Constant Kernel Panics
I can't start my mac, it instantly restarts. It currently only works in safe mode, but eventually also suffers a kernel panic. Please can anyone help me.
MacBook Pro 15", macOS 10.15
Apple Event: May 7th at 7 am PT
I can't start my mac, it instantly restarts. It currently only works in safe mode, but eventually also suffers a kernel panic. Please can anyone help me.
MacBook Pro 15", macOS 10.15
1)
Try booting into Safe mode
http://support.apple.com/kb/ht1564
This will not load any 3rd party additions, it will load some more conservative Apple drivers (may cause screen flicker), and it will clear some kernel caches (a cache is saved data in a form that can speed up a program, but is totally redundant to the original source, and thus can be safely cleared). Booting into Safe mode is just an experiment, but can frequently eliminate any 3rd party interference, or a cached item out-of-sync with the world. (Verify Safe mode via Applications -> Utilities -> System Information -> Software -> Boot Mode -> Safe vs Normal)
2)
This may just be a placebo move, but it does not hurt either, and sometimes it does help
You should also try an SMC reset and an NVRAM reset
Reset the System Management Controller (SMC) on your Mac - Apple Support
https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT201295
How to reset NVRAM on your Mac - Apple Support
https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT204063
3)
The kernel panic is in the graphic driver stack. 15" Macbook Pros have a history of the discrete GPU chip failing. Safe mode should load more conservative graphics drivers, and may just use the integrated with the CPU intel graphics.
You might try using gfxCardStatus to see if you can lock your Mac into using just the integrated intel graphics, and see if that keeps your Mac from panic'ing.
https://github.com/steveschow/gfxCardStatus/releases/download/v2.4.4i/gfxCardStatus.app.zip
I've got a Late 2011 15" Macbook Pro that I keep alive using gfxCardStatus. I use it as a backup server running Carbon Copy Cloner to backup the other family Macs in my home.
Finally, you do have two 3rd party kernel extensions
com.Apowersoft.driver.AudioDevice 1.6.7
com.malwarebytes.mbam.rtprotection 3.0.1
MalwareBytes has not been a source of issues, so while I never ignore a 3rd party kernel extension, I trust the MalwareBytes kernel extension more.
I do not know anything about the Apowersoft kernel extension (neither good nor bad). For that reason, you might try uninstalling it using the vendor's uninstall instructions and see if your kernel panics go away.
Summary
1)
Try booting into Safe mode
http://support.apple.com/kb/ht1564
This will not load any 3rd party additions, it will load some more conservative Apple drivers (may cause screen flicker), and it will clear some kernel caches (a cache is saved data in a form that can speed up a program, but is totally redundant to the original source, and thus can be safely cleared). Booting into Safe mode is just an experiment, but can frequently eliminate any 3rd party interference, or a cached item out-of-sync with the world. (Verify Safe mode via Applications -> Utilities -> System Information -> Software -> Boot Mode -> Safe vs Normal)
2)
This may just be a placebo move, but it does not hurt either, and sometimes it does help
You should also try an SMC reset and an NVRAM reset
Reset the System Management Controller (SMC) on your Mac - Apple Support
https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT201295
How to reset NVRAM on your Mac - Apple Support
https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT204063
3)
The kernel panic is in the graphic driver stack. 15" Macbook Pros have a history of the discrete GPU chip failing. Safe mode should load more conservative graphics drivers, and may just use the integrated with the CPU intel graphics.
You might try using gfxCardStatus to see if you can lock your Mac into using just the integrated intel graphics, and see if that keeps your Mac from panic'ing.
https://github.com/steveschow/gfxCardStatus/releases/download/v2.4.4i/gfxCardStatus.app.zip
I've got a Late 2011 15" Macbook Pro that I keep alive using gfxCardStatus. I use it as a backup server running Carbon Copy Cloner to backup the other family Macs in my home.
Finally, you do have two 3rd party kernel extensions
com.Apowersoft.driver.AudioDevice 1.6.7
com.malwarebytes.mbam.rtprotection 3.0.1
MalwareBytes has not been a source of issues, so while I never ignore a 3rd party kernel extension, I trust the MalwareBytes kernel extension more.
I do not know anything about the Apowersoft kernel extension (neither good nor bad). For that reason, you might try uninstalling it using the vendor's uninstall instructions and see if your kernel panics go away.
Summary
If you can keep your Mac up longer enough to run EtreCheck, it will tell you where the Apowersoft's extension is located.
The most likely place is
Finder -> Go -> Go to folder -> /Library/Extensions/
The next possible place is
Finder -> Go -> Go to folder -> /System/Library/Extensions/
but kernel extensions can be dynamically loaded from a app, so if it is not in either of those 2 folders, then it could be anywhere, and EtreCheck is the best tool to find it.
Or you could try EasyFind (free download)
https://www.devontechnologies.com/support/download
Please post the EtreCheck output as a "Reply" to this thread (you can use the FREE mode)
<https://itunes.apple.com/app/etrecheck/id1423715984?ls=1&mt=12>
Click on the Share icon and select "Copy Report"
And then Paste the report as a "Reply" to this thread using an "Additional Text" box.
EtreCheck is a tool that helps Apple Support Community volunteers debug problems without any access to the troubled computers. Debugging problems can be a difficult task even when the machine is in front of you. Attempting it via a discussion forum is extremely difficult. EtreCheck is a great help that regards.
Delete these files & Restart, you might have to safe boot ro get rid of those other 2..
/Library/LaunchDaemons/com.teamviewer.teamviewer_service.plist
/Library/LaunchAgents/com.elgato.StreamDeck.plist
/Library/LaunchDaemons/com.bjango.istatmenus.installerhelper.plist
/Library/LaunchAgents/com.teamviewer.teamviewer.plist
~/Library/LaunchAgents/com.skype.skype.shareagent.plist
~/Library/LaunchAgents/com.macpaw.CleanMyMac3.Scheduler.plist
The last two...
~ tilde indicates hidden Home Library.
Apple hid the Users' Library folders...
Method 1:
Safe Boot from the HD, (holding Shift key down at startup), does the problem occur in Safe Mode?
Safe mode attempts to repair Disks & clears lots of caches, so if Safe Mode works try again in regular boot.
/Library/LaunchAgents/com.teamviewer.teamviewer_desktop.plist
Thanks for the reply.
I have been booting in safe mode and it works even though performance is slow.
I did both a SMC reset and an NVRAM reset, and nothing changed.
I downloaded gfxCardStatus and have it on integrated only setting.
Do you know how I could delete Apowersoft's kernel extension, as far as I know I've deleted all Apowersofts files.
I do not see Apowersoft in the EtreCheck output, so I'm thinking it is a dynamically loaded kernel extension that gets loaded when you run some app.
com.Apowersoft.driver.AudioDevice 1.6.7
is obviously related to recording audio on the Mac, so do you have an app you run that captures audio?
Where directly or indirectly, like capturing video or recording a video conferencing session, etc...
I don't have an app you run that captures audio.
When I paste "sudo rm -r /Library/Extensions/Apowersoft_AudioDevice.kext" it states no such file exists.
I have done a hardware test on startup and run first aid on disk utility.
I now have the full version of EtreCheck.
Get Find Any File...
http://apps.tempel.org/FindAnyFile/index.php
Hold Option or alt key when selecting Find to Find All.
Search for name contains...
Apowersoft
likely the kext is... com.Apowersoft_AudioDevice.kext
I deleted the files you mentioned.
Then the two Apowersoft files that I couldn't remove I deleted by typing "sudo kextcache --clear-staging" into terminal. Those filed were in the staged extensions file in the library, you can't manually delete them.
This seems to have fixed the problem as I manged to boot the Mac normally for the first time in a while, and there have been no problems yet, it's running smooth.
Thanks for your assistance, I appreciate it. Find Any File really helped me.
So where did
com.paragon-software.filesystems.ntfs 23.0.15
come from?
Again, the panic is in the graphic subsystem. I do not see any reason why Paragon's NTFS file system support would touch anything in the graphics subsystem.
I'm getting a strong feeling this is a hardware problem, and will require a visit to Apple for repair.
I do not know this for a fact, but many things are pointing in that direction.
I suppose you could try a re-install. Either install the current macOS over top of the existing, leaving all your files untouched.
Or a nuke and pave. Backup, reformat drive, install clean copy of macOS, then use Migration Assistant to restore from the backup.
I managed to delete 12/14 files, except these two. Thanks for the suggestion!
Constant Kernel Panics