is it possible to verify the MacOS core files

Question

Level 1

8 points

is it possible to verify the MacOS core files

I have a 2014 iMac running Big Sir. Earlier this year I started having a problem when intermittent shutdowns. Apple service has looked at this twice and did not find any problems. The last time the computer was erased and re-installed but the problem has started again. Below is log file output that may be related. It implies there may be a corrupted MacOS file? Is there a way to run a checksum on a MacOS release to detect any corruption issues?

2022-07-16 12:12:31.597055-0700 0xbe       Default     0x0                  0      0    kernel: (watchdog) watchdog configured to monitor userspace, SoC watchdog enabled, panic SoC watchdog enabled, halt on SoC watchdog expiration: no, userspace IOKit monitoring disabled
2022-07-16 12:12:41.135189-0700 0x28d      Default     0x0                  87     0    DumpPanic: (RemoteServiceDiscovery) [com.apple.xpc.remote:RemoteServiceDiscovery] remote_device_copy_unique_of_type: device not found
2022-07-16 12:12:41.843998-0700 0x28d      Default     0x0                  87     0    DumpPanic: [com.apple.DumpPanic:panicprocessing] detected MSSW (newer) mac
2022-07-16 12:12:41.847081-0700 0x28d      Default     0x0                  87     0    DumpPanic: [com.apple.DumpPanic:panicprocessing] found previous shutdown cause 5
2022-07-16 12:12:41.850245-0700 0x28d      Default     0x0                  87     0    DumpPanic: (RemoteServiceDiscovery) [com.apple.xpc.remote:RemoteServiceDiscovery] remote_device_copy_unique_of_type: device not found
2022-07-16 12:12:42.453248-0700 0x28d      Error       0x0                  87     0    DumpPanic: [com.apple.DumpPanic:panicprocessing] invalid core file signature: 0xa6c3bfa01077738 (expected :0x63614d20646152)
2022-07-16 12:12:42.453447-0700 0x28d      Default     0x0                  87     0    DumpPanic: [com.apple.DumpPanic:panicprocessing] No launchd development core found at /cores/core.1, looking for debug...
2022-07-16 12:12:42.453464-0700 0x28d      Default     0x0                  87     0    DumpPanic: [com.apple.DumpPanic:panicprocessing] No launchd debug core found at /cores/core.1
2022-07-16 12:12:42.453467-0700 0x28d      Default     0x0                  87     0    DumpPanic: [com.apple.DumpPanic:panicprocessing] DumpPanic processed 0 files
2022-07-16 12:13:01.827141-0700 0x313      Default     0x0                  144    5    loginwindow: [com.apple.loginwindow.logging:TAL] -[PersistentAppsSupport previousStartupWasAPanicOrHardRestart] | Previous startup was panic pref was there, checking time delta
2022-07-16 12:13:01.827146-0700 0x313      Default     0x0                  144    5    loginwindow: [com.apple.loginwindow.logging:TAL] -[PersistentAppsSupport previousStartupWasAPanicOrHardRestart] | Last panic was > timeout, setting return to NO

iMac 27″, macOS 11.6

Posted on Jul 19, 2022 10:21 AM

Reply

Answer 1

Top-ranking reply

HWTech

Level 9

69,368 points

Jul 19, 2022 7:25 PM in response to ajcurtis84

macOS is on a signed & sealed APFS volume so it is not possible to modify the macOS system files except by reinstalling macOS over top of itself.

About the read-only system volume in macOS Catalina - Apple Support

Signed system volume security in iOS, iPadOS, and macOS - Apple Support

To look for possible software issues run EtreCheck and give it "Full Disk Access" so the report includes more details which may contain more clues including a summary of recent system logs. Post the report here using the "Additional Text" icon which looks like a piece of paper.

To check the health of the hard drive run DriveDx and post the complete text report(s) here using the "Additional Text" icon which looks like a piece of paper. If you have a Fusion Drive setup, then post the report for both the SSD & HD. The drive health report is usually better at identifying potential drive issues since Apple Diagnostics don't detect many types of drive failures.

See if there are any Kernel Panic logs located in "/Library/Logs/DiagnosticReports" where the file names will begin with "kernel" and end in ".panic". Post several logs if available by posting them here using the "Additional Text" icon which looks like a piece of paper.

Try disconnecting all external devices in case one of them is causing a problem.

Reply

Answer 2

HWTech

Level 9

69,368 points

Jul 26, 2022 7:58 PM in response to ajcurtis84

I've never seen a log file like this before. Unfortunately macOS log files are hard to read to know what may be normal and what is not normal. This entry in the log is the part that is most interesting to me since it hints at a corrupted system file which should only be caused by a hardware issue (or possibly file system corruption) due to the read-only file system and signed & sealed root file system used by Big Sur.

DumpPanic: [com.apple.DumpPanic:panicprocessing] invalid core file signature: 0xa6c3bfa01077738 (expected :0x63614d20646152)

Unfortunately the other entries in that log like this one is hard to say if it is normal or not:

DumpPanic: (RemoteServiceDiscovery) [com.apple.xpc.remote:RemoteServiceDiscovery] remote_device_copy_unique_of_type: device not found

I think the best way forward would be to install macOS Big Sur to an external USB3 SSD and boot from that external SSD to see if you have the same problems. It would be best to test the laptop without installing any third party apps or migrating from a backup. Only if testing the clean install reveals no problems, then you can either start by installing some third party apps or migrating/restoring from a backup. Doing this instead of performing a clean install to the internal SSD allows you to bypass the internal SSD in case it is the source of the problem plus it may be least disruptive to you as well while you test things.

You can also try testing the memory by using a bootable Memtest86 USB stick.

Reply

Answer 3

HWTech

Level 9

69,368 points

Jul 21, 2022 5:00 PM in response to ajcurtis84

The health report for the SSD should be Ok although the "Power Cycle Count" has exceeded the manufacturer's expected lifetime value, but this health attribute is not necessarily a failing indicator. I have seen a couple of our organization's Apple laptops have a very high value for this attribute as well. It is kind of understandable for your SSD because you have over 47K hours of runtime on the SSD. I doubt this has any impact, but I don't have enough experience with an SSD with such a high Power Cycle Count.

As far as software issues, the most likely item to cause Kernel Panics would be VMWare. Make sure you are using the latest version of VMWare. If you still have problems, the I would suggest uninstalling VMWare to see if that stops the Kernel Panics. You can try booting & using the Mac in Safe Mode which would disable the third party software from launching at boot & login, however, it also causes the Mac to use a basic GPU driver which can sometimes cause flickering/flashing on the screen and slow updating of the video on the screen.

There is also a possibility of a memory issue. You can try creating & booting from a Memtest86 USB stick to test the memory.

Keep checking to see if you get any Kernel Panic logs which you can post here as they would be the most useful if available. Unfortunately Kernel Panics are not always saved.

Reply

Answer 4

ajcurtis84 Author

Level 1

8 points

Aug 21, 2022 2:44 PM in response to HWTech

After months of going back to the Apple store for the same issue, I convinced them to install a new power supply. It has been working fine ever since.

This is frustrating since very early in this process, the tech guessed that the issue was the power supply and ordered a new one to be installed. After receiving the part they ran diagnostics but could not reproduce the problem so they returned the computer to me without making any repairs. 2 months later, they install the same part that they had ordered and it is working.

I am a software engineer and depend on my computers to make a living. It could have been devastating if I could not have worked since February, when this problem started.

What can be done to make Apple understand that we are dependent on their products and can not afford to be without them for weeks or months.

Reply

Answer 5

Owl-53

Level 10

103,159 points

Jul 20, 2022 7:24 AM in response to ajcurtis84

Definitely follow the good advise of @HWTech.

Just out of interest, has the user Opened Activity Monitor >> View >> View ALL Processes and identified the PID 87 appearing in your above posting ?

What process is identified by Name ?

It may offer up some additional information related to the issue at hand.

Reply

Answer 6

ajcurtis84 Author

Level 1

8 points

Jul 21, 2022 9:09 PM in response to HWTech

Thank you for the feedback. I have disconnected the external USB backup drive to see if that makes any difference. If the issue is VMWare, then it is a service that is running all the time. Haven’t run the application since it was reinstalled.

will keep checking for panic files

Reply