MacBook Pro Restarting Frequently

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MacBook Pro Restarting Frequently

Hi all,

Recently, my MacBook Pro has been restarting very frequently. I have attached an image of what I get for an error code every time it restarts. I don't know what this means. I ran a diagnostic test, but it came back saying everything is fine. I have not installed anything new recently (at least not before this happened), nor do I plug anything into my computer, besides the charger of course. Can anyone decipher what this might mean?

I did have to bring this computer to Apple a couple of years ago, but for the life of me I cannot remember why. Some sort of hardware had to get fixed that was relative to my keyboard. I'm not sure, to be entirely honest. Maybe that could be relevant? I'm not sure.

TIA.

Posted on Nov 16, 2023 5:23 PM

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Answer 1

Top-ranking reply

Grant Bennet-Alder

Level 10

133,363 points

Nov 16, 2023 6:54 PM in response to LyndseyMcKeen

Kernel panic, machine check is a serious Hardware error. Your is reporting four instances of a problem in core 0, suggesting serious intel CPU or cache issues.

¿What is the date of your most recent backup, and by what method?

processor problem on a MacBook Pro are generally solved by replacing the mainboard, and you are not likely to get your drive or your files back again.

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Answer 2

Nov 17, 2023 2:42 PM in response to LyndseyMcKeen

"On the cloud" is great for sharing photos, but is not a viable backup solution for everything you have. The stuff is not under your control, and is subject to sloppy handling, arbitrary changes in policy, theft, accidental deletion, data loss [are they making frequent backups using best practices?], and discontinuation of the service. It can easily take three days to restore it at ordinary Internet speeds.

If you do not have a recent local, disk-based backup, your computer is like a ticking Time bomb. You are only one disk failure, one crazy software, or one "oops" away from losing EVERYTHING! Drives do not last forever. It is not a question of IF it will fail, only WHEN it will fail. In addition, you never know when crazy software or Pilot Error throws away far more than you intended.

If you are using another direct-to-disk backup method that you prefer, and you currently have a recent disk-based backup, that is great. If not, you should consider using Built-in Time Machine. Take steps to acquire an external drive as soon as possible. If you buy one, a drive 2 to 3 times or larger than your boot drive is preferable for long term trouble-free operation. Do not pay extra for a drive that is fast. (You can get by for a while with a "found" smaller drive if necessary, but it will eventually become annoying).

Attach your external drive and use

System preferences > Time machine ...

... to turn on Time Machine and specify what drive to store your Backups on. It may ask to initialize the new drive, and that is as expected.

Time machine works quietly and automatically in the background, without interrupting your regular work, and only saves the incremental changes (after the first full backup). Time machine backs up every connected drive that is in a Mac compatible format. it can not back up Windows format drives.

Time Machine's "claim to fame" is that it is the backup that gets done, because it does not ruin performance of the rest of the computer while doing its backup operations. You do not have to set aside a "Special Time" when you only do backups. When you need it, your Time machine Backup is much more likely to be there.

Back up your Mac with Time Machine - Apple Support

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Answer 3

Nov 17, 2023 1:15 PM in response to Grant Bennet-Alder

Thank you so much for your reply, that doesn't sound good at all.. What could cause such a thing to happen, do you know?

I looked up the cost for replacing motherboards, and the estimates are beyond my reach so I don't think I will be able to get it replaced anytime soon, but I would still like to make sure my computer is backed up. Is it safe for me to continue to use my computer/could it just die on me at any moment?

I think my MacBook is backed up into my iCloud, but I'm not quite sure. My apologies, I'm not very tech savvy. Is there something you would recommend for backing up my computer?

Sorry for asking so many questions, if you can answer any of them it would be much appreciated!

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Answer 4

Nov 19, 2023 7:48 PM in response to Grant Bennet-Alder

I greatly appreciate your help - I will be getting an external drive ASAP from Apple. Your instructions are immensely helpful. I received a new message this time, when it restarted - I'm assuming it is relatively the same, but it's much longer and detailed than it has been before. This is what I got:

panic(cpu 1 caller 0xfffffff00d1c5f60): x86 CPU CATERR detected

Debugger message: panic

Memory ID: 0xff

OS release type: User

OS version: 21P1069

macOS version: 23A344

Kernel version: Darwin Kernel Version 23.1.0: Tue Oct 10 20:18:38 PDT 2023; root:xnu-10002.41.9~10/RELEASE_ARM64_T8010

KernelCache UUID: 77E47CE4D064B1D2F65D9AACE3E90164

Kernel UUID: 3B8E723F-298A-3D18-A008-2D973B2B1400

Boot session UUID: 0A7431B1-2051-4C97-B28D-0FDCEE3B6838

iBoot version: iBoot-10151.41.11

secure boot?: YES

roots installed: 0

x86 EFI Boot State: 0xe

x86 System State: 0x0

x86 Power State: 0x0

x86 Shutdown Cause: 0x5

x86 Previous Power Transitions: 0x20002000200

PCIeUp link state: 0x94721614

macOS kernel slide: 0x19200000

Paniclog version: 14

Kernel slide: 0x0000000006f58000

Kernel text base: 0xfffffff00df5c000

mach_absolute_time: 0xa1615e1663

Epoch Time: sec usec

Boot : 0x6556bde3 0x000dcbdc

Sleep : 0x6559fb0e 0x00044782

Wake : 0x6559fb8d 0x0001dfd1

Calendar: 0x6559fbb8 0x0002e277

Zone info:

Zone map: 0xffffffdc0e91c000 - 0xffffffe20e91c000

. VM : 0xffffffdc0e91c000 - 0xffffffdcf4f80000

. RO : 0xffffffdcf4f80000 - 0xffffffdd41c4c000

. GEN0 : 0xffffffdd41c4c000 - 0xffffffde282b0000

. GEN1 : 0xffffffde282b0000 - 0xffffffdf0e914000

. GEN2 : 0xffffffdf0e914000 - 0xffffffdff4f7c000

. GEN3 : 0xffffffdff4f7c000 - 0xffffffe0db5e4000

. DATA : 0xffffffe0db5e4000 - 0xffffffe20e91c000

Metadata: 0xffffffdc0cfa0000 - 0xffffffdc0e7a0000

Bitmaps : 0xffffffdc0e7a0000 - 0xffffffdc0e8c4000

Extra : 0 - 0

TPIDRx_ELy = {1: 0xffffffde27b789c0 0: 0x0000000000000001 0ro: 0x0000000000000000 }

CORE 0: PC=0xfffffff00e182f54, LR=0xfffffff00e182f54, FP=0xffffffe5af713ef0

CORE 1 is the one that panicked. Check the full backtrace for details.

Compressor Info: 0% of compressed pages limit (OK) and 0% of segments limit (OK) with 0 swapfiles and OK swap space

Panicked task 0xffffffdd41ca1190: 0 pages, 225 threads: pid 0: kernel_task

Panicked thread: 0xffffffde27b789c0, backtrace: 0xffffffe5af59f6a0, tid: 59424

lr: 0xfffffff00e152ae4 fp: 0xffffffe5af59f710

lr: 0xfffffff00e280d44 fp: 0xffffffe5af59f780

lr: 0xfffffff00e27fd78 fp: 0xffffffe5af59f8a0

lr: 0xfffffff00e115628 fp: 0xffffffe5af59f8b0

lr: 0xfffffff00e152520 fp: 0xffffffe5af59fc60

lr: 0xfffffff00e7ced1c fp: 0xffffffe5af59fc80

lr: 0xfffffff00d1c5f60 fp: 0xffffffe5af59fcb0

lr: 0xfffffff00d1acf40 fp: 0xffffffe5af59fd10

lr: 0xfffffff00d1b3908 fp: 0xffffffe5af59fd60

lr: 0xfffffff00d1ad978 fp: 0xffffffe5af59fe00

lr: 0xfffffff00d1ac7d0 fp: 0xffffffe5af59fe30

lr: 0xfffffff00e1a7f54 fp: 0xffffffe5af59ff20

lr: 0xfffffff00e1206c4 fp: 0x0000000000000000

I will not be able to get an external drive until Tuesday.. Is this new message even worse than before? Do you think my computer will make it until Tuesday when I can back it up? Should I refrain from using my computer?

My apologies again for asking a million questions.. I am deeply appreciative of your knowledge and guidance.

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Answer 5

Nov 20, 2023 7:38 AM in response to LyndseyMcKeen

<<. x86 CPU CATERR detected. >>

a CAT astrophic error occurred in the CPU. this is a hardware issue.

There are a few things that could force such an error, the most frequently seen is any Third-party Virus scanners, cleaners, optimizers, or a VPN you installed yourself.

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Answer 6

Nov 20, 2023 8:13 AM in response to Grant Bennet-Alder

I don't believe I have anything like that installed.. I wonder what it could be that is doing that. I think I may bring it into Apple and see what they can tell me when I grab that external drive. Once again, I appreciate your replies! Thank you!!

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Answer 7

Nov 20, 2023 8:29 AM in response to LyndseyMcKeen

if that is a processor failure, as it suggests, it may be detected by the User Diagnostic, but typically will not be.

Proper diagnosis REQUIRES reading those panic reports, but Genius Bar technicians are NOT TRAINED to read those reports. They are trained to run their diagnostics overnight, and in the morning return your Mac to you and report "no faults were detected".

The way to proceed toward a fix is to contact Apple support, and work with them to get a specialist to read the information already reported here, and possibly panic reports and other information stored on your computer. Apple support agents can read these discussions, but they do NOT accept Reader's conclusions -- they have a more rigorous process that may involve a MacOS re-install to be certain MacOS was not damaged along the way.

The reason I harp on an external drive and backups, is the boot drive is soldered to the mainboard, and a mainboard replacement will NOT return your drive (and all your files) to you. You MUST have an external, disk-based backup or you lose your files.

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MacBook Pro Restarting Frequently

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