Startup problems

My Powerbook G4 was running fine with no problems. Suddenly now when I go to turn it on, it will either be hung up on the grey screen with the spinning sprocket or it will stay on that screen for a minute or two and then eventually complete the startup process.
I've done the following, not in this order
1) run diskwarrior
2) repaired permissions
3) run Cocktail (clean caches, run cron scripts, update prebinding)
4) run disk utility and repaired harddrive
5) reset pmu and pram
And I'm still having the problem.
I've included the lengthly system log, as I thought that might be of help and I don't really understand how to read it.
Any help would be appreciated.
- Jason
Dec 25 20:53:27 localhost loginwindow[188]: halting
Dec 25 20:53:27 localhost shutdown: halt by barb:
Dec 25 20:53:30 localhost syslogd: exiting on signal 15
Dec 25 20:57:34 localhost syslogd: restart
Dec 25 20:57:34 localhost syslogd: kernel boot file is /mach_kernel
Dec 25 20:57:34 localhost kernel: standard timeslicing quantum is 10000 us
Dec 25 20:57:34 localhost kernel: vmpagebootstrap: 188999 free pages
Dec 25 20:57:34 localhost kernel: migtable_maxdispl = 68
Dec 25 20:57:34 localhost kernel: IOKit Component Version 7.9:
Dec 25 20:57:34 localhost kernel: Wed Mar 30 20:07:52 PST 2005; root(rcbuilder):RELEASE_PPC/iokit/RELEASE
Dec 25 20:57:34 localhost kernel: 72 prelinked modules
Dec 25 20:57:34 localhost kernel: Copyright (c) 1982, 1986, 1989, 1991, 1993
Dec 25 20:57:34 localhost kernel: The Regents of the University of California. All rights reserved.
Dec 25 20:57:34 localhost kernel:
Dec 25 20:57:34 localhost kernel: using 1966 buffer headers and 1966 cluster IO buffer headers
Dec 25 20:57:34 localhost kernel: IOPCCard info: Mac OS X PCMCIA Card Services 3.1.22
Dec 25 20:57:34 localhost kernel: IOPCCard info: options: [pci] [cardbus] [pnp]
Dec 25 20:57:34 localhost kernel: IOPCCard info: Intel PCIC probe:
Dec 25 20:57:34 localhost kernel: IOPCCard info: TI 1410 rev 02 PCI-to-CardBus phys mem 0xa0000000 virt mem 0x24a42000
Dec 25 20:57:34 localhost kernel: IOPCCard info: host opts [0]: [pci only] [pci irq 255] [lat 16/32] [bus 1/1]
Dec 25 20:57:34 localhost kernel: IOPCCard info: PCI card interrupts, PCI status changes
Dec 25 20:57:34 localhost kernel: Local FireWire GUID = 0x393ff:0xfe676418
Dec 25 20:57:34 localhost kernel: enableClockSpreading returned with 0
Dec 25 20:57:34 localhost kernel: ADB present:8c
Dec 25 20:57:34 localhost kernel: Security auditing service present
Dec 25 20:57:34 localhost kernel: BSM auditing present
Dec 25 20:57:34 localhost kernel: From path: "/pci@f2000000/mac-io@17/ata-4@1f000/@0:10,\mach_kernel", Waiting on <dict ID="0"><key>IOPathMatch</key><string ID="1">IODeviceTree:/pci@f2000000/mac-io@17/ata-4@1f000/@0:10</string></dict>
Dec 25 20:57:35 localhost kernel: Got boot device = IOService:/MacRISC2PE/pci@f2000000/AppleMacRiscPCI/mac-io@17/AppleKeyLargo/ata- 4@1f000/KeyLargoATA/ATADeviceNub@0/IOATABlockStorageDriver/IOATABlockStorageDevi ce/IOBlockStorageDriver/IBM-IC25N030ATDA04-0 Media/IOApplePartitionScheme/AppleHFS_Untitled2@10
Dec 25 20:57:35 localhost kernel: BSD root: disk0s10, major 14, minor 9
Dec 25 20:57:36 localhost kernel: Jettisoning kernel linker.
Dec 25 20:57:36 localhost kernel: Resetting IOCatalogue.
Dec 25 20:57:36 localhost kextd[84]: registering service "com.apple.KernelExtensionServer"
Dec 25 20:57:40 localhost kernel: Matching service count = 0
Dec 25 20:57:40 localhost kernel: AppleRS232Serial: 0 0 AppleRS232Serial::start - returning false early, Connector or machine incorrect
Dec 25 20:57:41 localhost SystemStarter: Welcome to Macintosh.
Dec 25 20:57:41 localhost kernel: UniNEnet: Ethernet address 00:03:93:67:64:18
Dec 25 20:57:41 localhost kernel: AirPortDriver: Ethernet address 00:30:65:1d:ed:04
Dec 25 20:57:41 localhost kernel: IOFireWireIP: FireWire address 00:03:93:ff:fe:67:64:18
Dec 25 20:58:58 localhost lookupd[125]: lookupd (version 324.13) starting - Mon Dec 25 20:58:58 2006
Dec 25 20:58:58 localhost ConsoleMessage: Starting SecurityServer
Dec 25 20:58:58 localhost ConsoleMessage: Starting kernel event agent
Dec 25 20:58:58 localhost ConsoleMessage: Starting Apple Multicast DNS Responder
Dec 25 20:58:59 localhost ConsoleMessage: Starting timed execution services
Dec 25 20:58:59 localhost ConsoleMessage: Starting Virtual PC OS Services
Dec 25 20:58:59 localhost diskarbitrationd[87]: disk0s10 hfs 32E36B5B-F2E6-3A49-8F6E-24525E85EC3D PowerBook G4 /
Dec 25 20:59:00 localhost SystemStarter: Waiting for Operating System enhancements for Virtual PC
Dec 25 20:59:01 localhost ConsoleMessage: Initializing network
Dec 25 20:59:01 localhost SystemStarter: Starting SecurityServer
Dec 25 20:59:01 localhost ConsoleMessage: Checking disks
Dec 25 20:59:01 localhost SystemStarter: Starting kernel event agent
Dec 25 20:59:01 localhost SystemStarter: Starting Apple Multicast DNS Responder
Dec 25 20:59:01 localhost mDNSResponder[168]: mDNSResponder-58.8.1 (Jan 31 2005 21:11:41) starting
Dec 25 20:59:01 localhost SystemStarter: Starting timed execution services
Dec 25 20:59:01 localhost SystemStarter: Starting Virtual PC OS Services
Dec 25 20:59:01 localhost SystemStarter: Initializing network
Dec 25 20:59:01 localhost SystemStarter: Checking disks
Dec 25 20:59:01 localhost mDNSResponder[168]: mDNSPlatformSendUDP sendto failed to send packet on InterfaceID 01803C00 lo0/4 to 224.0.0.251:5353 skt 4 error -1 errno 65 (No route to host)
Dec 25 20:59:01 localhost mDNSResponder[168]: mDNSPlatformSendUDP sendto failed to send packet on InterfaceID 01803C00 lo0/4 to 224.0.0.251:5353 skt 4 error -1 errno 65 (No route to host)
Dec 25 20:59:02 localhost mDNSResponder[168]: mDNSPlatformSendUDP sendto failed to send packet on InterfaceID 01803C00 lo0/4 to 224.0.0.251:5353 skt 4 error -1 errno 65 (No route to host)
Dec 25 20:59:02 localhost mDNSResponder[168]: mDNSPlatformSendUDP sendto failed to send packet on InterfaceID 01803C00 lo0/4 to 224.0.0.251:5353 skt 4 error -1 errno 65 (No route to host)
Dec 25 20:59:03 localhost mDNSResponder[168]: mDNSPlatformSendUDP sendto failed to send packet on InterfaceID 01803C00 lo0/4 to 224.0.0.251:5353 skt 4 error -1 errno 65 (No route to host)
Dec 25 20:59:04 localhost kernel: ATY,Stone_A: vram [bc000000:01000000]
Dec 25 20:59:04 localhost kernel: ATY,Stone_B: vram [b8000000:01000000]
Dec 25 20:59:04 localhost SystemStarter: The "HasShadow" window property is obsolete. Use CGSSetWindowShadowAndRimParameters(cid, wid, 0.0,0.0, 0,0, CGSNoShadowStyle) to turn off the window shadow instead. Set a break-point on CGSLogMessage to find out where this property is set.
Dec 25 20:59:05 localhost mDNSResponder[168]: mDNSPlatformSendUDP sendto failed to send packet on InterfaceID 01803C00 lo0/4 to 224.0.0.251:5353 skt 4 error -1 errno 65 (No route to host)
Dec 25 20:59:05 localhost syslogd: /dev/console: Input/output error
Dec 25 20:59:05 localhost init: kernel security level changed from 0 to 1
Dec 25 20:59:06 localhost loginwindow[184]: Sent launch request message to DirectoryService mach_init port
Dec 25 20:59:06 localhost DirectoryService[188]: Launched version 1.8.4 (v258.2)
Dec 25 20:59:09 localhost mDNSResponder[168]: mDNSPlatformSendUDP sendto failed to send packet on InterfaceID 01803C00 lo0/4 to 224.0.0.251:5353 skt 4 error -1 errno 65 (No route to host)
Dec 25 20:59:09 localhost configd[86]: executing /System/Library/SystemConfiguration/Kicker.bundle/Contents/Resources/set-hostna me
Dec 25 20:59:10 localhost set-hostname[197]: setting hostname to powerbook.local
Dec 25 20:59:12 localhost SystemStarter: Waiting for network initialization
Dec 25 20:59:14 localhost ConsoleMessage: Loading Shared IP extension
Dec 25 20:59:14 localhost SystemStarter: Loading Shared IP extension
Dec 25 20:59:14 localhost ConsoleMessage: Starting Apple File Service
Dec 25 20:59:14 localhost ConsoleMessage: Starting printing services
Dec 25 20:59:14 localhost SystemStarter: Starting Apple File Service
Dec 25 20:59:14 localhost SystemStarter: Starting printing services
Dec 25 20:59:14 localhost ConsoleMessage: Starting Apache web server
Dec 25 20:59:14 localhost SystemStarter: Starting Apache web server
Dec 25 20:59:18 localhost ConsoleMessage: Loading IP Firewall extension
Dec 25 20:59:18 localhost SystemStarter: Loading IP Firewall extension
Dec 25 20:59:21 localhost SystemStarter: Waiting for Network extensions
Dec 25 20:59:22 localhost kernel: IP packet filtering initialized, divert enabled, rule-based forwarding enabled, default to accept, logging disabled
Dec 25 20:59:22 localhost kernel: IPv6 packet filtering initialized, default to accept, logging disabled
Dec 25 20:59:22 localhost kernel: IP firewall loaded
Dec 25 20:59:22 localhost ConsoleMessage: Starting internet services
Dec 25 20:59:23 localhost SystemStarter: Starting internet services
Dec 25 20:59:23 localhost SystemStarter: Startup complete.
Dec 25 20:59:23 localhost mach_init[2]: Server 0 in bootstrap d03 uid 0: "/usr/libexec/fix_prebinding": exited with non-zero status 1 [pid 275]
Dec 25 20:59:24 localhost xinetd[274]: xinetd Version 2.3.11 started with libwrap options compiled in.
Dec 25 20:59:24 localhost xinetd[274]: Started working: 1 available service

arnie's idea to create a new user account is a good troubleshooting measure, and a good place to start. If that doesn't resolve things, read on . . .
When I ran diskwarrior it had 899 link files had creation date that was repaired root creation date was repaired critical values in the volume infomraiton were repaired
Obviously something corrupted a portion of your directory structure. This could be either software or hardware related. If things remain stable, it would suggest that the issue was software related; if things go bad again, it may well be because the HD hardware itself has issues, and repair utilities cannot repair hardware.
The disk utility harddrive repair, did find a problem and repaired it and yes, I ran it again twice with an all clear.
Was this before or after DW? Hopefully before, because DW is a much stronger utility, so it would make sense that it found/repaired things that DU did not/could not, but if it was after, then I suspect a new issue appeared between the time you ran DW and then DU, in which case something is continuing to cause HD issues (and unless you've changed something software/OS related recently, my guess would be HD hardware).
I've not trashed anything that I didn't create that I know of.
Good. If issues continue, and money is more important than time, you may want to (after creating and testing a backup of your data) erase and zero your HD and reinstall a fresh OS. This will involve quite a bit of time/effort, but it will tell you if the issues are hardware or were software related; if they were software, you should be good to go with the fresh OS install, but if they were hardware, the issues will likely continue, at which point you'll need to buy a new HD anyway and repeat the entire OS/app/data installation process.
Not to complicate matters further, but if you're able to successfully clone (Carbon Copy Cloner) your HD to another HD, the process is much simpler; you simply clone everything back onto your PB HD with a few clicks in CCC.
How can I turn off VPC and Windowshade? In System preferences/Accounts/Startup Items there are just two items, icalalarmscheduler and itunes helper . . . I'm not sure where to turn these others off at
I haven't used VPC for a very long time, but if, as it appears in the log, it is causing issues, and you haven't manually started it, then something is telling it to start. Maybe this is controlled from within VPC itself?
One other question: you haven't used Norton Utilities on your HD, have you?

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You know what I love about you the most, the fact that you are not me ! In love with technology and all that it can offer. Join me in discovery....

Why does my OS X 10.6.8 have various applications hang for several minutes, then resume. This is not a startup problem.

I upgraded to Mac OS X 10.6.8 a few weeks ago. It seemed to be running OK, so we upgraded another system also. Now both machine are, from time to time, stalling whatever application is running. Everything stops or runs veeeeeeerrrrrry slowly for several minutes even including bringing other windows to the front. The disk runs almost like it is swapping a lot. Then the system frees up and runs normally for a while. This is not a startup problem. I occurrs on systems that have been running for a day or two or more. It happens on an iMac and on a MacBookPro. Neither of them had this behavior before the 10.6.8 upgrade.

Jocke27 wrote:
What do you mean with corrupt?
Why did you suggest that I created a new profile?
There are cache files and other system files that are created every time a user account is created. Sometimes these are corrupted in the OS and it really has no bearing on the specific application but it can lead to erratic behavior. Creating a new user recreates all these system files and thus it's almost like starting fresh. It's one step shy of re-installation of an OS. So because changing the user fixed the issue, then we have eliminated the fact that the application is causing the error and we know the OS is causing the error.
I can't just go in to that profile when I want to use?
I wouldn't recommend it. This can lead to more problems with the OS down the road with other applications and depending on where the corruption lies it can lead to issues with OS upgrades or even installing new software. The files that are typically most critical to users are stored in the Applications folder or the Documents/Sites/Pictures folders. You can easily drag them over to a new user account. If you have email being backed up for a product like Thunderbird you can also bring over many of the Library items as well.

Startup problems

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