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Remco Douma Author

Level 1

5 points

OSX 10.5.3 still having kernel panic with Bluetooth audio

After upgrading to OSX 10.5.3 yesterday I thought I'd give bluetooth audio a chance again (I already had problems with 10.5.2, see http://discussions.apple.com/thread.jspa?threadID=1529536&tstart=0). After a while my machine crashed again (the screen turns grey and I was instructed to hold the power button). This time I was trying to listen to iTunes over the bluetooth headphones (so the Plantronics in headphone mode).

After restarting the problem report sent to Apple is:

Thu May 29 07:15:21 2008
panic(cpu 1 caller 0x001A8CD4): Kernel trap at 0x6987f932, type 14=page fault, registers:
CR0: 0x8001003b, CR2: 0xfffff000, CR3: 0x01b09000, CR4: 0x00000660
EAX: 0x00000002, EBX: 0x08794700, ECX: 0x136d8f20, EDX: 0xfffff000
CR2: 0xfffff000, EBP: 0x5d782948, ESI: 0x0b460300, EDI: 0x00000001
EFL: 0x00010286, EIP: 0x6987f932, CS: 0x00000008, DS: 0x00000010
Error code: 0x00000000

Backtrace, Format - Frame : Return Address (4 potential args on stack)
0x5d782758 : 0x12b0fa (0x459294 0x5d78278c 0x133243 0x0)
0x5d7827a8 : 0x1a8cd4 (0x4627fc 0x6987f932 0xe 0x461fac)
0x5d782888 : 0x19ede5 (0x5d7828a0 0xa0a3aff1 0x5d782948 0x6987f932)
0x5d782898 : 0x6987f932 (0xe 0x48 0x5d780010 0xffff0010)
0x5d782948 : 0x6987f7d5 (0xb460300 0xf 0x28 0x83c6d00)
0x5d7829a8 : 0x6988191a (0xb460300 0x3 0x0 0x1)
0x5d7829d8 : 0x6901e14f (0x8794700 0x30006 0xb3f3c04 0x8794700)
0x5d7829f8 : 0x6901d74b (0x8794700 0x690286a8 0x1 0x0)
0x5d782a28 : 0x69021897 (0x8794700 0xb3f3c00 0x5d782a68 0x12fa53)
0x5d782a68 : 0x4212ad (0xb3f3c00 0x0 0x0 0x0)
0x5d782ab8 : 0x69021342 (0xc331640 0x69021388 0x0 0x0)
0x5d782ae8 : 0x43b9bf (0xb3f3c00 0x5d782b20 0x5d782b24 0x5d782b28)
0x5d782b78 : 0x43d825 (0x13ca984c 0xb3f3c00 0xe7bd598 0x0)
0x5d782bd8 : 0x43b428 (0xb3f3c00 0x3 0x5d782c20 0x0)
0x5d782cf8 : 0x18d918 (0xb3f3c00 0x3 0xe7bd598 0x0)
0x5d783db8 : 0x12d17e (0xe7bd570 0xb8295a0 0x0 0x0)
Backtrace continues...
Kernel loadable modules in backtrace (with dependencies):
com.apple.driver.IOBluetoothA2DPAudioDriver(2.1f17)@0x6987e000->0x69884fff
dependency: com.apple.iokit.IOBluetoothFamily(2.1f17)@0x68f89000
dependency: com.apple.iokit.IOAudioFamily(1.6.4b7)@0x69017000
com.apple.iokit.IOAudioFamily(1.6.4b7)@0x69017000->0x6902dfff
dependency: com.apple.kext.OSvKernDSPLib(1.1)@0x69014000

BSD process name corresponding to current thread: iTunes

Mac OS version:
9D34

Kernel version:
Darwin Kernel Version 9.3.0: Fri May 23 00:49:16 PDT 2008; root:xnu-1228.5.18~1/RELEASE_I386
System model name: MacBookPro3,1 (Mac-F42388C8)

Is it just me who is having these problems? It really amazes me that I am just not able to use bluetooth audio - headset nor headphones - without this rather significant problem? And then I don't even begin about the mouse getting the hiccups the moment the headset is turned on. I would have expected lots of complaints about this?

MacBook Pro 2.4Ghz DuoCore, 4Gb RAM, OSX 10.5.3
Bluetooth Apple Mighty Mouse
Bluetooth Apple keyboard
Bluetooth Plantronics P590

MacBook Pro 2.4 Ghz Intel Core 2 Duo, Mac OS X (10.5.3), 4Gb RAM

Posted on May 29, 2008 3:38 AM

62 replies

ByronF

Level 1

0 points

Jul 3, 2008 7:08 AM in response to Remco Douma

Crashes still occur with 10.5.4

Remco Douma Author

Level 1

5 points

Jul 4, 2008 12:25 PM in response to ByronF

Yes. I have tried it for a few hours. At first it looked promising - the mouse didn't start jumping around the moment I turned on the headphones, I could listen to iTunes without problems, I made some test calls to the Skype test service which sounded god (too late in the night to call a person for a longer tryout). Then suddenly my system sort of freezes. Can't close programs anymore (not even force quit). I looked in Activity Monitor, and all kinds of programs not responding (can't recall the names, something bluetooth and audio related). Can't shut down. Can't close programs. Can't start some programs (Activity Monitor I could start...). Had to hard reset.

Ah well. I guess I'll keep trying once in a while, but for now I'll stick to my USB headset.

Jul 5, 2008 10:06 PM in response to allusion

I have a Sony Ericsson Stereo Bluetooth Headset - HBH-631 - and microphone gets same "pulsating static", ie just static noise and no voice coming through. Audio is fine. Microphone /Audio works fine when paired with Nokia mobile phone - so it is not the headset.

Click on System Preferences | Sound | Input and select the Bluetooth Mic and you can see the Input Level indicator bar showing big static input signal. Switch to Internal Microphone and you see no static and only bar moving when you talk.

I dont get a kernel crash - and I am sorry if my comment is outside of this thread but I just wanted to share similar experiences to others here.

Wanted to use headset with Skype - and saw in Skype forum that others on Mac Skype also having same issue with microphone not working. But I dont think it a Skype problem - as it wont work with iChat either.

http://forum.skype.com/index.php?s=6fd1ac7116bcf0d494db5d327582f9e2&showtopic=13 7331

Not clear what version of Mac OSX they have - as that may be a deciding factor.

Config:
- MacBook Intel Duo
- 10.5.3 and then upgraded to 10.5.4 and still exists
- Sony Ericsson Stereo Bluetooth Headset - HBH-631

Jul 7, 2008 7:03 AM in response to ByronF

I am also having bluetooth related kernel panics.

Only when my BT headset is on.

I have tried a Motorola 350, Voyager 520 and 925. All three cause a kernel panic.

At first I thought it was the 925's multipoint technology causing it as turning that off on the headset relieved some of the symptoms, but still I get the kernel panic.

Last week, it corrupted my system prefences so much I had to do an archive and reinstall with Apple support,but that hasn't fixed this issue.

What the **** is up with Apple that this isn't fixed yet, when it is clearly a common bug?

ernstcs

Level 1

10 points

Jul 9, 2008 8:16 AM in response to Remco Douma

I am also having this same problem both on 10.5.3 and 10.5.4 with an Insignia Model No. NS-BTHDP bluetooth headset on a MacBook.

rickscsc

Level 1

14 points

Jul 11, 2008 12:39 PM in response to Remco Douma

I have had kernel panics on both machines only while streaming audio via bluetooth. This has been going on for a while on the iMac. The Mac Pro is new with all of the "security updates", so this is as close to a clean install as I can get.

Since the crash report on restart is always the same and shows a very deep level of panic, I assume the problem is in the bluetooth audio stack itself. And since the backtrace has no clue of who was on the stack at the time, it is probably a memory leak.

I hope some audio people at Apple can come to our rescue.

ByronF

Level 1

0 points

Jul 12, 2008 2:05 PM in response to rickscsc

Well, clearly this is a problem in the A2DP bluetooth driver given the stack trace:

com.apple.driver.IOBluetoothA2DPAudioDriver(2.1f17)@0x6987e000->0x69884fff

And the register dump indicates its a page fault, which would not support a memory leak. There's obviously a bug in the A2DP driver and I'm sure Apple is aware of it. However, I guess I don't really care if they fix it since, in my experience, even when my BT headphones are not crashing the system they are constantly cutting out, and are absolutely unusable with other BT devices. I'm not going to hold my breath waiting for ALL the BT issues to be worked out, so I've simply given up on BT headphones with my MacBook Pro.

PWelter

Level 1

0 points

Jul 14, 2008 10:48 PM in response to ByronF

Hello,

I am not quite sure whether it is the same problem, but the information might be helpful. I am trying to use a Sanwa BT Headset and Skype with a MacPro. Pairing works fine, I can hear but the microphone just utters electronic noise. Then regularly I get a kernel panic. The same setting works on a MBP, first generation. Both are with 10.5.4.

Any help appreciated, but reading through the thread there does not seem to be help except Apple fixes the whole thing.

Regards
Pat

Jul 21, 2008 8:25 AM in response to Remco Douma

Hello,

I'm also having this problem using Skype and my brand new Apple Bluetooth Headset. I get Kernel Panics and freezes all the time ;(

First I had a Nokia Bluetooth Headset and I thought, that this is the reason. Now I know, that it isn't, just throw away 70 Euros.

I had this problem starting on my Power Mac Dual G5 with 10.4. And the same on my Power Book as well on my Intel Mac. I'm very very disappointed about that.

I'll also post the content of my logfile:
Mon Jul 21 13:34:03 2008
panic(cpu 0 caller 0x001A8CD4): Kernel trap at 0x003eac37, type 14=page fault, registers:
CR0: 0x8001003b, CR2: 0xfb7dfbbc, CR3: 0x01497000, CR4: 0x00000660
EAX: 0xfb7dfb98, EBX: 0x08640480, ECX: 0x09e35d80, EDX: 0x07185000
CR2: 0xfb7dfbbc, EBP: 0x5b8ffbe8, ESI: 0x0088b720, EDI: 0x028007ff
EFL: 0x00010202, EIP: 0x003eac37, CS: 0x00000008, DS: 0x00000010
Error code: 0x00000000

Backtrace, Format - Frame : Return Address (4 potential args on stack)
0x5b8ff9f8 : 0x12b0fa (0x4592a4 0x5b8ffa2c 0x133243 0x0)
0x5b8ffa48 : 0x1a8cd4 (0x46280c 0x3eac37 0xe 0x461fbc)
0x5b8ffb28 : 0x19ede5 (0x5b8ffb40 0x0 0x5b8ffbe8 0x3eac37)
0x5b8ffb38 : 0x3eac37 (0xe 0x48 0x10 0x10)
0x5b8ffbe8 : 0x8847b4 (0x8640480 0x88b720 0x5b8ffc28 0x426724)
0x5b8ffc28 : 0x883353 (0x6fa2000 0x7185000 0x9e35d80 0x5b8ffcbc)
0x5b8ffcd8 : 0x88368f (0x6fa2000 0x7185000 0x70a6c40 0x0)
0x5b8ffd08 : 0x6037bf (0x6fa2000 0x70a6c40 0x0 0x70a7e80)
0x5b8ffd28 : 0x606b11 (0x6fa2000 0x70a6c40 0x0 0x0)
0x5b8ffd88 : 0x4212bd (0x6fa2000 0x70a6c40 0x0 0x0)
0x5b8ffdd8 : 0x60cb79 (0x6fc9640 0x6069e8 0x70a6c40 0x0)
0x5b8ffe38 : 0xa426cd (0x71a7600 0xb9d1f00 0x84549e 0x0)
0x5b8ffea8 : 0x6ebcac (0x717da00 0xb9d1f00 0x971e0f0 0x6ebba0)
0x5b8ffed8 : 0x6aedef (0x76d4c00 0x46dc2900 0x7d254a0f 0x1168)
0x5b8fff08 : 0x6c18db (0x971e000 0x971e0f0 0x7d254a0f 0x1168)
0x5b8fff38 : 0x6c1907 (0x7185a80 0xb513800 0xb3b3000 0x6f69000)
Backtrace continues...
Kernel loadable modules in backtrace (with dependencies):
com.apple.driver.IOBluetoothSCOAudioDriver(2.1f17)@0x6e8000->0x6eefff
dependency: com.apple.iokit.IOBluetoothFamily(2.1f17)@0x69a000
dependency: com.apple.iokit.IOAudioFamily(1.6.4b7)@0x6d1000
com.apple.driver.AppleUSBBluetoothHCIController(2.1f17)@0xa40000->0xa46fff
dependency: com.apple.iokit.IOBluetoothFamily(2.1f17)@0x69a000
dependency: com.apple.iokit.IOUSBFamily(3.1.5)@0x602000
com.apple.iokit.IOBluetoothFamily(2.1f17)@0x69a000->0x6d0fff
com.apple.driver.AppleUSBUHCI(3.1.5)@0x87e000->0x88bfff
dependency: com.apple.iokit.IOPCIFamily(2.4.1)@0x631000
dependency: com.apple.iokit.IOUSBFamily(3.1.5)@0x602000
com.apple.iokit.IOUSBFamily(3.1.5)@0x602000->0x629fff

BSD process name corresponding to current thread: kernel_task

Mac OS version:
9E17

Kernel version:
Darwin Kernel Version 9.4.0: Mon Jun 9 19:30:53 PDT 2008; root:xnu-1228.5.20~1/RELEASE_I386
System model name: iMac8,1 (Mac-F227BEC8)

*Please Apple, fix this!!!*

milkbone

Level 1

0 points

Jul 22, 2008 7:47 AM in response to Remco Douma

I'm using 10.5.4 and I too get the gray screen of death when using my Plantronics BlueTooth headset with Skype. I don't use the headset with any other application, so I assumed Skype was the problem until I saw this thread.

Jul 30, 2008 10:09 AM in response to Remco Douma

I am not sure if this will help anyone else. But I have had this issue forever... It was part of the problem with my orginal Macbook Pro from the first run and its a problem with my current system. Well it was a problem. It turned out that somehow Gmail notifier was causing the problem all along. Once I removed the notifier suddenly my bluetooth (Insignia=cheap junk) headphones work perfectly. I turn them on they connect and all is well. Before the gmail notifier was removed my headphones would cause a kernal panic which matches pretty well what everyone in here was saying they are getting. Not only that but it would almost never connect. I would have to restart 10 or 20 times to get it going and even then it was only for 20 minutes or so before I would hit the panic again.

I hope this can help some people on here. I found that the notifier was the problem by having activity monitor open while connecting my headphones.

Remco Douma Author

Level 1

5 points

Jul 30, 2008 2:00 PM in response to Sublimefly

Interesting... I don't use GMail notifier so I don't have that easy fix 😟. What a weird combination by the way - I can't imagine how the two would influence each other...

Glad you found your fix!

milkbone

Level 1

0 points

Jul 30, 2008 2:08 PM in response to Sublimefly

I don't have gMail notifier either, but your experiences and conclusion are valuable because they point to the possibility that this is a conflict with an application rather than an OS bug. Possibly there is some other application that shares a characteristic of gMail notifier that is causing the problem.

On my machine, the kernel panics happen when using Skype, after the call has been in progress for a couple of minutes, not when I first connect the bluetooth headset; but maybe I'll try viewing the activity monitor like you did. I don't think the problem is with Skype itself, because there is no kernel panic if I don't use the bluetooth headset.

Aug 4, 2008 11:55 AM in response to Remco Douma

Same problem here. I just bought a Plantronics 520. It works fine with my phone, but not with my mac. I can hear through it, but the mic only returns static. I did crash once while testing in Skype

Aug 4, 2008 2:58 PM in response to verdant penguin

I've tried 7 different Bluetooth headsets now, all give static when trying to record.

Todays effort (a Belkin) managed to crash my Mac for the first time ever just adjusting the recording levels in System Preferences. After rebooting I had to remove the silly thing from the Bluetooth device list to stop the mac crashing while idle!

(No better on Vista though - my Dell laptop has crashed twice today in Skype with my trusty Plantronics!)

OSX 10.5.3 still having kernel panic with Bluetooth audio