kernel panic, looks GPU related

sapeng wrote:

Has anyone tried doing this? Does it work?

It's irrelevant. You can't begin to address a kernel panic or even mention the words "hardware problem" while you still have kernel extensions that show up in 80% of all kernel panics. They must be removed.

If you are nevertheless convinced it is a hardware problem, keep the kernel extensions installed, complain on internet message boards until your warranty expires, then pay for new logic board out of your own pocket. Then, when you reinstall the OS without these 3rd party kernel extensions, or with updated versions, the problem miraculously fixes itself.That is very similar to the miraculous fix obtained by rolling back to Snow Leopard, the operating system that these kernel extensions were developed and tested with.

Thought I'd chime in and say that I experienced 4-5 Kernel Panics in a one-year time period after upgrading to Mountain Lion, then 4-5 IN ONE DAY after upgrading to Mavericks, all GPU related.

I did a clean install, but restored from a Time Machine backup aferwards, and have experienced it 3 times since then (clean install done yesterday morning).

Yeah, I was okay with the very infrequent number of KPs before Mavericks and am now not okay with how frequent they've become.

The hardware failure is probably a connection that fails under certain conditions. For my MacBook Pro, it seemed to happen mostly when the machine was running relatively cool and then suddenly made slightly more use of the GPU. It wasn't related to integrated/discrete GPU switching, because the panics would also happen when connected to an external screen, which automatically disables the integrated GPU. Running with just the built in screen, I don't think I ever had a panic when the integrated graphics were in use (I installed gfxCardStatus to troubleshoot the panics).

I haven't had any issues at all after the repair last week. The operating system wasn't changed in any way. This leaves the logic board hardware and firmware as possible sources of the kernel panics.

hi,

my mid 2010 i7 nv gt330m 8gb 15" mbp has the same issue, exactly since i installed mavericks . Could it be possible that this issue, mentioned here http://support.apple.com/kb/TS4088 just shows up after installtion of 10.9 ? Looks strange to me. Is there still a replacement program for those 15" mbp's?

TS4088 seems to be the issue for a lot of people. The repair program is still valid if you purchased your MacBook Pro less than 3 years ago and sometimes on a case by case basis you can get that extended a bit.

I wish I would have found this discussion thread six months ago! It would have saved me a lot of grief and upgrading to Mavericks. As it turns out just three hours after upgrading to Mavericks hoping it would solve this problem, I found this thread, this is after six months of researching the problem!

Anyway, starting about June 2013, I started having kernel panics when use quick view (click file, hit space bar), so I basically stopped using it though it was a loss as I like that feature. Then panics started happening when using Safari, especially zooming in on Google maps. I had major click fear.

Then this past Saturday I updated to Mavericks and kernel panics started happening anytime, triggering Expose, just resizing a window, etc. It was impossible to use my MacBook in a serious capacity (I am a pro photographer). Then I find this thread.

So....this afternoon I went to the Apple Store in Tampa (at International Plaza). The genius (thanks Adam!) initially said not covered since it is 3.5 years since purchase, but after he spoke with the manager it was cleared, so I will be getting a new logic board and one night service free of charge. The problem is the part is constrained and may not be in for at least another two days.

I heard him talking to another staff member and I inquired about how often this happens, and they said two in the past two weeks, so this is an ongoing issue.

Just know that even if you are beyond 3 years from date of purchase, if you are calm and cool I am sure you can get your local Apple Store to do the logic board replacement for free.

i have had this problem on my macbook since july this year. it coincided with an upgrade of the firmware, and update to 10.8.4. it started off as a kernel panic every few days. by the end of august, i was up to 5 KP's a day. i live in ireland, and we don't have an apple store here in the republic. i went into an authorised reseller, but they wanted €70 just to run the test on the mac. i was on to apple senior tech support here, and they won't touch my mac as it's 6 months out of warranty.

i was wondering if mavericks would fix it, but luckily i saw this thread, so i won't bother installing it.

it's very frustrating. i can't afford a new mac, i can't afford to pay for a new logic board, and apple don't want to do anything for me. it ***** -- after buying macs for ten years, i must have easily spent over 10 grand with them.. and they won't help me! this is my first mac to have such trouble. really leaves a sour taste! i had no issue under 10.6.8. i regret upgrading to mountain lion. and i can't even go back, i've tried to go back to 10.6.8, but it won't let me. apparently that firmware that i updated in july prevents me from going back.

i've had 4 kp's today so far, and 5 yesterday. i'm afraid to do any design or photography work. they should have recalled all these macbooks! i hope someone will eventually find a software workaround that works.. or something!

The Apple service provider that I used didn't charge anything for running the test. I don't know if it's something the shop can decide on their own.

The thing you say about firmware seems odd. As far as I know, I had the latest firmware and I could still run Snow Leopard just fine. I haven't actually tried Snow Leopard after the repair (except under VMWare Fusion).

In any case, you reported the issue to a certified Apple service provider in August, so if the MacBook was under 3 years old at that point, you could argue that you should get a repair (and that you should have gotten one then). Call Apple customer service and talk with them. They were super polite and nice when I dealt with them on this issue.

compu b is our authorised retailer here -- they charge, but i don't think apple stores do.

i first did an archive & install of 10.8, which didn't solve the issue. i then tried to boot 10.6.8 off an external USB hard disk, to see if i got the KP's under that, but it wouldn't let me boot. i wiped the drive clean, and tried to install 10.6 from scratch, the computer refused. it ONLY lets me install 10.8.

i asked could i roll back the firmware, and was told i could not. i was told i could roll back to 10.6 or 10.7.. but that wasn't possible!

i have spent a lot of time on the phone to apple support, and they just keep repeating "out of warranty" to me. i bought this macbook pro in april 2010, so it's 3.5 years old at this stage, and was 3 months out of warranty when i first brought the issue up with them. apple are very firm in not doing anything for me.

i just had another gpu kernel panic about 5 minutes ago. 2nd one today, with only using the macbook for an hour. 😟

If you only use the internal display, you can get the gfxCardStatus application. It puts a menu on your system menu bar and allows you to switch between discrete and integrated graphics. Choose integrated graphics and if the computer ever switches to discrete again (the letter in the menu will change), change it back again (if you can). It's likely you can run 10.9 reliably this way and at least get some use out of the computer. Most programs will run OK even with the discrete graphics chip disabled, but it doesn't support using an external display.

If your case is like everyone else's, then the cause for the panics is the discrete GPU and by not using it, you avoid the panics. The automatic switches (which gfxCardStatus seems unable to prevent anymore) mostly happen when applications are launching or quitting (the system tries to figure out if any apps run better with the GPU and will switch accordingly even if they don't 100% need it to run).

I hope this helps a little bit - I know it's not a 100% solution.

i have the same problems, and I found this:

http://arstechnica.com/apple/2011/08/buggy-nvidia-drivers-giving-2010-macbook-pr o-owners-lion-upgrade-headaches/

Has anyone tried this one?

You need to show them the Printout of this article, beacues they may not know about the program.

This program is to adress a Latent Defect that was always there -- it is not a failure. They must run the special VST test required by the program to detect this Latent Defect -- the reular tests they run do not find this problem.

TS4088-MacBook Pro (15-inch, Mid 2010): Intermittent black screen or loss of video

jmest wrote:

i have the same problems, and I found this:

http://arstechnica.com/apple/2011/08/buggy-nvidia-drivers-giving-2010-macbook-pr o-owners-lion-upgrade-headaches/

Has anyone tried this one?

I read the article. I had the black screen/kernel panic problem even with Snow Leopard. I use an external monitor connected to my MacBook Pro so maybe that was causing the problems? Perhaps if I had not used the external monitor it would not have happened, but I do not think so. I just got my MacBook back yesterday late afternoon with a new logic board, updated to Mavericks (I had updated to Mavericks before from Snow Leopard and that only rapidly increased the frequency of kernel panics) and have had zero issues the past 30 hours purposefully doing things that used to trigger kernel panics (quick look, expose, resizing Safari).

My MacBook was bought in April 2010, my local Apple Store did the logic board replacement for free yesterday even though I was well past the 3 year coverage. The for sure solution is to do the same.

Grant Bennet-Alder wrote:

You need to show them the Printout of this article, beacues they may not know about the program.

This program is to adress a Latent Defect that was always there -- it is not a failure. They must run the special VST test required by the program to detect this Latent Defect -- the reular tests they run do not find this problem.

TS4088-MacBook Pro (15-inch, Mid 2010): Intermittent black screen or loss of video

My MacBook did actually pass the video MRI test performed in store. The tech said he expected that to happen and still authorized the free logic board replacement. 30 hours into the new logic board and zero kernel panics. Things just feel more stable somehow. For the first time in six months I feel confident using my Mac and not suffering from click fear.

apple seem to be more helpful in the USA. i have talked about that TS article many times with irish apple support & they still won't budge. i'm happy for those that have been able to get out of warranty replacements!

most of my gpu panics happen when i am scrolling through a website, or an email in mail, or clicking a link from twitter that opens up in safari. sometimes i've even got a panic after logging in, or if i am not even touching the mac, but looking at the screen. what i find most odd is that some days you might not get any panics, and then other days you will get lots! yesterday was a bad day. after i posted here, i had two more panics in the space of 2 minutes! i thought that was the end of this machine!

i have seen that article about trying out the gfxCardStatus. i will try that. at the end of the article, it mentioned deleting the windowserver file. i have already done that, and it didn't make one bit of difference.