Error message on my Mac Pro Quad Core Dual

kernel panic

http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?artnum=304511
http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?artnum=106805
http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?artnum=106228

http://www.macmaps.com/kernelpanic.html
http://www.thexlab.com/faqs/kernelpanics.html

The cause is usually hardware, can be something as inocuous as a faulty USB device or cable. Until you resolve it I would boot from another hard drive and try various troubleshooting steps, boot in Safe Mode, repair your drive if you do get booted.

If you installed or added any hardware that would be the first place to look. It is as much art as science looking for that needle in the haystack. Those FAQs can help walk through things to try.

I see a lot of people with problems with LaCie units. Cables, power adapter, even freaking out the Firewire ports (to reset FW ports, shutdown, unplug all cables and devices and power cord (or turn off UPS or surge protector) for a few minutes) and then connect just the minimum and restart.

It sounded like it might be a dual-drive unit? they require better power adapter and known issue for some units. Most of us have far more cables than we use so might look for a better cable. Early on, use to see recommendations for Isolator FW cables that prevent electrical problems, something Granite Digital specialized in.

I never really liked "hot plugging" FW, never daisy-chain. Using FW drives together with consumer electronics can cause cross-talk and noise on the cable, most cables lack the shielding necessary. USB has its own set of problems, from hubs (Apple monitor, keyboards, hubs) as well, or just a pinched or loose cable.

Make an appointment. But in the meantime...

So from cold boot, you can't do the Command Option P R through 2-3 full reboot cycles (don't let up)?

Unplug everything and let it sit overnight without power cord or anything. That is the only way to rest the SMC system management controller on the 2008 model, the older model still had a reset button.

Also learned that the 2008 Macs can all boot AHT if the original OEM installer was used to install the system and the drive has not be completely reformatted and retail OS X used, just holding down "D" on startup. But you have to

Also, pull all your hard drives. Rule out that, which I have seen a hard drive cause panic on startup, which required disabling journaling and other repairs from Disk Utility and deleting caches, then repair, and finally do Safe Boot (shift key down on startup).

The only way to test RAM is with TechTool Deluxe or Pro; with Memtest or Rember; and to test some devices is to try using a differnent one, keyboard and mouse included if you have any.

Last hope: open case, look inside, take the two RAM Riser cards and pull out, check the DIMMs are fully seated.

If you have 3rd party memory, remove that (would need to before taking in probably).

Might want to put RAM back to way it shipped with 2 x 1GB and one DIMM on each Riser in slot one. Maybe that will wake this sleeping giant. Changing RAM config use to be one way to clear nvram in the distant past in the time of Arthur.

PS: it is "odd" to find a BTO 3.2GHz system, and only 2GB. For memory performance, Barefeats found a marked improvement with 8 DIMMs, and of course Mac Pro really needs memory to feed 8 cores and pro apps (2GB would be okay for web and email type use only).

I would not want to carry let alone ship, but I don't know when on site repairs are done, something companies often pay for extra Care.

I will say backups should be started day one and add a couple hard drives.

Can't install if you can't boot from the DVD it came with which will install OS X all over again, but don't want to do that yet.

It would help to just remove the original drive tray - just slides out - and see if that helps.

http://www.apple.com/main/contact.html
http://www.apple.com/support/products/premium.html
http://images.apple.com/legal/applecare/docs/AppleCareProtect_Plan_LAen.pdf

What I would do is delete the two top level cache folders
/Library/Caches
/System/Library/Caches

And the file /System/Library/extension.mkext (about 10MB) which is a cache of your extension drivers being used.

Do another Safe Boot afterwards.

Ideal, boot from DVD after the above and run Disk Fist Aid and Diak Warrior.

No, I would neve do Archive Install.

Also, use Disk Utility to copy the drive to another drive with Restore.
Repair the new copy and permissions, go into Finder and on it also delete those three items.

Yes, that is excellent news... and I'm sure you're breathing easier now!

If you hold down "D" on startup, it should try to boot Apple Hardware Test even without the OEM DVD in. Might want to check into that next.

No, it looks like software, not hardware, but that the system on the disk drive - not unexpectedly from what it has been through - needs to have the dirt washed off and cleaned up.