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Kernel Panic on Admin User Account

iMac 2.16 GHZ IntelCore 2 Duo with 2GB RAM running OS 10.5.8. After switching from one user account to the Admin User Account the kernel panic message 'You need to restart you computer' appeared. After holding down the power button and restarting, I tried to login to the same account but got the same error message. Tried again and still same message. I then restarted using the install disk and used Disk Utility to repair the disk.

Disk Utility reported missing thread record, incorrect number of threads,invalid volume file count (It should be 823873 instead of 823874) incorrect number of extended attributres and missing directory record and then it continuted to repair the disk and then showed invalid volume file count error again but this time it displayed (It should be 823874 instead of 823873) For some reason the numbers were swapped round from the earlier message. It continued to repair and reported that the Volume Macintosh HD appears to be OK.

I restarted the mac and logged into Admin User Account and got the 'You need to restart your computer' message again. After restarting I logged into the other 3 user accounts and they all work perfectly but each time I log onto the Admin User Account the 'restart computer' message appears.

Is there any way to repair the Admin User Account without having to re-format the hard drive and re-install everything from scratch?

iMac, Mac OS X (10.5.8)

Posted on Jun 27, 2012 1:44 PM

26 replies

JanetF Author

Level 1

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Jul 1, 2012 1:53 PM in response to WZZZ

I've tried the free demo of Smart Utility and the hard drive is fine.

How do I test the RAM? I used Rember and it passed the test.

WZZZ

Level 6

13,238 points

Jul 1, 2012 2:12 PM in response to JanetF

Download Memtest and the user guide from the links I gave you above. It's probably a good idea to print out the directions, since they won't be available in single user mode. Be sure you type them in exactly as written, observing case and any spaces (or the lack of.) You get to su mode by holding down Cmd-s at the startup chime. The screen will fill with text and you will get a root# prompt, after which you enter the commands. It will run three loops, which depending on how much RAM you have installed will be quite time consuming.

If it turns up nothing, then I'd stll run the hardware test, for what it's worth, which often isn't all that much.

EDIT: It is possible you already have Memtest on your computer. Try running it first in su mode without downloading it.

Message was edited by: WZZZ

WZZZ

Level 6

13,238 points

Jul 1, 2012 2:39 PM in response to WZZZ

Oops, I didn't see that it's not free from the link I gave you. This link will give you a free download directly.

http://cdn.command-tab.com/2008/memtest_422.zip

But since you ran Rember, you must already have Memtest on your computer. No need to DL it. Ignore the user guide I gave you, which assumes it's installed in /Applications. That's not where it's found.

EDIT: I'm sorry I think this is getting botched. The directions to run it in su mode will be too complicated. It won't test as much of the RAM, but I would just run Rember a few more times. It's just an interface for the same Memtest.

Message was edited by: WZZZ

JanetF Author

Level 1

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Jul 1, 2012 2:59 PM in response to WZZZ

When I was checking to see if Memtest is already on the mac, I found TechTool Deluxe so I'm running a full scan just now. I'm going to leave it running over night (its getting late here in Scotland) so I'll see what it reports in the morning. I can then run Rember again as you suggest. Many thanks for all your suggestions.

rkaufmann87

Level 10

148,470 points

Jul 1, 2012 3:21 PM in response to JanetF

TechTool Deluxe is pretty worthless, I'd forget about it completely. It came for free with AppleCare but didn't really do a darn thing.

JanetF Author

Level 1

0 points

Jul 2, 2012 1:14 AM in response to WZZZ

I've run Rember on a 5 times loop and it has passed the test. What next?

JanetF Author

Level 1

0 points

Jul 2, 2012 4:28 AM in response to JanetF

I noticed that the Rember test showed only 1092 MB tested so I restarted and ran the test again and this time 1589 MB tested from 2 GB. Passed the test again.

WZZZ

Level 6

13,238 points

Jul 2, 2012 6:34 AM in response to JanetF

Faulty RAM may be one cause of KPs, but it's not the only possible hardware issue causing these panics, that's why I also suggested running the hardware test in extended mode. As I said, it's not great, but it might pick something up.

However, finding RAM errors can be exceedingly difficult, sometimes taking quite a number of passes of Memtest to uncover a probem, and Rember, since it's running with the OS loaded (in single-user it's not) will not test as much RAM as possible. (Btw, I've since discovered that Rember comes with Memtest packaged, but I don't know if it permanently installs it. So you may not have Memtest already on your computer.)

So, skip everything I've already suggested and get Applejack, which is an excellent troubleshooting tool to have around anyway. If you choose to install it, it will include Memtest which can then be run conveniently from Applejack. Applejack runs in single-user (Cmd-s at the startup chime; You should get to SU mode from a complete shutdown.) Please note that, even though the author considers this "experimental" mode, Applejack runs Memtest quite reliably.

To download

http://sourceforge.net/projects/applejack/

General article on using

http://reviews.cnet.com/8301-13727_7-10334620-263.html?tag=mfiredir

Once you have AJ installed, after typing in "applejack," (no quotes) ignore the first prompts and go directly to Memtest by typing in "x" and hit return. This will bring you to the "Expert" menu, from which you choose option 2.

Choose or enter (I forget which now) "memtest all 3 -L" which will run three passes and create a log.

-------------------

Some excerpts from the READ ME

Beyond these basic functions, AppleJack can also test your RAM (if you choose to install the included memtest), disable auto login, disable login items for a user, bless a new System folder, and more. These last options are only available from the expert menu (accessible by hitting x from in AppleJack's main menu), and should be considered experimental at this point.

INSTALLATION

Mount the AppleJack disk image, and run the AppleJack.pkg installer.

If you'd like to install the included Memtest OS X RAM testing utility, choose customize during the install, and select the Memtest OS X check box. Installing Memtest with AppleJack allows you to run RAM tests from within AppleJack.

Message was edited by: WZZZ

WZZZ

Level 6

13,238 points

Jul 2, 2012 7:04 AM in response to WZZZ

Forgot to mention, hit return after entering any command or prompt.

JanetF Author

Level 1

0 points

Jul 3, 2012 2:09 PM in response to WZZZ

Thanks for all your advice - I will try your suggestions when I have a bit more time next week (if things to badly wrong, I will need time to take the mac to the Apple Store). However, I read an article that suggested resetting PRAM so I did this, still didn't make any difference but then I switched off power to the computer and all peripherals and restarted everything. I logged in and got further this time, blue desktop and the dock appeared but it then hung again. So I restarted and tried again and this time I got logged in properly. Now keeping it logged for the time being. I'll let you know how I get on after I try your suggestions.

JanetF Author

Level 1

0 points

Aug 31, 2012 1:52 PM in response to JanetF

I gave up on trying to sort this problem myself and reckoned I needed someone to take a look at the iMac. I booked an appointment with the AppleStore and guess what - the mac started first time and no sign of any problem. The assistant on the Genius Bar reckons the problem was caused by a conflict with the Apple LaserWriter 4/600PS which is linked to the mac with a Farallon ethernet box. I've disconnected the printer and had no further crashes (fingers crossed!)

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Kernel Panic on Admin User Account