Having issues with my MacBook (freezing and beachballs galore)

[ravenvii]

I leave my MacBook on all the time. Overnight, it doesn't go to sleep, I set it to just turn the screen off. So this isn't a sleep issue, just to be clear.

Sometimes, when I go back on the computer in the morning, the computer seems to choke on everything - anything I do gets me a beachball (click OK on the "you have been disconnected from AIM" dialog? Beachball. Trying to open a window in an app? Beachball. Trying to open a menu? Beachball). After a few minutes, the computer suddenly fasttracks through everything I've tried to do, and it's fine again.

This happened a few times, but today was the worst - the computer just froze. I can move the mouse, but that's it. The GUI is totally unresponsive. I had to hard reboot to get out.

Anyone know what's going on from those symptoms? Is my HD failing? I have recently upgraded my RAM. Can that be it? The Apple Hardware Test says there's no problems.

EDIT: Just remember that a common factor in many of those occurrences is that I have been disconnected from the internet sometime during the night. But that doesn't make sense for the OS to literally grind to a stop just because it's disconnected from the 'net. Especially since it's been awake all along and can handle it a long time ago (during the night) instead of waiting for me to come back on.

 

[mad jew]

Weird. Open up Activity Monitor and view All Processes to see if there's a specific app (or process) causing this.

 

[ravenvii]

The only programs I have running are Safari, Mail and iChat. There's nothing suspicious in Activity Monitor, the only processes I don't recnogize are pbs and mdimport. I have 1.54 GB of RAM idle. And 97-98% of my CPU is idle.

And this is the setup I always have when leaving my computer on overnight - 3 programs running and idling. No windows are open, unless an dialog comes up (like being disconnected from AIM or some such).

I remembered that sometimes when the computer is choking, I can just close my MacBook to force it go to sleep, and then reopen it, and the computer is fine again.

 

[Mac'Mo]

are you on wireless internet?

 

[ravenvii]

are you on wireless internet?

Yup. Why?

 

[Mac'Mo]

if the internet dropping is your problem, then you might check out your wireless router? there might be interference like with your phone or something else

 

[ravenvii]

if the internet dropping is your problem, then you might check out your wireless router? there might be interference like with your phone or something else

I do have dropping issues, and I do know exactly what the cause is. But this isn't the problem here. Thanks though.

 

[Gosh]

Hi,

I'm not sure, does seems a bit odd!

You say the RAM is registered fine but it could still be a cause if not from a good source!

You say it doesn't go to sleep so it will get it's maintenance routine - which is essential.

Internet disconnection can cause some unspecific problems - a bit above me to explain here. Maybe try letting it sleep and see if it's OK in the morning - that would narrow it down to the disconnection issue.

If you put it to sleep regular then use a 3rd party maintenance utility.