iMac 21.5 Mid 2011 keeps crashing (kernel panics)

rkaufmann87 wrote:

I suspect your issue is you install Virtual Box (possibly and outdated version but what can you expect from freeware),

then you installed Fusion and now your're trying to install Parallels. OS X isn't like MS Windows (thanks heavens) in that you have to install the OS when you begin having issues, it's much more stable. However when you begin having issues with apps, paticularly KP related issues the place to start is by following the developers instructions for uninstalling then check to see if the verison of the app is compatible with OS X verison you have installed. If it is safe then download the most up to date version. It's a pretty simple concept but most people are lazy and just don't follow the fundamentals.

Virtual box doesn't seem to be related to the crashes. Crashes appeared both with and without VirtualBox.

After installing Parallels and performing the same copy job that crashed the host with VMWare quite reliably I do not experience problems.

I did not uninstall VMWare, neither did I enter Safe Mode. If I don't see any crashes with Parallels, I'm quite happy with the outcome so far.

Thank you guys

It looked like VMWare was the problem, not so... 😟

Replacing VMWare with Parallels seems to make crashes less likely.

Uninstalling VMWare (as documented) and entering safe mode (did it meanwhile) obviously also didn't help.

Looking at the random causes for these panics, I guess that it's probably just defective RAM that is not recognized by the hardware test. If these crashes are not caused by hardware, then I have to say that the Linux guys are doing a better job in terms of kernel robustness. They have to cope with much more diverse hardware environments and I can hardly remember the last time a linux box crashed.

Sun Jan 27 23:19:26 2013

panic(cpu 0 caller 0xffffff80100b7bd5): Kernel trap at 0xffffff7f90f04711, type 13=general protection, registers:

CR0: 0x000000008001003b, CR2: 0x0000000124a344f0, CR3: 0x000000001298e000, CR4: 0x00000000000606e0

RAX: 0x84ffff7f90fdb178, RBX: 0xffffff802a748004, RCX: 0x0000000000000080, RDX: 0x0000000000000002

RSP: 0xffffff802275ba90, RBP: 0xffffff802275bc40, RSI: 0xffffff8169cceb00, RDI: 0xffffff8169cceb00

R8: 0xffffff802275be18, R9: 0xffffff802275bcb4, R10: 0xffffff80106bdc20, R11: 0x0000000000000201

R12: 0xffffff8169cceb00, R13: 0xffffff802cb50004, R14: 0xffffff8169bfb830, R15: 0xffffff802a748004

RFL: 0x0000000000010286, RIP: 0xffffff7f90f04711, CS: 0x0000000000000008, SS: 0x0000000000000010

Fault CR2: 0x0000000124a344f0, Error code: 0x0000000000000000, Fault CPU: 0x0

Backtrace (CPU 0), Frame : Return Address

0xffffff802275b730 : 0xffffff801001d626

0xffffff802275b7a0 : 0xffffff80100b7bd5

0xffffff802275b970 : 0xffffff80100ce4ed

0xffffff802275b990 : 0xffffff7f90f04711

0xffffff802275bc40 : 0xffffff7f90ee923a

0xffffff802275bd10 : 0xffffff7f90f47f36

0xffffff802275bd50 : 0xffffff7f90eb41da

0xffffff802275be60 : 0xffffff7f90eb33bc

0xffffff802275be80 : 0xffffff7f90f14ba3

0xffffff802275bec0 : 0xffffff7f90ec05c2

0xffffff802275bef0 : 0xffffff80104472a8

0xffffff802275bf30 : 0xffffff8010445daa

0xffffff802275bf80 : 0xffffff8010445ed9

0xffffff802275bfb0 : 0xffffff80100b26b7

Kernel Extensions in backtrace:

com.apple.driver.AirPort.Atheros40(600.70.23)[2E6077DF-D532-357F-8107-F23BC2C10 F2F]@0xffffff7f90eb2000->0xffffff7f90ffafff

dependency: com.apple.iokit.IOPCIFamily(2.7.2)[B1B77B26-7984-302F-BA8E-544DD3D75E73]@0xffff ff7f9068d000

dependency: com.apple.iokit.IO80211Family(500.15)[4282DF5A-86B9-3213-B9B1-675FAD842A94]@0xf fffff7f90e46000

dependency: com.apple.iokit.IONetworkingFamily(3.0)[28575328-A798-34B3-BD84-D708138EBD17]@0 xffffff7f90864000

BSD process name corresponding to current thread: kernel_task

Mac OS version:

12C60

Kernel version:

Darwin Kernel Version 12.2.0: Sat Aug 25 00:48:52 PDT 2012; root:xnu-2050.18.24~1/RELEASE_X86_64

Kernel UUID: 69A5853F-375A-3EF4-9247-478FD0247333

Kernel slide: 0x000000000fe00000

Kernel text base: 0xffffff8010000000

System model name: iMac12,1 (Mac-942B5BF58194151B)

System uptime in nanoseconds: 2382717605327

last loaded kext at 514531353471: com.apple.filesystems.smbfs 1.8 (addr 0xffffff7f9234a000, size 229376)

last unloaded kext at 116625118858: com.apple.driver.AppleUSBUHCI 5.2.5 (addr 0xffffff7f90954000, size 65536)

loaded kexts:

com.parallels.filesystems.prlufs 2010.12.28

com.parallels.kext.vnic 8.0 18354.823166

com.parallels.kext.netbridge 8.0 18354.823166

com.parallels.kext.hidhook 8.0 18354.823166

com.parallels.kext.hypervisor 8.0 18354.823166

com.parallels.kext.usbconnect 8.0 18354.823166

com.avatron.AVExFramebuffer 1.7

com.avatron.AVExVideo 1.7

com.apple.filesystems.smbfs 1.8

com.apple.driver.AppleBluetoothMultitouch 75.15

com.apple.driver.AppleHWSensor 1.9.5d0

com.apple.driver.AudioAUUC 1.60

com.apple.driver.AGPM 100.12.69

com.apple.driver.AppleMikeyHIDDriver 122

com.apple.filesystems.autofs 3.0

com.apple.driver.AppleHDA 2.3.1f2

com.apple.iokit.BroadcomBluetoothHCIControllerUSBTransport 4.0.9f33

com.apple.driver.AppleMikeyDriver 2.3.1f2

com.apple.driver.AppleSMCPDRC 1.0.0

com.apple.driver.ACPI_SMC_PlatformPlugin 1.0.0

com.apple.driver.AppleUpstreamUserClient 3.5.10

com.apple.kext.AMDFramebuffer 8.0.0

com.apple.driver.AppleSMCLMU 2.0.2d0

com.apple.iokit.IOUserEthernet 1.0.0d1

com.apple.iokit.IOBluetoothSerialManager 4.0.9f33

com.apple.Dont_Steal_Mac_OS_X 7.0.0

com.apple.driver.ApplePolicyControl 3.2.11

com.apple.driver.AppleBacklight 170.2.3

com.apple.AMDRadeonAccelerator 1.0.0

com.apple.driver.AppleLPC 1.6.0

com.apple.driver.AppleIntelHD3000Graphics 8.0.0

com.apple.driver.AppleMCCSControl 1.0.33

com.apple.driver.AppleIntelSNBGraphicsFB 8.0.0

com.apple.iokit.SCSITaskUserClient 3.5.1

com.apple.driver.AppleUSBCardReader 3.1.0

com.apple.driver.AppleIRController 320.15

com.apple.driver.XsanFilter 404

com.apple.iokit.IOAHCIBlockStorage 2.2.2

com.apple.AppleFSCompression.AppleFSCompressionTypeDataless 1.0.0d1

com.apple.AppleFSCompression.AppleFSCompressionTypeZlib 1.0.0d1

com.apple.BootCache 34

com.apple.driver.AppleUSBHub 5.2.5

com.apple.iokit.AppleBCM5701Ethernet 3.2.5b3

com.apple.driver.AirPort.Atheros40 600.70.23

com.apple.driver.AppleUSBEHCI 5.4.0

com.apple.driver.AppleFWOHCI 4.9.6

com.apple.driver.AppleAHCIPort 2.4.1

com.apple.driver.AppleEFINVRAM 1.6.1

com.apple.driver.AppleACPIButtons 1.6

com.apple.driver.AppleRTC 1.5

com.apple.driver.AppleHPET 1.7

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.driver.AppleBluetoothHIDKeyboard 165.5

com.apple.driver.AppleHIDKeyboard 165.5

com.apple.driver.IOBluetoothHIDDriver 4.0.9f33

com.apple.driver.AppleMultitouchDriver 235.28

com.apple.kext.triggers 1.0

com.apple.driver.DspFuncLib 2.3.1f2

com.apple.iokit.IOAudioFamily 1.8.9fc10

com.apple.kext.OSvKernDSPLib 1.6

com.apple.iokit.AppleBluetoothHCIControllerUSBTransport 4.0.9f33

com.apple.driver.AppleThunderboltEDMSink 1.1.8

com.apple.driver.AppleThunderboltEDMSource 1.1.8

com.apple.iokit.IOFireWireIP 2.2.5

com.apple.driver.IOPlatformPluginLegacy 1.0.0

com.apple.iokit.IOSurface 86.0.3

com.apple.iokit.IOSerialFamily 10.0.6

com.apple.iokit.IOBluetoothFamily 4.0.9f33

com.apple.driver.AppleSMC 3.1.4d2

com.apple.driver.AppleGraphicsControl 3.2.11

com.apple.driver.AppleBacklightExpert 1.0.4

com.apple.driver.AppleHDAController 2.3.1f2

com.apple.iokit.IOHDAFamily 2.3.1f2

com.apple.iokit.IOAcceleratorFamily 19.0.26

com.apple.driver.IOPlatformPluginFamily 5.2.0d16

com.apple.driver.AppleSMBusPCI 1.0.10d0

com.apple.iokit.IONDRVSupport 2.3.5

com.apple.kext.AMD6000Controller 8.0.0

com.apple.kext.AMDSupport 8.0.0

com.apple.driver.AppleSMBusController 1.0.10d0

com.apple.iokit.IOGraphicsFamily 2.3.5

com.apple.driver.AppleThunderboltDPOutAdapter 1.8.5

com.apple.driver.AppleThunderboltDPInAdapter 1.8.5

com.apple.driver.AppleThunderboltDPAdapterFamily 1.8.5

com.apple.driver.AppleThunderboltPCIDownAdapter 1.2.5

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.IOSCSIBlockCommandsDevice 3.5.1

com.apple.iokit.IOUSBMassStorageClass 3.5.0

com.apple.iokit.IOAHCISerialATAPI 2.5.0

com.apple.iokit.IOSCSIArchitectureModelFamily 3.5.1

com.apple.iokit.IOUSBHIDDriver 5.2.5

com.apple.driver.AppleUSBMergeNub 5.2.5

com.apple.driver.AppleUSBComposite 5.2.5

com.apple.iokit.IOUSBUserClient 5.2.5

com.apple.driver.AppleThunderboltNHI 1.6.0

com.apple.iokit.IOThunderboltFamily 2.1.1

com.apple.iokit.IOEthernetAVBController 1.0.2b1

com.apple.iokit.IO80211Family 500.15

com.apple.iokit.IONetworkingFamily 3.0

com.apple.iokit.IOFireWireFamily 4.5.5

com.apple.iokit.IOUSBFamily 5.4.0

com.apple.iokit.IOAHCIFamily 2.2.1

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 28.21

com.apple.driver.AppleACPIPlatform 1.6

com.apple.iokit.IOPCIFamily 2.7.2

com.apple.iokit.IOACPIFamily 1.4

com.apple.kec.corecrypto 1.0

Update (Just in case somebody else has the same problems or sombody else has some ideas):

It looks like memory or some related component is the culprit. I have 2x4GB in the front slots and 2x2GB in the back.

Running memtest with full banks reliably results either in a test failure (very rarely) or in the Mac hanging.

I removed the two 2GB slots and ran the tests two times, they passed.

Then I put one 2GB bar back (into the left/back slot), ran memtest again, computer hangs in Solid Bits or Block Sequential passes (as usual).

Then I exchanged the 2GB bar with the other one, same result (hanging again).

Then I exchanged the 2GB bar again with the other one but put it in the slow to the right. Regrettably, the test passed.

I have to stop playing with the Mac and start to work a bit, and 10GB Ram is ok for the moment. I will see if this configuration is stable.

It looks to me as if not the RAM itself is damaged but something that depends on which memory slot is used.

I don't have much experience with this kind of problem. I searched on Google for people reporting the effect that memory tests hang, but I did not find anything that seems related. Memory failures seem to be in most cases detectable (like delivering wrong results).

Is there a plausible explanation for memory tests quite reliably resulting in OS hanging while in normal operation the kernel usually crashes? Memtest seems to be a userland program, so I would have expected the same kind of crashes that I see in normal operation.

What could be damaged if it is not the RAM? MMU? The slot itself? I can hardly imagine what kind of damage could cause such a partial failure. I don't like hardware problems.

Well I went to the Apple-Shop when I bought the Mac and asked them to put as much RAM as they can and that's what I got...

But on the page referenced in the Memory information (where you get via About this Mac), they write that the RAM has to comply to the specifications, that the two front slots have to be both used and should be filled with the same kind of RAM. For the backside slots there are no restrictions (documented).

I payed probably twice the price when I bought the RAM together with the Mac, actually I did because I didn't want to know.

No more kernel crashes until now, but an application crash (SEGV), so most likely either the 2GB bars are both defective and it doesnt show up as often if put in the second slot, or something more serious like the mainboard is defect. I will see.

Regarding reputation of sellers: There is not really much of a choice in Tunisia where I live. And whatever you choose doesn't really have a big income on the outcome.

My suggestion for people in my situation would be not to buy a Mac in Tunisia and then not to put anything into a powerplug before you opened it and verified that it's properly connected. But I guess that kind of advice will not help the typical audience of this forum ;-)

In the end, it seems quite plausible that whatever is damaged is a result of the unconnected grounding, it had the effect that you could feel a static charge on the case of the Mac... (as mentioned in the first post)...