Strange console messages

[DanL]

I was perusing my Console messages (I don't usually do so), and it was FILLED with messages like this

6/6/18 5:55:03.820 PM plugin-container[45743]: CFPasteboardRef CFPasteboardCreate(CFAllocatorRef, CFStringRef) : failed to create global data

What does this mean, and why is my system wasting so much time on making these messages? About 90% of the messages on my Console are these.

iMac 10.11.6

 

[honestone]

Maybe look at this:

https://discussions.apple.com/thread/7427176

 

[DanL]

Well the trouble with long and drawn out investigations with no obvious rationale is that no one really wants to do them. That's what seems to have happened on this thread you referenced. No answers were presented there.

My system is spending a lot of effort telling me something that the OS designers think I need to know. That's why it shows up in the Console. So what is it?

 

[DanL]

Getting Info on these messages reveals that the source is org.mozilla.plugincontainer. So it has to do with Mozilla. On doing some research I see it posted as "Console spamming", and is associated with Firefox Quantum and 10.11. No solutions evident.

 

[honestone]

A new version of Firefox, V60.0.2, was released today. One can get it from here:

https://www.mozilla.org/en-US/firef...VlsJkCh3SKQRpEAAYASABEgI1MvD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds

Not sure, though, if that will resolve the issue. If you don't mind giving up all your bookmarks, download and install the excellent freeware program AppCleaner, available from here:

https://freemacsoft.net/appcleaner/

It will find most (maybe all?) files/folders, etc., associated with an application. After using it, you can do a search of Mozilla and/or Firefox. Spotlight is OK, but I prefer another excellent freeware program entitled EasyFind, available from here:

https://www.devontechnologies.com/products/freeware.html

After that, you can do a clean, fresh installation of Firefox V60.0.2.

 

[DanL]

That's the version of Firefox I'm using. But this question may be more appropriate in a Mozilla forum. Thanks.

 

[honestone]

I thus suspect you went ahead and installed the new version "over" all the Mozilla/Firefox stuff that was on your system already.

Also, based on your first post, this was happening with prior versions of Firefox. The "clean installation" method I mentioned above could just resolve the issue now, but as I mentioned, you would need to give up your bookmarks.

 

[DanL]

The answer is that it is a recognized Firefox bug that ONLY applies to 10.11. What a PIA.

bug 1436099 - Incessant Mac console log spamming FF 58.0.1/MacOS-- possible bug?

 

[honestone]

Then why future versions of Firefox do not "resolve" the issue?

Why don't you ask them what happens if one was to take the steps I stated above, about a clean, fresh installation of Firefox? Ask them if this issue would go away.

Additionally, it is not definitive as to where the "fault" lies. For example, if you instead do a fresh, clean installation of OS 10.13.5, then "migrate"/copy all your needed stuff from your backup (you are doing backups, correct?), would the issue get resolved? You would still be bringing over all that Firefox/Mozilla "stuff", so still unclear as to whether the issue would get definitively resolved.

 

[DanL]

If this is a formal Firefox bug, then I suspect doing simple things like a fresh install have already been tried by the smart Mozilla people, and I think the fault has been established as being built into the source code. Why do future versions of Firefox not resolve the issue? I dunno, ask them. You don't spend a lot of time working on bugs that are specific to a twice-non-current OS. What they say is, time to upgrade to 10.12 or 10.13. I have my own reasons why I don't want to do that ... yet.

 

[honestone]

Ops! Did not initially see that you are still running OS 10.11.6. Sierra, OS 10.12.x, is actually quite a stable Mac OS, and from my perspective (and some other folks here), is actually better than High Sierra. But yeah, I am using High Sierra, and except for some performance issues (relatively minor), it works well on both of my Macs.

Also, I no longer use Firefox, having "abandoned" it almost 2 years ago. Google Chrome works well, and is fast. Thus, I have no reason to ask Mozilla why future versions of Firefox do not resolve the issue. Given that you use Firefox, it would be logical for you to ask them that question.

 

[DanL]

You ought to try the new Firefox Quantum. I find it better than Chrome, which I never really liked anyway. The pre-Quantum Firefox didn't support Hangouts, which was a pisser, but the new version does nicely.

 

[honestone]

I actually still have Firefox, and I do update it religiously. However, every time I try it, and navigate to espn's page, it does not load that page properly. And it is still definitely slower than Google Chrome.

Also, just tried it for some other sites, and still issues. All those sites appear normally with Chrome.

Maybe Mozilla is not pleased that I have not made Firefox my default browser?

 

[DanL]

You might try your own clean install strategy for Firefox. Mine (60.0.2) loads espn.com promptly and accurately.

 

[honestone]

OK, I did follow my steps for both Firefox and Opera, and now both of them are much faster! I'll have to try some more sites for both of them, also do speed tests between the 3 of them. But Firefox is definitely impressive (at least so far), as is Opera.

Also, I have always updated both Google Chrome and Opera "in place", ie, letting each of them do the update. Google Chrome has always remained fast, even after such an update, but Opera got slower and slower. Not sure if I need to do full, clean installations with an update.