i killled the VM with SIGUSR signal and here the stack: Process 0x77ccf2cc priority 40 0xbff5517c I [] in Delay>wait 2035889428: a(n) Delay 0xbff551a4 I BlockClosure>ifCurtailed: 2035890000: a(n) BlockClosure 0xbff551c8 I Delay>wait 2035889428: a(n) Delay 0xbff551e8 I TimeStamp class(DateAndTime class)>waitForOffsets 2007868504: a(n) TimeStamp class 0xbff55210 I TimeStamp class(DateAndTime class)>milliSecondsSinceMidnight 2007868504: a(n) TimeStamp class 0xbff55238 I TimeStamp class(DateAndTime class)>now 2007868504: a(n) TimeStamp class 0xbff55260 I TimeStamp class>current 2007868504: a(n) TimeStamp class 0xbff55280 I TimeStamp class>now 2007868504: a(n) TimeStamp class 0xbff552a0 I ZnClient>handleResponse 2035558752: a(n) ZnClient 0xbff552c0 I ZnClient>executeWithRedirectsRemaining: 2035558752: a(n) ZnClient 0xbff552e4 I [] in ZnClient>executeWithRetriesRemaining: 2035558752: a(n) ZnClient 0xbff55300 M BlockClosure>on:do: 2035590416: a(n) BlockClosure 0xbff55328 I ZnClient>executeWithRetriesRemaining: 2035558752: a(n) ZnClient 0xbff55344 M [] in ZnClient>executeWithTimeout 2035558752: a(n) ZnClient 0xbff55360 M BlockClosure>on:do: 2035590092: a(n) BlockClosure 0xbff55388 I [] in ZnClient>executeWithTimeout 2035558752: a(n) ZnClient 0xbff553ac I [] in ZnClient>withTimeoutDo: 2035558752: a(n) ZnClient 0xbff553d8 I [] in ZnConnectionTimeout(DynamicVariable)>value:during: 2007631496: a(n) ZnConnectionTimeout 0xbff553f8 M BlockClosure>ensure: 2035589948: a(n) BlockClosure 0xbff55424 I ZnConnectionTimeout(DynamicVariable)>value:during: 2007631496: a(n) ZnConnectionTimeout 0xbff5544c I ZnConnectionTimeout class(DynamicVariable class)>value:during: 2007997132: a(n) ZnConnectionTimeout class 0xbff55474 I ZnClient>withTimeoutDo: 2035558752: a(n) ZnClient 0xbff55498 I ZnClient>executeWithTimeout 2035558752: a(n) ZnClient 0xbff554bc I [] in ZnClient>execute 2035558752: a(n) ZnClient 0xbff554e0 I [] in ZnClient>withProgressDo: 2035558752: a(n) ZnClient 0xbff5550c I [] in ZnSignalProgress(DynamicVariable)>value:during: 2009919884: a(n) ZnSignalProgress 0xbff5552c M BlockClosure>ensure: 2035589476: a(n) BlockClosure 0xbff55558 I ZnSignalProgress(DynamicVariable)>value:during: 2009919884: a(n) ZnSignalProgress 0xbff55580 I ZnSignalProgress class(DynamicVariable class)>value:during: 2009919012: a(n) ZnSignalProgress class 0xbff555a8 I ZnClient>withProgressDo: 2035558752: a(n) ZnClient 0xbff555d4 I ZnClient>execute 2035558752: a(n) ZnClient 0xbff555f4 I ZnClient>get 2035558752: a(n) ZnClient 0xbff55614 I ZnClient>downloadTo: 2035558752: a(n) ZnClient 0xbff55640 I SmalltalkImage>downloadSources 2020677412: a(n) SmalltalkImage 0xbff55670 I SmalltalkImage>checkAndOpenSourcesAndChanges 2020677412: a(n) SmalltalkImage 0xbff55690 I SmalltalkImage>openSourceFiles 2020677412: a(n) SmalltalkImage 0xbff556a8 M SmalltalkImage class>startUp: 2020650272: a(n) SmalltalkImage class 0xbff556d0 M [] in SmalltalkImage>send:toClassesNamedIn:with: 2020677412: a(n) SmalltalkImage 0xbff556ec M BlockClosure>on:do: 2035540616: a(n) BlockClosure 0xbff5570c M SmalltalkImage>logStartUpErrorDuring:into:tryDebugger: 2020677412: a(n) SmalltalkImage so, it looks that we should not blame VM for 'black screen of death', but a startup code which stuck forever trying to download .sources file :) -- Best regards, Igor Stasenko.