Peter Miller

Q: Kernel Panic #2 and another lot of bad RAM???

Okay this is becoming troublesome. A few days ago I posted regarding a previous kernel panic and whether it related to bad RAM.

 

My question was answered by Illaass and Grant Bennet-Alder, the culprit of my kernel panic was bad ram as Illaass pointed out

 

The phrase "6 error-reporting banks" in the panic report almost always means bad RAM.

The key is multiple error-reporting banks.

 

Also the phrase "Machine Check"  usually means a hardware problem

 

I got the replacement RAM this morning and installed it, the system showed as having 12GB for about two hours; then I got ANOTHER Kernel Panic, When I rebooted my machine only showed as having 8GB of RAM again, the two new modules that were installed would not register. – I opened the side of my machine to instept the memory, I was surpised to find the error LED on for one of the DIMMs I had installed only hours before.

 

So I have three possibilities before me.

 

1. I have recieved a second faulty module in the modules I replaced, but what is the likelyhood that I would get two 'bad' modules like this.

 

2. The second of course is that the DIMM slot on the Mac Pro's RAM riser card is 'killing' any module that is installed in it. (I don't know what the likelyhood of this is)

 

So I contacted the retailer I purchased the memory from, with some basic troubleshooting I was able to identify the faulty module and remove it (and the other 'good' module from my system), with the modules removed my system boots and behaves correctly, with the replacement modules in my system boots (slower than normal) and the new modules do not even register in System Profiler, they show as "empty" slots.

 

I took my machine to my local Apple Service Provider and asked their advice, they said it is very unlikely that the slot is the issue and I have simply recieved two faulty sticks of memory.

 

I contacted the retailer again and they will be sending me yet another replacement module, though I don't know what the likelyhood of exactly the same repeating itself over and over.

 

I also have the details of my second kernel panic which I will attach to this message in a minute, I'm open to all suggestions as to what may have happened.

Mac Pro (Early 2008), Mac OS X (10.6.8)

Posted on Jun 17, 2016 12:21 AM

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Q: Kernel Panic #2 and another lot of bad RAM???

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  • by Peter Miller,

    Peter Miller Peter Miller Jun 17, 2016 12:27 AM in response to Peter Miller
    Level 4 (2,099 points)
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    Jun 17, 2016 12:27 AM in response to Peter Miller

    Fri Jun 17 14:13:28 2016

    panic(cpu 0 caller 0x8a1d1e8b): "Uncorrectable Fbd memory error detected. FERR_NF = 0x00002000 , NERR_NF == 0x02002021\n"@/SourceCache/AppleMCEDriver/AppleMCEDriver-119.4.0/AppleMCEDriver .cpp:947

    Backtrace (CPU 0), Frame : Return Address (4 potential args on stack)

    0x10bc58 : 0x21b837 (0x5dd7fc 0x10bc8c 0x223ce1 0x0)

    0x10bca8 : 0x8a1d1e8b (0x8a1d290c 0x2000 0x2002021 0x8100a4)

    0x10bd18 : 0x8a1d215d (0x12654500 0x12654500 0x2 0x820044)

    0x10bd98 : 0x7fda0a50 (0x12654500 0x0 0x117f1880 0x0)

    0x10bdc8 : 0x7fd9fd09 (0x1141f200 0x0 0x0 0x1c)

    0x10bde8 : 0x7fdaeebc (0x1c 0x10be5c 0x8 0x7fdac5f0)

    0x10be18 : 0x7fdaf0be (0x117d391c 0x17 0x1141f53e 0x0)

    0x10be78 : 0x7fdb662e (0x112ecd28 0x10bec8 0x10bef8 0x0)

    0x10be98 : 0x56ac20 (0x112ecd28 0x0 0x112cad80 0x0)

    0x10bee8 : 0x7ffad5bb (0x1141f280 0x0 0x1141f280 0x0)

    0x10bf18 : 0x7fd93213 (0x117c8600 0x0 0x0 0x49)

    0x10bf38 : 0x7fd9e911 (0x49 0x0 0x10bf78 0x0)

    0x10bf58 : 0x580d96 (0x11329b80 0x0 0x11329f80 0x49)

    0x10bf78 : 0x2ab432 (0x49 0x8941ba50 0x1c8db 0x1)

    0x10bfd8 : 0x2a1c2e (0x8941ba50 0x2a2a00 0x0 0x2a2a5b)

    0x8941bae8 : 0x225bba (0x84bf3c 0x2d6586f7 0x85c 0x84bf28)

    0x8941bb48 : 0x22698c (0x1 0x141873d4 0x112c4c58 0x85c)

    0x8941bbb8 : 0x2275b0 (0x141873f0 0x141873f0 0x8941bc18 0x233203)

    0x8941bc28 : 0x227654 (0x0 0x0 0x0 0x0)

    0x8941bc48 : 0x2a1422 (0x0 0x0 0xdd 0x80000002)

    0x8941bcd8 : 0x260c62 (0x2199ede8 0x0 0x2a45e3 0x0)

    0x8941bde8 : 0x25847e (0x8941bf40 0x63e14000 0xd2a 0x3)

    0x8941bf38 : 0x2ab83c (0x121d5d74 0x63e14000 0xd2a 0x3)

    0x8941bfc8 : 0x2a18da (0x14184204 0x0 0x10 0x0)

          Kernel Extensions in backtrace (with dependencies):

             com.apple.driver.AppleMCEDriver(1.1.9)@0x8a1ce000->0x8a1d3fff

                dependency: com.apple.iokit.IOACPIFamily(1.3.0)@0x7fad4000

             com.apple.driver.AppleAPIC(1.4)@0x7ffac000->0x7ffaefff

             com.apple.driver.AppleACPIPlatform(1.3.6)@0x7fd91000->0x7fdd3fff

                dependency: com.apple.iokit.IOACPIFamily(1.3.0)@0x7fad4000

                dependency: com.apple.iokit.IOPCIFamily(2.6.5)@0x7fcda000

  • by lllaass,Helpful

    lllaass lllaass Jun 17, 2016 4:23 AM in response to Peter Miller
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    Jun 17, 2016 4:23 AM in response to Peter Miller

    Could be bad RAM or maybe bad riser card.

    If you move or sway stick does it follow the stick location or the sticks?

  • by Peter Miller,

    Peter Miller Peter Miller Jun 17, 2016 1:47 AM in response to lllaass
    Level 4 (2,099 points)
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    Jun 17, 2016 1:47 AM in response to lllaass

    Hi Illaass,

     

    My hope is that I just got unlucky and the RAM is the cause, currently that RAM is out of the machine and the machine seems fine.

     

    My real worry is that the issue may be caused by the Logic Board, I really hope this isn't the case, a ram riser card is bad too, but if it is the riser card I can simply install 4GB modules into the top card which I know hasn't been causing any errors.

     

    So I guess those are the three possibilities, the module, the riser card or an error with the Lgic Board.

     

    Of those three which do you suspect is the most likely?

     

    I don't know what you mean by "If you move or sway stick does it follow the stick location or the sticks?"

     

    Do you mean, does the error follow the RAM stick if I try it in  different DIMM slot? Yes it does, but that seems to be only after it failed; as for "If you move or sway the stick", does that mean is the module completely secure when in a slot? Yes it is also (It doesn't feel loose)

     

    Thanks for your thoughts.

  • by Peter Miller,

    Peter Miller Peter Miller Jun 17, 2016 1:49 AM in response to lllaass
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    Jun 17, 2016 1:49 AM in response to lllaass

    I also types some of my panic report into Google, some results said 'bad ram' others indicated the Logic Board was failing.

  • by Peter Miller,

    Peter Miller Peter Miller Jun 17, 2016 4:41 AM in response to lllaass
    Level 4 (2,099 points)
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    Jun 17, 2016 4:41 AM in response to lllaass

    Ran a 'quick' version of the Apple Hardware Test and it came back clean, I've left an 'extended' test to go overn, I hope that it comes back clean, if it does I guess that in effect should narrow the problem down to either the riser card, or the module.

     

    Does that sound correct?

  • by Grant Bennet-Alder,

    Grant Bennet-Alder Grant Bennet-Alder Jun 17, 2016 6:34 AM in response to Peter Miller
    Level 9 (61,180 points)
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    Jun 17, 2016 6:34 AM in response to Peter Miller

    You are taking too seriously the idea that New RAM means Good RAM.

    It is more like the toss of a coin.

     

    The RAM modules themselves are far more likely to fail than any other component, because they are so complex inside.

  • by John Galt,

    John Galt John Galt Jun 17, 2016 7:53 AM in response to Peter Miller
    Level 8 (49,777 points)
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    Jun 17, 2016 7:53 AM in response to Peter Miller

    Peter Miller wrote:

     

    ... what is the likelyhood that I would get two 'bad' modules like this.

     

    Very likely, unless you obtained the RAM from one of only two vendors (other than Apple) that I know of who provide memory that has actually been verified to meet its own published specifications.

     

    I took my machine to my local Apple Service Provider and asked their advice, they said it is very unlikely that the slot is the issue and I have simply recieved two faulty sticks of memory.

     

    That is correct.

  • by Peter Miller,

    Peter Miller Peter Miller Jun 17, 2016 4:36 PM in response to Grant Bennet-Alder
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    Jun 17, 2016 4:36 PM in response to Grant Bennet-Alder

    Hi Grant,

     

    Yes I see your point, I had a chat with the vendor who sold me the RAM, they said they don't test their memory prior to sale. I also ran an extended Apple Hardware Test overnight and it came back reporting 'no issues found.' so I guess that is a good sign for me.

  • by Peter Miller,

    Peter Miller Peter Miller Jun 17, 2016 4:40 PM in response to John Galt
    Level 4 (2,099 points)
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    Jun 17, 2016 4:40 PM in response to John Galt

    Hi John,

     

    Thank you for your thoughts, you would think providers would test memory before they shipped it to consumers, that seems kind of silly not even testing hardware before it ships.

     

    You mentioned two providers who tests their memory before they ship it, Apple being one, I'm curious who the other is?

     

    If the issue is less likely the slot that is good.

  • by Peter Miller,

    Peter Miller Peter Miller Jun 17, 2016 4:47 PM in response to Peter Miller
    Level 4 (2,099 points)
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    Jun 17, 2016 4:47 PM in response to Peter Miller

    So all replies in context, it looks like I simply got unlucky and recieved two sets of bad RAM.

     

    However, until I can test and verify the replacement module that I will recieve on Monday then I will leave this question open.

     

    At the moment I'm still considering that it is potentially and issue with the riser card as well, simply given the age of my hardware (thanks to Illaass for that.)

     

    Since Apple Hardware Test gives my Logic Board a clean bill of health I suppose that I can almost rule out the main board...

     

    Now all I have to do is wait for the replacement part to arrive.

     

    Thank you to everyone who added their notes to this.

     

    Regards,

     

    Peter.

  • by John Galt,

    John Galt John Galt Jun 17, 2016 7:05 PM in response to Peter Miller
    Level 8 (49,777 points)
    Mac OS X
    Jun 17, 2016 7:05 PM in response to Peter Miller

    Crucial (specifically, bearing the Mac logo) and OWC / MacSales.