Nextcloud mac sync client cause OS UI to freeze, change, and sometimes lock up entirely.

[p-sims]

I was in the process of writing this bug report, when nextcloud client freeze managed to lock up entire computer . . . So attempt two at writing this report. . .

Expected behaviour

When you right click on Nextcloud client in menu bar it opens dropdown menu which is then responsive to clicks. Similar if you right click on a folder in you're nextcloud directory there nextcloud submenu should appear in the right click menu.

Actual behaviour

Mostly what expected, but sometimes with a short freeze first. Sometimes menus appear but when you interact with them you get spinning beachball. Sometimes When you click on icon in status bar nothing happens, and then after a few click it pops up and then dissappears. Sometimes it works fine without issue. As I've just proved sometimes the UI can freeze and nextcloud menu can not disappear at all even though the focus has moved to another application. When this just happen to me the UI slowly locked up entirely and I had to hard reset entire computer.

Sometimes it takes a while for right click menu to show the nextcloud submenu at all, some times the right click menu locks up for a bit until it shows up.

Sometimes

Client configuration

Client version: 3.1.3

Operating system: 10.14.6 (18G7016) OS language: English

Logs

Nextcloud log 16-3-21.zip The log file after complete lock up and reboot was so large I can't upload it here so I've put it in nextcloud: https://cloud.chiltern.org.uk/s/2mgRnfqdN52ALei

Here is a screen shot of lock up.

I only recently upgraded from v2.7 to 3.1 on the understanding it was stable. Not sure if I should be downgrading back to v2.7 client . . .

[FlexW]

Is your computer unresponsive only if you open the main dialog or is it in general on high load? Could you tell me how many files, directories you try to sync and how big the data is you try to sync?

From your logs, I can see that most of the logging statements come from the sync engine. A huge amount of log statements can make your computer unresponsive because the client has to compress all the log files. We release in a few weeks an update (version 3.2.0) that contains a major overhaul for the sync engine. We already released a release candidate (version 3.2.0-rc1). Would be great if you can test that version and tell us if you still have the same problems.

[p-sims]

Is your computer unresponsive only if you open the main dialog or is it in general on high load?

My computer wasn’t noticeable high CPU most of the time theses freezes happened, it’s more like its waiting for something. It might have been short on ram when it locked up entirely. It was almost like UI and background process weren’t running asynchronously so the UI sometimes had to wait for the background process to do something.

Could you tell me how many files, directories you try to sync and how big the data is you try to sync?

My local Nextcloud folder on this computer is 66 GB (50k files) but my folder on the cloud is closer to 100 GB as I’m selectively syncing. The server it’s synced to is running on a overspecifiy machine for future proofing.

A huge amount of log statements can make your computer unresponsive because the client has to compress all the log files.

These freezes never happened while sync client was running in the background. It only ever started to freeze when I was trying to interact with the UI. Does clicking on the menu trigger something to be added to a log file? If so I’m not sure why UI could not continue to response while such things are happening in the background. The right click menu and status menu don’t need information out of log files do they?

That said if rebooting resets some logs that might explain some of it. Up until I was forced to restart yesterday it was happening regularly (although not consistently) and my computer hand be up for a month or two, however since restarting it’s not happening at all (so far).

We release in a few weeks an update (version 3.2.0) that contains a major overhaul for the sync engine. We already released a release candidate (version 3.2.0-rc1 https://github.com/nextcloud/desktop/releases/tag/v3.2.0-rc1). Would be great if you can test that version and tell us if you still have the same problems.

I’d be happy to, but can’t see a macOS build on the github page linked. Would I need to build it from source using these instructions https://github.com/nextcloud/desktop/wiki/How-to-compile-the-desktop-client?

On 17 Mar 2021, at 10:07, Felix Weilbach @.***> wrote:

Is your computer unresponsive only if you open the main dialog or is it in general on high load? Could you tell me how many files, directories you try to sync and how big the data is you try to sync?

From your logs, I can see that most of the logging statements come from the sync engine. A huge amount of log statements can make your computer unresponsive because the client has to compress all the log files. We release in a few weeks an update (version 3.2.0) that contains a major overhaul for the sync engine. We already released a release candidate (version 3.2.0-rc1 https://github.com/nextcloud/desktop/releases/tag/v3.2.0-rc1). Would be great if you can test that version and tell us if you still have the same problems.

— You are receiving this because you authored the thread. Reply to this email directly, view it on GitHub https://github.com/nextcloud/desktop/issues/3012#issuecomment-800958227, or unsubscribe https://github.com/notifications/unsubscribe-auth/APNEOO522EYRRTS3UNZLP2DTEB5OVANCNFSM4ZI4XRCQ.

[FlexW]

I’d be happy to, but can’t see a macOS build on the github page linked. Would I need to build it from source using these instructions https://github.com/nextcloud/desktop/wiki/How-to-compile-the-desktop-client?

There is a MacOS installer file. It's called "Nextcloud-3.2.0-rc1.pkg". That is the direct link to it: https://github.com/nextcloud/desktop/releases/download/v3.2.0-rc1/Nextcloud-3.2.0-rc1.pkg

[p-sims]

Thanks, I tried installing this but unfortunately it’s says it’s not compatible with the nextcloud server version . . .

I’ve just tried up update the nextcloud server and it is on the latest stable version. I don’t want put an unstable version on the server.

On 17 Mar 2021, at 12:47, Felix Weilbach @.***> wrote:

I’d be happy to, but can’t see a macOS build on the github page linked. Would I need to build it from source using these instructions https://github.com/nextcloud/desktop/wiki/How-to-compile-the-desktop-client https://github.com/nextcloud/desktop/wiki/How-to-compile-the-desktop-client?

There is a MacOS installer file. It's called "Nextcloud-3.2.0-rc1.pkg". That is the direct link to it: https://github.com/nextcloud/desktop/releases/download/v3.2.0-rc1/Nextcloud-3.2.0-rc1.pkg https://github.com/nextcloud/desktop/releases/download/v3.2.0-rc1/Nextcloud-3.2.0-rc1.pkg — You are receiving this because you authored the thread. Reply to this email directly, view it on GitHub https://github.com/nextcloud/desktop/issues/3012#issuecomment-801053698, or unsubscribe https://github.com/notifications/unsubscribe-auth/APNEOOZEFQESKIEZZQJNNRLTECQGLANCNFSM4ZI4XRCQ.

[FlexW]

It's fine, that was a bug. The fix will be delivered with the next rc. It's save to proceed. See also: https://github.com/nextcloud/desktop/issues/3001 https://github.com/nextcloud/desktop/pull/3009

[TheTrueTom]

I’d be happy to, but can’t see a macOS build on the github page linked. Would I need to build it from source using these instructions https://github.com/nextcloud/desktop/wiki/How-to-compile-the-desktop-client?

There is a MacOS installer file. It's called "Nextcloud-3.2.0-rc1.pkg". That is the direct link to it: https://github.com/nextcloud/desktop/releases/download/v3.2.0-rc1/Nextcloud-3.2.0-rc1.pkg

I had the same problem. Hanging never occurred right after application launch but rather when it had been running for some time. 3.2.0 rc1 seems to fix the problem as I have not experienced any hang since the installation.

[p-sims]

We release in a few weeks an update (version 3.2.0) that contains a major overhaul for the sync engine. We already released a release candidate (version 3.2.0-rc1 https://github.com/nextcloud/desktop/releases/tag/v3.2.0-rc1). Would be great if you can test that version and tell us if you still have the same problems.

So a few weeks ago I downloaded and installed this, Initially it was fine, but after a week or so it started becoming unresponsive occasionally. I almost managed to lock computer up entirely again, but I think that was because it was trying to sync an 8GB .gpkg over slow wifi connections. I wouldn't say it's as bad as it was before (although that might just be because it's not been running for 3months), but it's defiantly not entirely resolved. 31-3-21_Nextcloud-3.1.81_Debug.zip

However when I came to submit this comment, I discovered that the version of nextcloud client I had running stated it was '3.1.81git (build 5080)'. I have proved that even if I delete the nextcloud app and reinstall version 3.2.0-rc1 https://github.com/nextcloud/desktop/releases/tag/v3.2.0-rc1 it still says version '3.1.81git (build 5080)'

[nalt]

For me, the freezes got much worse when the notifications where moved to the menu of the desktop icon. Before, it happened only when the notifications where shown. So I assume that the freezes are caused by my long list of notifications.

There is no quick way to remove all notifications, and some just come back. So I guess the list of notifications added to the GUI must be limited.

If this sounds like a separate bug, let me know.

[FlexW]

@p-sims 3.2.0-rc1 is a pre release. Therefore the version number is a little bit lower than 3.2.0. If the release is stable, the version number will be 3.2.0. From your newest comment it is unclear to me, if you still have these freeezes?

There is no quick way to remove all notifications, and some just come back. So I guess the list of notifications added to the GUI must be limited. If this sounds like a separate bug, let me know.

Indeed this sounds like a separate issue, please open a separate issue about that :) Btw, you can dismiss all your notifications in the web ui.

[p-sims]

From your newest comment it is unclear to me, if you still have these freeezes? Yes I still have these freeze. I've just tried to click on nextcloud item in the menu bar and initially, I click and nothing happen. I then click again, then again, then menu pops up and then immediately disappears. I think click again and it come up immediately and then it work as expect.

I also had a instance today when I right clicked on a folder in finder and right click menu came up, but when you hovered over next cloud submenu it didn't appear. After trying a few times or using the arrow key to navigate to it, it then works fine. I'm not sure if these issues are related. 6-4-21_Nextcloud-3.1.81_Debug.zip

[dblatner]

In addition to the issues mentioned above, my Nextcloud macOS desktop client (3.1.3) crashes after some time waiting for the UI (or any blocked processes). My files are stored on an external exFAT SSD.

I also noticed a network performance degradation with uploading files, 200 kb/sec instead of 2.5 mb/sec, not sure if this is related to the blocked UI/processes.

When running in the background, files are synchronized.

I'd like to test it with the new client version 3.2.0, but could you say when a stable release is available?

[p-sims]

Today (still running 3.1.81git Mac Client), I tried to un pause synconisation and UI was mostly unresponsive with lots of spinning beachballs. Below photo's of trying to interact with menu after finally getting it to appear. Interestingly, once I'd quit process using activity monitor and restarted it, the UI then ran beautifully. It's almost like it gets clogged up.

This is the logs zip after restarting client: after restarting client when is was freezing on UI interactions.zip

[github-actions[bot]]

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[znerol]

I observed macOS UI freeze and high CPU loads after rolling out Nextcloud Desktop 3.3.0 in a mixed Catalina / Mojave environment. In our case it was enough to just install Nextcloud Desktop to corrupt the Launch Services database. If that happens, macOS will try and fail to rebuild the database in a tight loop. Symptoms of this scenario is very high log traffic (1k log messages per second in Console.app, see attached sample) and lsd and pkd processes running with constantly high CPU. Note that Nextcloud Desktop does not even need to be started to trigger this condition.

Console.app logs: havoc-pkd-lsd.log

Activity Monitor:

In order to fix the problem it is regrettably not enough to simply uninstall Nextcloud Desktop. The Launch Services database needs a rebuild as well. Exact steps:

1. Delete Nextcloud Desktop from the affected machine and empty the trash.
2. Rebuild the launch service database using lsregister (curtesy of routers blog): sudo /System/Library/Frameworks/CoreServices.framework/Frameworks/LaunchServices.framework/Support/lsregister -kill -r -domain local -domain system -domain user

[KLEPTOROTH]

I observed macOS UI freeze and high CPU loads after rolling out Nextcloud Desktop 3.3.0 in a mixed Catalina / Mojave environment. In our case it was enough to just install Nextcloud Desktop to corrupt the Launch Services database. If that happens, macOS will try and fail to rebuild the database in a tight loop. Symptoms of this scenario is very high log traffic (1k log messages per second in Console.app, see attached sample) and lsd and pkd processes running with constantly high CPU. Note that Nextcloud Desktop does not even need to be started to trigger this condition.

Console.app logs: havoc-pkd-lsd.log

Activity Monitor:

In order to fix the problem it is regrettably not enough to simply uninstall Nextcloud Desktop. The Launch Services database needs a rebuild as well. Exact steps:

1. Delete Nextcloud Desktop from the affected machine and empty the trash.
2. Rebuild the launch service database using lsregister (curtesy of routers blog): sudo /System/Library/Frameworks/CoreServices.framework/Frameworks/LaunchServices.framework/Support/lsregister -kill -r -domain local -domain system -domain user

I'm seeing the exact same issue right now. I ended up using AppCleaner to remove NextCloud - after reboot pkd and lsd didn't freak out. Updating NextCloud didn't do anything for me either. Oddly, this is happening randomly now, just started last week. Not sure what triggered it, but it happens even if the user has never opened NextCloud, as you mentioned.

Also interesting is the version we have deployed is 3.3.6 - weird why it just suddenly started happening, seemingly with no reason. Perhaps some macOS update caused issues with 3.3.6 as well.

[znerol]

Regrettably I am still observing this with 3.3.6 as well. I suspect that there might still be metadata in Info.plist which can be problematic under certain scenarios (e.g. updates). Maybe UTExportedTypeDeclarations and CFBundleDocumentTypes are triggering these issues. But honestly I cannot pinpoint the exact problem.

More info on UTI can be found here:

• https://developer.apple.com/library/archive/documentation/FileManagement/Conceptual/understanding_utis/understand_utis_conc/understand_utis_conc.html
• https://www.cocoanetics.com/2012/09/fun-with-uti/

[bendschs]

this issue came up for me on 3.3.6 with NC23 (so both most recent versions). Client is on MacOS Catalina.

[nigelhorne]

It's still happening. I landed here after a Google search of "nextcloud osx client locks up". Mine is stuck in the 'R' state and the app is unresponsive.

[pjrobertson]

I also have this problem on 10.14 with the latest version of Nextcloud (3.4.1git (build 8596) (3.4.1.8596)).

If I click the icon in the menu bar at any point, Nextcloud proceeds with a really high CPU, for about 1-2 minutes.

I've attached a spindump. It looks like it's something to do with locale, and CFLocaleCreateCanonicalLanguageIdentifierFromString or CFLocaleGetLanguageRegionEncodingForLocaleIdentifier in particulare. Not sure. But my computer locale is set as follows: Nextcloud_spindump1.txt

[claucambra]

Hi all, is this issue still happening for you on 3.5.1?

[pjrobertson]

Thanks for the notification @claucambra . I have just downlaoded 3.5.1 and can confirm that the hangs are gone for me. There still is a small lag between clicking the icon and the window appearing, but it no longer hangs for 10s+.

Thanks for your hard work!

[pjrobertson]

I think I spoke too soon. I've just experienced a very long hang with the app. Please see the attached spindump.txt spindump.txt

[p-sims]

I've just updated to 3.5.2 and that seems to have resolve UI lock up issues for me too. It has created another more minor issue which I've managed to work round, but I'll flag that as separate issues.

Thanks for all your work on this :)

[nigelhorne]

Hurrah!

[claucambra]

I think I spoke too soon. I've just experienced a very long hang with the app. Please see the attached spindump.txt spindump.txt

Looking at the spindump it seems this is happening somewhere in the activity list items, regarding the width of certain text elements. I have not been able to reproduce this, but looking at the spindump it seems this was originally invoked by an error in the sync. We have made several changes to activity list items -- is this still an issue for you?

Glad to hear for others the issue is clearing up

[swirly]

Same problem for me. Nextcloud client get frozen and has a 99.98% of processor usage. Thanks to a 8 core computer, I can continue to work (only one core affected), but no more sync. Everything start suddenly, without any update. Client is 3.7 Server is 25 osX is last version of Big Sur This started after the computer went to sleep although I tried to de-install nextcloud, and the lsregister hack, but nothing works Client useless, just used as a warming source. Nothing in nextcloud logs (tries to sync a file and hangs) nothing revelant in system log I don't know what to do

[victormylle]

I also have the same issue, my MacBook keeps lagging until I close the Nextcloud Client.

[swirly]

Everything start suddenly, without any update.

Indeed, not exactly. It seems the organization I rely on updated the server. Maybe it's the cause ?

[p-sims]

Hi All, I'm currently running next cloud 3.9.1 on MacOS 10.14 and I've not seen CPU clock up issue since I last reported here. This is with server version 24.0.12, but I will upgrade to 25 soon so will confirm whether that creates any issues.

That said, ever since I updated to 3.5.2 a year ago I've had an issue where the finder intergeneration disappears silently. After boot or restarting nextcloud client finder looks like this: However after a while (currently not been able to observe or trigger change) the green ticket disappear and 'nextcloud' submenu in the right click menu disappears. This is annoying but easily worked round by restarting client.

I've proved that sleeping computer doesn't trigger this, but not sure what does. All I can see is that it always happens within a few days.

I have know idea whether this is related to the UI lock up issue or worth raising as a separate issue.

[p-sims]

Sorry, didn't mean to close the issue.