Aperture beachballs every load, unless I hold the shift key on boot

Question

I am using the latest Aperture.  I had recently re-done MobileMe password.  Some unknown process kicks in a few seconds after starting Aperture.
If I force quit and then restart Aperture holding the SHIFT Key down, I can get into it in a normal fashion, but I can't find the process that creates the beachballing.  Any thoughts and ways to determine this.  I have redone permissions, etc.

Answer 1

If your sig is correct and you are indeed using a G5 iMac you have about the weakest box that will even run Aperture. Expect terrible performance. Sorry. Also, do update your OS to 10.4.11.
FWIW the Sandy Bridge MBPs with HD 6750M graphics are the first mobility-type boxes that are not limiting to Aperture. Strong new iMacs too will be out soon, very likely next week.
In any event here is some generic advice I posted in another thread:
Aperture is a heavy pro graphics app that is very demanding of hardware. Your Mac's CPU, GPU and/or RAM are probably limiting to Aperture so we need to do what we can to optimize. Some steps:
• Set Previews to only be built manually, and only tell Aperture to build Previews when you are not otherwise editing in Aperture.
• Keep the internal drive underfilled for speed, which sooner or later usually requires using a Referenced-Masters-Library with Masters on external drives. Back up originals before importing into Aperture or any other images app.
• The Aperture Library should be on an internal drive.
• Turn off Share Previews with iLife and iWork.
• Remember that HDs slow as they fill and keep the internal drive underfilled. Approx. 70% full maximum is a good guideline.
• If page outs increase significantly during operation, max out RAM and/or try to run Aperture by itself. On my C2D MBP with its max of 3 GB RAM I always did a restart prior to a heavy Aperture session to clear any memory leaks and make sure no other apps were open. Browsers in particular will often suck RAM Aperture would otherwise be using.
IMO all Aperture users who can should routinely bump RAM to at least 8 GB.
• Some users have observed that it can take a new Aperture installation time (weeks) to stabilize. So do not panic; and allow Aperture to continue background work by not fully shutting down the computer. Personally I never fully shut down Macs except during electrical storms.
• I recommend always repairing Permissions immediately _before_ and immediately _after_ every install of any kind.
Some folks consider it a waste of time but after years of listening to others have problems while I have had problem-free usage of heavy graphics apps (Aperture, Photoshop, Illustrator, InDesign, Dreamweaver, Painter, etc.) on multiple Macs I am fully convinced that although repairing Permissions is not a "fix" it is very useful maintenance for users of heavy graphics apps.
HTH
-Allen Wicks