just like blam, I've used it until I found the bootout command...

Good Luck! You probably have a Kext, or Extension, or App you (or Apple) are running that is not quitting, sometimes they are hard to track down... Especially if you don't get a Finder Icon, in Tab App Switcher, and the last thing is the Finder Mac Icon.

Laters...

 

[997440]

.....
Good Luck! You probably have a Kext, or Extension, or App you (or Apple) are running that is not quitting, sometimes they are hard to track down... Especially if you don't get a Finder Icon, in Tab App Switcher, and the last thing is the Finder Mac Icon.
.....

To buttress this : @mmitchem, I don't know if you found THIS THREAD during your search for a solution. While the posters' symptoms don't exactly match yours, they're related. Solutions included tracking down an App that's not quitting, as said above; clearing cache; unmounting external drives; removing security software; etc..

Good luck.

 

[mmitchem]

To buttress this : @mmitchem, I don't know if you found THIS THREAD during your search for a solution. While the posters' symptoms don't exactly match yours, they're related. Solutions included tracking down an App that's not quitting, as said above; clearing cache; unmounting external drives; removing security software; etc..

Good luck.

Thanks for your help. I have tried all the suggestions and still haven't fixed the problem. LOL I could have reinstalled the OS by now and probably have everything reinstalled!

 

[h9826790]

Do you connect anything to the USB port?

 

[grahamperrin]

… tried all the suggestions …

What happened in response to the launchctl command?

If the user was not properly logged out in response to that command, then you might try remote use of launchctl and tail (two terminal windows, one command in each) to tell whether system.log contains any useful information around the time of the problem.

 

[rezwits]

Wow, the logout didn't log you out? Then yeah I mean if you get the free time, and don't have too many app problems, go for a reinstall, and keep it clean, I know little snitch and synergy can be a pain...

 

[mmitchem]

Do you connect anything to the USB port?

Had a USB hub connected but I removed it
[doublepost=1463928176][/doublepost]

What happened in response to the launchctl command?

If the user was not properly logged out in response to that command, then you might try remote use of launchctl and tail (two terminal windows, one command in each) to tell whether system.log contains any useful information around the time of the problem.

I
[doublepost=1463928354][/doublepost]

What happened in response to the launchctl command?

If the user was not properly logged out in response to that command, then you might try remote use of launchctl and tail (two terminal windows, one command in each) to tell whether system.log contains any useful information around the time of the problem.

DC

Had a USB hub connected but I removed it
[doublepost=1463928176][/doublepost]
I

 

[the-bigwig]

Try to empty whole Cache folder (library/cache) and imediately shutdown or restart . I've still exactly the same problem, but when I try to shutdown my macbook there is only a cursor and a black wallpaper, nothing more until I force shutdown.

 

[FoxPhoto]

I am a long time lurker on these boards (hi everybody!), but I actually registered to say I am having the exact same issue. Not just with my 21" iMac but ALSO a Mac Mini. BOTH started displaying the same issue at the same time - after the last update. BOTH were fine before and could shutdown the normal way.

Does no-one else apart from the OP have this issue?

 

[grahamperrin]

@FoxPhoto have you tried the suggestions above and if so, what were the results?

 

[FoxPhoto]

@FoxPhoto have you tried the suggestions above and if so, what were the results?

I cleared the cache with no result. I don't understand the other options.

 

[tokiro]

You are not alone in having this problem. I am not able shutdown/restart my macbookpro from apple menu. That happened after I installed latest updates (el capitan 10.11.5 and the last itunes).

The only workaround I was able to find is the following. On the top bar I have activated the switch user menu. From the switch user menu, I can go to the login screen. From the login screen I am able to shutdown. It is not clean. But it is better than nothing.

I'm waiting for the update 10.11.6. Meanwhile I try to find a way to figure out which application is responsible for this behavior.

I have an iMac Retina 27" running El Capitan 10.11.5. This past week iTunes updated to 12.4.0.119. Whether that triggered the problem or not, I don't know.

I can't shut the Mac down by using the commands on the menu bar or by terminal or key strokes. I can put the computer to sleep by the pull down menu. When I attempt to shutdown the menu bar at the top disappears and nothing happens. The dock is still visible and the computer still functions.

1-I have checked the HD for errors and there are no problems
2-I have reset reset SMC and PRAM as well as corrected disk permissions.

I have pretty much tried every fix I could find on line. Only thing I haven't tried is reinstalling the OS. Any help would be appreciated...thanks

 

[JayTeeFox]

You are not alone in having this problem. I am not able shutdown/restart my macbookpro from apple menu. That happened after I installed latest updates (el capitan 10.11.5 and the last itunes).

The only workaround I was able to find is the following. On the top bar I have activated the switch user menu. From the switch user menu, I can go to the login screen. From the login screen I am able to shutdown. It is not clean. But it is better than nothing.

I'm waiting for the update 10.11.6. Meanwhile I try to find a way to figure out which application is responsible for this behavior.

I found the answer!!

For me it was an issue with Wacom/Bamboo tablet but it could be other things.

Basically you fire up the Mac in Safe Mode (hold the shift key when you hear the welcome chime and release when the Apple symbol appears), then go to System Preferences, Users and Groups, and in your login profile, select the "Login Items" tab, then delete all the items you no longer need. My items included a Bamboo status (forget the actual name now I have deleted it!). I deleted it and restarted (works in Safe Mode!) and everything was back to normal! Phew! It has worked on BOTH my Macs too.

From what I understand, it was Finder that was causing the issue. It wouldn't shut down properly and you can't easily get it to force quit.

Good luck and hope the above helps you too

 

[JayTeeFox]

HERE is the Apple support thread if you need more info

 

[tokiro]

I found the answer!!

For me it was an issue with Wacom/Bamboo tablet but it could be other things.
[...stuff removed...]

Good luck and hope the above helps you too

Thank you for the advice!
I have installed the bamboo tablet some time ago, and I rarely use it. I will try to disable bamboo later today.

I will give a look to the thread on discussion.apple.com

 

[mmitchem]

Thank you for the advice!
I have installed the bamboo tablet some time ago, and I rarely use it. I will try to disable bamboo later today.

I will give a look to the thread on discussion.apple.com

Thank you for the advice!
I have installed the bamboo tablet some time ago, and I rarely use it. I will try to disable bamboo later today.

I will give a look to the thread on discussion.apple.com

I ended up reloading the OS, which in the end wasn't as bad as I thought it would be. Thanks for all the help in attempting to fix the problem. Hope some of the suggestions that were made here helped someone

 

[simon lefisch]

I've had this happen since Yosemite. Using the following code in Terminal always works for me:

sudo shutdown -r now

However I do not have any Wacom drivers installed on my MBP.

 

[997440]

I've had this happen since Yosemite. Using the following code in Terminal always works for me:

sudo shutdown -r now

However I do not have any Wacom drivers installed on my MBP.

Can you use an -h flag?

Edit: this is explained in post #7 in this very thread.

"3. This is a little better than "sudo shutdown -h now" because that doesn't necessarily kill stop everything nicely ;D Thats a cold halt, that's just like blam, I've used it until I found the bootout command..."

 

[tokiro]

Just a little update. If I kill BambooCore process by a simple quit (no force), MacOs shutdowns correctly. Thank you @mmitchem. I am going to check a update for bamboo.