[030108]

I just noticed that my digital clock, with seconds, display in the upper right corner of my Leopard Mac screen is not advancing. An unrelated clock in my office SPOKE the time as 12:55pm and I realized that my Mac was displaying 12:17pm. I assumed the unrelated clock must certainly be wrong because I have been intending on replacing its batteries for months now.

When I checked my cell phone clock it became clear that my Mac clock is indeed displaying 12:17pm when it is actually 12:55pm. I clicked on the clock to open the "drop down menu" and the time immediately updated to the correct time. But it is still not advancing; it will only update when I click on it.

It gets weirder; obviously I like talking clocks so I have my Mac set to speak the time every 1/2 hour. DESPITE the fact that my Mac's clock display is not advancing my Mac SPOKE the time correctly at 1pm while the clock display was showing 12:22pm.

But wait; it gets still weirder. I included a time display, with seconds, in a website that I am involved in the development of. The time display on that website simply displays the time based on the user's computer, in this case my Mac. Since I was online anyway, of course, I decided to navigate to a page of the website that displays the time taken from the user's, in this case my, computer. ! The website time display correctly advances with seconds and all.

As a recent switcher to Mac I thought I was leaving the need to reboot when the computer has been on a long time behind with my Windows machine. Well, my Mac has been on without a restart/reboot for almost 9 days and I am pretty certain that its time display will start functioning properly again once I reboot/restart. But WHY DOES THIS HAPPEN?

CAN anyone explain?

It is a 4gb 250gb 2.2ghz Leopard Mac and I have 3 Opera windows open with a total of 24 tabs open between them. I have a second monitor running and I have TextWrangler running with about 40 separate text documents open. Thunderbird 2.0.0.12 is running hidden, besides my third party Firewall and Antivirus.

I will save all the text documents I have open and restart my Mac. Again, I am pretty certain the time issue will not manifest once I restart, but I intend to update this post once I do so. But WHY does this happen?

UPDATE: When I heard the sounds of my "Time Machine" backup drive I looked at the "Time Machine" icon in the upper right of my Mac screen. The backup was successful, BUT just like the clock display, the "Time Machine" icon did not activate.

As I suspected it would, after shutting down and restarting the machine the clock is now displaying properly.

Can anyone explain to me what caused the issues I described?

[turtle777]

Fluke.

Restarting helps. No way to tell what REALLY happened.

-t

[030108]

THANKS FOR RESPONDING.

Yeah, I just shut the machine completely down and started it back up using the power button. I know a restart would have probably been sufficient, but I wanted to make sure to clear any "anomalies".

I guess I knew I would not be able to get away without restarting for days at a time on a Mac, either. I just really wanted to believe the Mac would behave differently than my Windows machine with regard to the necessity for relatively frequent restarting.

[Gamoe]

Originally Posted by 030108 

[COLOR="Silver"]
I guess I knew I would not be able to get away without restarting for days at a time on a Mac, either. I just really wanted to believe the Mac would behave differently than my Windows machine with regard to the necessity for relatively frequent restarting.

No matter what computer you have, they are all complex, fallible machines, and sometimes rebooting is the quickest cure.

In all likelihood whatever process or daemon was in charge of updating the menu bar had quit or was malfunctioning and just needed to be restarted, which you could have done without rebooting the entire machine, although the latter was probably the easiest, quickest solution.

However, I've had my Macs on for *months* with nary an issue, so it's best not to base your opinion on the stability of the platform on one single, isolated, fluke incident.

[030108]

THANKS FOR RESPONDING - EVERYONE

Originally Posted by Gamoe 

...you could have done without rebooting the entire machine....

HOW? In similar situations I will likely reboot anyway, but I would appreciate knowing HOW all the same.

[64stang06]

Originally Posted by 030108 

THANKS FOR RESPONDING - EVERYONE



HOW? In similar situations I will likely reboot anyway, but I would appreciate knowing HOW all the same.

Sometimes, logging out and back in again will fix the issue. Much quicker than restarting.

[Gamoe]

Originally Posted by 030108 

THANKS FOR RESPONDING.

HOW? In similar situations I will likely reboot anyway, but I would appreciate knowing HOW all the same.

If you know what process is not doing its job, you can go to the Activity Monitor (in the Utilities folder located within your Applications folder, Command-Shift-u if you're in the Finder) and quit that process, effectively restarting it. Otherwise you can call up a process that's not running but should be from the Terminal (in the same folder).

But, again this is a little involved if you're not experienced with that type of thing, and it might be altogether faster to restart or simply logout, as 64stang06 suggests.

[zro]

Something is hanging SystemUIServer. What else do you have up there?

[030108]

Originally Posted by zro 

...What else do you have up there?

Realtime Icon for "Temperature Monitor" app showing CPU A temperature.

Icon for the Intego security software that I have installed.

Signal strength icon.

Realtime "Time Machine" app icon.

Display/Monitor icon[One extra monitor connected].

Bluetooth icon[Using bluetooth keyboard and mouse].

Airport icon.

Battery icon[Running off AC with NO BATTERY installed.]

Realtime digital "Clock display" icon.

Fast User switching user identity

Spotlight icon of course.

note: As far as I am aware this issue has not occurred before and it has not recurred since I shutdown the machine and restarted(power button) it a few hours ago. Have not installed any new apps during the period that I had not restarted the machine or even shortly before the last 9 days. Although, if I install new software/apps I just restart by habit anyway.

[bishopazrael]

And Im wondering about how much ram you have.

Wait. First lets go back a step.

You switched from an xp box to a mac. Good for you.

But this is not the end all be all jesus box you were thinking. This computer is actually made by a MAN, NOT GOD. So if it's made by a man, why would you expect it to be perfect? See my point? As someone else pointed out, yes even the holy pinnacle of Mac is prone to needing a swift boot to the ass every once in a while.

First you don't need third party AV/Firewall. Get rid of all of that crap. Its bulk and its not needed on a Mac. Only reason you need AV is if you want to be a computer neighbor and not spread windows virus' on to other people in your address book. That aside there are no current virus' for the Mac, and won't be for some time. Norton loves telling people they need them. They're LIARS and cheats. YOU DONT NEED IT.

Second. If you're doing all of that with anything less that 2gb of RAM of course something's gonna seize up. What? You thought you could do anything you wanted on your glorious jesus-box? Give me a break. Sorry to break it to you but just like windows you need to have the appropriate amount of RAM to have open 40 odd text files and 60 some tabs in opera. I'm surprised your new toy didn't fart fire on your lap in a cry of righteous indignation! For that kind of work I'd say install the max of 4gb of RAM.

Sorry to be so mean... but you new guys come in here thinking oh... my shiney new jesusbox will do whatever I want it to with only 512mb in RAM! Oh I only need a 40gb hard drive! Then you wonder what's wrong when jesus climbs down from the cross and spanks you over the head by not saving your word documents. It's a computer. Same inner parts as that Dell you just ditched. Same needs and limitations. Learn them. Love them. Know them.

[Chuckit]

Bishopazrael, you seem to be encouraging the same type of superstitious thinking you were trying to debunk. This Mac is not somehow sentient so that it will suddenly refuse to allow one particular piece of software to update its display unless you feed the computer enough RAM. All lack of RAM can do to reasonably well-designed software is make it run slowly. If a piece of software suddenly stops functioning when RAM is low, that's a bug, not some inexplicable limitation of the hardware. It's good to make sure people aren't being overly optimistic, but I think you're going too far the other direction. People shouldn't have to expect their computer to go completely crazy just because it had to start swapping VM.

I do agree that it seems likely one of his other menu extras is likely the culprit, though — probably Intego.

[analogika]

Originally Posted by bishopazrael 

First you don't need third party AV/Firewall. Get rid of all of that crap. Its bulk and its not needed on a Mac. Only reason you need AV is if you want to be a computer neighbor and not spread windows virus' on to other people in your address book. That aside there are no current virus' for the Mac, and won't be for some time. Norton loves telling people they need them. They're LIARS and cheats. YOU DONT NEED IT.

This is bullshit (except the bit about Norton - they really need to disappear).

There WILL be viruses, even if Mac OS X is structurally so much more secure than Windows that there is no way it will ever reach that kind of state WRT security - no matter what market share it attains.

Originally Posted by bishopazrael 

Second. If you're doing all of that with anything less that 2gb of RAM of course something's gonna seize up.

That too is bullshit.

Something is hanging the SystemUIServer.

My money's on the temperature monitor.

And you really need to can the tone - you're coming across as a bit of an ass.

[besson3c]

Why is it that people think that firewalls are some anti-virus device? They are *NOT*, they have completely different purposes. Unless you are behind a firewall already (which includes a router), you should run one.

[bishopazrael]

Name for me one virus for the current Mac OS in the wild.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
........... is that the sound of silence I hear?

Yeah. Look if you're running a Mac you just quite simply don't need an anti virus. All the experts agree. Could there be a virus for the Mac? Sure. But as of yet no one's made one. There have been challenges issued via the mainstream press for huge sums of money if someone can prove they have a working virus on the Mac, in the wild. I think the last challenge was for $100k. Still nothing. Are there exploits? Sure, but even at things like defcon they say that the exploit won't work unless the end user at the keyboard allows it to work.

Firewalls... most people now days have a router. Your router's firewall is fine. To suppliment that you have the built in firewall from OSX. That too is more than sufficient.

So yeah... I was right. The ONLY reason to have an antivirus is to be a good computing neighbor and not re-send a message with an infected file on to other people on your list who might be a windows user with out sufficient protection.

As for his system's memory... I think we'd all agree that 2 or 3 open windows of Opera with over 20 tabs per window... and 40 open text documents all at the same time? Yeah... I think we can all agree that he's gonna need more than the minimum spec of RAM. Please. Don't try and argue otherwise. We all know the power users here are all memory whores to begin with. Can he run it with less than 2gb? Sure. I'm sure it'll work with 512. But it sure will slow things down at that point don't you think? I never said that his problem was't some hanging process, I'm sure it was... but lets also be real here and address the obvious contributing factors.

I'm sorry my snarky tone offended your delicate sensibilities, but what I'm telling him is practical and true. And in case you missed it before... I AM a bit of an ass.

But I'm also right.

[030108]

Bishopazrael, thankyou for attempting to make suggestions, but, in my opinion, you sound as if you entered the thread I started LOOKING intensively for something to "flame" me about.

You, in my opinion, were so eager to make me look dumb that you apparently did not even bother to do the basics. As in read my original post.

If you had read the post instead of, in my opinion, trying to embarrass me or get me laughed at, then, you would have found answers to virtually everything you appear to be trying to embarrass me on.

Bishopazrael you spend something like 2 paragraphs trying to admonish me about using less than 4gb RAM. Uhhhhhhh, I guess you did not read my original post:

It is a 4gb...

Dude you could have saved yourself two whole paragraphs and a sentence. In my opinion your comments largely make you look like you should be laughed at because my post clearly indicates I have 4gb of RAM.

Then you start on 40gb hard drives in an apparent attempt to indicate my Mac's hard drive is insufficient. Again, if you had read my post you would have found:

250gb

I am using about 8.79% of a 250gb hard drive. Last time I checked a 250gb hard drive on a Macbook was more or less adequate.

Then you go into some diatribe about Jesus and not saving word documents. Here is what you said:

Then you wonder what's wrong when jesus climbs down from the cross and spanks you over the head by not saving your word documents.

Dude, to me, you sound like you are way out by the Oort Cloud or something. What the heck are you talking about bishopazrael? I mean, even if I were to indulge you on your "out of this world" comments one of the first things I would say is "Jesus is not on the cross. He died, was taken down from the cross, entombed, and rose again." In fact, that particular cross is not there any more. Bishopazrael the bible has been around for, what, a couple thousand years and you still do not appear to have read enough to quote accurately.

Then you say:

It's a computer.

Apparently in some attempt to make it appear that I do not know that. Read my original post and you will see numerous uses of the word "computer". I do not see where I expressed doubt as to exactly what my Mac is bishopazrael.

Same inner parts as that Dell you just ditched.

Actually, I did not exactly ditch my XP machine. It sits to the left of the 2nd display monitor I have attached to my Mac. I still use it and my Mac is part of a network that includes it. I also still have Windows 2000, 98, 95, TRS-80, Commodore, and IBM PS1 machines.

And I do not agree when you imply that my Mac has the exact:

Same needs and limitations.

My experience thus far with it has not substantially revealed the same needs and limitations as my XP machine. If it had, then, I would probably be largely dissatisfied with it.

Bishopazrael you also said:

Backups are like guns and condoms. It's better to have it and not need it than to need it and not have it.

To which I could reply:
"Antivirus and firewalls are like guns and condoms. It's better to have it and not need it than to need it and not have it."

You are contradicting yourself something awful bishopazrael.

...if you want to be a computer neighbor and not spread windows virus' on to other people...

Isn't that what you do when you use condoms? You seem to be saying protect my real world neighbors, but damn them if they want to hook up with me online. You are contradicting yourself bishopazrael.

Bishopazrael it is YOUR RIGHT to keep running without antivirus and firewall. Why would I try to deny you that? As for me, though, I run antivirus and firewall. Why would you try to deny ME that? AND when you say:

...there are no current virus' for the Mac...

I can tell you that there are no known burglars in the neighborhood of my vacation home in Switzerland BUT I still have locks on my home's doors and my car's doors AND I use them. I do not pretend to be so arrogant as to be "in the loop" and know precisely when a burglar will strike in the Swiss neighborhood where my vacation home is located. Believe me bishopazrael; if I were "bad***" brilliant enough to have access to that type of information/foreknowledge, then, I would add $50million to my earnings this quarter.

I do realize one, or more, burglars may make an appearance in my Swiss neighborhood some day and I do not want to come home and feel like a damn fool because I did not keep a 99 dollar lock on my door.

There may be, supposedly, no current viruses in the opposite sex people in my office, but I still would not go sexing them without protection.

I am not arrogant enough to believe that I will have forewarning enough to successfully avoid a virus. I just keep security measures in place at all times BECAUSE there is way too much at stake for me AND it is too simple to have security measures around all the time. ...just like condoms.

I have never fallen out of any of my smaller boats, but I still wear a life vest when I am on one of my small boats.

Incidentally, I have been in a real world situation where I could have, but did not have certain security measures in place. I am still regretting and affected by the consequences of my oversight. If a brand new computer can not handle running antivirus and firewall for some strange reason, then, I don't need that particular computer anymore than I need a chainsaw without blade guards and so forth OR a VIPER that can not keep me from getting burned on that DAMNED exhaust when I, or my passenger, enter or exit.

In my opinion you seem to have some inner need to make your self feel like the "big man on campus" by aggressively seeking to belittle others. In my experience such behavior has almost always hidden a deep feeling of inadequacy or something.

I agree with analogika.

...you really need to can the tone - you're coming across as a bit of an a**.

Something is hanging the SystemUIServer.

Thankyou for responding analogika. This has only happened once in the months that I have owned this Mac. I am content to, more or less, ignore it UNLESS it happens again or becomes "chronic"; especially, considering the length of time I had the Mac on w/out reboot and various other factors.

Why is it that people think that firewalls are some anti-virus device? They are *NOT*, they have completely different purposes. Unless you are behind a firewall already (which includes a router), you should run one.

Excellent point. And did I mention that is an EXCELLENT POINT?

Update:
And you even post again and still have, apparently, not read the original post:

"I think we can all agree that he's gonna need more than the minimum spec of RAM. ...but lets also be real here and address the obvious contributing factors."

Dude, you are talking about non-issues. I do not have a clue where you a coming from. Where are you READING FROM. You certainly could not be reading from my original post. MAYBE you have got a virus. A Zero-day one.

[Mac User #001]

030108, you need to stick around.

People like bishopazrael pop up every now and then, and could use a slapping.

Nice work!

Unfortunately, I don't have the technical know-how to help you solve your problem. Simply complimenting you.

[030108]

Originally Posted by Mac User #001 

030108, you need to stick around. Nice work!

I will take that "pat on the back". Thankyou.

I appreciate it.

[bishopazrael]

Wow. Strike a nerve much?

If you've got all the specs then good for you. My question is why come in and take this pubic poll like it's the end of the world? Most people would have just rebooted and thought nothing of it.

Do I have a tone? Yep. I'm the first one to tell you. If you don't like it sorry, but then again.. you ARE Swiss. Hmmm...

I'm done here.

[bishopazrael]

And for the record you seem to think there's emotion involved in this and I should "feel" dissed or embarrassed or something. Sorry to disappoint but I don't really get that emotionally involved with an internet bbs. Things I state here are just facts or opinions. If someone doesn't like them, well thats what make world so colored. I don't get upset because you seem to have e-smacked me down. I think that whole long post you were just trying to convince yourself of the size of your e-pen. I gave advice, it was good, real world, practical advice. You don't want it or like it then fine.

As long as I continue to profit from what I know and other people think it's good advice I'll continue to give it. If you were offended by words on a webpage posted by someone you've never seen, met or talked to then I suggest some form of help. Whats the point in getting upset by it?

And yeah.. Im right. Pretty much every pundit out there ( ie... guys that give REAL public advice over radio, tv, etc..) all agree that AV on a Mac is pretty much pointless. You want to devote your system resources to having an AV and an extra fire wall... go right ahead. Never said otherwise. I just mentioned the FACT that you don't NEED it.

[Chuckit]

Let's cut off the bickering here, please. If you have questions or helpful insight, that's great, but there's no need for rudeness and mockery here.

[Gamoe]

Originally Posted by bishopazrael 

If you were offended by words on a webpage posted by someone you've never seen, met or talked to then I suggest some form of help. Whats the point in getting upset by it?

If you talk to strangers this way habitually, I suggest *you* get some help, buddy. You're an ass.. and guess what? That's not "cool" or "edgy". Learn some freaking basic manners.

As for the antivirus issue, 030108: In my opinion, the virus "threat level" on the Mac is rather small, and the way the OS is built practically guarantees it will never be as bad as it is on Windoze, though that does not mean there will never, ever be a serious threat either.

To run an antivirus is not a bad idea, but you don't want to play into the big name developers' FUD, either. There's no need to spend money every year on an antivirus app. Instead, I suggest you use a free, open source and capable antivirus app, like ClamXAV.

BTW, I used to like Norton, back in the days before Mac OS X, but after Mac OS X I realized most of the Norton software for the Mac became redundant and unnecessary, and I don't appreciate it when a company tries to scare you into buying their product. That's my opinion, of course. YMMV.

But I think one of the nice advantages of using a Mac is not having to put up with the constant slow downs of an antivirus app checking your files continuously and eating up resources. Instead, I check for viruses every now and then. Daily, if I'm concerned.

Here's a good page on security apps for the Mac on Ars Technica.

[besson3c]

It's time for us to bicker!

[besson3c]

030108: Since you're new here, just to provide you with a little bit of orientation, I'm the best there is here on MacNN.

[bishopazrael]

agreed.

[- - e r i k - -]

Originally Posted by analogika 

There WILL be viruses, even if Mac OS X is structurally so much more secure than Windows that there is no way it will ever reach that kind of state WRT security - no matter what market share it attains.

Nine years of OS X and you'd think there be at least a single one by now.

[bishopazrael]

Yeah... specially with all these people offering cash money prizes upwards of $100k.

Hmmm... Ok so ..................HOW come there's no virus' for the Mac?

See... whether or not I read his post, whether or not I 'm right or not.... the OP doesn't get that the whole reason you BUY a Mac in the first place is that it just WORKS. Yeah.. sometimes there are problems or glitches... but it's a Mac. Try giving it a restart first before wigging out and posting polls and stuff. That's something a Dull user would do.

Whatever.. anyways there's always that 1% that just can't let go of their computer paranoia. I feel sorry for them........ I really do.

[markseamans]

Originally Posted by analogika 

This is bullshit (except the bit about Norton - they really need to disappear).

There WILL be viruses, even if Mac OS X is structurally so much more secure than Windows that there is no way it will ever reach that kind of state WRT security - no matter what market share it attains.

That too is bullshit.

Something is hanging the SystemUIServer.

My money's on the temperature monitor.

And you really need to can the tone - you're coming across as a bit of an ass.

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
a bit of an ass?http://forums.macnn.com/images/smili...chool/wink.gif

[red rocket]

Originally Posted by bishopazrael 

But this is not the end all be all jesus box you were thinking. This computer is actually made by a MAN, NOT GOD. So if it's made by a man, why would you expect it to be perfect? See my point? As someone else pointed out, yes even the holy pinnacle of Mac is prone to needing a swift boot to the ass every once in a while.

What, what, what? But of course, Jobs is God. What you’re saying is sacrilege, man, get with the programme.

All hail Jobs.

[analogika]

Originally Posted by bishopazrael 

As for his system's memory... I think we'd all agree that 2 or 3 open windows of Opera with over 20 tabs per window... and 40 open text documents all at the same time? Yeah... I think we can all agree that he's gonna need more than the minimum spec of RAM. Please. Don't try and argue otherwise. We all know the power users here are all memory whores to begin with. Can he run it with less than 2gb? Sure. I'm sure it'll work with 512. But it sure will slow things down at that point don't you think? I never said that his problem was't some hanging process, I'm sure it was... but lets also be real here and address the obvious contributing factors.

If that manages to hang your SystemUIServer, something is borked. Because, as you may not from the original post (and indeed the thread title), THAT is the issue.

And that IS NOT CAUSED by insufficient RAM.

However "right" you may think you are.

[ghporter]

Originally Posted by analogika 

This is bullshit (except the bit about Norton - they really need to disappear).

The Symantec-branded OS X product, on the other hand, is pretty benign, and helps one "play nice with others" whose PCs tend to act like magnets for crapware.

Originally Posted by analogika 

There WILL be viruses, even if Mac OS X is structurally so much more secure than Windows that there is no way it will ever reach that kind of state WRT security - no matter what market share it attains.

Absolutely. It's just harder to get these things made when there is less of a commercial demand (yes, viruses are commercial-why do you think they'd harvest personal information if not to sell it?), and when the OS isn't riddled with holes the way all Windows OS versions have been.

Originally Posted by Gamoe 

As for the antivirus issue, 030108: In my opinion, the virus "threat level" on the Mac is rather small, and the way the OS is built practically guarantees it will never be as bad as it is on Windoze, though that does not mean there will never, ever be a serious threat either.

I agree that the current threat level is low, but that doesn't mean that it will always be that low. To completely disregard the possibility of effective malware on the OS X-based Mac platform is unrealistic. Better to be cognizant of the potential for a threat, pay attention to what could be problems, and find you were a bit too cautious, than to play like nothing could ever happen and wind up very wrong. I liken it to paying attention to your environment when you're in an urban setting. Lots of ways you can have problems in a big city-parking laws, windshield-cleaning bums that will bash your car if you don't give them money, the potential for a local thug to see you as a potential victim... Most of the time there is NO problem whatsoever. But now and then...

[Gamoe]

Originally Posted by ghporter 

I agree that the current threat level is low, but that doesn't mean that it will always be that low. To completely disregard the possibility of effective malware on the OS X-based Mac platform is unrealistic. Better to be cognizant of the potential for a threat, pay attention to what could be problems, and find you were a bit too cautious, than to play like nothing could ever happen and wind up very wrong.

That's why I recommend ClamXAV, or something similar. It's up-to-date and reliable, but it's also free and open-source, so there's no unnecessary financial loss to the likes of Norton or otherwise.

However, being "too cautious" is counter productive, too. It's not reasonable, in my opinion, to be paranoid about malware on a platform with so little, and while being reasonably cautious (running the virus checker every day, etc.) is smart, being *too* cautious and running the virus-checker 100% of the time in the background checking every single file in real time will degrade drive performance and, in fact, sadly erode one of the Mac's advantages without reason.

It's like being someplace with a 0.1% crime rate and being so paranoid that you're dressed with bullet-proof clothing, check the buildings for snipers every time you go out and watch your back every two seconds just in case you need to pull out that heat your packing and unload some lead into your imaginary attacker.

Instead, I take reasonable precautions like locking the doors to my house, shredding my personal documents, and having an alarm system to warn me of any intruders.

[ghporter]

I completely agree with "reasonable precautions." The defaults for Symantec Client Security v10 (which my school provides free of charge) are so innocuous that I really don't notice the thing. I MUST run this in order to be allowed on the school's network, either on campus or remotely, so that's why I have it at all. And in the years I've been using it and its PC cousin I have never come across anything that it didn't handle with aplomb (all on the PC, of course). If I had to pay for it, I'd go with Clam, no question about it. But I'd have something running, just in case. Watching new files is something quite different from "running the virus-checker 100% of the time in the background checking every single file in real time." Especially with a Mac, which doesn't write to dozens of files every time you move the mouse.

I lock my doors, but I set the alarm too.

[chris v]

In all of this has no one really taken the time to stop and suggest what to actually do when the systemuiserver freezes?

Launch Activity Monitor, It's in /Applications/Utilities tell it to list "all processes" in the top pop-up menu, find the systemuiserver in the list, select it, and force-quit it.

Note: If it's not hung too badly, it will then re-launch itself, and go back to normal. I've had instances where all the icons in my toolbar permanently disappeared at this point, in which case there was really nothing left to do but log out, anyway, but sometimes it works.

[ghporter]

Originally Posted by chris v 

In all of this has no one really taken the time to stop and suggest what to actually do when the systemuiserver freezes?

Apparently not until you did. Thanks for getting us back on track!

[steve626]

I think the way to consider the pros and cons of using antivirus software on a Mac is simply to evaluate whether the benefits of such software outweigh any harm it might cause.

Harm it may cause -- just read these forums and you will read about systems that have been damaged or software conflicts introduced when antivirus software was installed.

Benefits -- it protects someone's Mac from a virus or prevents a Mac user from forwarding an infected file to PCs.

I will suggest that currently, much more harm has been done than good (benefits) from installing antivirus software on Macs. And on PCs, much more good than harm has been done from installing antivirus software on PCs. Someday the Mac story may change to be like the PC story, but when it does, you will have plenty of time to hear about it and react.

It's analogous to giving everyone X-rays to check for disease. When the X-rays cause more harm than the diseases they were looking for, it's time to decide to not give everyone X-rays.

[bishopazrael]

I can say that for a time I did use Clam AV for scanning customers Windows hard drives. It is a good idea to have an AV if... IF... you work in an office area where you might pass on an infected file. However if you're a home user there's not much chance of that. At any rate its up to the end user. I will say that I'm quite disappointed with Symantec's version of Norton for the Mac. Just as it's brother Norton on the PC... it takes up way more resources than it should.

If you have to have one try Clam first.

[analogika]

Originally Posted by chris v 

In all of this has no one really taken the time to stop and suggest what to actually do when the systemuiserver freezes?

Ooo, look at the brainy kid, budding in an' tryin' to be all useful 'n stuff...

[ghporter]

Originally Posted by analogika 

Ooo, look at the brainy kid, budding in an' tryin' to be all useful 'n stuff...

Yep, a born trouble maker that one.

[chris v]

You're both reported.

[finalsortie]

I have tried running Clam AV (under 10.5), but as my system is a little older it never ran well and I had to uninstall it just to restore smooth operations. In the past I have used Vriex, but I think it actually made problems where there were none.

However, I would like to find a useful virus checker for the mac that doesn't cost a lot and has a low overhead in regards to system resources. Any suggestions?

Also, if anything ever locks up my first course of action is either a restart (for really sever problems, usually caused by Microsoft Office 2001 in 10.3) or to kill the process either through terminal "killall" or the activity monitor. This category would include Clam. . .