Kernel Panic Galore

You really need to narrow down why.

It is usually memory or hardware but it can be USB devices.

There will be a panic log.

By now you probably have corrupt files.

And you need to get the system stable (probably best to start with a new OS install) and then add one thing at a time (backup etc as you go) until you find the one that triggers problems.

Maybe in your case add one thing, and remove what you were using. Why? because the worst is when A and B work fine alone, but together they do not. Knowing that A and B work fine first, before you have them both installed.

Same goes for software conflicts, startup items, drivers and extensions, and plug-ins. Especially if they are not Universal Binary.

You can view what type from Activity Monitor.
And you can look for memory errors or parity errors in System Profile -> Memory.

I would also run Apple Hardware Test.

If you used Migration Assistant to setup your Mac Pro, and imported PPC applications rather than fresh clean installed those, you can have problems galore. Only use MA for prefs and data files. Reinstall all applications.

There are some excellent "how to" FAQs on resolving kernel panics.
http://www.thexlab.com/faqs/kernelpanics.html
http://www.macmaps.com/kernelpanic.html
http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?artnum=305262

Download, install and run Applejack's RAM tester:
http://applejack.sourceforge.net/

Also try running Apple Hardware Test Memury Test.

Launch Disk Utility and run 'Verify Disk'.

Boot up from extrenal volume and run system for as few hours. If extrenal vol does not panic = either HD or software prob on internal. If extrenal vol (running virgin OS X) does panic you may have Logic Board issues.

Like the other chap says, isolate the fault.

If panic only ever happens when you launch a particular app or do a particular task you prob have software issue.

Use console to examine crash, console and system logs to see if the same log entry occurs whenever a panic strikes!

Message was edited by: doz

Do you have or have you had a Logitech mouse? I had the same problems with my Mac at work, which would kernel panic every morning upon waking from sleep, and other odd times during the day. I deduced that the panics started occurring after I got my Logitech mouse and after some sleuthing traced them back to the APE software that the Logitech drivers are based on. APE may be installed with Unsanity software and Logitech software. Stay away from APE.

Rey,
I just read today that your issue with APE is a problem in Leopard. It should work in Tiger. People who unknowingly have it installed and upgrade to 10.5 are having lots of issues.
 DALE

I've had two Mac Pros in the last month.

The first one died.

The new one appears OK.

However, both of them kernel panicked all the time.

The second one I'm using right now will kernel panic if I try to use my Pinnacle "TV For Mac" USB video recorder. Plug that in and fire up EyeTV, and it is guaranteed to kernel panic within 24 hours.

The kernel panic is always an I/O DMA error in the USB stack.

If you have any video devices, try removing that.

If you have any Logitech mice, remove the Logitech driver.

If you need the mouse features, try Steermouse. Since I removed Logitech's drivers and bought a copy of Steermouse, I've had no mouse related crashes.

Yeah, it ***** to have to buy a mouse driver, but Steermouse is nice and not too expensive.

Apple really needs to work on their USB drivers, and also needs to give other USB device driver writers a kick in the pants because the USB situation is not great.

I love having USB video, but obviously if it causes kernel panics, there's little use in having it.

Rey G wrote:
Do you have or have you had a Logitech mouse? I had the same problems with my Mac at work, which would kernel panic every morning upon waking from sleep, and other odd times during the day. I deduced that the panics started occurring after I got my Logitech mouse and after some sleuthing traced them back to the APE software that the Logitech drivers are based on. APE may be installed with Unsanity software and Logitech software. Stay away from APE.

I use Steermouse and it has solved all of my Logitech mouse issues. I have a Logitech MX620 and it works perfectly now.

Here's the link to an explanation of Steermouse and subsequent download page:

http://www.apple.com/downloads/macosx/drivers/steermouse.html

Thanks tokyobeing!
DALE

The problem I was having with APE was on my computer at work which is a MacPro with TIGER (10.4.10) installed. I do not have Leopard installed on my work computer since our printers suggest against it until they can do thorough testing for the next 30 days. My work Mac has had no problems with kernel panics since I updated the LLC software with the most recent version. There is an issue with the older Logitech drivers and IMHO it is APE. APE is a hack and if people can avoid it, they should. I'm considering removing the drivers on my work Mac altogether but it would hinder a few features that I've gotten used to using. I had no idea the LLC software installed APE until I read about the users experiencing problems with Leopard. Luckily I never installed the LLC software on my MacBook Pro.

I have been in discussions with Apple Support for the last 6 weeks with ongoing kernel panic problems. We narrowed these down to LCC and it's accompanying files. LCC is Logitech Control Centre which is installed to control the mouse gear wheel etc on the MX Revolution and others. Steermouse does not control the gear wheel as far as I know, correct me if I am wrong.

Also, APE is definately not installed.

The Mac does one of two things.

In 10.4.10 and Leopard 10.5.1 the mouse constantly freezes on the screen, the keyboard still works and all apps can be quit and work saved. Checking activity monitor shows the Logitech software in red, all with problems. On logging out, the mac freezes. A forced restart with the poer button is the only way of restarting.

In Leopard 10.5.1 the Mac also constantly has Kernel Panics on wake up from periods of sleep. These can be just 2 minute periods or 2 hour periods, it's random.
If a Mac is woken from sleep and it enters a Kernel Panic, shortly afterwards a the fans rev to full throttle. This could potentially be a risk in a studio with several macs left on sleep for the night. Especially if someone caught the mouse on a Mac on the way out one night....would they get hot revving all night? Logitech should seriously look into this problem as it appears from all our tests that it is definately their software causing the problems.

We have tried upgrading to the latest 2.4 LCC software, still the kernel panics and mouse freezes continue.

If I remove the USB dongle before the computer sleeps it doesn't have kernel panics. However this is not practical and it still doesn't help the freezing issue.

Apple support have been fantastic in helping us with this problem, but the underlying cause lies with Logitech. Once again, we have a fantastic product and amateur software from Logitech.