Mac OSX screen issues (maybe more)

**pat13nce** · 01-20-2006, 08:04 AM

I have been working for a few hours this morning. My screen went to sleep. On waking it - it didn't even get to the prompt for password and I have had a black screen with the pinwheel spinning for 2 hours now.

I have a call into our IT but have rcvd no call backs.

If anyone can help I would greatly appreciate it.

**shuuhen** · 01-20-2006, 06:48 PM

It sounds like something is frozen or stuck in an infinite loop. Try pressing command-period. If that doesn't do anything, try pressing command-option-escape to force quit whatever isn't responding.

Hopefully your work is saved. You can always force the computer to restart. On a laptop you should be able to press command-control-power. On a PowerMac/iMac/etc. you should have a reset button somewhere. Apple's site can tell you the location of the reset button (if you can't find it, tell me the model of your machine).

**pat13nce** · 01-22-2006, 05:49 PM

I was able to get ahold of the IT Company we use. It had something to do with spotlight. (Which was turned off at one point). I had nothing checked to use spotlight in. But it still causes this issue. I was instructed to go into Terminal and delete 3 files. Presto - fixed.....

:)

sinclair_tm · 01-22-2006, 09:00 PM

what 3 files? could you let us know exactly they had you do? thx.

**pat13nce** · 01-23-2006, 05:55 AM

com.apple.finder.plist

com.apple.systempreferences.plist

com.apple.systemuiserver.plist

sinclair_tm · 01-23-2006, 10:44 PM

so it was just some bad prefs. i figured as much when you told us they had you delete some files. i just wanted to know which prefs.

**pat13nce** · 01-24-2006, 05:18 AM

no problem.

Just made it a horrible Friday.

The worst of it all was I was freezing in safe mode.

We found a way around it tho. With the help of the Tech Company we use out of NY. (They have become the best in my book. Being able to solve issue the in house guys can't "over the phone")

Our in house IT don't touch much of the system since they are mainly windows Techs.

01-20-2006, 08:04 AM	#1 (permalink)
pat13nce I helped the forums. Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Eastern Pennsylvania Posts: 18 OS: Mac OS X, Win2000P	Mac OSX screen issues (maybe more) I have been working for a few hours this morning. My screen went to sleep. On waking it - it didn't even get to the prompt for password and I have had a black screen with the pinwheel spinning for 2 hours now. I have a call into our IT but have rcvd no call backs. If anyone can help I would greatly appreciate it.

01-22-2006, 05:49 PM	#3 (permalink)
pat13nce I helped the forums. Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Eastern Pennsylvania Posts: 18 OS: Mac OS X, Win2000P	Thanks I was able to get ahold of the IT Company we use. It had something to do with spotlight. (Which was turned off at one point). I had nothing checked to use spotlight in. But it still causes this issue. I was instructed to go into Terminal and delete 3 files. Presto - fixed..... :)

01-23-2006, 05:55 AM	#5 (permalink)
pat13nce I helped the forums. Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Eastern Pennsylvania Posts: 18 OS: Mac OS X, Win2000P	files com.apple.finder.plist com.apple.systempreferences.plist com.apple.systemuiserver.plist

01-20-2006, 06:48 PM	#2 (permalink)
shuuhen Moderator Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: Colorado Posts: 763 OS: Mac OS 9.1, Mac OS X 10.5.5, WinXP Pro, FreeBSD 6.0, Gentoo Linux	It sounds like something is frozen or stuck in an infinite loop. Try pressing command-period. If that doesn't do anything, try pressing command-option-escape to force quit whatever isn't responding. Hopefully your work is saved. You can always force the computer to restart. On a laptop you should be able to press command-control-power. On a PowerMac/iMac/etc. you should have a reset button somewhere. Apple's site can tell you the location of the reset button (if you can't find it, tell me the model of your machine).

01-24-2006, 05:18 AM	#7 (permalink)
pat13nce I helped the forums. Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Eastern Pennsylvania Posts: 18 OS: Mac OS X, Win2000P	no problem. Just made it a horrible Friday. The worst of it all was I was freezing in safe mode. We found a way around it tho. With the help of the Tech Company we use out of NY. (They have become the best in my book. Being able to solve issue the in house guys can't "over the phone") Our in house IT don't touch much of the system since they are mainly windows Techs.