"You need to restart your computer. Hold down the power button for seve..."

Question

Level 1

8 points

"You need to restart your computer. Hold down the power button for seve..."

Hello,

I have recently been getting this same message "You need to restart your computer. Hold down the power button for several seconds or press the Restart button." whenever I start up my computer. It happens about 95% of the time. I have been reading on different forums that I should reset the PRam and the NVRam and I have been doing so and it does help as it does EVENTUALLY start up (sometimes takes me 5-10 min. to get it to start up).

I have also read that it may be the RAM that is loose, so I did check that and made sure that the ram is properly placed (which it is).

I don't know what else I can do. Should I reformat and reinstall Mac OS X?

Here is the exact error form the dump:

IOAPIC: Version 0x20 Vectors 64:87
AppleACPIPlatformExpert::start failed
panic(cpu 0 caller 0x55c095): "Unable to find driver for this platform: \"Macbook 2,1\".\n"@/SourceCache/xnu/xnu-1504.9.26/iokit/Kernel/IOPlatformExpert.cpp:1389
Debugger called: <panic>

Black MacBook MB063LL/A, Mac OS X (10.6.6), 2GhZ 2.5GB RAM

Posted on Jan 18, 2011 5:13 AM

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Answer 1

Jan 18, 2011 7:15 AM in response to jfontestad

Navigate to Macintosh HD/ Library/ Logs/ and see if there is a file there called panic.log. If so, post the most recent couple of logs, so that we can see what might be causing the panic.

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Answer 2

jfontestad Author

Level 1

8 points

Jan 18, 2011 7:54 AM in response to Jay Bullock

Don't see any.

What I posted I got from booting while holding command+v. I took a picture of it and copied that which stated what had failed.

Asides from that there are no other logs. I did look in DiagnosticReports and there are only a few logs from Microsoft.

I did however run Disk Utility and it said that my HDD was corrupt, could this be a cause?

I'm thinking about just repairing the disk, reformatting and starting fresh.

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Answer 3

BGreg

Level 6

17,552 points

Jan 18, 2011 8:54 AM in response to jfontestad

This is a good reference on kernel panics: http://www.thexlab.com/faqs/kernelpanics.html

On your hard drive, get your OS X disks that came with your system and boot from the first while holding the C key down. This will boot the system from the disk instead of the hard drive. Bring up Disk Utility and choose repair disk. If it can't repair the hard drive, depending on the error, another program like Disk Warrior or TechTool Pro may be able to fix it, or use Disk Utility write zero's to the hard drive and reinstall (and if that doesn't work, replace the hard drive).

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Answer 4

jfontestad Author

Level 1

8 points

Jan 19, 2011 3:59 PM in response to BGreg

Thanks,

I did the Repair disk using Disk Utility and it claimed to have repaired the disk, but then the problem persisted. I even reformatted, erased the hdd with 0's an reinstalled OS X and still have the problem. So I ordered a new 320gb 7200rpm hdd and an extra GB of RAM, hopefully now it will be a little faster. 🙂

Thanks.

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Answer 5

BGreg

Level 6

17,552 points

Jan 19, 2011 5:05 PM in response to jfontestad

I ordered a new 320gb 7200rpm hdd and an extra GB of RAM, hopefully now it will be a little faster. 🙂

Ought to be better than new! Enjoy!

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Answer 6

jfontestad Author

Level 1

8 points

Jan 29, 2011 4:50 AM in response to BGreg

😟

Well just got around to installing the new HDD and RAM yesterday, and I am sad to say... that the problem persists. :/

I reseated the memory and made sure they were in there properly, and I also installed the HDD and ran DiskUtility before I erased/reformatted and installed a fresh version of MacOSX Leopard, then updated to Snow Leopard.

As long as I am using my computer everything works fine, the problem occurs when the machine is shut off or put to sleep for a long period of time. Because when I shut it off and turn it right back on a few minutes later it works, or if I shut the lid and open it 10-20 min. later everything works fine, it's only when the machine is off or asleep for long periods of time.

So, I do not know what else can be wrong.

Should I try to take out the old RAM and just leave the new module in and see if that works out? See if that specific module is faulty?

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Answer 7

BGreg

Level 6

17,552 points

Jan 29, 2011 6:16 AM in response to jfontestad

If you want, run the program Rember from http://www.kelleycomputing.net/rember/ . You can leave it running all night to give the memory a good workout. While not 100% infallible, if you leave it running all night and there are no errors, chances are pretty good the memory itself isn't a problem.

Have you run the Apple hardware test, to rule out any obvious hardware problems? With new memory and hard drive, and a clean installation, assuming without 3rd party software or drivers installed, and nothing connected to your Macbook, and kernal panics only happening when the system has been shut down for awhile, that could indicate a logic board issue.

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Answer 8

jfontestad Author

Level 1

8 points

Jan 31, 2011 7:00 AM in response to BGreg

@BGreg:

Could it possibly be a software error?

Here is a picture of what the Kernel Panic http://fontestad.net/personal.JPG

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Answer 9

BGreg

Level 6

17,552 points

Jan 31, 2011 4:50 PM in response to jfontestad

The link didn't work .... but yes, software can cause a kernel panic. If you haven't already, see the kernel panic FAQ above.

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Answer 10

jfontestad Author

Level 1

8 points

Feb 1, 2011 7:28 AM in response to BGreg

Sorry for that: http://fontestad.net/personal/photo.JPG

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Answer 11

Feb 27, 2011 9:59 PM in response to jfontestad

Hello,
I am just wondering if you have been able to solve your problem at all, as I have the EXACT same problem. I looked at the photo of your single user screen output, and mine is exactly the same. I have not been able to do anything at all. I have tried everything that I have read from all over the Net, but so far, absolutely nothing works. I get no where. My Macbook Pro 17" (latest model) does not boot from a system CD, I cannot get it to start in Safe mode, single user just displays the same screen and hangs, etc. I cannot get another computer to boot it in Firewire mode, an external system disk cannot be booted from, nothing...If you have ANY ideas beyond ALL of the standard ones that I have found anywhere on the net, please let me know, as I was going to buy a new drive and do the replacement too until I read your lack of success with that option.

Thank you again.

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Answer 12

Feb 28, 2011 4:35 AM in response to Sirwagunther

If you have the "latest model," then you should still be under the 1-year warranty and you can have your Mac serviced by Apple.

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Answer 13

Feb 28, 2011 4:47 AM in response to Jay Bullock

Actually, it is just over 1 year that I have had it now - 14 months I think it is. I will have to check my invoice, as I am not exactly sure. But, thank you for the idea. Having been both a tech support analyst and managing a technical support department for a mac/pc software company, I always look at things like this as a chance to learn something more about Macs. 🙂

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Answer 14

jfontestad Author

Level 1

8 points

Apr 5, 2011 8:06 PM in response to Sirwagunther

Hey,

I know this may be a little late, but I just re-found this bookmark while organizing my Favorites.

I have noticed that I only get this problem when I close my laptop.

Whenever I leave my laptop open on my desk and shut it down and what not, it boots up fine. It's when I close it, then go to re-open it that the problems replicates itself.

Why? I have no clue. So I just leave the laptop open on my desk and it NEVER gets shut. If I need to bring it somewhere for something, then yes it I close it, and sometimes the problem persists (if it stays closed for long periods of time), but if it's a quick trip somewhere and it usually works fine.

If I get the problem, I turn it off, let it sit for a minutes and then restart and do the cmd option p, then let it sit for a few minutes, then restart it again with cmd option o, and it usually boots up ok.

Hope this helps. :/

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Answer 15

Apr 6, 2011 9:03 AM in response to jfontestad

That sounds like it may be some type of problem with the laptop going to sleep (i.e. shutting the lid). Have you tried doing an SMC reset yet? This will help if the issue is power/sleep related.

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