Mini Freezing/resetting

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Hey guys. I have a late 2012 Mini. It's running Mavericks. All updates have been done.

On occasion it freezes. This generally requires that I hold in the power button until it shuts down, then I push the power button again and it boots up and I'm back in business.

On two previous occasions, and now today for the third time overall, when I restart, it's like it's being powered on for the first time. All settings are at their defaults, Dock is like the first time I started up, main hard drive and main storage drives are empty. Everything gone. Also in this state, no setting changes save if I try to change something, like mouse tracking speed etc.

Thank God for Time Machine! It is currently saving my butt again, as it had done the last backup about 10 minutes before the blip...

Sure it's only an hour out of my life to run the restore, but I am really hoping someone has an idea of what is happening and an idea of how to prevent it from happening again.

Sorry for the long post. I appreciate any insight.

My setup is this, just in case it matters:

2012 Mac Mini i5, 2.5 GHz, 4 GB Ram, 500 GB HDD
External Super Drive
2 external 3.5" HDDs in USB 3 Enclosures. One of them is a 2TB that i use for storage and stuff, the other is a 3TB that is used for Time Machine. Its connected to an ISP supplied gigabit switch and then to the ISP supplied Modem/Switch/Wifi box.
I also use the AirPort wireless.
Magic Mouse
M7803 Apple Pro Keyboard
Dual Sharp 32" 1080p HDTV displays
BalanceFrom USB3 Hub
APC UPS connected to the Hub via USB for monitoring.
Canon MX452 Pringer
Steinberg UR22 Audio Interface.

Thanks!
 
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pigoo3

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On two previous occasions, and now today for the third time overall, when I restart, it's like it's being powered on for the first time. All settings are at their defaults, Dock is like the first time I started up, main hard drive and main storage drives are empty. Everything gone.

The first think I'm thinking is...how many accounts do you have setup on this computer? If everything is disappearing & preference settings are not being "remembered"...maybe you're not logging into the correct account.

- Nick
 
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The first think I'm thinking is...how many accounts do you have setup on this computer? If everything is disappearing & preference settings are not being "remembered"...maybe you're not logging into the correct account.

- Nick

Thanks for the reply.

I am the only user of this machine and there is only my account and the guest account, which is turned off.

And when I say everything is gone, I mean everything. Drives show full capacity available. Literally like I have never turned it on before except for my username and password work.

Trevor
 

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It sure sounds like you were somehow signed into your machine's guest account. Any updates, changes, etc. etc, are lost from the guest account as soon as you reboot. The system is designed that way. I can't think of another reason for the symptoms you described without some bizarre glitch occurring.
 
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It sure sounds like you were somehow signed into your machine's guest account. Any updates, changes, etc. etc, are lost from the guest account as soon as you reboot. The system is designed that way. I can't think of another reason for the symptoms you described without some bizarre glitch occurring.

I assure I haven't been. My Time Machine restore put everything back to way it was before the incident and I'm still using the same login and password as I always have. I have also rebooted the machine, shut it down when going out of town and had it freeze needing a hard shut down on occasion before, this reverting back to "like new" glitch is a once in a while thing that is puzzling me. It's not every time I restart or every time I log out or anything...
 

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I cannot think of a situation where a computer is completely reset back to a factory new-like condition...where all previously created files, previously user installed apps, video files, music files, photos, and preference settings have resorted to defaults...other than:

- a complete hard drive reformat & fresh OS install
- someone is logging into the wrong (or newly created) user account
- or some other person has access to this computer...and has accidentially or maliciously did one of the 2 items mentioned above

This situation just cannot happen spontaneously. Human involvement/human error of some sort has to occur.

- Nick
 
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It froze while I was using it, I did the hard shut down and I restarted it. There was no involvement from anyone else.

Next time it freezes, I'll video the restart. If it happens again you all can be amazed!

I guess I just have to be glad I back up, and continue to do so. Is there a way to have TM do its thing more frequently?
 

pigoo3

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Not sure if it was mentioned. But did you purchase this computer new or used?

- Nick
 
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Not sure if it was mentioned. But did you purchase this computer new or used?

- Nick

I bought it brand new on May 20, 2013. I am the only one to ever use it. I did the Mavericks upgrade on the day it was released. I am up to date on everything. I've had Onyx and Maintenance look at it without finding anything. I don't think its something I can take to the Apple Store to look at as I can't replicate it at will.
 

pigoo3

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I bought it brand new on May 20, 2013. I am the only one to ever use it. I did the Mavericks upgrade on the day it was released. I am up to date on everything. I've had Onyx and Maintenance look at it without finding anything. I don't think its something I can take to the Apple Store to look at as I can't replicate it at will.

Ok thanks for the info. Just wanted to be sure we weren't dealing with any previous owner "funkiness"!;)

- Nick
 
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I generally do a wipe and reload when I buy second hand machines, just to make sure stuff like this doesn't happen.

I wonder if it would make sense to do that. Make sure I have all my archives and stuff backed up and start fresh. This is the first new Mac I ever bought and learned a lot and made some mistakes... I'm planning an SSD upgrade. Maybe I should do that and start from a fresh install rather than a clone.

Thoughts?
 

pigoo3

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I wonder if it would make sense to do that. Make sure I have all my archives and stuff backed up and start fresh. This is the first new Mac I ever bought and learned a lot and made some mistakes... I'm planning an SSD upgrade. Maybe I should do that and start from a fresh install rather than a clone.

Thoughts?

I wouldn't be against this given what's been happening & tried so far.:)

One possible problem. I think that you mentioned doing a Time Machine restore at least once (if not more) when you have this problem. You never know...the problem (whatever it is) may be on your Time Machine backup.

So if you decide to do a "wipe and reload"...this may work...but as soon as you do a Time Machine restore...the issue may reappear. So I guess it depends what's on the Time Machine backup...and if you have those items backed up somewhere else if you need them (apps, vids, music, photos, etc.).

- Nick
 
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I wouldn't be against this given what's been happening & tried so far.:)

One possible problem. I think that you mentioned doing a Time Machine restore at least once (if not more) when you have this problem. You never know...the problem (whatever it is) may be on your Time Machine backup.

So if you decide to do a "wipe and reload"...this may work...but as soon as you do a Time Machine restore...the issue may reappear. So I guess it depends what's on the Time Machine backup...and if you have those items backed up somewhere else if you need them (apps, vids, music, photos, etc.).

- Nick

If I opt for the wipe/reload, I would most likely just make a list of all the software I'm using and either re-download it for the free stuff, and backup my installer packages for the ones I have bought etc. and actually go through the process like a new computer. All my music and videos etc are all stored on an external drive. The Time Machine backup pulls from the internal and external drives and backs up separately on a second external. I would also wipe the backup drive and start fresh there.

I was a DOS/Windows user forever, so wiping and starting over is not a new concept. :)
 

pigoo3

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If I opt for the wipe/reload, I would most likely just make a list of all the software I'm using and either re-download it for the free stuff, and backup my installer packages for the ones I have bought etc. and actually go through the process like a new computer. All my music and videos etc are all stored on an external drive.

Sounds perfect!:) If there are still issues after all of this…I'm really going to be scratching my head!!;)

Let us know how it turns out.:)

- Nick
 
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Sounds perfect!:) If there are still issues after all of this…I'm really going to be scratching my head!!;)

Let us know how it turns out.:)

- Nick

I'll keep you all in the loop. It'll be a couple of months before I do the SSD Upgrade. Hopefully I don't have too many issues in the meantime!
 

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