Big Sur 11.3/11.4 panics with Radeon eGPU

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Big Sur 11.3/11.4 panics with Radeon eGPU

Curious if anyone else is having reliability issues with an eGPU on the Mini 2018? Big Sur has been buggy enough, but when I went to 11.3 just over a month ago I've started to have weekly (or more) kernel panics that all mention RadeonFramebuffer, which would mean the issue is my Sonnet Puck Radeon RX5500-based eGPU. I put 11.4 on a few days ago when it was released, and the problems continue. Prior to 11.3, I'd been running stable from at least a kernel/reboot/freeze perspective, with the same eGPU, for a couple months. After 11.3, I keep having these same panics:

panic(cpu 2 caller 0xffffff80091d4e77): "ATY,RadeonFramebuffer::setPowerState(0xffffffa09d541000 : 0xffffff7fa3947c1c, 2 -> 1) timed out after 45333 ms"@/System/Volumes/Data/SWE/macOS/BuildRoots/e90674e518/Library/Caches/com.apple.xbs/Sources/xnu/xnu-7195.121.3/iokit/Kernel/IOServicePM.cpp:5382

I've tried the GPU on another system and it boots up and uses it fine, but I can't keep it connected for days at a time to see if a crash occurs there too. However, given it was stable prior to 11.3 and 11.4, I don't think the hardware coincidentally went bad at upgrade time.

Mac mini, macOS 11.4

Posted on Jun 1, 2021 2:04 PM

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Answer 1

jeffd55

Community Specialist

Jun 2, 2021 10:56 AM in response to ispcolohost

Hello ispcolohost,

Thank you for using Apple Support Communities.

We understand that you are having issues with kernel panics when using your Radeon eGPU on your Mac mini after upgrading to macOS 11.4. While we would agree that it is unlikely that the hardware failed at the same time you upgraded macOS, it is possible that the upgrade exposed a pre-existing hardware issue.

Let's start by trying what the footnote shows to do in this article: Use an external graphics processor with your Mac

"If you have a Mac mini (2018) with FileVault turned on, make sure to connect your primary display directly to Mac mini during startup. After you log in and see the macOS Desktop, you can unplug the display from Mac mini and connect it to your eGPU."

If that isn't the answer, take a look at this support article to troubleshoot the kernel panic issue and isolate it: If your Mac restarted because of a problem - Apple Support

If your troubleshooting isolates the issue to the eGPU, you may want to reach out to AMD for advice on their card.

Best regards.

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Answer 2

ispcolohost Author

Level 1

19 points

Jun 2, 2021 11:13 AM in response to jeffd55

Hmm interesting, I never noticed that note; thanks. I do have that Mini, and FileVault on, but had been booting with the eGPU in-line to my primary and secondary displays for the past three months across whatever had been the latest Catalina in Feb, and then the various versions of Big Sur until the crashes began with 11.3. Fortunately I reboot rarely so it won't be a huge inconvenience; I'll give it a try and see if crashes continue.

No available firmware updates on the Sonnet or Radeon side.

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Big Sur 11.3/11.4 panics with Radeon eGPU

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