[Dr Intrepid]

I'm having a problem with programs hanging when launched. So far, I've only seen it repeatedly with Mail, Safari and Activity Monitor. The problem appears to be limited to a single user account, and I can get it to go away temporarily by reparing permissions on the disk. What could be causing this? The last software change was the newest system update from Apple.

Any help diagnosing this would be appreciated.

I'm using a Powerbook G4 15", 1.5GHz w/1GB of RAM running Mac OS X 10.3.8, Kernel Version: Darwin 7.8.0.

[theolein]

You've looked in the logs, right?

[Dr Intrepid]

Yes, but I couldn't find anything that seemed to mean much in terms of the applications crashing. That's not to say that it isn't there, just that I didn't understand what it meant.

Here's the crash log for Mail. If I read it right, it indicates a kernel panic. Question is, why didn't a simple restart fix the issue? The date indicates that the problems been around since Feb. 2, and I can only assume what's happening now is that the program was damaged and won't finish loading when the system is restarted.

Host Name: Mac-Laptop.local
Date/Time: 2005-02-02 16:36:31 -0600
OS Version: 10.3.7 (Build 7S215)
Report Version: 2

Command: Mail
Path: /Applications/Mail.app/Contents/MacOS/Mail
Version: 1.3.9 (619)
PID: 368
Thread: 10

Exception: EXC_BAD_ACCESS (0x0001)
Codes: KERN_PROTECTION_FAILURE (0x0002) at 0x00000015

Thread 0:
0 libSystem.B.dylib 0x900074c8 mach_msg_trap + 0x8
1 libSystem.B.dylib 0x90007018 mach_msg + 0x38
2 com.apple.CoreFoundation 0x90191700 __CFRunLoopRun + 0x350
3 com.apple.CoreFoundation 0x90195e8c CFRunLoopRunSpecific + 0x148
4 com.apple.HIToolbox 0x927d5f60 RunCurrentEventLoopInMode + 0xac
5 com.apple.HIToolbox 0x927dc6c8 ReceiveNextEventCommon + 0x17c
6 com.apple.HIToolbox 0x927fe6a0 BlockUntilNextEventMatchingListInMode + 0x60
7 com.apple.AppKit 0x92dd2e44 _DPSNextEvent + 0x180
8 com.apple.AppKit 0x92de98c8 -[NSApplication nextEventMatchingMask:untilDate:inMode:dequeue:] + 0x74
9 com.apple.AppKit 0x92dfdc30 -[NSApplication run] + 0x21c
10 com.apple.AppKit 0x92eba2b8 NSApplicationMain + 0x1d0
11 com.apple.mail 0x0001358c 0x1000 + 0x1258c
12 com.apple.mail 0x00042438 0x1000 + 0x41438

Thread 1:
0 libSystem.B.dylib 0x90018be8 semaphore_timedwait_signal_trap + 0x8
1 libSystem.B.dylib 0x9000e788 _pthread_cond_wait + 0x268
2 com.apple.Foundation 0x90a4b310 F_CONDITION_WAIT_TIMEOUT + 0x90
3 com.apple.Foundation 0x90a5f82c -[NSConditionLock lockWhenCondition:beforeDate:] + 0x80
4 com.apple.MessageFramework 0x878b0208 -[InvocationQueue _drainQueue] + 0xb0
5 com.apple.Foundation 0x90a39b74 forkThreadForFunction + 0x6c
6 libSystem.B.dylib 0x900246e8 _pthread_body + 0x28

Thread 2:
0 libSystem.B.dylib 0x90012568 syscall_thread_switch + 0x8
1 com.apple.Foundation 0x90a029c8 +[NSThread sleepUntilDate:] + 0x98
2 com.apple.AppKit 0x92dcafe8 -[NSUIHeartBeat _heartBeatThread:] + 0x494
3 com.apple.Foundation 0x90a39b74 forkThreadForFunction + 0x6c
4 libSystem.B.dylib 0x900246e8 _pthread_body + 0x28

Thread 3:
0 libSystem.B.dylib 0x900074c8 mach_msg_trap + 0x8
1 libSystem.B.dylib 0x90007018 mach_msg + 0x38
2 com.apple.CoreFoundation 0x90191700 __CFRunLoopRun + 0x350
3 com.apple.CoreFoundation 0x90195e8c CFRunLoopRunSpecific + 0x148
4 com.apple.Foundation 0x909fc850 -[NSRunLoop runMode:beforeDate:] + 0xac
5 com.apple.Foundation 0x90a15454 -[NSRunLoop run] + 0x4c
6 com.apple.MessageFramework 0x878d4034 +[_NSSocket _runIOThread] + 0x5c
7 com.apple.Foundation 0x90a39b74 forkThreadForFunction + 0x6c
8 libSystem.B.dylib 0x900246e8 _pthread_body + 0x28

Thread 4:
0 libSystem.B.dylib 0x900074c8 mach_msg_trap + 0x8
1 libSystem.B.dylib 0x90007018 mach_msg + 0x38
2 com.apple.CoreFoundation 0x90191700 __CFRunLoopRun + 0x350
3 com.apple.CoreFoundation 0x90195e8c CFRunLoopRunSpecific + 0x148
4 com.apple.Foundation 0x909fc850 -[NSRunLoop runMode:beforeDate:] + 0xac
5 com.apple.Foundation 0x90a15454 -[NSRunLoop run] + 0x4c
6 com.apple.Foundation 0x90a6747c +[NSURLConnection(NSURLConnectionInternal) _resourceLoadLoop:] + 0x20c
7 com.apple.Foundation 0x90a39b74 forkThreadForFunction + 0x6c
8 libSystem.B.dylib 0x900246e8 _pthread_body + 0x28

Thread 5:
0 libSystem.B.dylib 0x900074c8 mach_msg_trap + 0x8
1 libSystem.B.dylib 0x90007018 mach_msg + 0x38
2 com.apple.CoreFoundation 0x90191700 __CFRunLoopRun + 0x350
3 com.apple.CoreFoundation 0x90195e8c CFRunLoopRunSpecific + 0x148
4 com.apple.Foundation 0x909fc850 -[NSRunLoop runMode:beforeDate:] + 0xac
5 com.apple.Foundation 0x90a15454 -[NSRunLoop run] + 0x4c
6 com.apple.Foundation 0x90a679bc +[NSURLCache _diskCacheSyncLoop:] + 0xa8
7 com.apple.Foundation 0x90a39b74 forkThreadForFunction + 0x6c
8 libSystem.B.dylib 0x900246e8 _pthread_body + 0x28

Thread 6:
0 libSystem.B.dylib 0x900074c8 mach_msg_trap + 0x8
1 libSystem.B.dylib 0x90007018 mach_msg + 0x38
2 com.apple.CoreFoundation 0x90191700 __CFRunLoopRun + 0x350
3 com.apple.CoreFoundation 0x90195e8c CFRunLoopRunSpecific + 0x148
4 com.apple.Foundation 0x909fc850 -[NSRunLoop runMode:beforeDate:] + 0xac
5 com.apple.Foundation 0x90a15454 -[NSRunLoop run] + 0x4c
6 com.apple.WebKit 0x958001c0 +[WebFileDatabase _syncLoop:] + 0xa8
7 com.apple.Foundation 0x90a39b74 forkThreadForFunction + 0x6c
8 libSystem.B.dylib 0x900246e8 _pthread_body + 0x28

Thread 7:
0 libSystem.B.dylib 0x9000b20c select + 0xc
1 com.apple.CoreFoundation 0x90196b10 __CFSocketManager + 0x1fc
2 libSystem.B.dylib 0x900246e8 _pthread_body + 0x28

Thread 8:
0 libSystem.B.dylib 0x90018be8 semaphore_timedwait_signal_trap + 0x8
1 libSystem.B.dylib 0x9000e788 _pthread_cond_wait + 0x268
2 com.apple.Foundation 0x90a4b310 F_CONDITION_WAIT_TIMEOUT + 0x90
3 com.apple.Foundation 0x90a5f82c -[NSConditionLock lockWhenCondition:beforeDate:] + 0x80
4 com.apple.MessageFramework 0x878b0208 -[InvocationQueue _drainQueue] + 0xb0
5 com.apple.Foundation 0x90a39b74 forkThreadForFunction + 0x6c
6 libSystem.B.dylib 0x900246e8 _pthread_body + 0x28

Thread 9:
0 libSystem.B.dylib 0x900074c8 mach_msg_trap + 0x8
1 libSystem.B.dylib 0x90007018 mach_msg + 0x38
2 ...ple.CoreServices.CarbonCore 0x9031a808 TS_exception_listener_thread + 0x70
3 libSystem.B.dylib 0x900246e8 _pthread_body + 0x28

Thread 10 Crashed:
0 libobjc.A.dylib 0x908311f4 objc_msgSend + 0x14
1 com.apple.CoreFoundation 0x901acc94 CFArrayCreate + 0x144
2 com.apple.Foundation 0x90a0dbd0 -[NSDictionary allKeys] + 0xbc
3 com.apple.MessageFramework 0x87924494 -[POP3FetchStore _removeLeftoversFromSeenMessagesUsingIDs:] + 0x40
4 com.apple.MessageFramework 0x87923a4c -[POP3FetchStore fetchSynchronously] + 0x940
5 com.apple.MessageFramework 0x87945474 -[POPAccount fetchSynchronously] + 0xc0
6 libobjc.A.dylib 0x90836734 objc_msgSendv + 0xb4
7 com.apple.Foundation 0x909fabf0 -[NSInvocation invoke] + 0x374
8 com.apple.MessageFramework 0x878b3b94 -[MonitoredInvocation invoke] + 0x90
9 com.apple.MessageFramework 0x878b02f0 -[InvocationQueue _drainQueue] + 0x198
10 com.apple.Foundation 0x90a39b74 forkThreadForFunction + 0x6c
11 libSystem.B.dylib 0x900246e8 _pthread_body + 0x28

Thread 11:
0 libSystem.B.dylib 0x90018be8 semaphore_timedwait_signal_trap + 0x8
1 libSystem.B.dylib 0x9000e788 _pthread_cond_wait + 0x268
2 com.apple.Foundation 0x90a4b310 F_CONDITION_WAIT_TIMEOUT + 0x90
3 com.apple.Foundation 0x90a5f82c -[NSConditionLock lockWhenCondition:beforeDate:] + 0x80
4 com.apple.MessageFramework 0x878b0208 -[InvocationQueue _drainQueue] + 0xb0
5 com.apple.Foundation 0x90a39b74 forkThreadForFunction + 0x6c
6 libSystem.B.dylib 0x900246e8 _pthread_body + 0x28

Thread 12:
0 libSystem.B.dylib 0x90018be8 semaphore_timedwait_signal_trap + 0x8
1 libSystem.B.dylib 0x9000e788 _pthread_cond_wait + 0x268
2 com.apple.Foundation 0x90a4b310 F_CONDITION_WAIT_TIMEOUT + 0x90
3 com.apple.Foundation 0x90a5f82c -[NSConditionLock lockWhenCondition:beforeDate:] + 0x80
4 com.apple.MessageFramework 0x878b0208 -[InvocationQueue _drainQueue] + 0xb0
5 com.apple.Foundation 0x90a39b74 forkThreadForFunction + 0x6c
6 libSystem.B.dylib 0x900246e8 _pthread_body + 0x28

Thread 13:
0 libSystem.B.dylib 0x90018be8 semaphore_timedwait_signal_trap + 0x8
1 libSystem.B.dylib 0x9000e788 _pthread_cond_wait + 0x268
2 ...apple.AddressBook.framework 0x90ecd208 -[ABRemoteImageLoader workLoop] + 0x80
3 com.apple.Foundation 0x90a39b74 forkThreadForFunction + 0x6c
4 libSystem.B.dylib 0x900246e8 _pthread_body + 0x28

Thread 14:
0 libSystem.B.dylib 0x90018be8 semaphore_timedwait_signal_trap + 0x8
1 libSystem.B.dylib 0x9000e788 _pthread_cond_wait + 0x268
2 com.apple.Foundation 0x90a4b310 F_CONDITION_WAIT_TIMEOUT + 0x90
3 com.apple.Foundation 0x90a5f82c -[NSConditionLock lockWhenCondition:beforeDate:] + 0x80
4 com.apple.MessageFramework 0x878b0208 -[InvocationQueue _drainQueue] + 0xb0
5 com.apple.Foundation 0x90a39b74 forkThreadForFunction + 0x6c
6 libSystem.B.dylib 0x900246e8 _pthread_body + 0x28

Thread 15:
0 libSystem.B.dylib 0x90018be8 semaphore_timedwait_signal_trap + 0x8
1 libSystem.B.dylib 0x9000e788 _pthread_cond_wait + 0x268
2 com.apple.Foundation 0x90a4b310 F_CONDITION_WAIT_TIMEOUT + 0x90
3 com.apple.Foundation 0x90a5f82c -[NSConditionLock lockWhenCondition:beforeDate:] + 0x80
4 com.apple.MessageFramework 0x878b0208 -[InvocationQueue _drainQueue] + 0xb0
5 com.apple.Foundation 0x90a39b74 forkThreadForFunction + 0x6c
6 libSystem.B.dylib 0x900246e8 _pthread_body + 0x28

Thread 16:
0 libSystem.B.dylib 0x90018be8 semaphore_timedwait_signal_trap + 0x8
1 libSystem.B.dylib 0x9000e788 _pthread_cond_wait + 0x268
2 com.apple.Foundation 0x90a4b310 F_CONDITION_WAIT_TIMEOUT + 0x90
3 com.apple.Foundation 0x90a5f82c -[NSConditionLock lockWhenCondition:beforeDate:] + 0x80
4 com.apple.MessageFramework 0x878b0208 -[InvocationQueue _drainQueue] + 0xb0
5 com.apple.Foundation 0x90a39b74 forkThreadForFunction + 0x6c
6 libSystem.B.dylib 0x900246e8 _pthread_body + 0x28

PPC Thread State:
srr0: 0x908311f4 srr1: 0x0000d030 vrsave: 0x00000000
cr: 0x42008448 xer: 0x20000007 lr: 0x901acc94 ctr: 0x908311e0
r0: 0x901acc94 r1: 0xf031fce0 r2: 0xa0190f8c r3: 0x0535baa0
r4: 0x9088d10c r5: 0x00000000 r6: 0x00000000 r7: 0x00000000
r8: 0x00000000 r9: 0x0be4b190 r10: 0x00000000 r11: 0x22008448
r12: 0x00000015 r13: 0x879b310c r14: 0x879b310c r15: 0x00000000
r16: 0x00000000 r17: 0x00000000 r18: 0x879b310c r19: 0x879b310c
r20: 0x00000000 r21: 0x04af95d0 r22: 0x00000000 r23: 0x000000e1
r24: 0x01a4b8c8 r25: 0x01a4b8cc r26: 0x019ef8d8 r27: 0xa0192e94
r28: 0x00000033 r29: 0x019ef800 r30: 0x019ef8d4 r31: 0x901acb58

[theolein]

It seems to be hanging when it removes old messages. You could try deleting your com.apple.mail.plist mail preferences in ~/Library/Preferences (make a backup first though). IF that doesn't help you could try, after first having made a backup, removing the following files one by one in the ~/Library/Mail folder: DefaultCounts, LSMMap2, MessageSorting.plist. I would start with MessageSorting.plist and then try DefaultCounts and lastly LSMMap2.

BTW, you don't have that sidetrack controller, do you? I've seen people having problems with it in 10.3.8

[Big Mac]

Yeah, theolein seems to have found the issue - it appears to be a problem with removing old messages from the server. Try getting the messages with a different email client. Now you said that Safari is crashing too, so you may as well post the crash log for it as well. Note that KERN_PROTECTION_FAILURE is not a kernel panic - if it were, you get the greyed out screen with a manual restart notification. A protection fault, if memory serves, means that the application tried to access memory outside of its allocation and was terminated as a result.