Spotify Freezes my entire Macbook Pro!

[HayleyJoh]

So I just downloaded spotify, it logins and opens, but then whenever i try to click anything it just freezes my WHOLE LAPTOP. I can't even click force quit, i have to force restart EVER SINGLE TIME. I have the newest model of a macbook pro, this shouldn't be happening. Please help.

So I unistalled spotify, re-started my computer, re-installed it and the same thing happened.

So I unistalled spotify AND adobe flash, re-started my computer re-installed everything and the same thing happens. What gives??

Thank you for reading! I hope you can help...

[David]

Hmm, that shouldn't be happening at all. As you've got the most recent Mac, I assume you're running on the lastest version of OSX?

[HayleyJoh]

I figured this was some weird fluke... I have no idea what's going on! But yes, I actually even went and updated all the software on my mac so it's 100% up to date... still the same problem. 

[HayleyJoh]

but for specifics, I'm running OS X 10.7.3. and thank you for responding so promptly!

[David]

I want to try and see if you have any SIMBL / SpotRemote software that might be causing this issue. Try these steps and see if Spotify works now -

1. Delete the entire folders from the following locations:
- Macintosh HD/Library/Application Support/SIMBL
- [USER FOLDER]/Library/Application Support/SIMBL
2. Uninstall Spotify
3. Restart your computer
4. Install Spotify

Please also try removing these files if they're present.
/Applications/SpotRemote Server.app
/Library/ApplicationSupport/SIMBL/Plugins/SpotifyRemotePlugin.bundle

To bring up the Library folder in OSX Lion just open the Finder, hold alt and press Go. It will then be shown in the list of locations.

[HayleyJoh]

I couldn't find any of those folders on my computer, most likely because I had already un-installed spotify. I found (and deleted) some folders that seemed fishy  and any left behind spotify traces, restarted my computer, then installed spotify. It was very slow to open, but i actually managed to get a song playing, but the song started stopping sporadically and then when I went to open safari while spotify was still open... my whole computer froze again, couldn't even force quit the app... I had force restart my computer. this is about the 7th time i've installed and un-installed spotify and it's just getting frustrating. I love the idea of spotify and would love to have it on my computer- but my computer just seems to be rejecting it...

[David]

Weird! Okay, I saw that you've already tried playing around with Flash too, so let's try something different along those lines.

Could you possibly install the Google Chrome browser to your computer at all? This has Flash built in - this might get things working.

[DATA]

This also happens with my iMac. I'm running Snow Leopard 10.6.8 and I have Chrome installed up & running.

Thank you for the support!

[David]

Hello DATA,

What have you tried so far? Generally we suggest starting with a clean installation, then a clean reinstallation of Flash -

1. Uninstall Spotify and remove all Spotify folders.
2. Complete uninstall of Flash (http://kb2.adobe.com/cps/141/tn_14157.html). In order to uninstall Flash you need to ensure it's not currently being used (basically have no programs running at all).
3. Restart your computer and install Flash again, from http://get.adobe.com/flashplayer/
4. Download and install the latest version of Spotify: https://www.spotify.com/download/

Failing that, try the SIMBL / SpotRemote instructions I put above. 

[fgiammatteo]

Same crap is happen to me and has been for sometime... I have been working on macs and computers in gerneral since 97-ish and I have never experiance a system hault like this. I tryed EVERYTHING. It's Spotify. There is no other explanation... But I can figure out what in Spotify is causing this madness. I was searching for a post like this a while ago, but I found nothing. As my last resort, I brought it to the genus bar... I never go to the genus bar... They couldn't even sort it... Its good to see there are others with the same issue. I am hoping to find some sort of solution here. Thanks!

[David]

fgiammatteo - What version of Mac OSX are you using?

[fgiammatteo]

OSX 10.6.8

I realize how vague I was when mentioning my attempts to fix the issue. I think I was just so excited to see that others were having the same issue. I have noticed that this issue mostly occurs when I use a browser (Fire Fox, Chrome, Safari) but has also occurred without use of any browser… It does seem to have a good pattern. My thoughts were that it was the use of a browser while having Spotify open, but.. When the issue occurs, it happens in this order,

1. Spotify either stops playing, becomes unresponsive, or open browser becomes unresponsive.
2. "The Spinning Beach Ball of Death" (SBBOD) appears.
3. I make an attempt to force quit unresponsive apps (cmd-opt-esc)
4. Sometimes force quit window freezes, sometimes it quits the app, sometimes it doesn't. Either way the same action follows.
5. Entire system freezes, mouse still functions as (SBBOD), as well as screen saver, but system is unable to shutdown, restart, or execute any other actions...

So here are the attempts I have made to fix this issue.

1. Manually uninstalled Spotify and all supporting folders and files, restarted, then reinstalled.
2. Uninstalled Spotify and all supporting folders and files using AppZapper, restarted, then reinstalled.
3. I uninstalled firefox, then uninstalled Spotify and all supporting folders and files, restarted, then reinstalled just Spotify. Computer crashed again while using Chrome and Safari.
4. Uninstalled flash, firefox, then uninstalled Spotify and all supporting folders and files, restarted, then reinstalled just Spotify. Computer crashed again while using Chrome.
5. Double checked if SpotRemote was installed, and it wasn't

I hope posting all of this info will help us arrive at a solution for this issue, as it has become very troublesome for myself and countless others.

Thanks!

[fgiammatteo]

Oh, and as my last resort I brought my computer to a Genus Bar… After keeping my MacBook Pro over night and running a stress test, they said, "the issue may be caused by low memory, maxing out memory, or having little drive space remaining…" My MacBook Pro has 3GB of memory -I know that is not a lot, but its something I have to deal with for the time being until I get a new system. As far as drive space, I always allow ~30-50GB to remain free on my drive.

[martinjimmink]

My MacBook air freezes as well when I use spotify launch at start up.... 

[David]

Hey there,

We've pushed an updated version of Spotify recently, and you should be able to download this now from the website. I would perform a clean installation and see if it starts up now. 

[bsholtojones]

yeah, so I'm having the same issue....

Only downloaded Spotify for the first time a few days ago. Worked fine for a few days on the trial period, I liked it so I ended up subscribing for the Premium option....ever since I did that I've been having the same problems as described above. Tried a clean install, hasn't worked as yet. I have my local files on an external NAS drive and am starting to wonder if this is the problem....

Some help would be much appreciated

running 10.7.4, and re-downloaded and installed as of 20mins ago...

[David]

bsholtojones - Have you tried the instructions relating to SIMBL right here?

[bsholtojones]

...just looked for all the related files and folders you mentioned, and i've got none on my computer.....and actually, since doing about my 5th clean install this afternoon, it seems to be running ok, fingers crossed.... do you forsee any problems with using Spotify to access my local files from a NAS drive? Itunes used to freeze up all the time, and i was thinking that Spotify might be having the same issues....

[David]

It could be a possibility, although any experience I've had with networked local files in Spotify seem to have been fine.

[legalphoenix15]

My Macbook Pro has frozen everytime while using Spotify both in Lion and Snow Leopard. I am at a lost of what the issue could be but i notice it when i use both Safari and Spotify at the same time. Something just inst right and i have had to do a complete OS install like 20x already.