How do I stop the spinning beach ball in Safari extensions?

[gogreen1]

I'm using Safari 14.0.3 on an iMac and a MacBook Air. On my iMac, when I go into Preferences > Extensions, I get the spinning beach ball for about 10 seconds before I can check or uncheck extensions. On the MBA I get no spinning beach ball and I can check or uncheck extensions immediately. What's causing the spinning beach ball on my iMac and how do I stop it?

 

[pm-r]

I'm using Safari 14.0.3 on an iMac and a MacBook Air. On my iMac, when I go into Preferences > Extensions, I get the spinning beach ball for about 10 seconds before I can check or uncheck extensions. On the MBA I get no spinning beach ball and I can check or uncheck extensions immediately.

Can we assume that both are running the same set of Safari extensions???

I'm not sure how one could tell which extension might be responsible without disabling each one separately. Rather a time-consuming process... maybe not worth it... ??? ?



- Patrick
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[gogreen1]

Thanks, pm-r. Yes--I have the same extensions running on both computers. I use 1Password, and I have Adguard and Wipr intalled on both computers (but not running at the same time--I'm still evaluating both). It doesn't seem to matter whether they're installed or not because I still get the spinning beach ball, even with none, so I suspect it's coming from a setting elsewhere.

 

[pm-r]

It doesn't seem to matter whether they're installed or not because I still get the spinning beach ball, even with none, so I suspect it's coming from a setting elsewhere.

Maybe having a look at the specific Console logs or even Activity Monitor may give you an idea of what might be going on???


- Patrick
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[gogreen1]

Maybe having a look at the specific Console logs or even Activity Monitor may give you an idea of what might be going on???

I suppose could do that. I hate to take a giant step backward, but what would I look for and how would I interpret it?

 

[MacInWin]

What iMac and what MBA? Are they the same age? Same type drive? Same memory? Are we actually comparing apples to apples here?

 

[Rod]

I have the same questions as Jake above. A 2012 iMac will perform very differently running the same macOS and software versions to say: a 2020 Macbook Air.

 

[gogreen1]

Sorry for the late reply. Both the iMac and the MBA are 2017. The iMac has 32GB of memory, the MBA, 8GB. Both are i7 processors. You'd think, though, that the MBA would be the one with the spinning beach ball. Both machines performed similarly before the upgrade to Big Sur. As I recall, that's when the Safari problem on the iMac started.

 

[ferrarr]

Are their other users logged in, or apps open, which will still be using resources? How about browser tabs?

 

[pm-r]

Both machines performed similarly before the upgrade to Big Sur. As I recall, that's when the Safari problem on the iMac started.

Maybe try doing another new Big Sur install.

It can't be much worse than what you already have ended up with. At least I would hope not!!! ?

PS: Do things improve if booted up using Safe Boot Mode???


- Patrick
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[gogreen1]

The same thing happens in Safe Mode. On both computers, no other users logged on, and only one browser tab open.

 

[pm-r]

The same thing happens in Safe Mode. On both computers, no other users logged on, and only one browser tab open.

That would tend to prove that no third-party software is involved or causing the problem, so the problem exists because of something goofy in the installed OS or the Internet connection setup you are using, or maybe an overfull or corrupted fragmented hard drive.

I would suggest trying my suggestion I mentioned in my post #10.

Is the problem only when you are using the Internet???


- Patrick
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[chscag]

The same thing happens in Safe Mode. On both computers, no other users logged on, and only one browser tab open.

Have you tried clearing your Safari browsing cache?

Open Safari Preferences, choose "Advanced", then select "Show develop menu......".

Now restart Safari. Then select "Develop", "Empty Caches". Restart Safari again. If you wish, you can also select "clear history".

What the above will do besides empty caches and history, it will also remove all your Safari favcons. However, as you visit each site again they will be restored one by one.

 

[gogreen1]

I decided it's time to reinstall Big Sur. The three options are 1) installing the latest version of macOS compatible with my computer, 2) reinstalling my computer's original version of macOS with available updates, or 3) reinstalling the version of macOS stored on my computer's built-in recovery disk. I hate to ask a dumb question, but which one of these options should I choose?

And about how long does this reinstall take?

Thanks, all for sticking with me on this!

 

[MacInWin]

Try option 3 first. What you want is to reinstall BS over the version you have now. That should re-establish all of the critical parts for the system but leave your data intact. If that doesn't fix it, then a full reformat/reinstall/restore from backup is in order. No real reason to go backwards, just reinstall Big Sur.

 

[gogreen1]

Thanks, Jake. Tomorrow's project.

 

[gogreen1]

Well, option 3 didn't fix the problem. Do any of the other options in post #14 leave my desktop and customizations intact, as did option 3?

 

[MacInWin]

In a word, no. At this point make a backup and do a full, disk-erasing, nuke and pave installation. Or live with a spinning beachball.

 

[gogreen1]

For now, I'll live with the spinning beachball. I have nothing to back up this idea, but I suspect the problem could be either a system setting or a Safari setting, but I can't think of what it could be.

 

[pm-r]

For now, I'll live with the spinning beachball.

Do you get the spinning beachballs when visiting all websites or just some???

What happens at Apple site, Apple or Apple (CA)

Just suggesting them as a test site as they are usually very fast, and maybe no spinning beach balls.


- Patrick
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