RECENT: SheepShaver aborts 90% during startup, MacOS 10.6.8

About SheepShaver, a PPC Mac emulator for Windows, MacOS X, and Linux that can run System 7.5.3 to MacOS 9.0.4.

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RHBernard
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RECENT: SheepShaver aborts 90% during startup, MacOS 10.6.8

Post by RHBernard »

Several months ago Sheepshaver 10/25/2009, the version that has been running flawlessly since I installed it in late 2010, started aborting shortly after launch. The precise sequence of events when Sheepshaver is launched is:
1. the window opens
2. the original Mac icon appears
4. the MacOS splash screen appears
5. "Welcome to MacOS" appears
6. "Debugger installed" appears
IT IS HERE THAT Sheepshaver either aborts, or continues to launch.
If it launches, it runs perfectly until quit.


THIS DOES NOT HAPPEN EVERY TIME. But the frequency of successful launches has declines so that now it is less than 10%. For example, this morning I tried launching by double-clicking the alias in my desktop about ten times with aborts every time. Then I opened Firefox, browsed to Emaculation.com, logged in this topic and then tried to launch SS, AND IT LAUNCHED. I do not know what changed in those few minutes to allow SS to launch.

This is a Mac Mini (late 2009), which came with Snow Leopard (10.6). All Apple software updates are installed and the version is 10.6.8.

My previous Mac was a B&W G3 running Mac OS 10.4.11 (Tiger) started to act flaky (e.g. freezes). I run Sheepshaver to support one specific application, Managing Your Money v7.2 (MYM), which I use for my financial records. I usually run it 2 to 3 times a month to record bills paid, etc., manage checkbooks, and prepare trial balances for my accountant. When these failed SS launches first started to happen, I was able to port the current MYM data file back to the G3 and it ran fine (natively) on Tiger.

When this problem first started, restarting Mac OS and then launching SS was a work-around, but that worked better but did not work every time. Then I thought that repairing file permissions with Disk Utility also would improve the chances of SS launching, but that was also not a perfect cure.

I suspect that there is some timing problem, and that some step in the launch process is not completing in time. If this were a PC, I would try defragmenting the hard drive to reduce delays in sector latency, but there doesn't seem to be a defragmentation program for Mac OS X.

I have tried closing other open apps one at a time whilst trying SS, in order to see if lowering the number of launched apps improved whether SS would launch, but that doesn't seem to be a workaround.

I have tried the 7/15/2012 version of Sheepshaver but did not make SS launch any more reliably. than the 10/25/2009 version.

From "Get info" on the volume "Macintosh HD the capacity is reported as 159.7 GB and the Available space is 30.74 GB.

I should also mention that when the Mac Mini was new in December 2009 it came with Snow Leopard installed and I also copied over from the Mac G3 (Tiger) the contents of all applications and other data from the hard drive on the G3. So there are many unused "Classic" applications stored on the Hard Drive of the Mini. But none of these apps launch natively on Snow Leopard, which is to be expected.

This it the machine configuration from "ABOUT THIS MAC"

Hardware Overview:

Model Name: Mac mini
Model Identifier: Macmini3,1
Processor Name: Intel Core 2 Duo
Processor Speed: 2.26 GHz
Number Of Processors: 1
Total Number Of Cores: 2
L2 Cache: 3 MB
Memory: 2 GB
Bus Speed: 1.07 GHz
Boot ROM Version: MM31.00AD.B00
SMC Version (system): 1.35f1
Serial Number (system): YM9391FD9G5
Hardware UUID: 15407A31-B22E-586E-9C57-66EE2D817A9E

System Software Overview:

System Version: Mac OS X 10.6.8 (10K549)
Kernel Version: Darwin 10.8.0
Boot Volume: Macintosh HD
Boot Mode: Normal
Computer Name: Mac Mini
User Name: Robert Bernard (rbernard)
Secure Virtual Memory: Not Enabled
64-bit Kernel and Extensions: No
Time since boot: 3 days 1:44

The following is the contents of the Console log covering the two Sheepshaver launch attempts; the last one that failed before I started this message , and the one that succeeded.

ANY IDEAS THAT CAN BE SUGGESTED FOR DEBUGGING THIS PROBLEM WILL BE GREATLY APPRECIATED.

Thanks,
Bob

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
CONSOLE SYSTEM LOG

LAST FAILED LAUNCH STARTS
Oct 23 09:31:59 Mac-Mini /Users/rbernard/Desktop/SheepShaver/xSheepShaver20091025 .app/Contents/MacOS/SheepShaver[12648]: CPSGetCurrentProcess(): This call is deprecated and should not be called anymore.
Oct 23 09:31:59 Mac-Mini /Users/rbernard/Desktop/SheepShaver/xSheepShaver20091025 .app/Contents/MacOS/SheepShaver[12648]: CPSSetForegroundOperationState(): This call is deprecated and should not be called anymore.
Oct 23 09:32:00 Mac-Mini SheepShaver[12648]: Warning once: This application, or a library it uses, is using NSQuickDrawView, which has been deprecated. Apps should cease use of QuickDraw and move to Quartz.
Oct 23 09:32:02 Mac-Mini [0x0-0x315315].xSheepShaver20091025 [12648]: SIGSEGV
Oct 23 09:32:02 Mac-Mini [0x0-0x315315].xSheepShaver20091025 [12648]: pc 0x1b8e7983
Oct 23 09:32:02 Mac-Mini [0x0-0x315315].xSheepShaver20091025 [12648]: ea 0x77edc9dd
Oct 23 09:32:02 Mac-Mini [0x0-0x315315].xSheepShaver20091025 [12648]: r0 00000000 r1 1961e09c r2 00000000 r3 1680654e
Oct 23 09:32:02 Mac-Mini [0x0-0x315315].xSheepShaver20091025 [12648]: r4 ffffd5cb r5 00006172 r6 ebf11df3 r7 00000000
Oct 23 09:32:02 Mac-Mini [0x0-0x315315].xSheepShaver20091025 [12648]: r8 616d6577 r9 65206465 r10 1a90d000 r11 00000108
Oct 23 09:32:02 Mac-Mini [0x0-0x315315].xSheepShaver20091025 [12648]: r12 1a790530 r13 00000000 r14 1961e0f8 r15 00000001
Oct 23 09:32:02 Mac-Mini [0x0-0x315315].xSheepShaver20091025 [12648]: r16 616d6577 r17 1a916ec0 r18 77edc9dd r19 16806466
Oct 23 09:32:02 Mac-Mini [0x0-0x315315].xSheepShaver20091025 [12648]: r20 1961e178 r21 16712f86 r22 19628400 r23 00000000
Oct 23 09:32:02 Mac-Mini [0x0-0x315315].xSheepShaver20091025 [12648]: r24 16806552 r25 00000000 r26 00000004 r27 00006d18
Oct 23 09:32:02 Mac-Mini [0x0-0x315315].xSheepShaver20091025 [12648]: r28 167a9fa4 r29 1aa90090 r30 1ab60000 r31 68fff000
Oct 23 09:32:02 Mac-Mini [0x0-0x315315].xSheepShaver20091025 [12648]: f0 0.00000 f1 0.00000 f2 0.00000 f3 0.00000
Oct 23 09:32:02 Mac-Mini [0x0-0x315315].xSheepShaver20091025 [12648]: f4 0.00000 f5 0.00000 f6 0.00000 f7 0.00000
Oct 23 09:32:02 Mac-Mini [0x0-0x315315].xSheepShaver20091025 [12648]: f8 0.00000 f9 0.00000 f10 0.00000 f11 0.00000
Oct 23 09:32:02 Mac-Mini [0x0-0x315315].xSheepShaver20091025 [12648]: f12 0.00000 f13 0.00000 f14 0.00000 f15 0.00000
Oct 23 09:32:02 Mac-Mini [0x0-0x315315].xSheepShaver20091025 [12648]: f16 0.00000 f17 0.00000 f18 0.00000 f19 0.00000
Oct 23 09:32:02 Mac-Mini [0x0-0x315315].xSheepShaver20091025 [12648]: f20 0.00000 f21 0.00000 f22 0.00000 f23 0.00000
Oct 23 09:32:02 Mac-Mini [0x0-0x315315].xSheepShaver20091025 [12648]: f24 0.00000 f25 0.00000 f26 0.00000 f27 0.00000
Oct 23 09:32:02 Mac-Mini [0x0-0x315315].xSheepShaver20091025 [12648]: f28 0.00000 f29 0.00000 f30 0.00000 f31 0.00000
Oct 23 09:32:02 Mac-Mini [0x0-0x315315].xSheepShaver20091025 [12648]: lr 1aa90090 ctr 00000000 cr 40001c08 xer 00000004
Oct 23 09:32:02 Mac-Mini [0x0-0x315315].xSheepShaver20091025 [12648]: pc 1aa90090 fpscr 00000000
Oct 23 09:32:02 Mac-Mini SheepShaver[12648]: *** __NSAutoreleaseNoPool(): Object 0x12ca70 of class NSCFArray autoreleased with no pool in place - just leaking
Oct 23 09:32:02 Mac-Mini SheepShaver[12648]: *** __NSAutoreleaseNoPool(): Object 0x503290 of class NSCFNumber autoreleased with no pool in place - just leaking
Oct 23 09:32:02 Mac-Mini SheepShaver[12648]: *** __NSAutoreleaseNoPool(): Object 0x12ed90 of class NSCFDictionary autoreleased with no pool in place - just leaking
Oct 23 09:32:02 Mac-Mini SheepShaver[12648]: *** __NSAutoreleaseNoPool(): Object 0x133520 of class NSCFString autoreleased with no pool in place - just leaking
Oct 23 09:32:02 Mac-Mini SheepShaver[12648]: *** __NSAutoreleaseNoPool(): Object 0x500900 of class NSCFNumber autoreleased with no pool in place - just leaking
Oct 23 09:32:02 Mac-Mini SheepShaver[12648]: *** __NSAutoreleaseNoPool(): Object 0x13a740 of class NSCFDictionary autoreleased with no pool in place - just leaking
Oct 23 09:32:02 Mac-Mini SheepShaver[12648]: *** __NSAutoreleaseNoPool(): Object 0x51baf0 of class NSCFArray autoreleased with no pool in place - just leaking
Oct 23 09:32:02 Mac-Mini SheepShaver[12648]: *** __NSAutoreleaseNoPool(): Object 0x12fa50 of class SDL_QuartzWindow autoreleased with no pool in place - just leaking
Oct 23 09:32:02 Mac-Mini [0x0-0x315315].xSheepShaver20091025 [12648]: SheepShaver V2.3 by Christian Bauer and Mar"c" Hellwig
Oct 23 09:32:02 Mac-Mini [0x0-0x315315].xSheepShaver20091025 [12648]: Reading ROM file...
Oct 23 09:32:02 Mac-Mini [0x0-0x315315].xSheepShaver20091025 [12648]: Using SDL/coreaudio audio output
Oct 23 09:32:02 Mac-Mini [0x0-0x315315].xSheepShaver20091025 [12648]: Detected CPU features: MMX SSE SSE2 SSE3 SSSE3
Oct 23 09:32:02 Mac-Mini [0x0-0x315315].xSheepShaver20091025 [12648]: PowerPC CPU emulator by Gwenole Beauchesne
Oct 23 09:32:02 Mac-Mini [0x0-0x315315].xSheepShaver20091025 [12648]: WARNING: Unknown DiskStatus(6)

HERE SI WHERE I LAUNCHED FIREFOX LOGGED INTO EMACULATION.COM< STARTED THE REQUEST FOR HELP

SUCCESSFUL LAUNCH STARTS
Oct 23 09:39:58 Mac-Mini /Users/rbernard/Desktop/SheepShaver/xSheepShaver20091025 .app/Contents/MacOS/SheepShaver[12682]: CPSGetCurrentProcess(): This call is deprecated and should not be called anymore.
Oct 23 09:39:58 Mac-Mini /Users/rbernard/Desktop/SheepShaver/xSheepShaver20091025 .app/Contents/MacOS/SheepShaver[12682]: CPSSetForegroundOperationState(): This call is deprecated and should not be called anymore.
Oct 23 09:39:59 Mac-Mini SheepShaver[12682]: Warning once: This application, or a library it uses, is using NSQuickDrawView, which has been deprecated. Apps should cease use of QuickDraw and move to Quartz.
10/23/12 9:39:59 AM SheepShaver[12682] Warning once: This application, or a library it uses, is using NSQuickDrawView, which has been deprecated. Apps should cease use of QuickDraw and move to Quartz.


SHEEPSHAVER IS NOW LAUNCHED SUCCESSFULLY
.
.
.
MICROSOFT WORD LAUNCHED FOR SOME OTHER PURPOSE
10/23/12 9:42:11 AM System Preferences[12694] .scriptSuite warning for result type of command 'timedLoad' in suite 'SystemPreferences': the type NSNumber ('long') doesn't match the result Apple event code ('doub').
10/23/12 1:31:21 PM com.apple.launchd[1] (com.apple.xprotectupdater[13105]) Exited with exit code: 252
10/23/12 2:43:01 PM [0x0-0x318318].com.microsoft.Word[12661] Tue Oct 23 14:43:01 Mac-Mini.local Word[12661] <Error>: kCGErrorIllegalArgument: _CGSFindSharedWindow: WID 676
10/23/12 2:43:01 PM [0x0-0x318318].com.microsoft.Word[12661] Tue Oct 23 14:43:01 Mac-Mini.local Word[12661] <Error>: kCGErrorFailure: Set a breakpoint @ CGErrorBreakpoint() to catch errors as they are logged.
10/23/12 2:43:01 PM [0x0-0x318318].com.microsoft.Word[12661] Tue Oct 23 14:43:01 Mac-Mini.local Word[12661] <Error>: kCGErrorIllegalArgument: CGSGetWindowTags: Invalid window 0x2a4

WENT SHOPPING

BACK AGAIN 2:45PM

QUIT SHEEPSHAVER SELECTED

SHEEPSHAVER QUITTING10/23/12 2:52:06 PM [0x0-0x31a31a].xSheepShaver20091025 [12682] SheepShaver V2.3 by Christian Bauer and Mar"c" Hellwig
10/23/12 2:52:06 PM [0x0-0x31a31a].xSheepShaver20091025 [12682] Reading ROM file...
10/23/12 2:52:06 PM [0x0-0x31a31a].xSheepShaver20091025 [12682] Using SDL/coreaudio audio output
10/23/12 2:52:06 PM [0x0-0x31a31a].xSheepShaver20091025 [12682] Detected CPU features: MMX SSE SSE2 SSE3 SSSE3
10/23/12 2:52:06 PM [0x0-0x31a31a].xSheepShaver20091025 [12682] PowerPC CPU emulator by Gwenole Beauchesne
10/23/12 2:52:06 PM [0x0-0x31a31a].xSheepShaver20091025 [12682] WARNING: Unknown DiskStatus(6)
10/23/12 2:52:06 PM [0x0-0x31a31a].xSheepShaver20091025 [12682] WARNING: Unknown DiskStatus(6)
10/23/12 2:52:06 PM [0x0-0x31a31a].xSheepShaver20091025 [12682] WARNING: Unknown DiskStatus(6)
10/23/12 2:52:06 PM [0x0-0x31a31a].xSheepShaver20091025 [12682] WARNING: Unknown DiskStatus(6)
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Ronald P. Regensburg
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Re: RECENT: SheepShaver aborts 90% during startup, MacOS 10.

Post by Ronald P. Regensburg »

RHBernard wrote:6. "Debugger installed" appears
This is not a normal message at MacOS startup. What do you have installed in MacOS that makes this message appear?
but there doesn't seem to be a defragmentation program for Mac OS X.
There are a few, but defragmentation is normally not needed in Mac OS X. For frequently used files the system does some automatic defragmentation on the disk and recently used files are reloaded quickly by the advanced memory management features.
Oct 23 09:32:02 Mac-Mini [0x0-0x315315].xSheepShaver20091025 [12648]: SIGSEGV
Did you make sure that in SheepShaver preferences "Ignore Illegal Memory Accesses" is checked?
See the "Known issues" section in out setup manual: http://www.emaculation.com/doku.php/she ... os_x_setup
RHBernard
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Location: Santa Fe, NM

Re: RECENT: SheepShaver aborts 90% during startup, MacOS 10.

Post by RHBernard »

Mr. Regensburg,
In response to your questions:
1. Debugger Installed message: Back in 2011 I was experimenting with Steve Jasik's Debugger for classic Mac programs, and installed Macsbug. It didn't help me with Jasik's debugger, which for reasons Steve did not disclose, does not work under Sheepshaver. But it didn't change Sheepshavers ability to launch, so I left it. I will have to rediscover how I got it to load under Sheepshaver in order to uninstall it.

2. I only considered fragmentation as a possible slowdown that might cause Sheepshaver launches to abort.

3. I scanned the Known issues section, but I didn't have any illegal memory accesses, so I discounted that. I will read it more carefully.

New information: I have had better results launching SS since my post; only 70% aborts since then. It is like my wife's practice of threatening her orchid plants that don't bloom; she says that has great influence on them. (:smile:).
RHBernard
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Location: Santa Fe, NM

Re: RECENT: SheepShaver aborts 90% during startup, MacOS 10.

Post by RHBernard »

Mr. Regensburg,

Regarding 3: preferences Ignore illegal memory accesses.
I originally received Sheepshaver from a more-technically expert Mac user, and followed his instructions. He provided a completed stuffed prefs file that only needed to be stored in my root folder. I did not have to set the preferences myself. The included Sheepshaver app was from 20060514, inside a .tar file.

Now I followed the instructions you referred me to and the Miscellaneous prefs did not have the Ignore Illegal Memory Accessed checked. I checked it and saved the prefs.

I will let you know how things work from now on.

What I don't understand is why SS worked so well for so long, with no aborts until several months ago.

Thank you for your help.
Bob
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Ronald P. Regensburg
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Re: RECENT: SheepShaver aborts 90% during startup, MacOS 10.

Post by Ronald P. Regensburg »

RHBernard wrote:He provided a completed stuffed prefs file that only needed to be stored in my root folder. I did not have to set the preferences myself. The included Sheepshaver app was from 20060514, inside a .tar file.
Much has changed since. For use in Snow Leopard best use the 15 July 2012 build and review the settings in preferences, comparing them with the suggestions in the setup guide. Note that changed settings do not take effect until after SheepShaver is quit and launched again.
RHBernard
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Re: RECENT: SheepShaver aborts 90% during startup, MacOS 10.

Post by RHBernard »

RE: Much has changed since. For use in Snow Leopard best use the 15 July 2012 build and review the settings in preferences, comparing them with the suggestions in the setup guide. Note that changed settings do not take effect until after SheepShaver is quit and launched again.

Yes, I have been watching the progress. Shortly after my friend sent me the 2006 version that he had been using for some time, I bought the late 2009 Mini and installed his version. I had seen the 20091025 version referenced on this web site and downloaded it, and substituted it for the 2006 version, to cure some minor glitches I experienced but don't remember what they were. I did not explore the setup instructions that were also available then , so Ignore Memory Errors was still unchecked (until today). But as I said the abort at launch was not a problem until recently.

I have not attempted to launch SS very many times since checking the IME box. I have the 15 July 2012 version and will put it into play, and report any anomalies.

Question: Do new versions such as this one include its own prefs file, or is the existing one still in control? I checked all the settings in the one that came from my friend, and the Ignore Memory Error was the only setting that differed from the recommendations in the Setup instructions you referred to.

Re the Sheepshaver source files that you said yesterday were posted on another web site:
I assume that there is, like Mozilla, a team (perhaps only ad hoc) of programmers that work on Sheepshaver. Is there also any tutorial that that explains the protocol for reporting alleged bugs or suggesting corrections or improvements? If so, is there also a software guide of some sort that illuminates how Sheepshaver works, so that other programmers who want to and are qualified to contribute to future development are able to join the team?

Thanks again,
Bob
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Ronald P. Regensburg
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Re: RECENT: SheepShaver aborts 90% during startup, MacOS 10.

Post by Ronald P. Regensburg »

RHBernard wrote:Question: Do new versions such as this one include its own prefs file, or is the existing one still in control? I checked all the settings in the one that came from my friend, and the Ignore Memory Error was the only setting that differed from the recommendations in the Setup instructions you referred to.
The prefs file is still the same file. It is the file .sheepshaver_prefs at root level in your Home folder, invisible in the Finder because the name starts with a "." (dot).
I do not know your settings, but since 2006 some recommendations have changed. For instance RAM and refresh rate can be set at higher values now.
Re the Sheepshaver source files that you said yesterday were posted on another web site:
I assume that there is, like Mozilla, a team (perhaps only ad hoc) of programmers that work on Sheepshaver. Is there also any tutorial that that explains the protocol for reporting alleged bugs or suggesting corrections or improvements? If so, is there also a software guide of some sort that illuminates how Sheepshaver works, so that other programmers who want to and are qualified to contribute to future development are able to join the team?
There is no regular development of SheepShaver (and BasiliskII) going on since the last developer stopped working on the project in 2006. It has been a hobby project most of its life, but it is even more so now. There is no fixed development team. Over the years, different users with programmer skills have added improvements and fixes. One of them guards the source code that is now kept at GitHub. There are no official releases. In fact, the May 2006 version you started with was the last one. Users can compile their builds from source. Cat_7 and I post our own builds here for others to use when changes in the source code justify a new build, Cat_7 mostly for Windows and Linux and I myself for MacOSX. Others present pre-configured packages based on our builds elsewhere. We do not support those configurations. You may have noticed the 'Other SheepShaver configurations' sub-forum.

Issues can be reported at https://github.com/cebix/macemu but if you want to report a bug or ask for a feature, it is probably best to bring it up here in the forum first to check if it should not rather be considered a support question.
Last edited by Ronald P. Regensburg on Thu Oct 25, 2012 11:33 am, edited 3 times in total.
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ZOleg
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Re: RECENT: SheepShaver aborts 90% during startup, MacOS 10.

Post by ZOleg »

Ronald P. Regensburg please post detailed guide about how to compile BII and SS from sources.
Guide http://www.emaculation.com/doku.php/com ... r_basilisk is wrong (for Mac OS 10.8 with XCode 4.5).

Thanx in advance.
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Ronald P. Regensburg
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Re: RECENT: SheepShaver aborts 90% during startup, MacOS 10.

Post by Ronald P. Regensburg »

As far as I know, compiling BII and SS from source in OSX 10.8 with XCode 4.5 is not possible (yet). It needs to be done in OSX 10.6.8 with XCode 3.2.6.
ZOleg
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Re: RECENT: SheepShaver aborts 90% during startup, MacOS 10.

Post by ZOleg »

Thanx for info.
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