Level 1

0 points

Diagnosing cause of kernel panic on a Mac Pro

I've got an early 2009 Mac Pro with the following specs:

2.66 GHz Quad-Core Intel Xeon

16 GB 1066 MHz DDR3 ECC

NVIDIA GeForce GT 120 512 MB

OS X 10.8.1

Problem is, at random times, my Mac would just shut down and then restart after I clicked through the "gray your Mac shut down without telling you because it's selfish" warning screen.

I took it to a local computer shop and they couldn't really tell, and suggested I do a clean install of Mountain Lion. I did that, got everything back on from Time Machine (just Documents and Music, no Libraries per the technician's instructions), and then last night it did it again. Restarted while I was working on a web site. No notice.

I wondered if someone could help me diagnose the problem or problems(s), since I can't make ANY sense of the sytem report.

Here is the complete system report when the panic occurred. Thanks for ANY help at all you can provide.

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Interval Since Last Panic Report: 228862 sec

Panics Since Last Report: 1

Anonymous UUID: 300EE43F-9F5E-478A-A738-158466678DEC

Fri Sep 7 22:25:11 2012

panic(cpu 2 caller 0xffffff800f2b7b95): Kernel trap at 0xffffff7f90a27975, type 13=general protection, registers:

CR0: 0x0000000080010033, CR2: 0xffffff81fe852000, CR3: 0x0000000011b01000, CR4: 0x0000000000000660

RAX: 0xffffff804da3e400, RBX: 0xffffff804e2ea800, RCX: 0xffffff803113c2c1, RDX: 0x0000000000000000

RSP: 0xffffff81e0f3bd90, RBP: 0xffffff81e0f3bdb0, RSI: 0xffffff8033581b00, RDI: 0xffffff8033581b00

R8: 0x00000000000007bf, R9: 0x0000000000000000, R10: 0x000000000000f784, R11: 0x0000000000000000

R12: 0x0000000000000001, R13: 0xffffff81af85b0b4, R14: 0xffffff81af85b000, R15: 0xffffff804df41800

RFL: 0x0000000000010286, RIP: 0xffffff7f90a27975, CS: 0x0000000000000008, SS: 0x0000000000000010

Fault CR2: 0xffffff81fe852000, Error code: 0x0000000000000000, Fault CPU: 0x2

Backtrace (CPU 2), Frame : Return Address

0xffffff81e0f3ba30 : 0xffffff800f21d5f6

0xffffff81e0f3baa0 : 0xffffff800f2b7b95

0xffffff81e0f3bc70 : 0xffffff800f2ce4ad

0xffffff81e0f3bc90 : 0xffffff7f90a27975

0xffffff81e0f3bdb0 : 0xffffff7f90a276f3

0xffffff81e0f3be00 : 0xffffff7f90a276ab

0xffffff81e0f3be50 : 0xffffff7f90a27936

0xffffff81e0f3be80 : 0xffffff7f90a0c5d2

0xffffff81e0f3bed0 : 0xffffff7f90a0a59f

0xffffff81e0f3bef0 : 0xffffff800f647078

0xffffff81e0f3bf30 : 0xffffff800f645b8a

0xffffff81e0f3bf80 : 0xffffff800f645cb9

0xffffff81e0f3bfb0 : 0xffffff800f2b2677

Kernel Extensions in backtrace:

com.apple.GeForce(8.0)[4B9BE287-5251-398E-96B0-BB16C9BFB2D9]@0xffffff7f90a06000 ->0xffffff7f90ac8fff

dependency: com.apple.NVDAResman(8.0.0)[6A699209-FB98-316B-A3C0-DCA82AA8C86B]@0xffffff7f8f8 d8000

dependency: com.apple.iokit.IONDRVSupport(2.3.4)[99CA4184-8D92-31B2-8726-46139E8E3DFF]@0xff ffff7f8f8c4000

dependency: com.apple.iokit.IOPCIFamily(2.7)[8C9E06A4-13D0-33F5-A377-9E36F0ECC229]@0xffffff 7f8f84d000

dependency: com.apple.iokit.IOGraphicsFamily(2.3.4)[2600903C-EEDE-321B-A023-169DC9B26EA6]@0 xffffff7f8f881000

BSD process name corresponding to current thread: kernel_task

Mac OS version:

12B19

Kernel version:

Darwin Kernel Version 12.1.0: Tue Aug 14 13:29:55 PDT 2012; root:xnu-2050.9.2~1/RELEASE_X86_64

Kernel UUID: 3005059E-270B-3B9F-940D-7A66C05DDC9D

Kernel slide: 0x000000000f000000

Kernel text base: 0xffffff800f200000

System model name: MacPro4,1 (Mac-F221BEC8)

System uptime in nanoseconds: 200816362998684

last loaded kext at 46599045324: com.apple.driver.AppleHWSensor 1.9.5d0 (addr 0xffffff7f91145000, size 36864)

last unloaded kext at 120527452575: com.apple.driver.AppleIntel8254XEthernet 3.1.1b1 (addr 0xffffff7f90492000, size 69632)

loaded kexts:

com.logmein.driver.LogMeInSoundDriver 1.0.0

com.apple.driver.AppleHWSensor 1.9.5d0

com.apple.iokit.IOBluetoothSerialManager 4.0.9f8

com.apple.filesystems.ntfs 3.10

com.apple.filesystems.autofs 3.0

com.apple.driver.AppleTyMCEDriver 1.0.2d2

com.apple.driver.AGPM 100.12.69

com.apple.driver.AppleMikeyHIDDriver 122

com.apple.driver.AppleHDA 2.3.0f2

com.apple.driver.AppleMikeyDriver 2.3.0f2

com.apple.driver.AudioAUUC 1.60

com.apple.driver.AppleUpstreamUserClient 3.5.10

com.apple.driver.AppleMCCSControl 1.0.33

com.apple.iokit.BroadcomBluetoothHCIControllerUSBTransport 4.0.9f8

com.apple.iokit.IOUserEthernet 1.0.0d1

com.apple.driver.AppleLPC 1.6.0

com.apple.GeForce 8.0.0

com.apple.driver.ACPI_SMC_PlatformPlugin 1.0.0

com.apple.Dont_Steal_Mac_OS_X 7.0.0

com.apple.driver.ApplePolicyControl 3.2.6

com.apple.driver.XsanFilter 404

com.apple.iokit.IOAHCIBlockStorage 2.2.1

com.apple.iokit.SCSITaskUserClient 3.5.1

com.apple.AppleFSCompression.AppleFSCompressionTypeDataless 1.0.0d1

com.apple.AppleFSCompression.AppleFSCompressionTypeZlib 1.0.0d1

com.apple.BootCache 34

com.apple.driver.AppleUSBHub 5.1.6

com.apple.driver.AppleFWOHCI 4.9.5

com.apple.driver.AirPort.Brcm4331 601.15.21

com.apple.driver.Intel82574L 2.3.0b4

com.apple.driver.AppleAHCIPort 2.4.0

com.apple.driver.AppleUSBEHCI 5.1.5

com.apple.driver.AppleUSBUHCI 5.1.5

com.apple.driver.AppleEFINVRAM 1.6.1

com.apple.driver.AppleRTC 1.5

com.apple.driver.AppleHPET 1.7

com.apple.driver.AppleACPIButtons 1.6

com.apple.driver.AppleSMBIOS 1.9

com.apple.driver.AppleACPIEC 1.6

com.apple.driver.AppleAPIC 1.6

com.apple.driver.AppleIntelCPUPowerManagementClient 196.0.0

com.apple.nke.applicationfirewall 4.0.39

com.apple.security.quarantine 2

com.apple.driver.AppleIntelCPUPowerManagement 196.0.0

com.apple.iokit.IOSerialFamily 10.0.6

com.apple.kext.triggers 1.0

com.apple.driver.DspFuncLib 2.3.0f2

com.apple.driver.AppleSMBusController 1.0.10d0

com.apple.iokit.AppleBluetoothHCIControllerUSBTransport 4.0.9f8

com.apple.iokit.IOAudioFamily 1.8.9fc9

com.apple.kext.OSvKernDSPLib 1.6

com.apple.iokit.IOSurface 86.0.2

com.apple.driver.AppleSMBusPCI 1.0.10d0

com.apple.iokit.IOBluetoothFamily 4.0.9f8

com.apple.iokit.IOFireWireIP 2.2.5

com.apple.driver.AppleHDAController 2.3.0f2

com.apple.iokit.IOHDAFamily 2.3.0f2

com.apple.nvidia.nv50hal 8.0.0

com.apple.NVDAResman 8.0.0

com.apple.driver.IOPlatformPluginLegacy 1.0.0

com.apple.driver.IOPlatformPluginFamily 5.2.0d16

com.apple.driver.AppleSMC 3.1.3d11

com.apple.driver.AppleGraphicsControl 3.2.6

com.apple.iokit.IONDRVSupport 2.3.4

com.apple.iokit.IOGraphicsFamily 2.3.4

com.apple.driver.AppleUSBHIDKeyboard 165.5

com.apple.driver.AppleHIDKeyboard 165.5

com.apple.iokit.IOUSBHIDDriver 5.0.0

com.apple.driver.AppleUSBMergeNub 5.1.5

com.apple.iokit.IOSCSIBlockCommandsDevice 3.5.1

com.apple.iokit.IOUSBMassStorageClass 3.5.0

com.apple.driver.AppleUSBComposite 5.0.0

com.apple.iokit.IOSCSIMultimediaCommandsDevice 3.5.1

com.apple.iokit.IOBDStorageFamily 1.7

com.apple.iokit.IODVDStorageFamily 1.7.1

com.apple.iokit.IOCDStorageFamily 1.7.1

com.apple.iokit.IOAHCISerialATAPI 2.5.0

com.apple.iokit.IOSCSIArchitectureModelFamily 3.5.1

com.apple.iokit.IOFireWireFamily 4.5.5

com.apple.iokit.IOUSBUserClient 5.0.0

com.apple.iokit.IO80211Family 500.15

com.apple.iokit.IONetworkingFamily 3.0

com.apple.iokit.IOAHCIFamily 2.2.0

com.apple.iokit.IOUSBFamily 5.1.6

com.apple.driver.AppleEFIRuntime 1.6.1

com.apple.iokit.IOHIDFamily 1.8.0

com.apple.iokit.IOSMBusFamily 1.1

com.apple.security.sandbox 220

com.apple.kext.AppleMatch 1.0.0d1

com.apple.security.TMSafetyNet 7

com.apple.driver.DiskImages 344

com.apple.iokit.IOStorageFamily 1.8

com.apple.driver.AppleKeyStore 28.18

com.apple.driver.AppleACPIPlatform 1.6

com.apple.iokit.IOPCIFamily 2.7

com.apple.iokit.IOACPIFamily 1.4

com.apple.kec.corecrypto 1.0

Model: MacPro4,1, BootROM MP41.0081.B07, 4 processors, Quad-Core Intel Xeon, 2.66 GHz, 16 GB, SMC 1.39f5

Graphics: NVIDIA GeForce GT 120, NVIDIA GeForce GT 120, PCIe, 512 MB

Memory Module: DIMM 1, 4 GB, DDR3 ECC, 1066 MHz, 0x857F, 0x463732353155363446393333334700000000

Memory Module: DIMM 2, 4 GB, DDR3 ECC, 1066 MHz, 0x857F, 0x463732353155363446393333334700000000

Memory Module: DIMM 3, 4 GB, DDR3 ECC, 1066 MHz, 0x857F, 0x463732353155363446393333334700000000

Memory Module: DIMM 4, 4 GB, DDR3 ECC, 1066 MHz, 0x857F, 0x463732353155363446393333334700000000

AirPort: spairport_wireless_card_type_airport_extreme (0x14E4, 0x8E), Broadcom BCM43xx 1.0 (5.106.98.81.21)

Bluetooth: Version 4.0.9f8 10405, 2 service, 18 devices, 1 incoming serial ports

Network Service: Wi-Fi, AirPort, en2

PCI Card: NVIDIA GeForce GT 120, sppci_displaycontroller, Slot-1

PCI Card: NVIDIA GeForce GT 120, sppci_displaycontroller, Slot-2

Serial ATA Device: HL-DT-ST DVD-RW GH41N

Serial ATA Device: WDC WD6400AAKS-41H2B0, 640.14 GB

Serial ATA Device: ST31000333AS, 1 TB

USB Device: Keyboard Hub, apple_vendor_id, 0x1006, 0xfa200000 / 2

USB Device: USB Receiver, 0x046d (Logitech Inc.), 0xc526, 0xfa230000 / 4

USB Device: Apple Keyboard, apple_vendor_id, 0x0220, 0xfa220000 / 3

USB Device: LaCie Hard Drive USB, 0x059f (LaCie), 0x1018, 0xfd100000 / 2

USB Device: BRCM2046 Hub, 0x0a5c (Broadcom Corp.), 0x4500, 0x5a100000 / 2

USB Device: Bluetooth USB Host Controller, apple_vendor_id, 0x8215, 0x5a110000 / 3

FireWire Device: built-in_hub, 800mbit_speed

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Mac Pro, OS X Mountain Lion (10.8.1)

Posted on Sep 8, 2012 2:00 PM

228 replies

May 23, 2013 9:40 AM in response to Jsh111

I have two monitors attached to two GT120 cards, and have been considering getting one 5770 card to drive both based on the tentative success stories posted here. So I want to make sure I understand what you're saying - do I need this disappointing dongle in order to have two monitors on one 5770 card? I had thought that it handled two monitors without any extra hardware, but perhaps that was incorrect.

Thanks!

Jsh111

Level 1

14 points

May 23, 2013 9:41 AM in response to Janine Sisk

Depends on your monitors. My Dell 30" monitors require dual-dvi inputs. For single DVI or miniport monitors you should be fine.

May 23, 2013 9:52 AM in response to Jsh111

Ok, thanks. These are Apple 24" monitors, purchased in 2009 along with the Mac Pro. They are each single miniport so it sounds like I won't need it.

bigj6360

Level 1

15 points

May 23, 2013 9:54 AM in response to Jsh111

I'm tapping out.

I pulled a Quadro 600 out of a PC. Looking forward to KP-free living... Just no boot screen 🙂

I've uploaded around 25 KP reports to apple referencing this thread.

bigj6360

Level 1

15 points

May 23, 2013 9:54 AM in response to r winn

Hopefully it will work for you. It hasn't for many here.

May 23, 2013 11:07 PM in response to Janine Sisk

I replaced my two GT120 graphics cards with a single ATI 5770. The kernel panics stopped immediately.

The switch over was straight forward. I removed both the GT120 cards and installed a single ATI 5770. The single replacement card provides two mini-display ports. I have two Apple displays connected without problems.

You may be interested in a few photos of the switch over and of the sockets on the ATI 5770.

r winn

Level 1

4 points

May 24, 2013 2:45 AM in response to kevloucat

FYI, I think you can only run 2 displays on the 5770, even though it has 3 ports. And it seems to work fine with one GE120 board, which is how I'm running 4 monitors right now. Hopefully next update will fix this mess, and I can add the other 120 back, and consider 6 displays.

May 24, 2013 5:37 AM in response to r winn

you can only run 2 displays on the 5770

Not so. The scarce resource on the 5770 and 5870 is POWER to boost the levels of signals from the very low Voltages of Mini DisplayPort to the comparatively higher Voltages of just about any other interface. You can run three displays if you use ACTIVE, POWERED adapters, that have signal boosters in the adapter.

Apple sells only the High-end Dual-Link DVI with an extra USB cord to pick up extra power, but Accell and StarTech sell AMD-certified ACTIVE single-Link DVI adapters for about US$35. The deciding issue is whether your display is Wider than 1920 (1080p) wide. The adapter must say ACTIVE in its advertising.

devinci

Level 1

4 points

May 31, 2013 7:21 PM in response to Grant Bennet-Alder

I can vouch for that. I had to buy 2x single-link Active mini-Display-to-DVI. My regular miniDP-to-DVI only gave me 2 displays.

BTW, I removed the nvidia cards; drop in one Sapphire 7950. So far, 1 week no KPs. BUT... I've lasted 3 weeks without KPs before (but i had to be very conservation and avoid putting too much things in my second GT 120).

myaka

Level 4

2,808 points

Jun 3, 2013 2:41 AM in response to Graham Miln

Thanks, Graham, for your informative post. I've been reluctant to dispose of my two GT120s, believing Apple (or NVidia) ought to find a software fix for the kernel panic issue they create and from which I, too, suffer with distressing regularity. I think you've convinced me that it's time to throw in the towel and move to a single card to power my two 24" Cinemas.

Jun 11, 2013 5:54 AM in response to kevloucat

I've been having this issue daily with my dual-GT120 Early 2009 Mac Pro.

I'm somewhat disappointed that the solution is for me to spend £203 on a new graphics card rather than for Apple to fix their buggy drivers. Nonetheless, thanks to eveyone in this thread who has nailed the issue down.

Jun 11, 2013 8:07 AM in response to myaka

myaka-

If you are running only two DVI displays, ONE GT120 card is more than capable of handling that task. For DVI displays, you would need some simple adapters.

The instability seems to come from running Multiple GT120s, not multiple displays.

There is no cheap solution for running two Mini DisplayPort displays -- that card is just too old for two modern interfaces.

macbitz

Level 1

14 points

Jun 11, 2013 1:12 PM in response to Grant Bennet-Alder

It's not specifically multiple GT120's because I have one GT120 and one 8800GT and have the problem.

Now that OS X Mavericks is in the wings there must be ZERO chance of this issue being fixed (not that I was holding out much hope before), so I'll be wiping my Mac Pro and re-installing ML 10.8.2 with the supplemental update. I use my Mac Pro to earn a living and having a machine that KP's up to three times a day is untenable. Also, rather than throw good money at a 5yr old system, I'd sooner put it towards something in the future, although probably not the new 'tubular' Mac Pro as that looks insanely expensive!

The hatter

Level 9

61,031 points

Jun 11, 2013 1:32 PM in response to macbitz

So would it be trouble to try with just one? both of those cards are 4 and 6 yrs old (the 8800GT came out 2007 really), or 'invest' in a poor little 5770 - even a PC card if it turns out the GT120 by itself works. Maybe the 8800 has reached the point it needs to be baked, or replaced, but try with just one to rule out which.

And start with a fresh OS, clone it! so you have a good image to restore and try with that is 'unharmed' by crashes and the rest (and yes a panic taking down the system you may think it will self-correct and repair the directory?).

Jun 11, 2013 1:48 PM in response to macbitz

The problem appears to be related to the use of multiple NVIDIA cards. As far as one can tell, using a SINGLE NVIDIA card or a combination of one NVIDIA card and one ATI card eliminates the problem.

Using a single GT120 card works, but 1) depending on your type of monitor/screen size, you'll need an expensive DVI-to-MiniDisplayPort adapter to use the second port and 2) there will be a noticeable drop in video performance, primarily because now each monitor only has 256 MB of VRAM. Not dramatic, but noticeable.

I personally went with keeping one GT120 for my secondary 30" monitor (512 MB of VRAM) and using a 5770 for my main 30" monitor (1 GB of VRAM). There is a small boost in video performance on the main screen, and no more KPs.

The installation is fairly straightforward, and the ATI card, while significantly bulkier than the GT120, does not appear to be making more fan noise.

This thread has been closed by the system or the community team. You may vote for any posts you find helpful, or search the Community for additional answers.

Diagnosing cause of kernel panic on a Mac Pro