Need to take out battery to shut down MacBook

Question

After installing 10.5.3 my MacBook shows instead of shutting down a small rotating wheel on the screen. I can only stop this by taking out the battery. When I start the MacBook and shut it down immediately whithout using the applications, it works normal. Has anybody an idea?
Thanks.

Answer 1

wmauer wrote:
Hello Thierry,
Parallels is updated and I got rid of the Google stuff.
The kernel shutdown freeze problem occured less often, but it is still existent.
I have Virus barrier since I bought the MB, so far no problems.
I do not understand why Virus barrier could be the origin?
As you suspected already, an additional discussion: "no viruses on a "rootless" Unix system". So far there are no viruses around, but in the future I assume that there will be viruses also for macs.
What do you mean with rootless?
Hello Wolfgang,
I tend to believe that you have a "strong" windows background ... and fear ... Google Desktop ... VirusBarrier ...
"rootless" means that the "root" user is not enable. No one can log in - or attempt to - on your system.
The big difference between Windows and Unix (MacOSX), is that on Windows, there is an Administrator user/group that has full control on the machine. On MacOSX, there is no "root". You are a user who is temporarily allowed to grab root privileges through a grant obtained through a user input.
A virus is a system that penetrates another system and replicates with the objective to infect nearby systems.
On Unix, a virus can modify - and infect - a system only if it runs as owned by root. If your Unix system doesn't have a root user, then that virus program cannot alter root owned files.
The only way for a virus software to gain root privileges is to run as a kernel extension. The command I've made you type is run actually every night on my Mac and sends me a mail with the result.
So, it's not because "one day there will be viruses also for macs". There will never be viruses: they can't replicate! and if there don't they can't be viruses.
Now, there are existing other threats: Vulnerabilities and Trojan Horses.
Vulnerabilities are failures or loop-holes that exists in some software that can allow a system to get past and above the program that presents this exploit and execute its code in the workspace of the application above that has loaded (spawned) the faulty software.
Usually, Virus Protection software databases are updated no faster than Apple or Microsoft, or HP or SUN or IBM when such exploits are revealed to the public (CERT group). Your VirusBarrier won't be of no help here. Just run regularly Software Update.
Trojan Horses are software - malware - that get installed luring the user believing the software in question does wonderful (good) things. Lately, there was a **** site that gave away some video player meant to play **** clips for free. Of course, this was a malware, fooling name resolution and directing browsers to phishing sites. Well, customers to these hoax look like easy preys.
A Virus Checker can help detecting "known" Torjan Horses. But you're not getting to let a TJ come into your system if you're not interested in free ****!!!
A Virus Checker, on the Mac, is only useful to check if you're not going to e-mail to your PC friends an attachment that is in fact a software that uses Windows design flaws to do harm to its owner.
There is no risk on a Mac to browse the web and get a malware, spyware, badware installed inconspicuously.
So, make sure of what software you install on your Mac, where it comes from. Turn off all Sharing services. Turn on Firewall when you're on a network you don't control (Wifi hot spots, hotels, bars, airports). For the rest, you don't risk zip.
Get rid of that Virus Barrier stuff.
When I'm in an airport lounge, I always have fun listening to music of "others" who have left the Sharing on on their iTunes (Macs + PCs). You don't even have to pay for accessing the Hot Spot.
Cheers,
Thierry