Late 2012 iMac - 'hard freezing' issue

[axxerd]

-Late 2012 - 27" iMac, bought in Spring 2013.
-OSX 10.8.5
-3.4 GHz Intel Core i7
-32 GB 1600 MHz DDR3 ram

A little over a week ago I bought a Seagate 3TB 'Backup Plus' external hard drive. I tried to install the install file that came on the disk to set up the software, but the install dialog kind of disappeared and I have no idea what happened.

Anyway, shortly after that, while trying to transfer large amounts of data from one hard drive to this new one (I'm a professional photographer), my computer suddenly froze up. I had to hold in on the back button on my imac to restart. This happened multiple times that evening, until I eventually disconnected the new hard drive.

I was beginning to think the problem was solved until it happened again 5-6 days later. This time, I noticed a Seagate GoFlex waking up more than normal...so, I disconnected that drive as well.
Fast forward to today. I open Lightroom and try to browse through some photos, and it freezes again. It has frozen on me about 5 times today/tonight.

It seems to freeze randomly every few days, and when it does, it happens multiple times that day or evening. None of this started until I hooked up that new hard drive though...but it continues despite the new drive being disconnected.

I'm looking for some solutions, or some direction here. I need to process wedding photos and design albums, but I'm having a rough time doing that when I get random freezing.

Hope someone can help!

 

[pigoo3]

I tried to install the install file that came on the disk to set up the software, but the install dialog kind of disappeared and I have no idea what happened.

Anyway, shortly after that, while trying to transfer large amounts of data from one hard drive to this new one (I'm a professional photographer), my computer suddenly froze up.

Two things:

1. What software/what installer were you trying to install? Generally speaking...most/many hard drives that come with software for backing up or whatever...is either not compatible with Mac's...or is not very good software (well written). So unless this software is a well-known app...I wouldn't bother with it.. And use something that we are more familiar with & recommend.

2. Large amounts of data. How large are we talking...and how many files? Personally when I'm transferring large amounts of data...I prefer "smaller chunks"...rather than a HUGE amount of data/lots & lots of files. I find if too much is done at once...this can cause "computer confusion".

- Nick

 

[chscag]

It seems to freeze randomly every few days, and when it does, it happens multiple times that day or evening. None of this started until I hooked up that new hard drive though...but it continues despite the new drive being disconnected.

You might want to startup your iMac to recovery and verify your internal hard drive. Press command + r when restarting. Once in recovery, choose Utilities, Disk Utility. Verify the internal hard drive of your iMac. Let us know.

 

[axxerd]

pigoo3: The installer was simply "Seagate Dashboard Installer". I believe I successfully uninstalled it afterwards. As for the files, we're talking close to a hundred gigs or more. Multiple RAW files of wedding photos. This isn't the first time I've done that, but it was the first time my computer froze up while doing it.

chscag: I just did that. All disks, including my new one that seems to have sparked the trouble, all appear to be fine. One of my seagate disks however wouldn't let me verify it. I cannot write to this disk with my mac, and it sometimes has "ejected" itself from my finder. It's a backup drive that I have used between my imac and a pc laptop.

It might also be worth mentioning that the free space on my main drive was quite low. I've cleared some things out, and i'm currently sitting at 22 gb free out of 3 tb. I'm not sure if this posed problems when operating in my lightroom as the catalogue is quite large.

I haven't had a freezing problem since about 45 minutes before I posted this question, and I have since used Lightroom, and also connected the original drive that I thought was the problem.

Tonight I also noticed in the console logs that KiesAgent was showing up literally every 2 seconds. I removed it from running at login, and then uninstalled that program. The computer did freeze up once after that though I believe.

 

[dtravis7]

Do you have any kind of Android device like tablet or Phone? Kies is a file you install on the Mac so you can read the file system on an Android device.

 

[axxerd]

I used to have a Samsung Galaxy S2, but I've since bought a Nexus 5. I rarely transfer anything from computer to phone, but when I do, I use the android file transfer program. No need for Kies anymore thankfully. It was terrible.

 

[chscag]

It might also be worth mentioning that the free space on my main drive was quite low. I've cleared some things out, and i'm currently sitting at 22 gb free out of 3 tb. I'm not sure if this posed problems when operating in my lightroom as the catalogue is quite large.

Your internal hard drive no longer has room to breathe nor room for a swap file. That's a full drive. Whether or not that's causing the freezes.... ? When space becomes dangerous low like yours is, there's always a chance of data loss. You need to do something about that as soon as you can. Also, I'm assuming you do have good backups.

 

[pigoo3]

As for the files, we're talking close to a hundred gigs or more. Multiple RAW files of wedding photos.

As an experiment...I would try smaller batches of files. See if it makes a difference (no freezing).

It might also be worth mentioning that the free space on my main drive was quite low. I've cleared some things out, and i'm currently sitting at 22 gb free out of 3 tb.

This is over 99% full...so this could be a problem. Usually with the internal HD with the OS installed on it...we say don't ley it get more than 80% full. But things are a bit different on an external drive where just files are stored (no OS). But a 99% full external HD could be the problem.

- Nick