Imac g5 randomly shutting down

i recently purchased a used imac g5 from a computer store for around 500 bucks. I luv the computer, nut it began to randomly shut down in the middle of activity. I took it to the store and the technician said that everything looked fine. of course he ran it for twenty minutes and it did not shut down....get home later that day and it runs for about an hour and shuts down. I have been on it today to test it and it has run for 8 hours perfectly. Is this computer worth keeping? I see the numerous posts about this very problem. has anyone figured out exactly why these units do this, and should i get my money back and move on before i get in to deep?

Hey davie and Welcome to Apple Discussions,
Is this an ALS model?
Well look in terminal and see if there's something in the log. Go to; applications > utilities > terminal. If something's there post it.
Also there's this:
http://jimwarholic.com/2008/07/how-to-repair-apple-imac-g5.php
So check for bad caps on the logic board and also in the power supply.
Richard

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             com.apple.kec.pthread(1.0)[8365956C-8613-3ED4-BC64-0D8570D2089F]@0xffffff7f8f2d 1000->0xffffff7f8f2dcfff
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    __HIB  text base: 0xffffff800e300000
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    com.apple.driver.AppleUSBXHCI 710.4.11
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    com.apple.driver.AppleMultitouchDriver 262.33.1
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    com.apple.iokit.IOSerialFamily 11
    com.apple.driver.DspFuncLib 269.25
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    com.apple.vecLib.kext 1.2.0
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    com.apple.iokit.IOBluetoothFamily 4.3.2f6
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    com.apple.iokit.IONetworkingFamily 3.2
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    com.apple.driver.AppleMobileFileIntegrity 1.0.5
    com.apple.driver.AppleCredentialManager 1.0
    com.apple.driver.DiskImages 396
    com.apple.iokit.IOStorageFamily 2.0
    com.apple.iokit.IOReportFamily 31
    com.apple.driver.AppleFDEKeyStore 28.30
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    com.apple.iokit.IOPCIFamily 2.9
    com.apple.iokit.IOACPIFamily 1.4
    com.apple.kec.Libm 1
    com.apple.kec.pthread 1
    com.apple.kec.corecrypto 1.0
    Panic(CPU 2): Unresponsive processor (this CPU did not acknowledge interrupts) TLB state:0x0
    RAX: 0x0000000000000001, RBX: 0xffffff803a19c4c0, RCX: 0x0000000009000000, RDX: 0xffffff800ecd6810
    RSP: 0xffffff8186243bf0, RBP: 0xffffff8186243bf0, RSI: 0x000000006518f7bd, RDI: 0xffffff800ecd6810
    R8:  0x0000000000000001, R9:  0xffffff803a19c2c0, R10: 0x00000000a00004ff, R11: 0xffffff7f8f2d4b65
    R12: 0xffffff800ecd6810, R13: 0x0000000000000000, R14: 0xffffff803a19c500, R15: 0xffffff800ecd67f0
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    0xffffff81113dbf60 : 0xffffff800e620f56
    0xffffff81113dbf80 : 0xffffff800e61988e
    0xffffff81113dbfd0 : 0xffffff800e636849
    0xffffff8186243bf0 : 0xffffff800e564569
    0xffffff8186243c40 : 0xffffff800e5646f5
    0xffffff8186243cb0 : 0xffffff800e542db3
    0xffffff8186243d20 : 0xffffff800e5698de
    0xffffff8186243d70 : 0xffffff800e5699f0
    0xffffff8186243db0 : 0xffffff7f8f2d35c0
    0xffffff8186243ed0 : 0xffffff7f8f2d4faf
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          Kernel Extensions in backtrace:
             com.apple.kec.pthread(1.0)[8365956C-8613-3ED4-BC64-0D8570D2089F]@0xffffff7f8f2d 1000->0xffffff7f8f2dcfff
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    RSP: 0xffffff80f134fd80, RBP: 0xffffff80f134fdc0, RSI: 0xffffff80f1350068, RDI: 0xffffff802c91c6b0
    R8:  0xffffff8033132010, R9:  0xffffff802c91c6b0, R10: 0x000003a225de691a, R11: 0x0000000000000000
    R12: 0x000003a22545d29a, R13: 0xffffff80f1350068, R14: 0xffffff8022de6b60, R15: 0xffffff802c91c6b0
    RFL: 0x0000000000000097, RIP: 0xffffff800e565d40, CS:  0x0000000000000008, SS:  0x0000000000000010
    Backtrace (CPU 0), Frame : Return Address
    0xffffff80f134fc10 : 0xffffff800e620f56
    0xffffff80f134fc30 : 0xffffff800e61988e
    0xffffff80f134fc80 : 0xffffff800e6369b0
    0xffffff80f134fdc0 : 0xffffff800e5657b1
    0xffffff80f134fe30 : 0xffffff800e566bdd
    0xffffff80f134fe50 : 0xffffff800e564dd5
    0xffffff80f134ff20 : 0xffffff800e60bf3b
    0xffffff80f134ff60 : 0xffffff800e620f2b
    0xffffff80f134ff80 : 0xffffff800e61988e
    0xffffff80f134ffd0 : 0xffffff800e636849
    0xffffff81b4ed3f40 : 0xffffff800e546deb
    0xffffff81b4ed3f90 : 0xffffff800e547330
    0xffffff81b4ed3fb0 : 0xffffff800e614dd7
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    0xffffff81abf0bc20 : 0xffffff800e52fe41
    0xffffff81abf0bca0 : 0xffffff800e5fae93
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    0xffffff81abf0bdf0 : 0xffffff800e604862
    0xffffff81abf0be20 : 0xffffff800e5c2643
    0xffffff81abf0bf80 : 0xffffff800e5c35b0
    0xffffff81abf0bfb0 : 0xffffff800e614dd7
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    Bluetooth: Version 4.3.2f6 15235, 3 services, 27 devices, 1 incoming serial ports
    Thunderbolt Bus: iMac, Apple Inc., 23.4
    Memory Module: BANK 0/DIMM0, 4 GB, DDR3, 1600 MHz, 0x02FE, 0x45424A3431554638424455352D474E2D4620
    Memory Module: BANK 1/DIMM0, 4 GB, DDR3, 1600 MHz, 0x02FE, 0x45424A3431554638424455352D474E2D4620
    USB Device: Expansion Desk
    USB Device: BUP Slim Mac SL
    USB Device: Hub
    USB Device: FaceTime HD Camera (Built-in)
    USB Device: USB Receiver
    USB Device: Hub
    USB Device: Hub
    USB Device: BRCM20702 Hub
    USB Device: Bluetooth USB Host Controller
    Serial ATA Device: APPLE HDD ST1000DM003, 1 TB
    Serial ATA Device: APPLE SSD SM128E, 121.33 GB
    Model: iMac13,2, BootROM IM131.010A.B05, 4 processors, Intel Core i7, 3.4 GHz, 8 GB, SMC 2.11f14
    Network Service: Wi-Fi, AirPort, en1
    Graphics: NVIDIA GeForce GTX 680MX, NVIDIA GeForce GTX 680MX, PCIe, 2048 MB

    Your problem is likely due to
    com.paceap.kext.pacesupport.snowleopard 5.9.1
    I would recommend tracking down the app that uses this and unionist all it completely from  your computer. Also if you have upgraded the RAM on the machine you may have a RAM falling DIMM or it may have become unseated or it might not be the correct specs for your machine.

  • Another iMac Randomly Shutting Down!!

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  • Imac power issue - randomly shuts down & won't turn on again

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    Since 8 days I am also having this problem on an early 2006 2 GHz intel core duo with OS 10.4.11 After approx. 5-10 minutes it shuts down and the only way to wake up again is to disconnect the plug, wait 10 sec and connect it again and push the start button on the back.
    There a many discussions ongoing and also many suggestions (SMC reset, memory replacement, change the power cord etc.). Nothing really worked in my situation. My assumption is something with overheating, but the widget "istatpro" or "tempmonitor" are showing not more than 35°C on the CPU at a max.
    I found a little tool called "smcFanControl" to adjust the minimum speed of the fans (my settings: ODD 2850 rpm, HDD 3150 and the CPU fan at 2160 rpm) and since that adjustment the working period seems to be much longer. Sure, there is an annoying noise now, but I can use the imac again.
    Hope that there will be a better solution soon.

  • IMac mid-2011 randomly shuts down.

    Hello,
    My iMac was fine until yesterday. It all of a sudden started randomly shutting down. It looks like a power loss. As if i just pulled the power out of the wall outlet.
    After it shuts down, the fans start up again but the screen does not come on. (so it's just the fans blowing) I have to "force shutdown" it from this state by holding the power button in order for the computer to start up again.
    Things I have already done:
    1. Reset PRAM
    2. Reset SMC (by unplugging it for an hour)
    3. Run disk utility, fix the disk permissions etc.
    4. Run the extended apple hardware check. (all checks out fine.)
    5. remove my Kensington RAM (leaving just the samsung ram in there)
    6. Remove the samsung RAM (leaving just the Kensington ram in there)
    7. Use another wall outlet, does not change anything.
    8. I ran a program called memTest to check the RAM. It all checks out fine.
    The RAM that i have bought has been in there for at least a year... So I don't think that that is the problem. It was the specially for iMac RAM. So it's not just some random RAM.
    I have unplugged all external peripherals. Still does the same thing. If I look into the folder where kernel logs are saved there are none that match the times of shutdown. (also none close to it)
    My model is the:
    21.5 inch 2.7 GHz Intel i5 with Radeon HD6770M graphics card.
    As it's a pretty old pc i no longer have warranty or anything like it...

    The machine is as clean as it can be. I even cleaned out the RAM ports (while replacing the RAM) Of course I did not check INSIDE the computer, but there is no way to get in without voiding warranty as far as I know. The environment is just regular room. Normal humidity, normal everything.
    As for how old. Its the Mid-2011 21.5 inch model bought in october 2011-ish.
    I have some new interesting findings. I reset the PRAM for the gazillionth time and the temperature sensors were back. So everything seemed ok again. The weird thing is though... It booted once with the PRAM messed up (fans blowing on max) and I decided to leave it that way to see if it was doing anything. It stayed on for an hour. Then I decided to turn it off and reset the PRAM. After the reset the problem was back. Within 5 minutes of booting it shut down again.
    I'm really baffled by this. The temperature sensors all check out normal. (they're all 30-40 degrees) But the fact that it stayed on so long with messed up PRAM makes me believe the problem doesnt have anything to do with power supply or something like that... It might be in the PRAM itself. Would a reinstall of OS X fix anything? (I will be having a hard time getting my data off of the pc tho...)
    Rogier

  • IMac seems to randomly shut down

    This is very strange...my 2.0GHz iMac G5 (May 2005) appears to be randomly shutting down. I don't know much about the problem because it usually happens during the day when I am at school. I checked the Power Saver settings and I have it to never sleep, never shut down, etc.
    Any other possible causes for this problem? It's minor but frustrating. Thanks!

    Actually....I read the article a little more thoroughly....
    "The program is available for certain first generation iMac G5 models that were sold between approximately September 2004 and June 2005 featuring 17- and 20-inch displays with 1.6GHz and 1.8GHz G5 processors.
    The affected iMac G5 computers have serial numbers where the first 5 digits fall into the ranges noted below.
    Serial Number ranges:
    W8435xxxxxx - W8522xxxxxx
    QP435xxxxxx - QP522xxxxxx
    CK435xxxxxx - CK522xxxxxx
    YD435xxxxxx - YD522xxxxxx
    Some second generation iMac G5 computers have serial numbers that fall within the upper band of the ranges listed below. Only first generation iMac G5 computers are affected by this program."
    It seems my iMac is a second generation. Luckily, it's still under the one-year warranty. I'll have to look into this.

  • IMac randomly shuts down after Leopard Upgrade

    My wife's iMac randomly shuts down since we installed Leopard. It wasn't doing this before the Leopard upgrade.
    It takes about 5 mins. of inactivity after the machine enters sleep mode, then it shuts down. We've searched the Discussions but have yet to see an answer to our question. Nothing but an iSight is plugged in to the machine. Any suggestions?

    Same problem with random shut downs that get more and more frequent making the computer unusable. Took to Apple Store where they did not recognise the problem - tried replacing RAM then power cable then power supply. Said problem was fixed but started to recur within a short time of using it back home. Used install discs to reinstall the original operating system (Mac OS X 10.5.2) and the problem resolved - on upgrading to Mac OS X 10.5.8 the problem immediately recurred. Have gone back to 10.5.2 now and all seems okay.
    Seems strange that there are so many postings about this and Apple Store (Genius staffseem to be unaware of it as a problem).
    Kim56
    iMac 8.1

  • IMac randomly shuts down

    My IMac randomly shuts down. I have the energy saver set for computer to sleep after 1 hour. I have not installed any new software. This problem began about a month ago. I have to use the restart button and always get an error, that the computer shut down unexpectedly. I copied one of the Panic Reports if that will help resolve the problem. I have checked the "maximum temperature" in Console and get no messages and many messagfor "shutdown".
    Istat:(Celsius)Temps
    HD:MacIntosh 49
    CPU 39
    CPU Heatsink 39
    Fans:
    Optical Drive 798rpm
    Hard Drive 1599rpm
    CPU Drive 1199 rpm
    I also use Airport Extreme Version 7.4.2
    Any ideas?
    Thanks
    Message was edited by: Raydream

    Hi Raydream ,
    Try another outlet in another part of the house
    Do you use a surge protector? do you have another surge protector to try? Just in case some thing is wrong with the surge protector your using. Also dose any thing else turn off or just the computer.
    things you can try:
    Make sure your software is up to date:
    http://support.apple.com/kb/ht1338
    Verify your firmware is up to date:
    http://support.apple.com/kb/ht1237
    reset the SMC:
    http://support.apple.com/kb/ht3964
    reset NVRAM:
    http://support.apple.com/kb/ht1379
    if your still having the issues I would back every thing up and then book an appointment for the closest apple store genius bar.
    http://www.apple.com/retail/geniusbar/
    if there is no apple store near you i'd locate an authorized repair center:
    http://support.apple.com/kb/ht1434 , for the US it's http://www.apple.com/buy/locator/service/
    you can also call apple care (1 800 APL CARE)

  • IMac Randomly Shuts Down -Overheating Problem?

    I've posted in these forums once before about my iMac randomly shutting down. I believed I had solved the problem by following another users instructions which were as follows:
    "Machines that are just randomly shutting down are usually caused by defective hardware. The only thing that can be done about that is to call Apple and have it replaced or serviced. There is probably not any one particular solution as it could be any number of the internal components failing and the resulting symptoms could be the same.
    If you'd like to do some hardware tests yourself before calling Apple that can be done. First try resetting the SMC: http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?artnum=303446
    Next insert the original gray install disk, restart your iMac, then hold down the "d" key until it boots up into the Apple Hardware Test. Run the extended test.
    Also if you have Apple Care install TechTool Deluxe from the cd provided. Then run TechTool on your system."
    I also removed and replaced of a defective external HD that I thought my be causing problems. But after all these steps, the machine kept turning itself off.
    I had read in some forums that it was due to the internal temperature of the iMac. So I downloaded smcfancontrol 2.1 and increased the fan speed on the internal fans. This did bring down the temperature as revealed by the iStat Pro widget. However, I still had another shutdown.
    So I turned off the machine, went to bed, and this morning when I turned it on iStat Pro said these were the internal temperatures of the iMac:
    CPU A 77 degrees F
    GPU 85
    GPU Diode 88
    GPU Heatsink 85
    Ambient 61
    Memory Cont. 74
    Airport Card 112
    HD Bay 1 76
    I find these numbers to be unbelievable. Especially the airport card. When the whole system seemed to be running hot, the Airport Card said it was 122. It always says something above 100 degrees. The other temperatures also seem out of whack. How can the CPU be 77 degrees after 10 hours of being completely powered down in an office environment that is only 55 degrees?
    Has anyone else run into a similar problem?
    Has anyone else found the problem to be a faulty temperature sensor (and is there a way to reset it, or does it have to be replaced)?
    Overheated? in Oregon...
    Message was edited by: OregonMac7

    Certainly sounds like a case of the left hand not knowing from the right, huh
    Well, I have my call in, and I am getting onsite service to replace the logic board, as per Apple's recommendation.
    I'm reading the other longer thread (171 replies), and it's disheartening to hear how some of the "geniuses" are handling this problem. They can't replicate it by leaving the mac running overnight, so "the problem doesn't exist". Hello! It's *random*! As in, not easy to replicate!
    I'm also a bit disillusioned that the popular Mac sites (TUAW, etc) haven't picked up on this story yet. I emailed TUAW the link to the long thread, and they ignore it. Usually when this gets more "mainstream" press, then Apple finally steps up, acknowledges a problem, and serious fixes are made. Right now, it's a bunch of complainers (me included) in some threads on the Apple site.
    I took a huge leap last November, and went from PCs to the Mac platform, after working on my personal migration plans for a month prior - how to move from my photo editing on the PC to the Mac (I wasn't about to buy another full copy of Photoshop, for eg, but I did find out I could upgrade from Win PS to Mac PS), if all the programs I use for photography and design were available on the Mac, learning the ins and outs of shortcut keys, how things are done, etc etc, and was so happy initially when I got the Mac and said goodbye to the PC.
    Now I'm literally afraid to do any serious work on the Mac for fear of the "pulled plug" syndrome losing the last 20, 30 minutes of work I've been doing because I didn't save every 2 minutes. And iLife's Pages doesn't autosave (much to my chagrin), so I've lost some long correspondence and articles typed because I didn't save it before the pulled plug o' death.
    Not a very nice computing experience.
    As a suggestion, maybe everyone reading this and the other thread can flood TUAW.com with a news suggestion to cover this problem. Engadget, Gizmodo too while you're at it. I think once these million-viewers a day blogs cover it, we'll see some real action from Apple.
    Just a thought....
    Mark

  • Since installing OSX 10 my iMac randomly shuts down and restarts.  I can not determine why this is happening.  Any ideas?

    Since installing OSX 10, my iMac randomly shuts down and restarts.  I can not determine why this is happening.  Any ideas?

    1. This is a comment on what you should and should not do to protect yourself from malicious software ("malware") that circulates on the Internet. It does not apply to software, such as keystroke loggers, that may be installed deliberately by an intruder who has hands-on access to the victim's computer. That threat is in a different category, and there's no easy way to defend against it. If you have reason to suspect that you're the target of such an attack, you need expert help.
    If you find this comment too long or too technical, read only sections 5, 6, and 10.
    OS X now implements three layers of built-in protection specifically against malware, not counting runtime protections such as execute disable, sandboxing, system library randomization, and address space layout randomization that may also guard against other kinds of exploits.
    2. All versions of OS X since 10.6.7 have been able to detect known Mac malware in downloaded files, and to block insecure web plugins. This feature is transparent to the user, but internally Apple calls it "XProtect." The malware recognition database is automatically checked for updates once a day; however, you shouldn't rely on it, because the attackers are always at least a day ahead of the defenders.
    The following caveats apply to XProtect:
    It can be bypassed by some third-party networking software, such as BitTorrent clients and Java applets.
    It only applies to software downloaded from the network. Software installed from a CD or other media is not checked.
    As new versions of OS X are released, it's not clear whether Apple will indefinitely continue to maintain the XProtect database of older versions such as 10.6. The security of obsolete system versions may eventually be degraded. Security updates to the code of obsolete systems will stop being released at some point, and that may leave them open to other kinds of attack besides malware.
       3. Starting with OS X 10.7.5, there has been a second layer of built-in malware protection, designated "Gatekeeper" by Apple. By default, applications and Installer packages downloaded from the network will only run if they're digitally signed by a developer with a certificate issued by Apple. Software certified in this way hasn't necessarily been tested by Apple, but you can be reasonably sure that it hasn't been modified by anyone other than the developer. His identity is known to Apple, so he could be held legally responsible if he distributed malware. That may not mean much if the developer lives in a country with a weak legal system (see below.)
    Gatekeeper doesn't depend on a database of known malware. It has, however, the same limitations as XProtect, and in addition the following:
    It can easily be disabled or overridden by the user.
    A malware attacker could get control of a code-signing certificate under false pretenses, or could simply ignore the consequences of distributing codesigned malware.
    An App Store developer could find a way to bypass Apple's oversight, or the oversight could fail due to human error.
    For the reasons given above, App Store products, and other applications recognized by Gatekeeper as signed, are safer than others, but they can't be considered absolutely safe. "Sandboxed" applications may prompt for access to private data, such as your contacts, or for access to the network. Think before granting that access. Sandboxing security is based on user input. Never click through any request for authorization without thinking.
    4. Starting with OS X 10.8.3, a third layer of protection has been added: a "Malware Removal Tool" (MRT). MRT runs automatically in the background when you update the OS. It checks for, and removes, malware that may have evaded the other protections via a Java exploit (see below.) MRT also runs when you install or update the Apple-supplied Java runtime (but not the Oracle runtime.) Like XProtect, MRT is effective against known threats, but not against unknown ones. It notifies you if it finds malware, but otherwise there's no user interface to MRT.
    5. The built-in security features of OS X reduce the risk of malware attack, but they're not absolute protection. The first and best line of defense is always going to be your own intelligence. With the possible exception of Java exploits, all known malware circulating on the Internet that affects a fully-updated installation of OS X 10.6 or later takes the form of so-called "Trojan horses," which can only have an effect if the victim is duped into running them. The threat therefore amounts to a battle of wits between you and the malware attacker. If you're smarter than he thinks you are, you'll win.
    That means, in practice, that you always stay within a safe harbor of computing practices. How do you know what is safe?
    Any website that prompts you to install a “codec,” “plug-in,” "player," "extractor," or “certificate” that comes from that same site, or an unknown one, is unsafe.
    A web operator who tells you that you have a “virus,” or that anything else is wrong with your computer, or that you have won a prize in a contest you never entered, is trying to commit a crime with you as the victim. (Some reputable websites did legitimately warn visitors who were infected with the "DNSChanger" malware. That exception to this rule no longer applies.)
    Pirated copies or "cracks" of commercial software, no matter where they come from, are unsafe.
    Software of any kind downloaded from a BitTorrent or from a Usenet binary newsgroup is unsafe.
    Software that purports to help you do something that's illegal or that infringes copyright, such as saving streamed audio or video for reuse without permission, is unsafe. All YouTube "downloaders" are outside the safe harbor, though not all are necessarily harmful.
    Software with a corporate brand, such as Adobe Flash Player, must be downloaded directly from the developer’s website. If it comes from any other source, it's unsafe. For instance, if a web page warns you that Flash is out of date, do not follow an offered link to an update. Go to the Adobe website to download it, if you need it at all.
    Even signed applications, no matter what the source, should not be trusted if they do something unexpected, such as asking for permission to access your contacts, your location, or the Internet for no obvious reason.
    "FREE WI-FI !!!" networks in public places are unsafe unless you can verify that the network is not a trap (which you probably can't.) Even then, do not download any software or transmit any private information while connected to such a network, regardless of where it seems to come from or go to.
    6. Java on the Web (not to be confused with JavaScript, to which it's not related, despite the similarity of the names) is a weak point in the security of any system. Java is, among other things, a platform for running complex applications in a web page, on the client. That was always a bad idea, and Java's developers have proven themselves incapable of implementing it without also creating a portal for malware to enter. Past Java exploits are the closest thing there has ever been to a Windows-style virus affecting OS X. Merely loading a page with malicious Java content could be harmful.
    Fortunately, client-side Java on the Web is obsolete and mostly extinct. Only a few outmoded sites still use it. Try to hasten the process of extinction by avoiding those sites, if you have a choice. Forget about playing games or other non-essential uses of Java.
    Java is not included in OS X 10.7 and later. Discrete Java installers are distributed by Apple and by Oracle (the developer of Java.) Don't use either one unless you need it. Most people don't. If Java is installed, disable it — not JavaScript — in your browsers.
    Regardless of version, experience has shown that Java on the Web can't be trusted. If you must use a Java applet for a task on a specific site, enable Java only for that site in Safari. Never enable Java for a public website that carries third-party advertising. Use it only on well-known, login-protected, secure websites without ads. In Safari 6 or later, you'll see a lock icon in the address bar with the abbreviation "https" when visiting a secure site.
    Follow the above guidelines, and you’ll be as safe from malware as you can practically be. The rest of this comment concerns what you should not do to protect yourself.
    7. Never install any commercial "anti-virus" or "Internet security" products for the Mac, as they all do more harm than good, if they do any good at all. Any database of known threats is always going to be out of date. Most of the danger is from unknown threats. If you need to be able to detect Windows malware in your files, use one of the free anti-virus products in the Mac App Store — nothing else.
    Why shouldn't you use commercial "anti-virus" products?
    Their design is predicated on the nonexistent threat that malware may be injected at any time, anywhere in the file system. Malware is downloaded from the network; it doesn't materialize from nowhere.
    In order to meet that nonexistent threat, the software modifies or duplicates low-level functions of the operating system, which is a waste of resources and a common cause of instability, bugs, and poor performance.
    To recognize malware, the software depends on a database of known threats, which is always at least a day out of date. Most of the real danger comes from highly targeted "zero-day" attacks that are not yet recognized.
    By modifying the operating system, the software itself may create weaknesses that could be exploited by malware attackers.
    8. An anti-malware product from the App Store, such as "ClamXav," doesn't have these drawbacks. That doesn't mean it's entirely safe. It may report email messages that have "phishing" links in the body, or Windows malware in attachments, as infected files, and offer to delete or move them. Doing so will corrupt the Mail database. The messages should be deleted from within the Mail application.
    An anti-virus app is not needed, and should not be relied upon, for protection against OS X malware. It's useful only for detecting Windows malware. Windows malware can't harm you directly (unless, of course, you use Windows.) Just don't pass it on to anyone else.
    A Windows malware attachment in email is usually easy to recognize. The file name will often be targeted at people who aren't very bright; for example:
    ♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥!!!!!!!H0TBABEZ4U!!!!!!!.AVI♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥.exe
    Anti-virus software may be able to tell you which particular trojan it is, but do you care? In practice, there's seldom a reason to use the software unless an institutional policy requires it.
    The ClamXav developer won't try to "upsell" you to a paid version of the product. Other developers may do that. Don't be upsold. For one thing, you should not pay to protect Windows users from the consequences of their choice of computing platform. For another, a paid upgrade from a free app will probably have the disadvantages mentioned in section 7.
    9. It seems to be a common belief that the built-in Application Firewall acts as a barrier to infection, or prevents malware from functioning. It does neither. It blocks inbound connections to certain network services you're running, such as file sharing. It's disabled by default and you should leave it that way if you're behind a router on a private home or office network. Activate it only when you're on an untrusted network, for instance a public Wi-Fi hotspot, where you don't want to provide services. Disable any services you don't use in the Sharing preference pane. All are disabled by default.
    10. As a Mac user you don't have to live in fear that your computer may be infected every time you install software, read email, or visit a web page. But neither should you assume that you will always be safe from exploitation, no matter what you do. The greatest harm done by security software is precisely its selling point: it makes people feel safe. They may then feel safe enough to take risks from which the software doesn't protect them. Nothing can lessen the need for safe computing practices.

  • My imac randomly shuts down.

    After a little research, I've noticed this is a fairly common problem.
    Here's where my situation is slightly different. I'm never around my imac when it randomly shuts down. I'm always asleep. It's happened a couple times this week. I was up till 3 in the morning last night and woke up at 9 to see my computer had shut down. I had Firefox open the second time and it asked if I wanted to restore my tabs when I turned it on again (so I know it didn't just go to sleep). Any suggestions? I just did reset the "system management control (SMC)." Hopefully that will work, but........

    After a little research, I've noticed this is a fairly common problem.
    Here's where my situation is slightly different. I'm never around my imac when it randomly shuts down. I'm always asleep. It's happened a couple times this week. I was up till 3 in the morning last night and woke up at 9 to see my computer had shut down. I had Firefox open the second time and it asked if I wanted to restore my tabs when I turned it on again (so I know it didn't just go to sleep). Any suggestions? I just did reset the "system management control (SMC)." Hopefully that will work, but........

  • 27-inch / 27" iMac Random Shut down

    SPECS:____________________________________________________________________________
    • 27" 2.8 GHz Intel Core i7 / 8gig / 1TB
    • OS 10.6.3 (about to update to 10.6.4)
    • All firmware updates have been applied according to software update
    • 3 external drives: 1-320 gig 800fw / 1-TB USB 2.0 / 1-500gig USB 2.0
    INFORMATION:____________________________________________________________________
    I've been running with this configuration ( 3 extra drives) since approximately December with no issues. Out of the blue... only running Aperture and Safari - my iMac JUST SHUTS off- WITHOUTwarning. It acted as though I was running a MacBook and the battery going dead/asleep. That's how random and sudden it shut down - NO WARNING. I did have the iMac asleep for about three hours before coming back to it to start working again when it shut down, but it should have even been cool.
    I only started reading around on the web to see of other incidents after this random shut down this evening, but I can't find anything specific. I've found A LOT of similar things - all seemingly related to "HEAT."
    And heat seems to be a certain issue recently - in the last day or two. Today I noticed my top back side to be hot, which isn't uncommon, however, it became so hot I really wasn't able to keep my hand on the top back. I've also noticed A LOT of spinning beach balls, and lots of processor delay! Heat??
    There are NO energy saver pref's set to automatically shut it down. The power was and is firmly set. There are no network settings, nor access to the iMac to have it shut down. It is not shared with anyone on the network.
    SUMMARY:___________________________________________________________________________
    • Today, I grabbed a couple temp / monitor widgets and am trying to watch the data. All components seem to be at/around/below 140 degrees F with ambient air at 77 degrees. I don't know numbers, but that all seems reasonable.
    • Going to update to OS 10.6.4 (doubt that's it!!)
    • I'm going to run the hardware test from my disc to see if ANYTHING. 8-p
    • AND... I'm going to call Apple to set up a case. It's still full under warranty, and I have 2 more years of AppleCare on it. But there's been too many things pointing to hardware to call this a software issue.
    I've dodged all the display issues with my iMac, but now.. I'm a bit hacked knowing how much I spent on this thing, with the initial DELAYS I went through, ordering it before it had even been released!
    ?? QUESTION ??_____________________________________________________________________
    So, has anyone else been having this issue, heard of a solution, seen anything on Apple's website of known issues ??
    Barry
    ( Grumbling bout my Mac)

    First, a precautionary Note:
    Apple "Call Directors" are outsourced, and from what I experienced today are idiots and liars. When asking for Customer Relations the first guy represented himself as Customer Relations. I knew he wasn't. I said he was a liar and hung up on him. The next gal transferred me to CPU tech support, even though I specifically stated "Customer Relations." So just keep your guard, know you're calling and who you're speaking with.
    UPDATE #2:
    I still don't think Apple knows about this issue enough, or they're just not saying that they're seeing it more.
    I spoke with a senior tech support advisor who said he believed it was a heat issue. It could be because the number of periph's I have attached, and that I might try unplugging those one at at time. I personally don't think that's it since I've been running the same configuration for over six months.
    To his credit, the Sr. tech said he wasn't convince of that, nor did he think it was a software issue, although he also suggested as a trouble shooting step - was to do partition my drive and try running an OS from there. Both suggestions kind of defeats the purpose of being able use my Mac and applications. Since this issue has only happened twice, he said he would rather have me trouble shoot on my own some more, rather take in for service and then have repairs not be able to duplicate the issue.
    The last thing I did before contacting Apple today was to do a SMC update, and the Sr tech I spoke with said that that step very well could resolve the issue. I also think the same since I just did the SMC firmware update a little over a month ago, and this issue just started a week ago.
    SUMMARY:
    Sorry... that's all I got so far. I'm just hoping I don't have any more random shut downs, and hope the SMC reset does the trick. I am very interested if anyone else has any better, any more info, any better solutions they've heard or come accross?

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