Java 1.3.1 and 1.4.2 Release 2 (#4): More on system-wide freezes when Web browsing

We previously reported on an issue where users who have applied Java 1.3.1 and 1.4.2 Release 2 experience a stall in Safari when accessing certain Web sites that usually leads to a complete system freeze accompanied by the unending "spinning beach ball" progress indicator.

It appears that in most cases, this issue actually has nothing to do with actual Java runtime events, but rather with an issue affecting the Mac OS X lookupd process. It appears that the Java update may have affected some component of the TCP/IP architecture, or otherwise affected the lookupd process adversely.

This is evidenced by the fact that many users are able to escape the system-freeze by power cycling their network adapter (router, Cable/DSL modem, etc.) or disconnecting an active Ethernet cable.

MacFixIt Reader Matt Snider writes:

"As a follow-up to the report and many comments, I want to echo that I've experienced the same problems post installation of Apple's Java 1.3.1 and 1.4.2 release 2 for Mac OS X 10.4.2 on an iBook 14 1.33, a brand new (3 days old) mac mini 1.42 mid-line and a PowerMac G5 Dual 1.8 PCI. Ditto on the FOX News site causing freezing of all the machines - not just Safari.

"But I discovered an interesting thing in the process. While my G5 was spinning it's color wheel - thinking that I had a cable-Internet problem - I power-cycled my Linksys Router (and the cable modem) and as soon as I power-cycled the router, the G5 freeze stopped and I had full control back.

"So, I decided to try another experiment. Since I was going to replace my router with a much stouter one, I substituted a Netgear FVL328 for my Linksys BEFSX41 and, again, I have far fewer freezes locking up my systems.

"If the updaters only impacted on JAVA, then terminating a network TCP/IP connection and/or swapping out a new router should not have had any effect on the freezes. Time to tear apart the updater packages and see what Apple did to the TCP/IP stack."

In some cases, using the Terminal command: lookupd -flushcache can also help to resolve this issue.

Apparently, the lookupd process and associated files can become corrupt when applying incremental Mac OS X updates, or other modifications. The Terminal command lookupd -flushcache flashes the lookupd installation and can resolve these issues in some cases.

You may also want to try using the utility Unlockupd, which periodically checks lookupd's status and forces it to restart should it fail.

Feedback? Late-breakers@macfixit.com.

Previous coverage

• Java 1.3.1 and 1.4.2 Release 2 (#3): System-wide freezes when browsing; Reverting to an earlier Java release; more
• Java 1.3.1 and 1.4.2 Release 2 (#2): Web browser, system stability issues; Cisco PIX interface broken; more
• Apple releases Java 1.3.1 and 1.4.2 Release 2 for Mac OS X 10.4.x (Tiger)

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