UPDATE: 7/01/20 – I just tested on 10.15.6 Beta 3 and the issue is fixed!!!
UPDATE: 5/29/20 – This issue is still definitely a problem with 10.15.5. I have multiple in house confirmations along with a bunch of reader reports.
UPDATE: 5/26/20 – I have now received 3 different reports of this same issue happening after installing the new macOS Catalina 10.15.5 Update. This issue does NOT happen on every Mac. The problem still seems to be intermittent. Please let Apple know that we need this fixed!!!
I would like to get back into writing more How-To articles. The thing is, reporting on issues like this help more people. I would love it if I could get a heads up on an issue that could cause problems in my environment. That’s the idea behind articles like this and my macOS System Status page.
Case in point is this article. Do you use the ComputerName, HostName or LocalHostName value for one of the following functions?
MDM Computer Scope
802.1x Authentication
Active Directory
VPN
If you depend on the ComputerName or HostName for any of these services, it could wreak havoc for the user!
Let’s jump right in, I will give you you an overview of this issue.
Table of Contents
1. Affected macOS Build Version
2. Affected Mac Hardware
3. User Reports
4. Problem
5. The future of managing macOS Updates.
6. Should I block the 10.15.4 Supplemental Update?
7. Does Apple Know about this issue?
8. Links
1. Affected Mac Models
Unlike other issues, this one covers all Macs that are compatible with macOS Catalina that are on 10.15.4 (19E266).
2. Affected OS Versions
This issue affects only one macOS update.
macOS Catalina 10.15.4 Supplemental Update (19E287) Released 4/8/20
NOTE: This issue does not happen with the updated 10.15.4 Combo & Delta updates.
3. User Reports
One of the very first reports was in a MacAdmins Channel. Let’s take a look at some of the reports.
Is anyone else having issues with macOS Catalina 10.15.4 Supplemental Update deleting log files form /var/log and changing the computer name to just the Mac model (eg iMac)
On a test Mac, I experienced this, and I filed feedback. Please file feedback, so they have an idea how widespread (or not) it is, and to help them solve it.
This one is pretty cut and dry. If you set the ComputerName to a specific value, let’s say the SerialNumber, it will be reset back to factory default. In the case of a MacBook Pro the ComputerName would now be MacBook Pro.
ExampleTest
Fresh 2014 MacBook Pro erase & install with 10.15.4 (19E266). I then set the ComputerName and HostName to something different (Serial Number).
I used softwareupdate -iaR to install the 10.15.4 Supplemental Update.
Once the Mac Came back up, sure enough the ComputerName was MacBook Pro.
Most home users will never have to mess with this value. If you would like to check, open System Preferences > Sharing.
The Mac Computer Name in the Sharing Preference Pane.
MacAdmins will set this value with one of the following ways.
6. Should I block the 10.15.4 Supplemental Update?
Maybe
The supplemental update does not include any Security Related fixes. Take a look at the fix list below.
Fixes an issue where Mac computers running macOS Catalina 10.15.4 could not participate in FaceTime calls with devices running iOS 9.3.6 and earlier or OS X El Capitan 10.11.6 and earlier
Resolves an issue where you may repeatedly receive a password prompt for an Office 365 account
Fixes an issue where MacBook Air (Retina, 13-inch, 2020) may hang in Setup Assistant or when disconnecting and reconnecting a 4K or 5K external display
Resolves an issue where a USB-C port in your Mac may become unresponsive
If you need any of the above fixes, then I would say that you might need deploy it. You could also wait for a 10.15.4 Supplemental Update #2 or 10.15.5.
Deploy the update ONLY if you have a way to reset the ComputerName & HostName before the user can use the system!
You would need to deploy a LaunchDaemon that would execute a script to rename both values on load.
7. Does Apple Know about this issue?
Going by this post by Don, it’s not looking good as of last week.
Apple confirmed the /private/var/log/ issue (101063983106) but have not been able to replicate the ComputerName/HostName issue. They advised if anyone is able to replicate, open a ticket so they can look into it.
This problem can happen to a very small number of T2 Macs after installing the 10.15.4 Supplemental Update.
Did you Install the 10.15.4 Supplemental Update on your T2 Mac, only to find that it will not power up after the Install?
When reporting on issues, I always try to quantify the issue in terms of how many users could be affected. In this particular case, the numbers are very low. This article is to help you rescue your Mac. The issue only affects T2 Macs that have installed the 10.15.4 Supplemental Update. The amount of users reporting this is very small, but the problem can be devastating if the user does not understand what happened or how to fix it.
This issue is similar to the 2019-001 Security Update last November that cause Data loss. The Reports are very close as it was first thought that the problem was the users fault for shutting down the Mac during the BridgeOS update.
What actually happened was, the BridgeOS Update Failed and destroyed the encryption keys.
6. Why write about something that affects such a small number of Macs?
7. Wait a few days before installing updates.
8. Should I block the 10.15.4 Supplemental Update?
9. Does Apple Know about this issue and are they working on a fix?
10. Links
11. Credit & Hat Tips
1. Affected Mac Models
This issue covers almost every single T2 Mac Model. I have not seen any reports of this happening to the iMac Pro 2017 or the Mac Pro 2019.
1. MacBook Pro 16′ 2019
2. MacBook Pro 13″ & 15″ 2018-2019
3. MacBook Air 2018-2020
4. Mac Mini 2018
2. Affected OS Versions
This issue affects only one macOS update.
macOS Catalina 10.15.4 Supplemental Update (19E287) Released 4/8/20
3. Problem: 10.15.4 Supplemental Update Bricked
One of the very first reports was in a MacAdmins Channel. The report said that the user called the helpdesk saying the update hung. Now the Mac does not power on.
Another report from a user with a 2018 13″ MacBook Pro
I attempted to install the update but about halfway through my computer shutdown and it bricked my 2018 13 inch MacBook. No power, no fans coming on and off or anything when pressing and holding the power button.
Another Report from a 16″ Macbook Pro 2019 User.
Confirmed; this is what happened to my 16″ after this install. I needed to do a DFU restore (using Apple Configurator 2 — you can download it to your hopefully spare MacBook from the app store) to get my mac back up and running. Unfortunately, for some reason, after the DFU restore, my 16″ came back up to do a full reinstall, and I had to restore my files from backup.
One More report form a 13″ MacBook Pro User
Anyone else do the recent 10.15.4 update and have their machine completely bricked? Mine will not turn on…not after resetting the SMB…not at all. Apple’s update appears to have completely killed my macbook. It’s now completely unresponsive.
Macbook Air 2018 User
Thursday evening my wife’s Air still showed the update in System Prefs and clicked to install it. She said the dialog box said it was normal for the screen to go black, but it didn’t say it’d never come back!!! Her less than 18 month old Air is now officially bricked. Unresponsive to all attempts to remind it of its mission on earth. A stellar machine until that fateful click.
4. Problem Description
Apple’s T2 Security chip runs software called BridgeOS. That software is updated each time you install a Catalina Update or Security Update. The T2 controls many aspects of your Mac.
The Apple T2 Security Chip is Apple’s second-generation, custom silicon for Mac. By redesigning and integrating several controllers found in other Mac computers—such as the System Management Controller, image signal processor, audio controller, and SSD controller—the T2 chip delivers new capabilities to your Mac
After reading through a bunch of reports the problem seems happen during the BridgeOS Update phase. Most users say that all they saw was a black screen and the Mac was unresponsive. From the users who contacted me over email, after the update failed the Mac was already be in DFU mode. A few users stated that as soon as they connected the dead Mac to a host mac with Apple Configuartor 2 running, it immediately showed up in RECOVERY Mode.
5. Can the dead Mac be brought back to life? YES!
In almost every case, a DFU Mode BridgeOS Reinstall brought these dead Macs back to life!
I wrote a detailed article on how to perform the restore below.
I knew something was up on April 10th two days after the supplemental update was released. I noticed a spike in traffic to my BridgeOS Restore article. Emails and comments started to roll in. They all mentioned that they found the article after the 10.15.4 Supplemental Update bricked their Mac.
6. Why write about something that affects such a small number of Macs?
Like I mentioned at the top of this article, I usually will only report on issues that affect a large number of Mac Users. The idea is that small fluke type issues happen all the time. Usually the user can just reinstall macOS and be up and running.
This case was different. I decided to write this article after reading some of the stories.
Haven’t talked with Apple’s help team since 2004—today we spent 2 hours on the phone—we tried every method to get my bricked 2018 15” MacBook Pro to boot. Hopefully this issue is a small epidemic and not a pandemic; the MBP became unresponsive today while updating to 10.15.4. The last thing I saw before the MBP went quiet and the screen went black was, “about 14 minutes remaining”. Apple Help quoted $815 to ship it to them for a diagnostic and repair. I explained it was working perfectly well before the update—CSR elevated it to a senior who is starting with a new charger and cable.
Here is another direct quote from a 2018 Mac Mini User that I found tonight.
Any one else experienced this problem? Mac mini late 2018. Update went through, restarted Mac and now bricked. Will not turn on at all. Took it to Apple store and they say main board needs replacing at cost of 400usd.
I hope this article finds you mattoneill2! ^
If this article can save just a few Mac Users from having to spend $$$ for a repair, then it was definitely worth it.
7. Wait a few days before installing updates.
A good tip for you is to just wait a few days for the dust to settle before installing updates.
This is not the first time Apple has pulled an update. They pulled High Sierra and Sierra 2019-002 Security Update this past March. It’s a good idea to wait at least a few days before you update.
8. Should I block the 10.15.4 Supplemental Update?
Maybe
The only reason I say maybe, is that the supplemental update does not include any Security Related fixes. Take a look at the list below.
Fixes an issue where Mac computers running macOS Catalina 10.15.4 could not participate in FaceTime calls with devices running iOS 9.3.6 and earlier or OS X El Capitan 10.11.6 and earlier
Resolves an issue where you may repeatedly receive a password prompt for an Office 365 account
Fixes an issue where MacBook Air (Retina, 13-inch, 2020) may hang in Setup Assistant or when disconnecting and reconnecting a 4K or 5K external display
Resolves an issue where a USB-C port in your Mac may become unresponsive
If you need any of the above fixes, then I would say deploy it. The risk is really low.
9. Does Apple Know about this issue? Are they working on a fix?
Unlike the GPU freezing issue or the Wake from Sleep issue, I do not have any information.
The Catalina 10.15.4 Update is causing kernel panics in some 16″ 2019 MacBook Pros.
Did you Install the 10.15.4/10.15.5 Update on your 16 Inch MacBook Pro 2019, only to get a Kernel Panic after you Wake it from Sleep? You are not alone.
UPDATE 7/09/20 – I have received word that the wake from sleep kernel panic issue is resolved in 10.15.6 Beta 4 GM (19G71a). If still have the issue and can test, please let me know.
UPDATE 6/25/20 – I have a few reports that Big Sur Beta 1 fixed the issue, but for others they can still reproduce the problem. I would not recommend installing Big Sur as your main OS. You can install it in a 2nd container or external hard drive for testing. If Big Sur fixes the wake from sleep crashing issue, comment below or let me know!
UPDATE 6/8/20 – I am looking further into the 10.15.5 reports. Looks like this is the common error “Sleep transition timed out after 180 seconds while calling power state change callbacks. Suspected bundle: com.apple.iokit.IOGraphicsFamily.”
UPDATE 6/03/20 – I am seeing new reports that the 10.15.5 Update has not fixed the issue for some users. Others are saying that after installing the 10.15.5 Update that they are no longer seeing Kernel Panics after waking from sleep. Additional reports are saying that the issue is worse after installing the 10.15.5 Supplemental Update.
UPDATE: 5/18/20 – It looks like 10.15.5 Beta 4 fixes the wake from sleep kernel panic issue. I have received multiple emails, tweets and article replies confirming that Beta 4 has fixed the issue for them. I would like to take the time to thank you for all of your individual reports. When I can’t reproduce the issue, I rely on you to provide critical feedback. THANK YOU!
UPDATE: 5/15/20 – I am starting to get some reports that the 10.15.5 Beta 3 & 4 fix the issue. Did you try the latest beta and find that it fixes the issue? Let me know!
UPDATE: 5/7/20 – macOS Catalina 10.15.5 Beta 4 (19F83c) was released today.I have not received any reports that Beta 3 fixed this issue. If it has please let me know. Apple did not mentioned this issue in any of the 10.15.5 Beta Patch Notes.
UPDATE: 4/29/20 – macOS Catalina 10.15.5 Beta 3 was released today.I am getting word that Beta 3 includes a possible fix for the wake from sleep issue. If you install Beta 3 and it fixes your issue, please let me know!
UPDATE: 4/16/20 – macOS Catalina 10.15.5 Beta 2 was released today. Did this update fix the issue for you? I am also looking for users who reverted back to 10.15.1, 10.15.2 or 10.15.3 to see if that fixed the issue?
Main Article
As soon as the 10.15.4 Update hit, reports started to pop up of wake from Sleep Kernel Panics on the 16″ MacBook Pro. Does this situation sound familiar to you? If so you have a great memory! I tracked a very similar issue that was caused by the 2019-004 Mojave and High Sierra Security update back in July of 2019.
I am seeing reports from users that this issue is happening again. This time around it is affecting macOS Catalina, specifically the 10.15.4 Update on the 2019 16-Inch MacBook Pro.
Table of Contents
1. Affected Mac Models
2. Affected OS Versions
3. Problem: Kernel Panic after waking from sleep.
4. Panic Reports
5. Workarounds?
6. Reverting back to 10.15.1, 10.15.2 or 10.15.3?
7. This has happened before. Wait a few days before installing updates.
8. Does Apple Know about this issue and are they working on a fix?
9. Links
10. Credit & Hat Tips
1. Affected Mac Models
Usually we have multiple different Models that are affected, but this time the issue looks to happen only one model.
So far I have not seen any reports. If you have reverted back and that fixed the issue for you, please let me know. Also let me know if you reverted back and you still have the issue.
7. This has happened before. Wait a few days before installing updates.
This is not the first time Apple has pulled an update. They pulled High Sierra and Sierra 2019-002 Security Update this past March. It’s a good idea to wait at least a few days before you update.
8. Does Apple Know about this issue? Are they working on a fix?
Apple does know about the problem. Engineering is currently investigating the issue. This information comes from MacAdmins who have a Enterprise Support Ticket in with Apple.
Hopefully we get a 2nd Supplemental Update that fixes the issue soon.
UPDATE 04/10/20:I have noticed increased traffic to my Mac BridgeOS DFU Restore Article. I looked around a bit found a small number of reports that the 10.15.4 Supplemental Update is Bricking T2 Macs.To the user the Mac seems dead. I had 3 different reports sent to me and found 3otherreportposts. The good news is, a BridgeOS restore was able to bring some of the Macs back to life.
In a surprise today, Apple released a new Supplemental update for macOS Catalina 10.15.4. This update weighs in at 1.01gb and is available now for all 10.15.4 Catalina users. This update looks to fix 4 different issues. Apple also updated BridgeOS and re released a new installer.app, combo update and delta update.
The Catalina 10.15.4 Supplemental Update Includes the following fixes.
macOS Catalina 10.15.4 supplemental update improves the stability and security of your Mac.
Fixes an issue where Mac computers running macOS Catalina 10.15.4 could not participate in FaceTime calls with devices running iOS 9.3.6 and earlier or OS X El Capitan 10.11.6 and earlier
Resolves an issue where you may repeatedly receive a password prompt for an Office 365 account
Fixes an issue where MacBook Air (Retina, 13-inch, 2020) may hang in Setup Assistant or when disconnecting and reconnecting a 4K or 5K external display
Resolves an issue where a USB-C port in your Mac may become unresponsive
BridgeOS update
The T2 BridgeOS was updated in this macOS Catalina Supplemental Update.
T2 BridgeOS Version = 17.16.14281
Current and Previous Build Versions of 10.15
10.15.4 = (19E287) April 8th, 2020 = Current Release
If I deployed/cached the old 10.15.4 Installer.app for OS Upgrades, do I need to redeploy?
Do I have to replace my deployable 10.15 Installer.app?– Yes
If you deployed the old version of the 10.15.4 (19E266) Installer, you should update it to the new (19E287). If you don’t your users will have to install the New Catalina Supplemental Update after installing or upgrading.
Security Content
The Supplemental Update does not list any Published CVE entries.
Some Intel GPU Only Based MacBooks Airs are Freezing / Crashing while using Video Conf apps like Zoom After installing the 2020-002 Security updates.
After Apple Released the 2020-002 Security Updates, some users started to report that their Mac would would freeze up when using GPU Hardware Accelerated apps or video.
UPDATE 05/26/20 – Apple has just released the 2020-003 Security Update for macOS Mojave 10.14 and High Sierra 10.13. Please let me know if the new update fixes the issue for you!!!
UPDATE 05/18/20 – On Friday I tested Zoom client v4.6.8 on a 2017 MacBook Air with 10.13.6. I experienced a freeze & 5 different app crashes on a multi user meeting. Today I installed 2020-003 Beta and did not see a single crash for over 6 hours on the same meeting. The 2020-003 Security Update is looking really good, but I still would like to see more confirmations. If you installed 2020-003 Beta and it fixed the issue for you , please let me know. I am hoping the update is released tomorrow or sometime this week!
UPDATE 4/29/20 – Today Apple released the Developer Beta version of 2020-003 Security Update for Mojave and High Sierra. I am trying to find out if it includes a fix for this issue. I will update you as soon as I have more information.
UPDATE 4/28/20: The consensus amongst users is upgrading to Catalina fixes the issue. The only problem with this is, some users have reported other GPU related weird issues in 10.15.4. Sometimes the system will freeze for a few seconds in Finder, Safari or performing other tasks. The good news is, even if the Mac does freeze (only for a few seconds) it will not require a hard power down. With that said, you could upgrade to Catalina and not have any of the above issues! If you are cautious, it might be better to wait for an update from Apple.
UPDATE 4/08/20: As the update is installed on more Macs, reports continue to come in. Apps like Illustrator and Animate from the Adobe Creative Cloud Suite are now causing freezing A MacAdmins User who has a ticket in, says Apple is aware of the issue and is actively working on a fix.
UPDATE 4/03/20: MacAdmins User Bollman decided to test the latest Zoom installer (4.6.9) and has not had any crashes for 6 hours. I loaded up (4.6.8) 3 times to confirm the crashes and gather additional logs. Then I updated to Zoom 4.6.9 and have not had any crashes for over an hour. I added this new information to the work around section below.I can’t explain this as the Zoom update patch notes only mention updates to fix the installer issues brought up by Security Researchers.
UPDATE 4/02/20: New reports are still rolling in. As each new report rolls in with a confirmed .gpuRestart log I will add that application to affected list below. The issue might not be only related to Video Conference Apps. Some users are seeing the issue with anything that is related to Hardware Accelerated Video.Full screen video, video in Safari, or YouTube.
I reported on a similar issue in August of 2019 when the macOS Mojave 10.14.6 Update started to cause Kernel Panics if you used the Built In FaceTime Camera.
This article has seen a big uptick in traffic as of a few days ago. Then I started to receive emails from users who were having their Mac freeze up after installing the Security Updates. After that the reports started to come in on MacAdmins Chat.
In this article, I will give you you an overview of the issue. In the end, I will show you a few workarounds that might work until Apple releases a fix.
Let’s dive right in and see what’s going on here.
Table of Contents
1. Affected macOS Build Versions
2. Affected Mac Hardware & Intel GPU Versions
3. User Reports
4. What is the Issue? Mac will Freeze up requiring a hard shutdown
5. .gpuRestart Freeze Log Report
6. Software that can cause the FreezingIssue
7. This time around the issue CAN be reproduced
8. Why rolling back with Automatic Update Snapshots will NOT work.
9. Workarounds
10. If you are seeing this issue, please let Apple know.
11. Conference Software Freezing Issue Links
12. Hat Tip/Credits
1. Affected macOS Build Versions
This issue affects the following macOS Build Versions.
Catalina 10.15.4 Update(19E266)March 24th, 2020
Mojave 10.14.6 Security Update 2020-002(18G4032) March 24th, 2020
High Sierra 10.13.6 Security Update 2020-002 (17G12034) March 24th, 2020
2. Affected Mac Hardware & Intel GPU Versions
I have looked over a bunch of MacAdmin and User reports reports. It looks like the affected machines are 5th Generation Intel HD Graphics GPU only based Macs.
This is the Hardware that we think is affected so far.
1. 2015 MacBook Air
2. 2017 MacBook Air
3. 2015 12″ MacBook
4. 2015 13″ MacBook Pro
5. 2015 21.5″ iMac
Intel only GPU Versions
1. Intel HD Graphics 6000
2. Intel HD Graphics HD 5300
3. Intel Iris 6100
4. Intel Iris Pro 6200
If you have the issue on other Macs like the Mac Mini or older Macs, please do not hesitate to Contact Me.
3. User Reports.
The first report came in just two days after Apple released the Security Updates.
Anyone have issue with Zoom 4.6.7 for the Mac running on 10.14.6 where the use of the internal camera causes it to crash.
The next day more detailed reports started to roll in.
We’ve seen hard crashes on macs running 10.13.6 with latest security update (17G12034) and latest zoom version 4.6.8 (19178.0323). So far, 4 out of 80 machines with this combination of OS and zoom. What’s more in common with these machines is that they are MBA 2015 (non-retina). Anyone else seeing problems with latest security update on 10.13.6?
After doing this job for many years, I get an sense when things are starting to become an issue. It was not until this post came in on the following Monday.
For those running 10.15.4 (or latest 10.14/10.13 Security Update 2020-002 update) on the following hardware, can you try starting a zoom video conference (possibly may happen with other video conference software)? do you experience a hard crash?
After Balmes posted this, it was enough for me to take a closer look. Sure enough, users have started to report the same issues.
4. What is the Issue? The Mac will Freeze up requiring a hard shutdown.
UPDATE 04/01/20: After posting the article, I am getting a ton of reports that this issue is not just Video Conference Apps. Users are saying the Freeze / Lockup issue happens when using GPU Hardware Accelerated Video. This could be full screen video based activity.
How does the issue start? All you need to do is use some type of Video Conference Software that has multiple users with video enabled.
Once in the meeting the affected Mac can freeze up within one minute!
After the Mac Freezes, it will become 100% non responsive. The screen will freeze up and you will not be able to force quit. The only thing you can do is force power down the Mac.
5. .gpuRestart Freeze / Crashing Log Report
After you power up the Mac again, macOS will say that it was shut down due to a problem. At this point you need to look at the log to find the .gpuRestart log file.
UPDATE 04/02/20: To get the .gpuRestart log to show up, you have to let the Mac say on the frozen screen for at least a few minutes.
/Library/Logs/DiagnosticReports
You can also do a quick search by running this command
sudo ls -lah /Library/Logs/DiagnosticReports | grep .gpuRestart
Or use the Console.app, select “System Reports”.
A look at the console app and a few 2017 MacBook Air .gpuRestart error log files.
Application exampleGoogle Chrome He - Slack Helper (GP - zoom.us
Graphics Hardware exampleIntel HD Graphics 6000 - Iris Pro 6100
Signature example 803 - 802 - 806
6. Software that can cause the Freezing Issue
The following software can cause your affected Mac to freeze up. Below is a list of confirmed applications with a confirmed .gpuRestart freeze.
Zoom.us
Slack
Webex
Teams
Skype
BlueJeans
FaceTime
Sublime Text
Google Meet
Google Hangouts
Adobe Creative Cloud apps
Illustrator & Animate
VMWare Fusion
Spotify Helper
AnyDesk
ScreenConnect
Visual Studio Code
NOTE: Some of the new reports say that this happens when running the Video Conference Software from a Chrome Browser.
7. This time around the issue CAN be reproduced
I am able to reproduce this issue. If you would like to see what happens all you need to do is setup your Mac with the following.
2015-2017 MacBook Air
10.13.6 High Sierra with the 2020-002 Update installed.
Install zoom.us
Join any zoom meeting with multiple active users with their camera activated.
Join with Computer Audio. You can activate your own video or not does not matter.
Wait
Within about 1-5 min the MacBook Air screen will completely freeze and become unresponsive. You will need to hard power it off.
UPDATE 04/01/20: I was able to ssh into one of the MacBook Airs that was frozen. You can run commands like top and others. I attempted to force quit zoom.app and that did not change anything. I also tried to kill the loginwindow no go. Finally I attempted to restart the device with sudo reboot , I got the message that the ssh connection was closed like it was going to reboot but it didn’t.
8. Why rolling back with Automatic Update Snapshots will NOT work.
You might think, what if I roll back to a previous version of Mojave before the Security Update? In the past, this might have worked as the Update or security update is supposed to take an automatic tmutil localsnapshot before installing the update. If something went wrong you could boot to recovery and restore from that snapshot taken just before the update.
In this case that will not work because Update Snapshots are no longer working since 10.15.3!
Most issues like this have some type of workaround. Sometimes a workaround is found by accident or after hours of testing. This time around a few users on MacAdmins Slack have reported the following workarounds.
UPDATE 4/02/20: We are now hearing that Apple Support is recommending that users upgrade to macOS Catalina 10.15.4 to fix the issue. I can’t confirm if this fixes the issue but after looking at a large amount of .gpuRestart logs, I have not seen one from 10.15.4 yet. Many users are writing to me that after updating to 10.15.4, they are not having the freezing issue anymore.
UPDATE 4/03/20: For users who are having the freezing issue when using the Zoom.app, update to the latest version (4.6.9) and you should not see any more crashes.
Disable Zoom’s “Enable hardware acceleration for receiving video” option in the application video preferences. Scroll down and then hit the advanced button.
If the issue is happening in Chrome, some users found success with turning off Use hardware acceleration when available in Preferences > Advanced> System .
Use Firefox instead of Chrome when joining a browser based conference meeting.
Use conferencing in a browser instead of the application. An example of this is zoom. If you cancel out of the constant prompts to download the zoom.app, you will finally get an option to “Join Meeting with your Browser”
If you find any other workarounds please Contact Me
10. If you are seeing this issue, please let Apple know.
The only way to let Apple know that this is a big issue is to file a FeedBack Report. AppleCare Call or an Apple Enterprise Support Ticket.
This will help Apple Prioritize the issue.
11. Conference Software Freezing Issue Links
I created a MacAdmins Chat Channel to disccus the issue.
Bollman – MacAdmins Slack User who did a ton of testing. He also spun up a zoom meeting room where we could all test.
bp – MacAdmins Slack User who’s post get me to take a closer look.
vplc – MacAdmins Slack User who was able to get me info and logs
Georgia – MrMacintosh Reader who was able to quicly answer a bunch of questions along with logs and a sysdiagnose.
Apple Engineer – Who jumped on the issue almost immediately after being invited to the #conf-freezing-issue chat. Gathered logs and FB and Enterprise Support Tickets to help get attention on the issue.
Everyone who emailed me, shared information in Slack, DM’d me or shared my article. Without your help I wouldn’t have been able to put all this information together.
