Photoshop 11.0.1 stall in Mac OS X 10.5.8 – what is happening? (got sample)

Question

Hi!
Yesteday a retoucher here at work came to me wondering if I could do something about his stalled Photoshop. It was read in Activity Monitor and had been like that for several minutes. I think he tried to save or something.
Can someone take a look at the sample for Photoshop and give a hint on what it's doing?
Below is the sample:
Sampling process 7706 for 3 seconds with 1 millisecond of run time between samples
Sampling completed, processing symbols...
Analysis of sampling Adobe Photoshop CS4 (pid 7706) every 1 millisecond
Call graph:
    16 Thread_2507
      16 0x3839
        16 0x3912
          16 0x220736
            16 0x2206aa
              16 0x6222f
                16 0x63ed3
                  16 0x63d65
                    16 0x69906
                      16 0x6b9da
                        16 0x9c1754
                          16 0x9ba383
                            16 0x9ba24a
                              16 0x9ba11a
                                16 0x9b94fb
                                  16 0x9b94c1
                                    16 0x9b9454
                                      16 0x9b700d
                                        16 0x204e84
                                          16 0x204d99
                                            16 AWS_CUI_CreateSaveDialog(long*, adobe::aws::gen::String<unsigned short>&, char, adobe::q::QDocument&)
                                              16 AWS_CUI_CreateSaveDialog(long*, adobe::aws::gen::String<unsigned short>&, char, adobe::q::QDocument&)
                                                16 0xb56ede
                                                  16 pthread_cond_wait
                                                    16 _pthread_cond_wait
                                                      16 semaphore_wait_signal_trap
                                                        16 semaphore_wait_signal_trap
    16 Thread_2603
      16 thread_start
        16 _pthread_start
          9 __monitor_file_descriptor__
            9 __monitor_file_descriptor__
          7 kevent
            7 kevent
    16 Thread_2703
      16 thread_start
        16 _pthread_start
          16 AMTThread::Worker(void*)
            16 _AMTThreadedPCDService::PCDThreadWorker(_AMTThreadedPCDService*)
              16 AMTConditionLock::LockWhenCondition(int)
                16 pthread_cond_wait
                  16 _pthread_cond_wait
                    16 semaphore_wait_signal_trap
                      16 semaphore_wait_signal_trap
    16 Thread_2803
      16 thread_start
        16 _pthread_start
          16 glvmDoWork
            16 pthread_cond_wait$UNIX2003
              16 __semwait_signal
                16 __semwait_signal
    16 Thread_2903
      16 thread_start
        16 _pthread_start
          16 PrivateMPEntryPoint
            16 0x1e032eff
              16 MPWaitOnSemaphore
                16 semaphore_timedwait_trap
                  16 semaphore_timedwait_trap
    16 Thread_2a03
      16 thread_start
        16 _pthread_start
          16 PrivateMPEntryPoint
            16 0x1e032eff
              16 MPWaitOnSemaphore
                16 semaphore_timedwait_trap
                  16 semaphore_timedwait_trap
    16 Thread_2b03
      16 thread_start
        16 _pthread_start
          16 PrivateMPEntryPoint
            16 0x1e032eff
              16 MPWaitOnSemaphore
                16 semaphore_timedwait_trap
                  16 semaphore_timedwait_trap
    16 Thread_2c03
      16 thread_start
        16 _pthread_start
          16 PrivateMPEntryPoint
            16 0x27c0d85
              16 0x27c138d
                16 MPWaitOnQueue
                  16 TSWaitOnConditionTimedRelative
                    16 TSWaitOnCondition
                      16 pthread_cond_wait$UNIX2003
                        16 __semwait_signal
                          16 __semwait_signal
    16 Thread_2d03
      16 thread_start
        16 _pthread_start
          16 PrivateMPEntryPoint
            16 0x27c0d85
              16 0x27c138d
                16 MPWaitOnQueue
                  16 TSWaitOnConditionTimedRelative
                    16 TSWaitOnCondition
                      16 pthread_cond_wait$UNIX2003
                        16 __semwait_signal
                          16 __semwait_signal
    16 Thread_2e03
      16 thread_start
        16 _pthread_start
          16 PrivateMPEntryPoint
            16 0x27c0d85
              16 0x27c138d
                16 MPWaitOnQueue
                  16 TSWaitOnConditionTimedRelative
                    16 TSWaitOnCondition
                      16 pthread_cond_wait$UNIX2003
                        16 __semwait_signal
                          16 __semwait_signal
    16 Thread_2f03
      16 thread_start
        16 _pthread_start
          16 ScObjects::Thread::go(void*)
            16 ScObjects::BridgeTalkThread::run()
              15 ScObjects::BridgeTalkThread::run()
              1 ScObjects::Thread::wait(unsigned int)
                1 ScObjects::Thread::sleep(unsigned int)
                  1 nanosleep
                    1 mach_wait_until
                      1 mach_wait_until
    16 Thread_3003
      16 thread_start
        16 _pthread_start
          16 thread_proxy
            16 boost::function0<void, std::allocator<boost::function_base> >::operator()() const
              16 boost::_bi::bind_t<void, boost::_mfi::mf0<void, boost::threadpool::detail::worker_thread<boost::threadpool::detail::pool_core<boost::thre adpool::prio_task_func, boost::threadpool::prio_scheduler, boost::threadpool::static_size, boost::threadpool::resize_controller, boost::threadpool::wait_for_all_tasks> > >, boost::_bi::list1<boost::_bi::value<boost::shared_ptr<boost::threadpool::detail::worker_t hread<boost::threadpool::detail::pool_core<boost::threadpool::prio_task_func, boost::threadpool::prio_scheduler, boost::threadpool::static_size, boost::threadpool::resize_controller, boost::threadpool::wait_for_all_tasks> > > > > >::operator()()
                16 boost::threadpool::detail::worker_thread<boost::threadpool::detail::pool_core<boost::thre adpool::prio_task_func, boost::threadpool::prio_scheduler, boost::threadpool::static_size, boost::threadpool::resize_controller, boost::threadpool::wait_for_all_tasks> >::run()
                  16 boost::threadpool::detail::pool_core<boost::threadpool::prio_task_func, boost::threadpool::prio_scheduler, boost::threadpool::static_size, boost::threadpool::resize_controller, boost::threadpool::wait_for_all_tasks>::execute_task() volatile
                    16 void boost::condition::do_wait<boost::recursive_mutex>(boost::recursive_mutex&)
                      16 boost::detail::condition_impl::do_wait(_opaque_pthread_mutex_t*)
                        16 pthread_cond_wait
                          16 _pthread_cond_wait
                            16 semaphore_wait_signal_trap
                              16 semaphore_wait_signal_trap
    16 Thread_3103
      16 thread_start
        16 _pthread_start
          16 thread_proxy
            16 boost::function0<void, std::allocator<boost::function_base> >::operator()() const
              16 boost::_bi::bind_t<void, boost::_mfi::mf0<void, boost::threadpool::detail::worker_thread<boost::threadpool::detail::pool_core<boost::thre adpool::prio_task_func, boost::threadpool::prio_scheduler, boost::threadpool::static_size, boost::threadpool::resize_controller, boost::threadpool::wait_for_all_tasks> > >, boost::_bi::list1<boost::_bi::value<boost::shared_ptr<boost::threadpool::detail::worker_t hread<boost::threadpool::detail::pool_core<boost::threadpool::prio_task_func, boost::threadpool::prio_scheduler, boost::threadpool::static_size, boost::threadpool::resize_controller, boost::threadpool::wait_for_all_tasks> > > > > >::operator()()
                16 boost::threadpool::detail::worker_thread<boost::threadpool::detail::pool_core<boost::thre adpool::prio_task_func, boost::threadpool::prio_scheduler, boost::threadpool::static_size, boost::threadpool::resize_controller, boost::threadpool::wait_for_all_tasks> >::run()
                  16 boost::threadpool::detail::pool_core<boost::threadpool::prio_task_func, boost::threadpool::prio_scheduler, boost::threadpool::static_size, boost::threadpool::resize_controller, boost::threadpool::wait_for_all_tasks>::execute_task() volatile
                    16 void boost::condition::do_wait<boost::recursive_mutex>(boost::recursive_mutex&)
                      16 boost::detail::condition_impl::do_wait(_opaque_pthread_mutex_t*)
                        16 pthread_cond_wait
                          16 _pthread_cond_wait
                            16 semaphore_wait_signal_trap
                              16 semaphore_wait_signal_trap
    16 Thread_3203
      16 thread_start
        16 _pthread_start
          16 thread_proxy
            16 boost::function0<void, std::allocator<boost::function_base> >::operator()() const
              16 boost::_bi::bind_t<void, boost::_mfi::mf0<void, boost::threadpool::detail::worker_thread<boost::threadpool::detail::pool_core<boost::thre adpool::prio_task_func, boost::threadpool::prio_scheduler, boost::threadpool::static_size, boost::threadpool::resize_controller, boost::threadpool::wait_for_all_tasks> > >, boost::_bi::list1<boost::_bi::value<boost::shared_ptr<boost::threadpool::detail::worker_t hread<boost::threadpool::detail::pool_core<boost::threadpool::prio_task_func, boost::threadpool::prio_scheduler, boost::threadpool::static_size, boost::threadpool::resize_controller, boost::threadpool::wait_for_all_tasks> > > > > >::operator()()
                16 boost::threadpool::detail::worker_thread<boost::threadpool::detail::pool_core<boost::thre adpool::prio_task_func, boost::threadpool::prio_scheduler, boost::threadpool::static_size, boost::threadpool::resize_controller, boost::threadpool::wait_for_all_tasks> >::run()
                  16 boost::threadpool::detail::pool_core<boost::threadpool::prio_task_func, boost::threadpool::prio_scheduler, boost::threadpool::static_size, boost::threadpool::resize_controller, boost::threadpool::wait_for_all_tasks>::execute_task() volatile
                    16 void boost::condition::do_wait<boost::recursive_mutex>(boost::recursive_mutex&)
                      16 boost::detail::condition_impl::do_wait(_opaque_pthread_mutex_t*)
                        16 pthread_cond_wait
                          16 _pthread_cond_wait
                            16 semaphore_wait_signal_trap
                              16 semaphore_wait_signal_trap
    16 Thread_3303
      16 thread_start
        16 _pthread_start
          16 thread_proxy
            16 boost::function0<void, std::allocator<boost::function_base> >::operator()() const
              16 boost::_bi::bind_t<void, boost::_mfi::mf0<void, boost::threadpool::detail::worker_thread<boost::threadpool::detail::pool_core<boost::thre adpool::prio_task_func, boost::threadpool::prio_scheduler, boost::threadpool::static_size, boost::threadpool::resize_controller, boost::threadpool::wait_for_all_tasks> > >, boost::_bi::list1<boost::_bi::value<boost::shared_ptr<boost::threadpool::detail::worker_t hread<boost::threadpool::detail::pool_core<boost::threadpool::prio_task_func, boost::threadpool::prio_scheduler, boost::threadpool::static_size, boost::threadpool::resize_controller, boost::threadpool::wait_for_all_tasks> > > > > >::operator()()
                16 boost::threadpool::detail::worker_thread<boost::threadpool::detail::pool_core<boost::thre adpool::prio_task_func, boost::threadpool::prio_scheduler, boost::threadpool::static_size, boost::threadpool::resize_controller, boost::threadpool::wait_for_all_tasks> >::run()
                  16 boost::threadpool::detail::pool_core<boost::threadpool::prio_task_func, boost::threadpool::prio_scheduler, boost::threadpool::static_size, boost::threadpool::resize_controller, boost::threadpool::wait_for_all_tasks>::execute_task() volatile
                    16 void boost::condition::do_wait<boost::recursive_mutex>(boost::recursive_mutex&)
                      16 boost::detail::condition_impl::do_wait(_opaque_pthread_mutex_t*)
                        16 pthread_cond_wait
                          16 _pthread_cond_wait
                            16 semaphore_wait_signal_trap
                              16 semaphore_wait_signal_trap
    16 Thread_3403
      16 thread_start
        16 _pthread_start
          16 PrivateMPEntryPoint
            16 0xfd1d1af6
              16 0xfd1d21f8
                16 MPWaitOnQueue
                  16 TSWaitOnConditionTimedRelative
                    16 TSWaitOnCondition
                      16 pthread_cond_wait$UNIX2003
                        16 __semwait_signal
                          16 __semwait_signal
    16 Thread_3503
      16 thread_start
        16 _pthread_start
          16 PrivateMPEntryPoint
            16 0xfd1d1af6
              16 0xfd1d21f8
                16 MPWaitOnQueue
                  16 TSWaitOnConditionTimedRelative
                    16 TSWaitOnCondition
                      16 pthread_cond_wait$UNIX2003
                        16 __semwait_signal
                          16 __semwait_signal
    16 Thread_3603
      16 thread_start
        16 _pthread_start
          16 PrivateMPEntryPoint
            16 0xfd1d1af6
              16 0xfd1d21f8
                16 MPWaitOnQueue
                  16 TSWaitOnConditionTimedRelative
                    16 TSWaitOnCondition
                      16 pthread_cond_wait$UNIX2003
                        16 __semwait_signal
                          16 __semwait_signal
    16 Thread_3703
      16 thread_start
        16 _pthread_start
          16 0xfd0f5486
            16 EntryFM
              16 0xfd04654a
                16 pthread_cond_wait
                  16 _pthread_cond_wait
                    16 semaphore_wait_signal_trap
                      16 semaphore_wait_signal_trap
    16 Thread_3803
      16 thread_start
        16 _pthread_start
          16 0xfd0f5486
            16 EntryFM
              16 0xfd04654a
                16 pthread_cond_wait
                  16 _pthread_cond_wait
                    16 semaphore_wait_signal_trap
                      16 semaphore_wait_signal_trap
Total number in stack (recursive counted multiple, when >=5):
        19       _pthread_start
        19       thread_start
        9       PrivateMPEntryPoint
        8       _pthread_cond_wait
        8       pthread_cond_wait
        8       semaphore_wait_signal_trap
        7       __semwait_signal
        7       pthread_cond_wait$UNIX2003
        6       MPWaitOnQueue
        6       TSWaitOnCondition
        6       TSWaitOnConditionTimedRelative
Sort by top of stack, same collapsed (when >= 5):
        semaphore_wait_signal_trap        128
        __semwait_signal        112
        semaphore_timedwait_trap        48
        ScObjects::BridgeTalkThread::run()        15
        __monitor_file_descriptor__        9
        kevent        7
Sample analysis of process 7706 written to file /dev/stdout

Answer 1

There's not enough information there to tell all the details.
But it looks like Photoshop called the OS for something, and is waiting for the OS to return.
Now, the odd part is that the samples only account for 16 milliseconds out of 3000 milliseconds -- which means that the Photoshop application was completely blocked by the OS.
We have seen behavior similar to that before when the OS disk buffers decided that they wanted to flush gigabytes of data -- but Apple supposedly fixed that bug in 10.5.0.
My guess is that you are waiting on a disk or some other device driver that is really, really unhappy (disk going bad, tablet cable broken, etc.).