Random Restarts

Same problem here: I had to set up a brand new Mac mini Core 2 Duo with 2 GByte of RAM today.
The first random restart happened when I created a new document in iDVD '08 – and has occured ever since when I tried to do it again.
To make things worse, the restarts became more and more frequent and occured without any apparent pattern – sometimes when using an application and once even during the boot process.
I used the hardware test tool supplied by Apple and in six out of eight cases the computer hang during the memory test showing weird graphics on screen.

If your machine is still under warranty, then call Apple and have it either serviced or replaced. I had mine replaced last week. it's been running for less than 24 hrs and I haven't witnessed any random restart. I haven't upgraded the memory yet so we'll keep a close eye on the mini thing.

I upgraded memory last week and yesterday started having the random restarts. I reset pram, then repaired permissions and ran all of the maintenance scripts last night. Since then have not had a problem. Will just wait and see - but thought this might help some.

I just got a mac mini 1.83 w/leopard and installed 2gb crucial 667. I've installed vmware fusion and pandorajam, both of which I thought were the culprit of random reboots, but I just let my mini run with the finder and safari open and it still eventually reboots. Fan speed remains at 1500-1700rpm, cpu load is low and temp is 60 degrees at most. It's frustrating to see my monitor go black, and the mini restarts with the apple sound and automatically logs back in. No crash is reported, so I'm at a loss for reason. I'm a windows/linux user, this is my first mac and I'm impressed, but at least I know why the other 2 behave oddly. Is there a setting that was altered by a malicious attack that causes this? It seems to happen at random intervals. Any help would be greatly appreciated. Also, if it is the logic board, how do I go about getting Apple to take a look at it? There's a "genius bar" on my school campus, will they check it out?

Welcome to Apple Discussions!

To get Apple to look at the system, all you need to do is take it to an Apple store (an actual Apple branded retail establishment) or to an Apple Approved Service Provider, or call Apple to report the problem - assuming the system is still under warranty of course. The problem of course is that with a random event such as this, the chances are that it won't be easy to track down, and may not even manifest itself during testing, leading to the inevitable conclusion that there's nothing wrong with it when you know there is.

I think I would be rather suspicious of the power supply in this instance - not just the little white power brick, but also the actual electrical supply into which the mini is plugged. It is possible that voltage drops, brief outages or spikes are causing this. Do you have it plugged into a UPS? If not, I would suggest you get a low-cost one which includes battery backup and surge protection, and hook the mini into that. It may not resolve the problem, but is a good idea anyway and will at least isolate the power source as the problem.

By the way, the fact you were not running an application when the system rebooted would not entirely rule out an issue with one or other of the installed apps, so the safest way to test the system to determine these kind of issues are not application related is to do a clean install of MacOS, which involves using the 'erase and install' option in the installer, and then running the system to test it out before any further applications are added. Of course doing this will loose any data already saved, so a good backup is advised!

Could it be caused by a malicious attack? Well, yes it could, but it is very unlikely. There is a known Trojan affecting MacOS, so far distributed via **** websites and masquerading as a codec which needs to be downloaded to play video content. As ever, being cautious on the internet, having your system behind a hardware firewall (such as in a domestic router) and setting the MacOS firewall (in the security preference pane under the firewall tab) to 'Allow only essential services' or 'set for specific services and applications', and then to enable stealth mode under the advanced options would reduce the risk of attack significantly.

McCaughan,

Another way to rule out software as the problem (without re-installing) would be to boot from the install DVD and just let the computer run at the first screen (without proceeding with an installation).

If the computer eventually restarts under those circumstances, we are probably dealing with a hardware issue.

To boot from the install DVD, insert the DVD while the computer is running, select Restart from the Apple menu, and hold down the C key as soon as the restart chime sounds. Keep the C key held down until you see the "gear" start spinning on the screen.

Alternatively, you could hold down the D key instead of the C key, and run the hardware diagnostics.

I have the APC Surge Arrest Pro and I don't download codecs from ** sites, but I will try running Leopard off disc to check for hardware problems. I'm actually hoping that'll be it because installing everything will be a pain if I can't pinpoint what software is causing it to happen. Thanks for the help. If I figure anything out, I'll post it in case anyone else is having similar problems.

Update -- just got my computer back from Apple repair - they replaced the logic board and tested -- I've had 2 restarts since. Zapped the Pram, rebuilt permissions (etc. etc.). I guess I'm back to the dealer tomorrow. Very frustrating.

Looks like this problem has returned. I am not entirely sure if the two Macs that are rebooting still, had the Kingston >> Apple memory swap. Will update.

After replacing the logic board and having continuing restarts, the apple tech replaced the ram. So far no problems after several days. I hope that is the end of the problem.

I have the same issue. I have two 1.66 Minis, both with 2G of Kensington RAM. After upgrading to Leopard, I had to have the logic board replaced on one of them (different discussion)... however, I have had random restart issues with both machines.

Mini #1: connected to a 50" Sony LCD TV, used as an entertainment center- this machine reboots when playing QuickTime movies, accessing a networked iTunes playlist, and in Front Row when playing non-locally stored files.

Mini #2: This one randomly reboots when being controlled via Screen Sharing. I don't do too much iTunes on this one, so it may also restart in the above circumstances.

Both of these machines are connected to clean power. #1 is connected to VERY clean power, a several $K, hospital-grade UPS. Both machines are also controlled via Bluetooth keyboards and mice.

I've had 10's of Macs over the last 18 years and have NEVER had one that randomly, and regularly, shuts down and reboots. This is not looking like an isolated issue!

I think the next step (forgive me if it's already happened) is for Apple to stop treating this like a random, isolated problem and if nothing else please begin seriously digging in to the issue.

I would imagine it's pretty easy to recreate the problem; hook up a Mini to a typical home network router, and start streaming files to it over the network- that seems to be at least one of the issues.

Using the Mac Mini as a TV is about the greatest thing I've ever experienced- I'd hate to have this nagging reboot issue persist.

Thanks for listening!

I think the next step (forgive me if it's already happened) is for Apple to stop treating this like a random, isolated problem and if nothing else please begin seriously digging in to the issue.

The only way this will become an issue for Apple to research is if those who suffer it contact Apple directly and report the problem, and that it turns out to be a sufficient number to indicate there's an issue which is not in itself a simple matter of manufacturing defects which can be resolved by replacing a small number of defective components/parts. Reporting via Apple Discussions won't do that because this is a a user-to-user resource which Apple don't really monitor much above moderating activities.

I also have to say that if one were to take the incidence reported here as an indicator of the problem, it is not something one could take to be much more than a random, isolated issue. I realize that is clearly not how it seems to those who suffer it, but in amongst the hundreds and hundreds of thousands of minis sold, the number of reports of this are very few indeed.

I would imagine it's pretty easy to recreate the problem; hook up a Mini to a typical home network router, and start streaming files to it over the network- that seems to be at least one of the issues.

I haven't been able to recreate it that way at all, using my own older minis or recent ones, whether in my home network or those in the office. At home I regularly stream data to my own (g4) mini from a G5, both in terms of media content served via iTunes and in files being transfered to it, and it doesn't suffer this issue at all, and have taken three other minis, including two year-old CD units and a new C2D 1.83 model, home to test in the same situation, with no unexpected reboots either.

Note, that isn't to say your experience is not genuine, just that I don't think the conclusion of it being a widespread or generic issue necessarily holds up. Only Apple knows how widespread however, and that depends on users talking to them directly. If you (and anyone else with the same issue) haven't already done so, I'd urge you to call Apple to report this and discuss it.

One more user!!!
Hey guys, I am in the same boat. I have a Mac Mini that I am building as a media center. It was running fine for about a couple of weeks, then I installed 2 GB of Samsung RAM. About 30 mins later my first restart occured. It has happened a handful of times in the last 24 hours. Sometimes it restarts and is good for several hours, sometimes it restarts and 15 min later restarts again. I thought it might be my Eye TV / usb and FW hardware giving me issues so unplugged everything, but then it happend while I was listening to iTunes?? I have not tried to zap the PRAM yet, will do tonight. Has anyone found any real solutions?

I don't think the conclusion of it being a widespread or generic issue necessarily holds up.

Thanks for taking time to write-

Just to clarify: I wasn't in any way implying this issue was widespread- only that it is genuine, and does not seem to be 100% "OE". Unless one considers using aftermarket RAM to be OE. Which is arguable. But it seems- to ME- that there are enough people on this thread, to me, to quantify an actual issue. That's my opinion. You found this thread, which I assume means you were having a similar issue.

I've been doing this long enough, hopefully, to know if/when I'm being foolish enough to imply that me and my little ol' messed up Minis are important enough that a multi-billion dollar company should drop everything and come to my rescue. I hope my post didn't seem like that. I was only trying to say that the random restart issue seems to be at least widespread enough that the people who are paid to look in to this kind of thing might hopefully take notice. It's what they do. I don't think it seemed I was asking for Steve Jobs to fly out to my apartment and fix my computer- but if it did, my apologies. I'm sure that seemed ridiculous.

Your suggestion to call tech support is helpful, and although I hope it's not the "only" way, in 2008, that Apple gathers data, I do they'll record it, and I do think it's worthwhile. Thanks for that suggestion.

In the meantime, I'm going to whip out the putty knife- or rather have my local Mac shop whip out their $80 Apple-certified putty knife- and downgrade my Minis back to the factory RAM and see if that fixes it. If so, I'll sell my car so that I can afford 2 gigs of Apple RAM.

Thanks again for taking the time,

Regrettably, there does seem reason to suspect RAM as a possible cause, though of course that doesn't just implicate possible RAM failures, but also possible logic board issues.

I agree there is an issue - hence my comment regarding the validity of the reports. However, there are any number of issues being reported here every day (it's what Apple Discussions is all about after all) so in the event something raises itself as a potential problem affecting a significant number of users, where Apple may rightly be hoped to investigate, reporting the problem directly to them is the best way to proceed. That isn't to say posting here doesn't help, but it doesn't get anyone access to Apple either. Hence the comment, because if this IS 'an actual issue' then Apple need to be told so they can get to work gathering information and putting it all together. The 'people who are paid to look into this kind of thing' generally don't look here. That was the reason I posted what I did - not because your comment seemed ridiculous, just to ensure you understood that (sadly) you can't get Apple's attention by posting here.

If it DOES turn out to be RAM related, I wouldn't sell your car right yet. Macs have typically proven very fussy about RAM in the past, and there are indications that Leopard may have raised that unfortunate bar a little higher again. If so, then exchanging your 'faulty' RAM for a pair of modules that otherwise appear identical, is often all that's needed. It sounds like a bad dose of witchcraft, but it's proven true many, many times before.