18

I've done some Googling and nowhere do I find where you can log the shutdown process. The best I've found is a log where it states when the shutdown process begins but that's all.

My computer is hanging on the end of the shutdown process and I'm trying to troubleshoot it.

Have any ideas?

Improve this question
3
  • 2
    Have you checked the Console app?
    – zwerdlds
    Commented Apr 10, 2012 at 17:50
  • @zwerdlds Yes, That's where I found this d.pr/RETv
    – jwmann
    Commented Apr 10, 2012 at 18:46
  • It would be easier to open the activity monitor, search for one with name shudown and kill that process...
    – user34076
    Commented Nov 4, 2012 at 11:55

2 Answers 2

Reset to default
9

Check the console for the time of shutdown enter image description here

In the terminal, go to 

     /var/log

enter image description here

Find launchd-shutdown.log that was last modified by your system at the time of shutdown and perform a more on it

     more launchd-shutdown.log
Improve this answer
6
  • 1
    I found using vim was easier than more but thanks! this was exactly what I needed.
    – jwmann
    Commented Apr 12, 2012 at 1:44
  • I agree that vim is better for searching through the logs, but for beginners 'more' can be a bit more friendly. (Pun not intended. Don't laugh.)
    – DogEatDog
    Commented Oct 17, 2012 at 3:53
  • 2
    For OS X 10.10 Yosemite it's under /var/log/com.apple.launchd/launchd-shutdown.system.log.
    – DASKAjA
    Commented Nov 7, 2014 at 16:26
  • 5
    I cannot find the logs in /var/log or /var/log/com.apple.launchd on macOS 10.12 Sierra. Have these logs been moved?
    – Chris Vasselli
    Commented Apr 7, 2017 at 13:30
  • 1
    The terminal approach is much more comprehensive. For example I did a grep -r --include="*.log" reboot . and was able to immediately see what caused the most recent reboot on my mac.
    – Scott Willeke
    Commented Jan 3, 2019 at 4:34
9

Instead of looking at logs, I would start by booting in verbose mode. (It will also shut down in verbose mode.) Just hold Command ⌘ + V at boot.

Improve this answer
1
  • 1
    I was considering do this (except in single user mode since it does verbose too) but I was wondering if I could save the output somewhere so I can research the output.
    – jwmann
    Commented Apr 10, 2012 at 19:28

You must log in to answer this question.

Not the answer you're looking for? Browse other questions tagged .