MacBook Pro 2011 USB Tethering Cause of Kernal Crash READ

You are right. YOU should keep your MacBook in 64-bit kernel while we all wait for the fix from Apple in 32-bit mode.

The new MBP 2011 model (which I have) boots into 64-bit mode by default.

Apple is shipping several revisions of Macs with the 64 bit Kernel enabled as the default, including the Mac Pro and MacBook Pro's. I would also bet that future revisions of all Mac models will ship w/ 64 bit as the default. So I disagree that "Apple {does} not necessarily want us to" boot using the 64 bit Kernel.

As for why, there is a performance increase when booting via the 64 bit Kernel. How great an increase depends largely on which applications you use. Those using high end imaging and video apps would see the greatest benefit. I've done only limited research, but it appears that using standard Mac apps like Mail, Safari, & Finder under the 64 bit Kernel offer minimal (if any) performance increases compared to the 32 bit Kernel. Having said that, if I can get even .5 % faster performance under the 64 bit Kernel, I'd prefer to boot in 64 bit mode.

So I agree that while booting into 32 bit mode is a workaround, it is not a "solution".

Not to rehash the 'workaround', but for those interested, holding the "3" and "2" keys while booting only applies to the current startup. So each time you boot and you want to tether via USB, you would have to hold the 3+2 keys.

If you want a more long term 'workaround', then you can use terminal commands to keep the 64/32 bit settings persistent between startups:

To make 32 bit persistent type the following in Terminal:

sudo systemsetup -setkernelbootarchitecture i386

To make 64 bit persistent type the following in Terminal:

sudo systemsetup -setkernelbootarchitecture x86_64

http://support.apple.com/kb/HT3773

Message was edited by: billalexander

Everyone, this is a problem Apple does need to fix sine their computers are meant to boot and run in 64bit kernel so we are able to run whatever program we wish. I don't need a workaround, I need a fix. If the computer should be able to perform that task then I want it to with no problems. FYI, everyone this is a problem only with the new MBP 2011. I don't have this problem with my MBA late 2010 or a PC or with MBP late 2010. I don't always have to use USB tethering but when my iPhone needs to charge I don't want to plug it in and it connects via tethering and crashes my system and I lose ALL my work. This needs to be fixed ASAP.....

George Knighton wrote:
Can I ask a dumb question?

Why do we want to boot in 64-bit kernel mode anyway?

Apparently you don't, but some users do and most users eventually will, which is why Apple finally made a 64-bit compliant OS.

Benefits of 64-bit OS X (you could have googled this yourself):
[+] Supports up to 32GB of RAM vs. only 4GB ram. (Actually 64-bit supports up to 16 terabytes, but Mac hardware doesn't support that much yet.)
[+] Processor can transfer and process data at 2x the speed (64 bits at a time rather than 32 bits), if the application is a 64-bit version. (For example, video encoding or encryption/decryption.)
[+] Potentially, special-purpose advanced applications can map files to memory address space (byte by byte), and 64-bit makes this possible beyond the 4GB size barrier.

The main reason there aren't a lot of OS X applications using 64 bit is that Apple was a little slow to implement it (probably because only a small portion of Mac users are pushing the limits of 32-bit performance, I would guess) and >4GB of RAM used to be expensive so not many users had that.

P.S. -- even ordinary things can go faster in 64-bit mode if the app supports it. See this Apple graphic:
http://images.apple.com/macosx/technology/images/overlayfastert20090608.jpg

I think this issue affects all Macs that are booted using the 64 bit Kernel, not just the 2011 MBP's. Your MBA and 2010 MBP are probably booting into 32 bit mode as default, so you are not seeing the issue on those machines.

Actually, this problem is not restricted to the 2011 MacBook Pros. I have a mid-2010 MBP that has the same problem when running the 64-bit kernel.

Billalexlander - Sorry to say my MBP 2010 and MBA 2010 are both running in 64-bit as all Macs do from the moment they come from the store. Now how can all other Macs I have tethered with run fine but not my new one?

I just got my MBP 2011 back from the Genius Bar where they replaced the air card and logic board. I have not had one issue USB tethering at all. That was with no data transfer yet. Migrated my information back on the HD and tested again for 20mins with no CRASH at all USB tethering. Problem solved for now, will see if it happens again in the next few weeks. Yes it is running in 64-bit kernel.

Grip72-
It's hard to convey tone in these forum posts, so please take this counter post as putting out information, and seeking clarification, not as an attack on you or the information you've provided.

First, according to multiple sources, including Apple's own support docs:
http://support.apple.com/kb/ht3770
The only Macs that ship w/ the 64 bit Kernel enabled by default are the Mid 2010 and newer Mac Pro's, and the 2011 MacBook Pro's. All other Macs have shipped, and continue to ship w/ the 32 bit Kernel enabled as the default. The MBA doesn’t appear on the list as even being capable of booting into the 64 bit Kernel.

You may well have changed your boot settings on your 2010 MBP and MBA (assuming it’s capable) to 64 bit, but they didn't ship that way. If you did change them to 64 bit mode, and frequently tether your iPhone via USB using them w/out any Kernel Panics, then that would be interesting data to add to this post. I spent several hours researching (googling) this problem after I discovered it was USB tethering related, and found dozens of past posts across the Mac related web which all seem to support the idea that this issue is directly related to tethering via USB while booted into the 64 bit Kernel. The earliest post I saw that reflected this was in late 2009. I've also seen posts where people encountered the issue w/ Mac Mini's, Mac Pro's, and iMacs, again, all booted into the 64 bit Kernel.

I think the vast majority of Mac users have no idea about 32/64 bit kernels, much less how to change from one to the other. I also think that despite the fact that the problem has been reported as early as 2009, it hasn't hit many users because the only Mac that shipped w/ 64 bit as default prior to the 2011 MBP was the Mac Pro, and I think it's safe to assume that not many Mac Pro users are tethering iPhones for internet access. Here is what is key for me, as soon as Apple released a portable Mac that booted by default into the 64 bit Kernel, the USB tethering complaints became much more prevalent. Why? Because the users who are tethering their iPhones are most likely using portable Macs when they need to data share. Based on the volume of data so far, (which is likely an accurate snapshot given the limited number of total Mac users who are currently booting via the 64 bit Kernel), I think it's safe to say that there is an issue w/ tethering via USB and the 64 bit Kernel.

I'd be interested to hear how the Apple Genius diagnosed your KP's (Kernel Panics), and how they decided to replace your logic board and air card. Had you used your Apple install DVD to perform any hardware tests on your own, and did you get any error codes prior to the repair? Of course I'll also be interested to hear back if you have any new KP's while tethering via USB.

Also, since the Apple techs repaired your Mac, I would double check to make sure they didn't change the settings on your 2011 MBP to boot into the 32 bit Kernel. You can confirm which Kernel you are booted with by:

Choose About This Mac from the Apple () menu.
Click More Info.
Select Software in the Contents pane.
Look for "64-bit Kernel and Extensions: Yes (or No)" under the System Software Overview heading.
Yes=64 bit, No = 32 bit.

Again, grip, I'm just seeking information. If you can confirm that you are now running in 64 bit mode and tethering w/out any KP's, then put out the info so the rest of us can figure out what (and why) they repaired on your MBP and seek hardware replacements or repairs ourselves.

Kind regards,

Bill

Message was edited by: billalexander

Message was edited by: billalexander

Thank you for the response Bill. You are correct that not all Mac's boot in the 64-bit kernel. My MBA late 2010 boots in 32-bit and the MBP mid/late 2010 did boot in 64-bit kernel but had no issues USB tethering at all. My first migration from my TC backup for my new MBP 2011 was from that MBP 2010. Since I do not need to tether all the time I did not find out that my system would crash when I USB tether for a few days. The first crash I did not think anything of it but then it kept happening again and again. So I ran some test of my own and the Genius ran some test as well while I was there and tested the air card and network systems with no answer to why the system crashes during USB tethering. At that time they ordered the new air card and logic board, my first trip to the bar. I also ran information up to apple care to work on the issue as well, since the new software update did not correct the problem. Sorry to say I do not know what else they did while they had my computer other then replacing the logic board and air card.

The system did not crash while USB tethering in the store when I picked it up. That was on a clear/fresh erase/installed OS X with no updates. I tested it again after reinstalling all of my information back onto my MBP 2011, the system did not crash during that 20 min test. This was also after the software update to 10.6.7 and other app updates. So far so good and I hope they found something they can send back to apple to help everyone else having this same problem. By the way the Genius also ran test on units in the store, USB tethering with no issue on them either. So for me, so far it was a hardware issue unless they slipped in a patch in a software update. I will check back in later this week with an update about USB tethering.

Just want to add. I got the same issue here. MBP 2011 2.0GHz 8GB RAM + iPhone 4 4.2.1. USB tether online caused Kernel Panic. At least 20 crashes in 2 days.

I can confirm the same Kernel panic issues while using the USB-based tethering option with an iPhone 3G. This is certainly something Apple needs to address but I feel it is being left at a low-priority initiative since Bluetooth and WiFi hot-spot are reasonable, working alternatives.

I am having the same problems. Each time I plug in my iPhone 3GS and enable network sharing via USB my brand new MBP 17'' (2011) crashes. This happens either instantly or after a couple of minutes. Bluetooth sharing while keeping the iPhone connected to the MBP for charging seems to work fine though. The crashes seem to occur only after I have added the iPhone in OS X's network pref panel.

Same with my MacBook Pro!
I was really upset with this issue.
I got it in early March 2011, just only one month and a few days.
I always connected via USB tethering, it did work.
The problem just started yesterday, it almost 10 times after connect internet.
I called to the technical support and they told me to update to 10.6.7 (Mine was 10.6.6)
Then I updated and it went well (which I found out later that cuz I use the WiFi to connected) for the rest of the day.
But after I came back home and connected via USB , it crashed again.

Then I decided to go to the store at 5th ave. , they checked for a 10 minutes and told me to backup all my data and take it back to them.

Let see what is going to happen next.