Fatal disk corruption from Snow Leopard incompatibility
Hello to all --
After upgrading to 10.6 from 10.5.8, I have consistently encountered a fatal error:
System extension cannot be used
The system extension "/System/Library/Extensions/IOPCIFamily.kext" was installed improperly and cannot be used. Please try reinstalling it, or contact the product's vendor for an update.
This kernel extension's vendor seems to be Apple. I can't find this kernel extension among the 10.6 packages, however, and cannot therefore reinstall it.
Worse, once this error is reported, the boot disk has been hopelessly corrupted. Disk Utility reports incorrect block counts, an incorrect number of file hard links, or overlapping extents. Neither Disk Utility, TechTool Pro, nor Drive Genius has been able to repair a disk corrupted in this manner. After being repaired, the disk simply hangs at the gray apple screen during boot.
I first suspected a hard drive problem, but the drive passed all the comprehensive tests in my arsenal. Similarly, all of my computer's systems have passed the most rigorous tests available in the above three disk utility programs. Also, I received the same error using a completely different boot disk, which makes system corruption the much more probable cause.
After the first disk failure, I clean installed 10.6, installed my main apps (the latest Final Cut Studio, Illustrator CS4, Photoshop CS4, etc...), and made a clone of the disk. It seemed to work OK until I installed the most recent Logic Studio and various plug-ins for it. The majority of the plug-in vendors' sites assert compatibility with Snow Leopard. The one or two that are silent about it have users forums filled with reports of successful use under 10.6. I can't figure why what appears to be a PCI-related kernel extension would be affected by an audio application or plug-in in the first place. The error has been manifest in both 10.6.1 and 10.6.2. I've reproduced this error three separate times, and am done with Snow Leopard until I can solve the problem.
A web-search for the failed kernel extension hasn't been very revealing, and it's not prominent among the problem reports in Apple's various user forums, either.
Anybody got any ideas what's likely to be going on here and how I might be able to work around it? All of the software in question functions OK under 10.5.8 on the same hardware.
My system is:
2007 Mac Pro 3ghz Xeon octo, 16 GB RAM, ATI 1900XT. The only significant third party hardware attached is a MOTU Traveler firewire audio interface, with a SL-compatible driver. The last time I received this kext error, however, I was running the computer without any peripherals except the keyboard and trackball.
It's a puzzler. Hope somebody can shed some light on this. Thanks.
After upgrading to 10.6 from 10.5.8, I have consistently encountered a fatal error:
System extension cannot be used
The system extension "/System/Library/Extensions/IOPCIFamily.kext" was installed improperly and cannot be used. Please try reinstalling it, or contact the product's vendor for an update.
This kernel extension's vendor seems to be Apple. I can't find this kernel extension among the 10.6 packages, however, and cannot therefore reinstall it.
Worse, once this error is reported, the boot disk has been hopelessly corrupted. Disk Utility reports incorrect block counts, an incorrect number of file hard links, or overlapping extents. Neither Disk Utility, TechTool Pro, nor Drive Genius has been able to repair a disk corrupted in this manner. After being repaired, the disk simply hangs at the gray apple screen during boot.
I first suspected a hard drive problem, but the drive passed all the comprehensive tests in my arsenal. Similarly, all of my computer's systems have passed the most rigorous tests available in the above three disk utility programs. Also, I received the same error using a completely different boot disk, which makes system corruption the much more probable cause.
After the first disk failure, I clean installed 10.6, installed my main apps (the latest Final Cut Studio, Illustrator CS4, Photoshop CS4, etc...), and made a clone of the disk. It seemed to work OK until I installed the most recent Logic Studio and various plug-ins for it. The majority of the plug-in vendors' sites assert compatibility with Snow Leopard. The one or two that are silent about it have users forums filled with reports of successful use under 10.6. I can't figure why what appears to be a PCI-related kernel extension would be affected by an audio application or plug-in in the first place. The error has been manifest in both 10.6.1 and 10.6.2. I've reproduced this error three separate times, and am done with Snow Leopard until I can solve the problem.
A web-search for the failed kernel extension hasn't been very revealing, and it's not prominent among the problem reports in Apple's various user forums, either.
Anybody got any ideas what's likely to be going on here and how I might be able to work around it? All of the software in question functions OK under 10.5.8 on the same hardware.
My system is:
2007 Mac Pro 3ghz Xeon octo, 16 GB RAM, ATI 1900XT. The only significant third party hardware attached is a MOTU Traveler firewire audio interface, with a SL-compatible driver. The last time I received this kext error, however, I was running the computer without any peripherals except the keyboard and trackball.
It's a puzzler. Hope somebody can shed some light on this. Thanks.
Mac Pro, Mac OS X (10.5.8), 16 GB RAM, ATI 1900XT
