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Andrew Stephens · Apr 28, 2005, 06:40 AM

This is driving me nuts. I know people often go on about their computer slowing up but this is ridiculous. Since upgrading to 10.3.9 I would guess that I spend around 30% of my time staring at the spinning beachball.
Move a window:beachball
Click on a menu:beachball
Open a window:beachball

etc
etc

If I want to switch between apps: beachball and maybe a freeze of around 15 seconds. tabbing between fields in web pages, maybe 5 seconds to move on to the next field.

I'm spending my life looking at the darn beachball. Have tried restarting no change. Seems to be no faster on my kids accounts either. The system also seems totally unable to multi task any more either. If I send a mail and switch back to another app, you can see that in the background the mail has stopped sending until I switch back to mail. CPU usage seems to be OK, around 30-40% most of the time.

Any kown issues with 10.3.9 here?

Thanks

Randman · Apr 28, 2005, 06:42 AM

You haven't read any threads have you?

Anyway, have you tried to resintall 10.3.9, this time via the combo update? Doing that and repairing permissions and reinstalling the java update seems to be the trick. Or live with it for about 24 hours if you're getting Tiger on Day1 .

Andrew Stephens · Apr 28, 2005, 08:00 AM

I scrolled through the recent posts in this area. Thought I'd gone back far enough past all teh Tiger threads. Obviously not!!

Chances of going with tiger on day 1 0%!! If Apple can't sort out decent point releases then I figure 10.4.0 will be a total dog. Looking forward to the howls of abject rage all over the forum tomorrow when the early adopters get going!

Randman · Apr 28, 2005, 08:25 AM

We'll see. But humble pie may also be served to you naysayers.

SMacTech · Apr 28, 2005, 08:46 AM

Originally Posted by Andrew Stephens

CPU usage seems to be OK, around 30-40% most of the time.

Any kown issues with 10.3.9 here?

Thanks

What is causing your consistent 30-40% cpu usage? If that is from some process hitting up the file system over and over, it would account for your beachballing.

If you are comfortable with terminal, try sudo fs_usage and look at your disk activity or see what process may be consuming cpu% using top.

jasong · Apr 28, 2005, 08:58 AM

Hey, count yourself lucky, 10.3.9 turned my PowerBook into a gold fish

Andrew Stephens · May 3, 2005, 11:59 AM

Right, Thanks Randman, downloaded all 107Mb of installer from Apple and installed both that and the Java update. Whoo hooo, it was like a new computer, very very speedy, well for four days. Now all the previous symptoms are back again. Currently on my third forced restart of the day and seeing the damn beachball all the time!

So, what might the issue be here. There's obviously something that 10.3.9 hates.

euphras · May 3, 2005, 12:07 PM

Get Tiger! I got it on friday and it works like a charm for me...

Andrew Stephens · May 4, 2005, 05:12 AM

I like the look of the Tiger bugs thread!! i feel I would be better waiting for 10.4.1 or 2! I just cannot see a moajor release like this working right out of the box!

Big Mac · May 4, 2005, 05:38 AM

Andrew, the threads on 10.3.9 show it to be one of the most functional and least troublesome incremental upgrades in OS X history - in my opinion it was the best incremental release ever. It's unfortunate that you're having trouble, but 10.3.9 was a great upgrade. Go read Detrius' crashes/freezes thread to see why you may be having these problems. It would be a good idea to do an archive and install.

Andrew Stephens · May 4, 2005, 05:47 AM

YEAH. I guess a quick install left whatever was broken still broken. I just need to find the time/space to do it properly! Gha!

will have to wait until the wekend I guess. the downer is having to go back to my 10.3 discs and then go back up the upgrade ladder again. Still, as long as it works!