iMac freezing

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I Have had a macbook pro for about a year and i love it so I bought an Imac 21" loved itbut everyday my mac would lock up and i had to restart i could move the mouse but could not do anything, I need my computer to do my work so i just dealt with it well its 58 days later and i cant stand it so i returned it and bought a 27inch.... same thing my mac will hang and freeze 1-3 times a day im a photographer and I only use the mac for photo editing I have read and searched for anwers and i am here, I called apple tech support and they had me reset th p ram 1 hour later..... freeze. help me please! I really want to liket his thing but this is ridiculous!
Its random i can be in photoshop or searching in google or anything
 

chscag

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2017 27" iMac, 10.5" iPad Pro, iPhone 8, iPhone 11, iPhone 12 Mini, Numerous iPods, Monterey
I know the 27" model weighs in at around 50 LBS but if it were mine, I would pack it up and return it for a new one. I don't know what's causing your freezing problems with the 2 iMacs and it may be coincidental. But let the Apple techs resolve it.
 
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chas_m

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Before you take chscag's rather extreme step, try this:

1. Create a new admin-level account.
2. Log out of your account and into the new one.
3. Naturally since all "your stuff" is on the other account, you won't be able to do some of the things you might normally do, but you have full access to your apps, so try opening a few of them, and doing (to the extent possible) the kinds of things you do with your apps in your own account.

Do you still have the same problems? If the answer is no, then it's not a mechanical issue; it's you (or more specifically something in your "real" user account) that is causing the problem.
 
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MacInWin

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Also, you haven't given us any specs on your iMac. Photoshop takes a lot of memory, and if you try to edit a lot of photos, it can spend a lot of time paging in and out. So when you report back on what chas_m suggested you try, please provide the specs of your iMac. Click on the Apple icon in the upper left corner of the desktop and then About This Mac to get the specs.
 

chscag

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"Freezing" problems are difficult to diagnose and while it may be somewhat helpful to do what chas_m suggested, most freezing errors are due to hardware. And I'm not sure most novice users would know how to trouble shoot it. If the machine is new as the OP has indicated, I still recommend he let Apple deal with it. Even if it does turn out to be a problem of his own doing, the genius bar can assist him with that.
 
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MacInWin

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My experience is that 99% of my freezing errors were due to software getting into some lost state. In fact, I've never seen a Mac product fail into a freeze because of hardware issues. Not that it can't happen, but the much higher probability is that some software is stuck in some unknown state or that too many things are open at once, causing paging to become intolerable. The OP gave three examples: Photoshop, searching Google and unknown. As I said earlier, Photoshop can take enormous memory chunks, particularly if the OP is trying to do lots of things to lots of photos, so paging is a candidate there. And beachballs while searching for Google is most likely a network issue. It's hard to guess what "anywhere" means.

As you said, if the machine is still in warranty, then the OP certainly can take it back to the store, but that's already been done once and the problem remains, which to me points to something the OP doing or done on the software/operations side of the equation.
 

chscag

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You could certainly be correct although my experience with freezing on Macs have not been the same as yours. Most freezing errors I've run into were due to defective memory and\or a graphics problem. And sometimes, a bad hard drive. Anyway, it seems the OP has not responded so we may never know. It would have been nice if he could have provided us with a log dump or kernel panic log.
 
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its a 2.9 i5 8gb 1600 ddr3
the only things i have installed are google chrome
lightroom, photoshop, and wacom tablet software
i only work on 1 photo at a time in photoshop and all my photos and data are on external drives
 
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MacInWin

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Did you try what chas_m suggested in post 3? Do you have any antivirus software installed? Can you give a few more hints about what you are seeing? You said you could move your mouse, which means OSX hasn't really crashed, it's an application that is hanging up.
 
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Did you try what chas_m suggested in post 3? Do you have any antivirus software installed? Can you give a few more hints about what you are seeing? You said you could move your mouse, which means OSX hasn't really crashed, it's an application that is hanging up.


so know i think the culprit might be photoshop...
 
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and its still freezing here is a my crash logs
DigitalIcon ttys000 Fri Jul 5 10:03 still logged in
DigitalIcon console Fri Jul 5 10:00 still logged in
reboot ~ Fri Jul 5 09:59
DigitalIcon console Thu Jul 4 01:00 - crash (1+08:59)
reboot ~ Thu Jul 4 01:00
DigitalIcon ttys000 Wed Jul 3 20:43 - 20:44 (00:00)
DigitalIcon ttys000 Wed Jul 3 20:41 - 20:43 (00:01)
DigitalIcon ttys000 Wed Jul 3 20:36 - 20:41 (00:04)
DigitalIcon console Wed Jul 3 20:33 - crash (04:26)
reboot ~ Wed Jul 3 20:32
DigitalIcon console Wed Jul 3 20:30 - 20:31 (00:01)
reboot ~ Wed Jul 3 20:29
DigitalIcon console Wed Jul 3 17:47 - crash (02:42)
reboot ~ Wed Jul 3 17:46
DigitalIcon console Wed Jul 3 13:52 - crash (03:53)
reboot ~ Wed Jul 3 13:41
reboot ~ Wed Jul 3 13:41
root console Wed Jul 3 13:39 - crash (00:01)
DigitalIcon console Wed Jul 3 13:12 - 13:39 (00:27)
reboot ~ Wed Jul 3 13:11
DigitalIcon console Tue Jul 2 19:25 - crash (17:45)
reboot ~ Tue Jul 2 19:24
DigitalIcon console Tue Jul 2 19:01 - crash (00:23)
reboot ~ Tue Jul 2 19:00
DigitalIcon console Tue Jul 2 16:35 - crash (02:25)
reboot ~ Tue Jul 2 16:34
DigitalIcon console Mon Jul 1 19:47 - crash (20:46)
reboot ~ Mon Jul 1 19:46
DigitalIcon console Mon Jul 1 19:45 - crash (00:01)
reboot ~ Mon Jul 1 19:44
shutdown ~ Mon Jul 1 19:44
DigitalIcon console Mon Jul 1 19:41 - 19:43 (00:02)
reboot ~ Mon Jul 1 19:40
DigitalIcon console Sun Jun 30 22:33 - crash (21:06)
reboot ~ Sun Jun 30 22:33
DigitalIcon console Sun Jun 30 22:15 - crash (00:17)
reboot ~ Sun Jun 30 22:15
DigitalIcon console Sun Jun 30 19:16 - crash (02:59)
reboot ~ Sun Jun 30 19:15
DigitalIcon console Fri Jun 28 18:11 - crash (2+01:03)
reboot ~ Fri Jun 28 18:09
DigitalIcon console Thu Jun 27 14:20 - crash (1+03:49)
reboot ~ Thu Jun 27 14:19
DigitalIcon console Thu Jun 27 11:14 - crash (03:04)
reboot ~ Thu Jun 27 11:14
DigitalIcon console Wed Jun 26 13:35 - crash (21:38)
reboot ~ Wed Jun 26 13:35
DigitalIcon console Wed Jun 26 13:00 - crash (00:34)
reboot ~ Wed Jun 26 12:59
DigitalIcon console Wed Jun 26 09:43 - crash (03:16)
reboot ~ Wed Jun 26 09:42
DigitalIcon console Tue Jun 25 23:51 - crash (09:51)
reboot ~ Tue Jun 25 23:51
DigitalIcon console Tue Jun 25 21:06 - crash (02:44)
reboot ~ Tue Jun 25 21:06
DigitalIcon console Tue Jun 25 21:00 - 21:03 (00:03)
reboot ~ Tue Jun 25 20:59
shutdown ~ Tue Jun 25 20:58
DigitalIcon console Tue Jun 25 20:54 - 20:58 (00:04)
reboot ~ Tue Jun 25 20:53
shutdown ~ Tue Jun 25 20:52
DigitalIcon console Tue Jun 25 20:50 - 20:52 (00:02)
reboot ~ Tue Jun 25 20:45
shutdown ~ Tue Jun 25 20:45
DigitalIcon console Tue Jun 25 20:40 - 20:45 (00:04)
reboot ~ Tue Jun 25 20:38
shutdown ~ Tue Jun 25 20:37
DigitalIcon console Tue Jun 25 20:15 - 20:37 (00:22)
reboot ~ Tue Jun 25 20:13
DigitalIcon ttys000 Tue Jun 25 20:00 - 20:04 (00:04)
DigitalIcon console Tue Jun 25 14:36 - crash (05:37)
reboot ~ Tue Jun 25 14:35
DigitalIcon console Tue Jun 25 10:42 - crash (03:52)
reboot ~ Tue Jun 25 10:42
DigitalIcon console Mon Jun 24 17:47 - crash (16:55)
reboot ~ Mon Jun 24 17:46
DigitalIcon console Mon Jun 24 10:00 - crash (07:45)
reboot ~ Mon Jun 24 09:59
DigitalIcon console Sat Jun 22 19:48 - crash (1+14:11)
reboot ~ Sat Jun 22 19:47
DigitalIcon console Fri Jun 21 22:38 - crash (21:09)
reboot ~ Fri Jun 21 17:01
DigitalIcon console Thu Jun 20 17:03 - crash (23:58)
reboot ~ Thu Jun 20 17:02
DigitalIcon console Thu Jun 20 10:30 - crash (06:32)
reboot ~ Thu Jun 20 10:29
DigitalIcon console Wed Jun 19 21:30 - crash (12:58)
reboot ~ Wed Jun 19 21:29
DigitalIcon console Wed Jun 19 17:44 - crash (03:45)
reboot ~ Wed Jun 19 17:43
DigitalIcon console Wed Jun 19 17:12 - crash (00:31)
reboot ~ Wed Jun 19 17:11
DigitalIcon console Wed Jun 19 16:17 - crash (00:53)
reboot ~ Wed Jun 19 16:16
DigitalIcon console Fri Jun 14 15:05 - crash (5+01:11)
reboot ~ Fri Jun 14 15:02
DigitalIcon console Fri Jun 14 00:31 - crash (14:30)
reboot ~ Fri Jun 14 00:29
DigitalIcon console Thu Jun 13 19:40 - crash (04:48)
reboot ~ Thu Jun 13 19:40
DigitalIcon console Wed Jun 12 23:07 - crash (20:32)
reboot ~ Wed Jun 12 23:07
DigitalIcon console Tue Jun 11 19:48 - crash (1+03:19)
reboot ~ Tue Jun 11 19:46
DigitalIcon console Mon Jun 10 20:21 - crash (23:25)
reboot ~ Mon Jun 10 20:20
DigitalIcon console Mon Jun 10 17:18 - crash (03:01)
reboot ~ Mon Jun 10 17:17
DigitalIcon console Mon Jun 10 17:05 - 17:15 (00:09)
reboot ~ Mon Jun 10 17:01
DigitalIcon console Mon Jun 10 16:38 - crash (00:22)
reboot ~ Mon Jun 10 16:34
DigitalIcon console Mon Jun 10 13:28 - crash (03:06)
reboot ~ Mon Jun 10 13:25
reboot ~ Mon Jun 10 13:24
root console Mon Jun 10 13:20 - crash (00:03)
DigitalIcon console Mon Jun 10 12:59 - 13:20 (00:20)
reboot ~ Mon Jun 10 12:58
DigitalIcon console Mon Jun 10 12:26 - crash (00:32)
reboot ~ Mon Jun 10 12:25
DigitalIcon console Sun Jun 9 21:49 - crash (14:35)
reboot ~ Sun Jun 9 21:48
DigitalIcon console Sun Jun 9 20:07 - crash (01:41)
reboot ~ Sun Jun 9 20:07
DigitalIcon console Sun Jun 9 19:44 - crash (00:22)
reboot ~ Sun Jun 9 19:44
DigitalIcon console Sun Jun 9 11:45 - crash (07:58)
reboot ~ Sun Jun 9 11:37
DigitalIcon console Sat Jun 8 00:48 - crash (1+10:48)
reboot ~ Sat Jun 8 00:47
DigitalIcon console Fri Jun 7 16:34 - crash (08:13)
reboot ~ Fri Jun 7 16:28
shutdown ~ Fri Jun 7 16:27
DigitalIcon console Fri Jun 7 16:00 - 16:27 (00:27)
reboot ~ Fri Jun 7 15:59
DigitalIcon console Fri Jun 7 15:46 - 15:57 (00:11)
reboot ~ Fri Jun 7 15:45
shutdown ~ Fri Jun 7 15:45
DigitalIcon console Fri Jun 7 15:40 - 15:45 (00:05)
reboot ~ Fri Jun 7 15:37
DigitalIcon console Fri Jun 7 15:25 - 15:37 (00:11)
reboot ~ Fri Jun 7 15:25
DigitalIcon console Fri Jun 7 15:13 - 15:25 (00:11)
reboot ~ Fri Jun 7 15:11
shutdown ~ Fri Jun 7 15:11
DigitalIcon console Fri Jun 7 10:48 - 15:11 (04:22)
root console Fri Jun 7 10:42 - 10:48 (00:06)
reboot ~ Fri Jun 7 10:38
 
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Your Mac's Specs
27" iMac (Mid 2011), 3.4GHz Intel Core i7, 16GB RAM, 2GB Video Card, 2TB HDD
I have a 27" iMac and let me tell you, they're no fun to lug into an Apple store. I had to with mine. Twice. It needed a new power supply (mine was buzzing loudly) but the first time I took it in, they misdiagnosed it as the hard drive. I could tell that wasn't it but I took their word for it. The 2nd time I took it in, they got it right and gave me a $30 store gift card to say sorry.

My advice to you, take it in, talk to the manager and tell him that this is your 2nd computer that's had this issue, and get some compensation for your trouble. A brand new machine shouldn't have crashing issues on multiple apps like that.
 

bobtomay

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15" MBP '06 2.33 C2D 4GB 10.7; 13" MBA '14 1.8 i7 8GB 10.11; 21" iMac '13 2.9 i5 8GB 10.11; 6S
Unplug the wacom tablet and see if the freezes go away.

And if it's software is loading on startup, uninstall it.
 
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MacInWin

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the wacom tablet? what makes you think that? im curious?
Just go ahead and disconnect and uninstall any software for it. Either the crashes will stop (if caused by wacom) or they won't (you've eliminated wacom as a cause). Once we know if the wacom makes a difference, we can work on what's next. Typically crashes are caused by either third party software going sideways or add-on hardware with flaky drivers. That's probably why bobtomay suggested it, but just give it a try and let us know what happens.
 

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