Sequoia latest update wreaking havoc on system

I have just updated my otherwise trusty Mac computer to Sequoia 15.0.1, and am now dealing with a host of new problems right and left on my system. Can you help?


The most glaring symptom is that immediately after the 15.0.1 update, half of my computer's screen became "grayed over" — that is, covered with a block of horizontal lines that did not exist before the update. The block of lines move up and down slightly and flicker a bit.


Please see attached screenshot for details. (I did try taking a screenshot directly from my Mac internally, but this block of horizontal lines does not appear at all on the computer's own internal screenshots. Thus, my taking of this photo with my iPhone externally.)


The block of lines you see in the screenshot do not seem to be interfering with the actual functioning of the computer — I can still do tasks on my Mac computer "under" the block of horizontal lines. But this is definitely not normal and I need to resolve this major problem.


There are a host of other side issues I am trying to deal with as well, like plugging up leaks in a sinking boat: a noticeable lag in the computer's operation, network connection issues, Time Machine backup issues and even the inability to run Apple diagnostics or enter into safe mode online. They all started up right after updating to Sequoia 15.0.1.


What could be the problem here with the display/screen and how can I begin to fix this? Desperately in search of answers here.



iMac (M1, 2021)

Posted on Oct 4, 2024 6:56 AM

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Posted on Oct 4, 2024 10:26 PM

Usually if a screenshot does not show the graphical glitch, then it means the problem is a hardware issue with the LCD Panel. However, in this case with flickering video there is a chance a screenshot could possibly take a snapshot in between the flashes & capture a perfect image. Try a screen recording using QuickTime Player. View the Screen Recording on another device or display to see if it shows up there as well. If the issue is not shown by the screen recording, then you have confirmed a hardware issue with the LCD Panel (or possibly internal display cable).

How to record the screen on your Mac - Apple Support


If you have a 2021 iMac as shown in your signature profile, then you could try reinstalling macOS 14.x Sonoma (requires a clean install by first erasing the disk or rather deleting the "Volume Group" followed by installing Sonoma & restoring from a backup).

50 replies

Dec 19, 2024 9:32 PM in response to tonykaku

I don't have your graphical issue; but I do have a system related one that other's may have as well after the Sequoia 15.2 install, that being my internal SSD (call MacHD to many, I have renamed mine) has for the past 3-4 months had ~175GB free of its 500GB; but with 15.2 installed, I suddenly have ~248GB showing as free from the Finder's perspective (see screenshot from Finder vs Disk Utility).


Finder:


System Settings:


Disk Utility:


I have rebooted and also trashed my Finder's settings file (then rebooted).


I have also had Disk Utility check if the drive is okay using First Aid and it is.


Note, I am running this on an M1 Mac mini with 16GB RAM and a 500GB SSD. I have checked with my alternative Admin account and it shows the available space correctly (~175GB); so it could be a corrupt User directory; but part of me doubts this, as it shows up in Safe Mode if I log into my main user account, the one the images are taken in).


Just thought to share.

Dec 20, 2024 6:44 AM in response to WESTCOASTHOPKINS

WESTCOASTHOPKINS wrote:

I don't have your graphical issue; but I do have a system related one that other's may have as well after the Sequoia 15.2 install, that being my internal SSD (call MacHD to many, I have renamed mine) has for the past 3-4 months had ~175GB free of its 500GB; but with 15.2 installed, I suddenly have ~248GB showing as free from the Finder's perspective (see screenshot from Finder vs Disk Utility).

I have rebooted and also trashed my Finder's settings file (then rebooted).

I have also had Disk Utility check if the drive is okay using First Aid and it is.

Note, I am running this on an M1 Mac mini with 16GB RAM and a 500GB SSD. I have checked with my alternative Admin account and it shows the available space correctly (~175GB); so it could be a corrupt User directory; but part of me doubts this, as it shows up in Safe Mode if I log into my main user account, the one the images are taken in).

Ignore the "Available" storage value that is shown nearly everywhere within macOS as it is very misleading & worthless. The only important value is the "Free" storage space value shown within Disk Utility or within the Apple System Profiler. Even the Used space value can be misleading and has been known to show more than what the physical drive can support.


The Free space value is the storage that can be used immediately.


The Available space value contains storage that is "Purgeable" storage that at some unknown time in the future will be released by macOS. Some places in macOS the "Purgeable" value will be displayed, but not everywhere.


Free space = Available space - Purgeable space


Available space = Free space + Purgeable space



Dec 20, 2024 8:04 AM in response to tonykaku

@HWTech, thank you; but I am aware of minor variances between the Finder’s available space and that of Disk Utility; it was more that this is the first time I have seen it operate in “reverse” in my nearly 40 years of using a Mac (all the way back to a 512k). It only became this significant as of 15.2 and that is why I bring it up, as I believe it is due to the OS update and not my User profile/Home directory being the issue perse.

Jan 5, 2025 12:53 PM in response to tonykaku

I started seeing the "Your system has run out of application memory" dialog that persists until I quit some applications to release more memory to its satisfaction. I don't get it. The same set of applications ran just fine before the upgrade. And besides, doesn't macOS swap out part of the memory contents to the hard drive, like most Linux/Unix based systems?

Could someone tell me how to downgrade this macOS back to Sonoma ?


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Sequoia latest update wreaking havoc on system

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