frequent reboots. Hardware diagnostics won't run

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Level 1

8 points

frequent reboots. Hardware diagnostics won't run

computer auto reboots several times a day. Attempt to run diagnostics by pressing 'd' on startup, 'starting internet recovery' followed by a warning with a big '!' (exclamation point) and Apple.com/support -3403D.

Appended is a report from EtreCheck. I'm not too worried about the battery, as the MacBook is used as a desk top, and is always plugged in. Probably not a cause of the rebooting.

OK, it's 10 years old and considered 'obsolete', but since it works adequately for my purposes most of the time, not ready to pony up $2K for a new one if that can be avoided.

Most likely main issue to address is Runaway process - A process is using a large percentage of your CPU. Also under 'top processes snapshot by CPU, is Other processes 353.80 % (?)

How is that possible?

Can pay the $15 for the pro-version of EtreCheck, but thought I'd see what comes up from the community first.

Full EtreCheck Report

Posted on Mar 29, 2020 10:03 AM

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Answer 1

mpjalapeno49 Author

Level 1

8 points

Mar 29, 2020 11:42 AM in response to leroydouglas

I don't find any visible apps called Symantec. EtreCheck lists these as running, but doesn't identify them as problems:

Launchd script:/Library/LaunchDaemons/com.symantec.sharedsettings.MES.plistExecutable:/Library/Application Support/Symantec/Silo/MES/DomainSettings/SymSharedSettingsd

Do I just trash these, or is there something else I need to locate?

Search for Symantec in Activty Monitor yields only: com.symantec.kexthelper...

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Answer 2

mpjalapeno49 Author

Level 1

8 points

Mar 29, 2020 12:29 PM in response to Grant Bennet-Alder

Yes. Did a finder search for Symantec, and found Norton. Deleted it, and the unsigned Symantec files listed by EtreCheck. Also removed files related to CoreAudit, which I looked up and found that it was irrelevant, and also suspect in that it was apparently installed about a month ago, which is when the problems may have begun.

Rebooted, re-ran EtreCheck, and no longer complains about a CPU hog running. Only the battery and age issue, which I can live with . Remains to be seen if it fixed the rebooting problem, but I'm optimistic at this point

Thanks so much for your help!

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Answer 3

Mar 29, 2020 12:41 PM in response to mpjalapeno49

mpjalapeno49 wrote:

...

Attempt to run diagnostics by pressing 'd' on startup, 'starting internet recovery' followed by a warning with a big '!' (exclamation point) and Apple.com/support -3403D.

In Internet Recovery, these low negative thousands error messages indicate that your provided Wi-Fi Network is inadequate in some fashion, and cannot be used (for this purpose) in its current state.

Common problems include:

Hidden Network-name

required use of a proxy server to get Internet access

required use of a login page to get Internet access

Use of a login server or certificate to get Internet access

Use of PPPoE in the Mac to get Internet access (typically only applies to DSL)

Use of Fixed IP address rather than good old DHCP

Variance of the time by more than five minutes

Failure of Router to provide workable DNS server addresses, or providing 0.0.0.0 [may produce -2002f]

If you have an Ethernet port, you may in some cases be able to move your Mac close to the Router and connect to the Router using Ethernet.

The higher the number, the more obscure the problem.

It is possible some to those Symantec items interfered with your ability to use Wi-Fi. It is possible it made changes that need to be undone before you are free.

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Answer 4

mpjalapeno49 Author

Level 1

8 points

Mar 29, 2020 12:58 PM in response to Grant Bennet-Alder

Connection, is ethernet <-> airport extreme <-> Ooma Voip device <-> Cable Modem, using DHCP. I could try connecting the Airport Router directly to the modem to see if that makes a difference. I've always done it the way it is, so as to insure that VOIP get's priority over other traffic. I suspect that that's an obsolete and now unnecessary tweak for VOIP from a day of more limited throughput. Today's devices may no longer even throttle non VOIP IP throughput during voice transmission, as there simply may no longer ever be the need.

Removing the Symantec stuff made EtreCheck happy, so I'm hopeful that the rebooting will stop. If not, I'll revisit hardware check and see if I can get it to work by modifying my set up.

Thanks!

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Answer 5

Mar 29, 2020 6:25 PM in response to mpjalapeno49

Now that you have it stable, lets work on getting it faster. You I/O check was so poor it timed out. one obvious problem is this:

Drives:

disk0 - Samsung SSD 850 EVO 500GB 500.11 GB (Solid State - TRIM: No)

You need to perform a two step process:

1) enable TRIM

2) boot to Safe Mode to automatically repair the boot drive and remove deleted blocks.

this terminal command enables TRIM in the current MacOS, for all SSD devices:

sudo trimforce enable

https://www.lifewire.com/enable-trim-for-ssd-in-os-x-yosemite-2260789

then hold shift and restart to invoke Safe Mode, which does a five-minute disk repair.

Then restart in regular mode and your system should be MUCH faster.

Then run Etrecheck again and post the updated report.

.

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Answer 6

Mar 29, 2020 6:39 PM in response to mpjalapeno49

everything in Recovery Mode (including the diagnostic) requires simple access to the Internet using DHCP and default settings, no login. use of a VPN is also not supported.

If your Mac can connect to the Internet with default settings and no login page, it all should work.

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Answer 7

Mar 29, 2020 11:57 AM in response to mpjalapeno49

Maybe it is called Norton Utilities, but all traces of it need to GO.

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Answer 8

Mar 29, 2020 10:27 AM in response to mpjalapeno49

Uninstall symantec

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frequent reboots. Hardware diagnostics won't run

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