MBP freezes for no reason

by tapasdesai Feb 1, 2011 5:37PM PST

I have a 2008 MBP (13", 2.26 ghz, 2 gb ram, leopard) which freezes if i leave it idle for more than 2 minutes.
The screen goes black and i get the rainbow spiral cursor.

I have to use expose and switch to a new space, after which everything works perfectly.
And after a while, the frozen space goes back to normal.

Surprisingly, it doesnt freeze if i dim the brightness of the screen to zero (or put it to sleep)

Discussion is locked

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System preferences also freezes

by tapasdesai Feb 1, 2011 6:26PM PST

if i try to change/test a screensaver.

the program stops responding, rest of the computer works fine.

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Time to start thinking about an Archive and Install

by mrmacfixit Forum moderator Feb 1, 2011 8:48PM PST

Seems like more than one thing is broken.

But first, go to the Preferences folder in your Home>Library>Preferences and find the Spaces preference file and the Screen Saver preference file. (If you can)

Move them out onto the desk top and start Spaces again. It will create a new preference file but you will have to set up Spaces again.
Do the same with the Screen Saver .

P

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cant find the preference files

by tapasdesai Feb 9, 2011 5:25PM PST

could you please give me the name of the preference files ?

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I tried tht when my trackpad stopped clicking

by tapasdesai Feb 9, 2011 5:32PM PST

My trackpad doesnt click when I push it down.
So I cut-pasted the com.apple.finder.plist file frm preferences on the desktop and restarted the computer (several times)

Because the trackpad still didnt click, I put the file from the desktop back to the preferences file and i wasnt asked if i want to replace the com.apple.finder.plist file.

Maybe its that screw on the trackpad that needs to be loosened (i saw that on youtube) to make it work again.

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by Jimmy Greystone Feb 9, 2011 10:16PM PST

No, and especially if it's one of the multi-touch trackpads, if it stops registering clicks the only thing to do is replace it. It's a hardware failure, and no amount of fiddling with software settings will fix it. The non-multitouch trackpads require a new top case, the multitouch can be removed separately. Just don't think you're going to do this on your own though. You have to remove the battery, and on newer models the battery is locked in with very difficult to find a screwdriver for screws for good reason.

MBP freezes for no reason

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