Kernel Panic after upgrading to 10.14.4

I had a separate copy of the installer, used DiskMaker X to create a 10.14.3 installation thumb drive, and in "system preferences -> software update -> advanced" untick everything but "check for updates"

_Vinc_ wrote:

I am ready to put a hypothesis out there: 10.14.4 + Aftermarket memory + ECC correctable error = Kernel panic

On 10.14.5 for the last hour or so. Running with aftermarket 128GB of 4x32GB ECC DIMMs doing some heavy batch image processing. So far so good. For reference, this was crashing every 5 mins under no load.

None of my memory modules show ECC correctable errors - I assume error state doesn't reset after reboots.

Since it's not crashing now, I don't think the ECC correctable errors were an issue. So that leaves 14.4 + Aftermarket memory = Crash.

Will report back in a few hours.

WPMDefekt--

The error correction hardware is used very aggressively at Startup. ANY error, correctible or not cause the associated slots to be declared "empty" and they will not be used by MacOS. These modules are BAD. But on subsequent startups, they will be tested again and may then be used by the system. This does not change the fact that such modules are BAD.

from:

User Tip: Mac Pro and Error Correcting Co… - Apple Community

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Don't bother with Apple tech support, you will waste a lot of time convincing them that you have a genuine problem not related to faulty hardware. Use their bug reporter page at https://feedbackassistant.apple.com (you should be able to log in with your Apple ID + credentials) to submit a report (and/or reference mine, which has radar ID 50294728 (FB6057369). So far it looks like the kernel panics are caused by automatic load balancing across multiple CPUs for processes that (in my case) use pthreads. I have genuine Apple RAM in an off-the-shelf MacPro6,1 and it's apparent that the panics started with 10.14.4 and are present in all OS versions since. They will not occur when booting into safe mode so an Apple KEXT is likely the culprit. ROM upgrade to 130.0.0.0.0 has no effect on the panics. Reverting back to 10.14.3 solves the issue but is impossible if you don't have an installer or backup, as Apple only supplies the latest versions of their OS's as a download. So far, Apple have not officially acknowledged that the issue exists but have asked me to provide additional information which is tricky as it requires setting up two Macs to do kernel debugging, which I don't have time to do right now. Maybe additional reports from the community can persuade them to dust off some 2013 MacPros and start debugging themselves. On a personal note I must say I'm disappointed in them as this is no way to treat customers who have invested in their "pro" product line. I hope this gets addressed soon, until then, I will stay on 10.14.3.

An update (10.14.6 beta 2):

After leaving my desktop running overnight (no crashes), I spent the majority of the day using the Mac Pro quite heavily. I purposely had Adobe Premier Pro, Luminar 3, Aurora HDR, Spark (email client), and several less memory intensive programs all running simultaneously. The result? Zero crashes. For the record, my desktop has ALWAYS crashed within a couple of hours if not minutes once in screensaver mode. It had never survived being left on overnight. And always at some point crashed while doing intensive work. This is the first time it has performed like it did when it was 10.14.3. But I honestly don’t think it is the latest beta that fixed it. At least not directly. I think Apple slipped in a fix via the new boot rom (131.0.0.0.0). This would explain why there is no record of the beta addressing the Mac Pro 2013 issue.

My Mac Pro was also affected, and I really need to have a system that does not crash every few minutes, so I took the leap and signed up for the beta testing service. I upgraded to 10.14.6 B3 (the third beta must just have come out) and the system has been stable for several hours now. I think they have the fix ready now. Also, the Boot ROM version in 10.14.6 B3 has not changed since B2 and is still 131.0.0.0.0.

You have to go to the Apple homepage and register for the macOS beta program. Initially, you are offered to beta test the new major version of the OS (Catalina), but go to the System Preferences -> Software Update and there should come up some fine print that there is also another update for 10.14.6 B3 (or whatever version of the beta they have reached at that point).

I had the exact same problem. I grabbed the 10.14.5 Beta from Developer.apple.com and things seem to be working ok so far. Although the BootROM still says 129.0.0.0.0.

Getting kernel panics every 10-15 minutes on a clean 10.14.5 install on my 2013 Mac Pro. I use 3rd party Crucial Ram but will try putting the Apple ram back in and report back.

The evidence agrees - I ran with max fans last night, low temperatures, still crashed.

Today I've installed 10.14.6 beta and have been working all night without any problems at all.

I don’t believe it has anything to do with heavy cpu usage - I watch it happen frequently when there are no applications open and I’m not using the machine.

Yes it does. If my MacPro just sits idle it won't panic for hours. If I run a small test application that incurs CPU load on 8 pthreads it crashes within 5 minutes. All OS's after 10.14.3 are affected. 10.14.3 is stable. Booting in safe mode is also stable so it's likely a Kext.

Bummer. I've been back on 10.14.3 for almost 2 weeks now and am working fine. I am not installing another update or beta release until I see some seriously positive feedback on 6,1 macpro's working properly.

SkiipV--

The consensus is that this problem correlates with an advanced version of the Boot ROM Firmware -- the two do not seem to be getting along.

There is no evidence of RAM or any other correlations to hardware issues.

On Mac Pro models with Xeon Processor, Error Correction Hardware means RAM issue do not fester. RAM either works absolutely perfectly, or halts with a kernel panic, machine check, status 4 or 5 and detection by multiple processors. Uncorrectable RAM errors are quite distinctive.

Having the same issue, occurred right around same time I replaced SSD. Actually thought SSD went bad as it would panic and reboot and not show SSD (OWC 1TB). Replaced and now having same issue with replacement. I'm able to place old SSD in machine and have ZERO panic issues, it's only occurring with 3rd party SSD and 10.14.4. OEM SSD and 10.14.4 I'm having no issues. Really hope Apple addresses soon.

I can also confirm these findings -

• 10.14.3: both apple and third-party ssd do not crash
• 10.14.4 & 10.14.5: both apple and third-party do crash

Updated my Apple engineering case with this information as well.

Regarding the comment of 10.14.6 beta only crashing once - one time is too many, sadly. If it crashes once, chances are it will happen again.