Unmapped Memory Exception

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Level 2

195 points

Unmapped Memory Exception

I have been having severe problems since upgrading to 10.4.11 a couple of weeks ago. I have been following the threads related to it here and tried many remedies am wondering what the next stage might be and anyone can offer clues.

My main problem is that all applications are crashing frequently. All the adobe progs I used for work as well as the usual mail, safari and everything else. It's impossible to work as they (the adobe programs at least) keep corrupting the files as they go down.

I first knew that there was a problem when I experienced a kernel panic the moment the machine re booted after the initial upgrade. I was sloppy and used the delta without checking my permissions etc. So I reloaded the system using the combo download being sure to remove all external drives, peripheral devices and to check permissions and drives.

I have since reloaded my system more times than I can keep track of. Firstly using a clean install while maintaining the user, then losing the user and finally wiping the hard drive before reinstalling everything fresh and still I am experiencing problems. Obviously I am checking the drive structure, and repairing permissions before and after.

I have gone back to 10.4.0 and then back upto 10.4.10 (the last happily stable version I was using) many, many times but still the applications will not stop crashing. Usually they are stable for a short while then after a day or two the crashing starts then becomes so severe that the programs wont stay open.

Prior to these problems I recently added a new eSATA card and new RAM to the machine (G5 Dual 2.5Ghz) while 10.4.10 was already loaded. I have since removed the eSATA card but not the RAM. I'm now thinking of removing the RAM but want to see if anyone knows the meaning of the crash reports I keep getting in console.

Each and everyone says something about memory or Kernel (I can post full versions if this is not enough info);

Host Name: Slimehag
Date/Time: 2007-12-14 17:17:27.838 -0500
OS Version: 10.4.10 (Build 8R218)
Report Version: 4

Command: Adobe Photoshop CS2
Path: /Applications/Adobe Photoshop CS2/Adobe Photoshop CS2.app/Contents/MacOS/Adobe Photoshop CS2
Parent: WindowServer [57]

Version: 9.0.2 (9.0.2x312 [20060822.902x312 02:00:00 cutoff]9.0.2x311) (9.0.2)

PID: 456
Thread: 0

Exception: EXC BADACCESS (0x0001)
Codes: KERN INVALIDADDRESS (0x0001) at 0xa07ab694

--------------------------------------------------------------

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
<!DOCTYPE AdobeCrashReport SYSTEM "AdobeCrashReporter.dtd">
<crashreport version="1" applicationName="Illustrator" applicationVersion="12.0.1" build="205">
<time year="2007" month="12" day="11" hour="19" minute="42" second="17" />
<user host="Slimehag.local" />
<system platform="macintosh" osversion="10.4.9" ram="6656" machine="Power Macintosh" model="PowerMac7,3" cpuCount="2" cpuFreq="-1794967296" busFreq="1250000000" />
<crash exception="Unmapped Memory Exception" instruction="a002000e">
<backtrace crashedThread="0">
---------------------------------------------------------------

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
<!DOCTYPE AdobeCrashReport SYSTEM "AdobeCrashReporter.dtd">
<crashreport version="1" applicationName="Illustrator" applicationVersion="12.0.1" build="205">
<time year="2007" month="12" day="13" hour="13" minute="47" second="29" />
<user host="Slimehag.local" />
<system platform="macintosh" osversion="10.4.9" ram="6656" machine="Power Macintosh" model="PowerMac7,3" cpuCount="2" cpuFreq="-1794967296" busFreq="1250000000" />
<crash exception="Unmapped Memory Exception" instruction="7c63e02e">
<backtrace crashedThread="0">
---------------------------------------------------------------

Host Name: Slimehag
Date/Time: 2007-12-11 12:51:11.622 -0500
OS Version: 10.4 (Build 8A428)
Report Version: 3

Command: Preview
Path: /Applications/Preview.app/Contents/MacOS/Preview
Parent: WindowServer [73]

Version: 3.0 (389)
Build Version: 1
Project Name: Preview
Source Version: 3900000

PID: 524
Thread: 0

Exception: EXC BADACCESS (0x0001)
Codes: KERN INVALIDADDRESS (0x0001) at 0xff808080

---------------------------------------------------------------

Host Name: Slimehag
Date/Time: 2007-12-12 11:57:47.537 -0500
OS Version: 10.4.10 (Build 8R218)
Report Version: 4

Command: mdimportserver
Path: /System/Library/Frameworks/CoreServices.framework/Versions/A/Frameworks/Metadat a.framework/Versions/A/Support/mdimportserver
Parent: launchd [1]

Version: ??? (???)

PID: 351
Thread: 2

Exception: EXC BADACCESS (0x0001)
Codes: KERN INVALIDADDRESS (0x0001) at 0xa1b0c1e3

G5 Dual 2.5Ghz, Mac OS X (10.4.3)

Posted on Dec 14, 2007 4:57 PM

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Answer 1

Dec 14, 2007 5:09 PM in response to Philip Riley

Hello! Pull everything from your machine except the bare minimum hardware needed to run the system - pull the Airport card, PCI cards, extra memory, USB and firewire devices, etc. Leave only the mouse, keyboard, graphics card and monitor hooked up. Even unhook your ethernet connection.

Go ahead and reset the PRAM by holding command option+PR at startup. Then startup in safe mode and try to recreate the error in safe mode. If it doesn't happen, then plug things in one at a time until you can get it to happen. I would first try the RAM you recently bought.

Let me know what happens!

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Answer 2

Philip Riley Author

Level 2

195 points

Dec 16, 2007 9:57 PM in response to MyrkridianRhapsody

For those who have similar problems I hope this saga is of some use.

I had previously run techtool pro on my system both when I first bought the RAM and when first having these troubles. On each occassion the RAM passed the hardware test. Only yesterday when faced with the prospect of removing all my RAM and reinstalling to see which block was the likely culprit (a lengthy and arduous process) did I remeber the Apple Hardware Test CD that came with my G5.

I ran it and almost immediately it pointed out that one block of RAM was faulty. It's taken a day of testing to identify which exact block it is but at least I didn't have to load the system and applications and wait a day or so for each to fail before being able to identify the faulty unit. The hardware test gave me a definitve answer as to whether each block was bad or good.

I'm fairly positive that this bad RAM is the source of my problems but am still only now reloading the system and applications in the hope that everything is clean.

I have to note that I installed this new RAM three months ago with no apparent problems. Looking back there were perhaps more application crashes and more times I needed to repair my file structure than I would have considered normal but at the same time nothing so far out of my 12+ years professional experience as to belie the real problem and nothing so disabling as the constant crashes that I have suffered for the last 10 days. It was not until I tried to load 10.4.11 that the problem became apparant.

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Answer 3

Philip Riley Author

Level 2

195 points

Jan 19, 2008 11:44 AM in response to Philip Riley

Final addendum;

I have now (a month later) reloaded 10.4.11 and it's working fine.

I have none of the problems I experienced previously even though I was cursing the 10.4.11 update and was convinced that it was the root of my problems. If you are having unexplained crashes after updating your system and you logically cannot trace it to a software problem consider your hardware.

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