qwertyui123
Level 1 (8 points)
Photos for Mac

Q: Why not wipe Mac and reinstall Operating System?

I have a mid-2011 iMac that is sufferring from intermittant Kernel Panic crashes.  The techs at AppleCare suggested that one possible remedy, one that they intimated should fix my problems, is to wipe the machine clean and reinstall the operating system.   I have all my stuff backed up on an external hard drive (Seagate).  However, they seem reluctant to want to do that and have suggested all kinds of other things that I don't want to do for various reasons.  For example, they want me to remove added ram...even though a hardware test shows no problems.  (The crashes are intermittant, so I can't be sure a lack of crashes with factory ram will prove anything). They also want me to remove all Google apps...including Google Chrome.   I certainly don't want to do that.    Seems to me that if they are so sure that wiping the machine would do the trick, that's what should be done.  The tech I talked to complained that that entails a lot of work, quite a process for them to help me over the phone.   Seems like that's what should be done though if it's going to resolve the problem.  Anybody have any thoughts?  

iMac, OS X Mountain Lion (10.8.4)

Posted on Aug 19, 2013 1:41 PM

Close
qwertyui123

Q: Why not wipe Mac and reinstall Operating System?

  • All replies
  • Helpful answers

Page 1 of 3 last Next

  • by BobTheFisherman,

    BobTheFisherman BobTheFisherman Aug 19, 2013 1:42 PM in response to qwertyui123
    Level 6 (15,717 points)
    Aug 19, 2013 1:42 PM in response to qwertyui123

    Do it yourself if that is what you want to do. Why do you need them to hold your hand? You don't want to do what they are suggesting you do so ...

  • by Kurt Lang,

    Kurt Lang Kurt Lang Aug 19, 2013 1:45 PM in response to qwertyui123
    Level 8 (38,024 points)
    Mac OS X
    Aug 19, 2013 1:45 PM in response to qwertyui123

    Kernel panics are most often associated with hardware issues, though they can also be software related. A RAM test can run for hours and never show a problem when there actually is a fault. Removing the extra RAM temporarily is a simple test to see if the kernel panics stop. If it does, you found the problem on the first try. If not, put the RAM back in.

     

    Google Chrome (like pretty much any software, especially damaged apps) can cause a kernel panic. It may not be Chrome itself, but a badly written plug-in when it's in use. The test there is to disable all add-ons and plug-ins and see what does, or doesn't happen.

  • by qwertyui123,

    qwertyui123 qwertyui123 Aug 19, 2013 1:48 PM in response to BobTheFisherman
    Level 1 (8 points)
    Photos for Mac
    Aug 19, 2013 1:48 PM in response to BobTheFisherman

    I believe I have good reasons for not wanting to do what they want me to do, as stated above.  I paid for Apple Care, that's why I would like their assistance.  I'm not looking for impertinent comments.  I'm asking if this doesn't make sense and why it wouldn't be the best course of action consdidering they said they think it should fix the problem.   Anyone out there with experience who agrees or disagrees this should fix it?

  • by sberman,

    sberman sberman Aug 19, 2013 1:48 PM in response to qwertyui123
    Level 8 (41,031 points)
    Aug 19, 2013 1:48 PM in response to qwertyui123

    I completely agree with BobTheFisherman, and would take his suggestion one step further ...

     

    Those crashes are happening for a reason.  You might consider assessing and diagnosing the cause to make sure you don't get continued panics after all your effort to reinstall OS X.

     

    You might consider doing one or both of these:

     

    1.  Before you do any reinstall, consider running Console utility and examining the state of affairs when the crashes happen.

     

    2.  Be very wary of applications that may be suspicious in nature on your machine.  Consider the likelihood each of your non-Apple apps might contribute to the issues before reinstalling.

  • by babowa,

    babowa babowa Aug 19, 2013 2:11 PM in response to qwertyui123
    Level 7 (32,357 points)
    iPad
    Aug 19, 2013 2:11 PM in response to qwertyui123

    Be aware that reinstalling will of course give you a brand new clean system. However, as soon as you port over/reinstall all your third party apps (Chrome included), you may get the very same problems again. Yours could be a hardware issue (RAM does fail and the hardware test is NOT 100% accurate) or it could be a problem with incompatible software.

     

    Troubleshooting computer problems is difficult: you have to eliminate possible sources one by one. You have to be willing to go through the steps with them - having Applecare has less to do with that; if you aren't willing to go through some eliminating steps, not much is going to help.

  • by qwertyui123,

    qwertyui123 qwertyui123 Aug 19, 2013 2:18 PM in response to babowa
    Level 1 (8 points)
    Photos for Mac
    Aug 19, 2013 2:18 PM in response to babowa

    Appreciate all the help here.   I will undoubtedly begin by removing the added Ram.  But again, this happens infrequently enough that I could go several weeks without a crash and not be sure it's the Ram.   What I just did was disable all Chrome Plugins.  Think that might be a good test?

  • by sberman,

    sberman sberman Aug 19, 2013 2:23 PM in response to qwertyui123
    Level 8 (41,031 points)
    Aug 19, 2013 2:23 PM in response to qwertyui123

    That's a good start.  You might have obscure apps that you should also not install.

     

    Or maybe you have apps like MacKeeper that you definitely should not install.

  • by John Galt,

    John Galt John Galt Aug 19, 2013 2:27 PM in response to qwertyui123
    Level 9 (50,409 points)
    Mac OS X
    Aug 19, 2013 2:27 PM in response to qwertyui123

    Aftermarket RAM is a common cause of kernal panics, notwithstanding the results of Apple Hardware Test. I have had aftermarket RAM pass AHT only to have it fail at some random later time. AppleCare is justified in asking you to remove it.

     

    OWC and Crucial are generally known to supply Mac-compatible memory. Most generic PC RAM vendors are generally known to supply Mac-incompatible memory.

     

    Next time you experience a kernel panic, copy and paste the report in a reply.

     

    qwertyui123 wrote:

     

    ...   What I just did was disable all Chrome Plugins.  Think that might be a good test?

     

    Yes.

  • by qwertyui123,

    qwertyui123 qwertyui123 Aug 19, 2013 2:28 PM in response to sberman
    Level 1 (8 points)
    Photos for Mac
    Aug 19, 2013 2:28 PM in response to sberman

    No MacKeeper.   Question:  Would it help to post some kind of log here...or is that even possible or kosher on this forum?

  • by John Galt,

    John Galt John Galt Aug 19, 2013 2:31 PM in response to qwertyui123
    Level 9 (50,409 points)
    Mac OS X
    Aug 19, 2013 2:31 PM in response to qwertyui123

    Use Console - it's in your Utilities folder.

     

    Copy and paste the most recent kernel panic report.

  • by qwertyui123,

    qwertyui123 qwertyui123 Aug 19, 2013 2:36 PM in response to John Galt
    Level 1 (8 points)
    Photos for Mac
    Aug 19, 2013 2:36 PM in response to John Galt

    Interval Since Last Panic Report:  -8 sec

    Panics Since Last Report:          1

    Anonymous UUID:                    518F595F-E618-970E-F7A5-37CDBC490AD0

     

     

    Mon Aug 19 08:46:03 2013

    panic(cpu 2 caller 0xffffff8027cb8655): Kernel trap at 0xffffff8027c7747e, type 13=general protection, registers:

    CR0: 0x000000008001003b, CR2: 0x00007fd7e24878b0, CR3: 0x00000001dc4080a4, CR4: 0x00000000000606e0

    RAX: 0x0000000000000000, RBX: 0xffffff8034143db0, RCX: 0x0000000000000000, RDX: 0xffffff80282be470

    RSP: 0xffffff81b59fbc90, RBP: 0xffffff81b59fbce0, RSI: 0x0000000000000000, RDI: 0xffffff8034143db0

    R8:  0xfffffffffffff000, R9:  0xffffff805308e498, R10: 0x000000002c2ff000, R11: 0x00000000ffffff00

    R12: 0xefffff802dce9130, R13: 0x000000000000004d, R14: 0x0000000000000000, R15: 0x0000000000000000

    RFL: 0x0000000000010206, RIP: 0xffffff8027c7747e, CS:  0x0000000000000008, SS:  0x0000000000000010

    Fault CR2: 0x00007fd7e24878b0, Error code: 0x0000000000000000, Fault CPU: 0x2

     

     

    Backtrace (CPU 2), Frame : Return Address

    0xffffff81b59fb930 : 0xffffff8027c1d626

    0xffffff81b59fb9a0 : 0xffffff8027cb8655

    0xffffff81b59fbb70 : 0xffffff8027cce17d

    0xffffff81b59fbb90 : 0xffffff8027c7747e

    0xffffff81b59fbce0 : 0xffffff8027c7c637

    0xffffff81b59fbd10 : 0xffffff8027c76524

    0xffffff81b59fbd40 : 0xffffff8027c759b0

    0xffffff81b59fbd80 : 0xffffff8027c6737c

    0xffffff81b59fbe70 : 0xffffff8027c6b0e0

    0xffffff81b59fbea0 : 0xffffff8027c35d03

    0xffffff81b59fbee0 : 0xffffff8027f566d7

    0xffffff81b59fbf50 : 0xffffff8027f56479

    0xffffff81b59fbf60 : 0xffffff8027fe13b3

    0xffffff81b59fbfb0 : 0xffffff8027cce6ad

     

     

    BSD process name corresponding to current thread: Google Chrome He

     

     

    Mac OS version:

    12E55

     

     

    Kernel version:

    Darwin Kernel Version 12.4.0: Wed May  1 17:57:12 PDT 2013; root:xnu-2050.24.15~1/RELEASE_X86_64

    Kernel UUID: 896CB1E3-AB79-3DF1-B595-549DFFDF3D36

    Kernel slide:     0x0000000027a00000

    Kernel text base: 0xffffff8027c00000

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

     

     

    System uptime in nanoseconds: 6248474280555

    last loaded kext at 3596262097621: com.apple.filesystems.smbfs          1.8.4 (addr 0xffffff7fa9f41000, size 229376)

    last unloaded kext at 185680316648: com.apple.driver.AppleUSBUHCI          5.2.5 (addr 0xffffff7fa856f000, size 65536)

    loaded kexts:

    com.logmein.driver.LogMeInSoundDriver          1.0.2

    com.apple.filesystems.smbfs          1.8.4

    com.apple.filesystems.msdosfs          1.8.1

    com.apple.driver.AppleBluetoothMultitouch          75.19

    com.apple.driver.AppleHWSensor          1.9.5d0

    com.apple.driver.IOBluetoothSCOAudioDriver          4.1.4f2

    com.apple.driver.IOBluetoothA2DPAudioDriver          4.1.4f2

    com.apple.iokit.IOBluetoothSerialManager          4.1.4f2

    com.apple.driver.AGPM          100.12.87

    com.apple.filesystems.autofs          3.0

    com.apple.driver.AppleMikeyHIDDriver          122

    com.apple.driver.AppleHDA          2.3.7fc4

    com.apple.driver.AudioAUUC          1.60

    com.apple.iokit.IOUserEthernet          1.0.0d1

    com.apple.driver.ACPI_SMC_PlatformPlugin          1.0.0

    com.apple.driver.AppleUpstreamUserClient          3.5.10

    com.apple.kext.AMDFramebuffer          8.1.2

    com.apple.AMDRadeonAccelerator          1.0.8

    com.apple.Dont_Steal_Mac_OS_X          7.0.0

    com.apple.driver.ApplePolicyControl          3.4.5

    com.apple.driver.AppleLPC          1.6.0

    com.apple.driver.AppleSMCPDRC          1.0.0

    com.apple.driver.AppleBacklight          170.2.5

    com.apple.driver.AppleMikeyDriver          2.3.7fc4

    com.apple.iokit.BroadcomBluetoothHCIControllerUSBTransport          4.1.4f2

    com.apple.driver.AppleSMCLMU          2.0.3d0

    com.apple.driver.AppleIntelHD3000Graphics          8.1.2

    com.apple.driver.AppleMCCSControl          1.1.11

    com.apple.driver.AppleIntelSNBGraphicsFB          8.1.2

    com.apple.driver.iPodSBCDriver          1.6.0

    com.apple.iokit.IOUSBAttachedSCSI          1.0.3

    com.apple.iokit.SCSITaskUserClient          3.5.5

    com.apple.driver.AppleUSBCardReader          3.1.7

    com.apple.driver.AppleIRController          320.15

    com.apple.AppleFSCompression.AppleFSCompressionTypeDataless          1.0.0d1

    com.apple.AppleFSCompression.AppleFSCompressionTypeZlib          1.0.0d1

    com.apple.BootCache          34

    com.apple.driver.XsanFilter          404

    com.apple.iokit.IOAHCIBlockStorage          2.3.1

    com.apple.driver.AppleUSBHub          5.5.5

    com.apple.driver.AirPort.Atheros40          600.72.2

    com.apple.driver.AppleAHCIPort          2.5.2

    com.apple.driver.AppleFWOHCI          4.9.6

    com.apple.iokit.AppleBCM5701Ethernet          3.6.1b4

    com.apple.driver.AppleUSBEHCI          5.5.0

    com.apple.driver.AppleEFINVRAM          1.7

    com.apple.driver.AppleACPIButtons          1.7

    com.apple.driver.AppleRTC          1.5

    com.apple.driver.AppleHPET          1.8

    com.apple.driver.AppleSMBIOS          1.9

    com.apple.driver.AppleACPIEC          1.7

    com.apple.driver.AppleAPIC          1.6

    com.apple.driver.AppleIntelCPUPowerManagementClient          196.0.0

    com.apple.nke.applicationfirewall          4.0.39

    com.apple.security.quarantine          2.1

    com.apple.driver.AppleIntelCPUPowerManagement          196.0.0

    com.apple.driver.AppleMultitouchDriver          235.29

    com.apple.driver.AppleBluetoothHIDKeyboard          170.2

    com.apple.driver.IOBluetoothHIDDriver          4.1.4f2

    com.apple.driver.AppleHIDKeyboard          170.2

    com.apple.iokit.IOSerialFamily          10.0.6

    com.apple.kext.triggers          1.0

    com.apple.driver.DspFuncLib          2.3.7fc4

    com.apple.iokit.IOSurface          86.0.4

    com.apple.iokit.IOBluetoothFamily          4.1.4f2

    com.apple.driver.AppleUSBAudio          2.9.0f8

    com.apple.iokit.IOAudioFamily          1.8.9fc11

    com.apple.kext.OSvKernDSPLib          1.6

    com.apple.driver.IOPlatformPluginLegacy          1.0.0

    com.apple.iokit.IOAcceleratorFamily          74.5.1

    com.apple.driver.IOPlatformPluginFamily          5.3.0d51

    com.apple.driver.AppleThunderboltEDMSink          1.1.8

    com.apple.driver.AppleThunderboltEDMSource          1.1.8

    com.apple.driver.AppleGraphicsControl          3.4.5

    com.apple.driver.AppleBacklightExpert          1.0.4

    com.apple.driver.AppleSMBusPCI          1.0.11d0

    com.apple.iokit.IOFireWireIP          2.2.5

    com.apple.iokit.AppleBluetoothHCIControllerUSBTransport          4.1.4f2

    com.apple.driver.AppleSMC          3.1.4d2

    com.apple.iokit.IONDRVSupport          2.3.7

    com.apple.driver.AppleSMBusController          1.0.11d0

    com.apple.driver.AppleHDAController          2.3.7fc4

    com.apple.iokit.IOHDAFamily          2.3.7fc4

    com.apple.kext.AMD6000Controller          8.1.2

    com.apple.kext.AMDSupport          8.1.2

    com.apple.iokit.IOGraphicsFamily          2.3.7

    com.apple.iokit.IOSCSIMultimediaCommandsDevice          3.5.5

    com.apple.iokit.IOBDStorageFamily          1.7

    com.apple.iokit.IODVDStorageFamily          1.7.1

    com.apple.iokit.IOCDStorageFamily          1.7.1

    com.apple.iokit.IOAHCISerialATAPI          2.5.1

    com.apple.driver.AppleThunderboltDPOutAdapter          1.8.9

    com.apple.driver.AppleThunderboltDPInAdapter          1.8.9

    com.apple.driver.AppleThunderboltDPAdapterFamily          1.8.9

    com.apple.driver.AppleThunderboltPCIDownAdapter          1.2.6

    com.apple.iokit.IOSCSIBlockCommandsDevice          3.5.5

    com.apple.iokit.IOUSBMassStorageClass          3.5.1

    com.apple.iokit.IOSCSIArchitectureModelFamily          3.5.5

    com.apple.iokit.IOUSBHIDDriver          5.2.5

    com.apple.driver.AppleUSBMergeNub          5.5.5

    com.apple.driver.AppleUSBComposite          5.2.5

    com.apple.iokit.IOUSBUserClient          5.5.5

    com.apple.driver.AppleThunderboltNHI          1.7.8

    com.apple.iokit.IOThunderboltFamily          2.4.0

    com.apple.iokit.IO80211Family          530.4

    com.apple.iokit.IOAHCIFamily          2.3.1

    com.apple.iokit.IOFireWireFamily          4.5.5

    com.apple.iokit.IOEthernetAVBController          1.0.2b1

    com.apple.iokit.IONetworkingFamily          3.0

    com.apple.iokit.IOUSBFamily          5.6.0

    com.apple.driver.AppleEFIRuntime          1.7

    com.apple.iokit.IOHIDFamily          1.8.1

    com.apple.iokit.IOSMBusFamily          1.1

    com.apple.security.sandbox          220.3

    com.apple.kext.AppleMatch          1.0.0d1

    com.apple.security.TMSafetyNet          7

    com.apple.driver.DiskImages          345

    com.apple.iokit.IOStorageFamily          1.8

    com.apple.driver.AppleKeyStore          28.21

    com.apple.driver.AppleACPIPlatform          1.7

    com.apple.iokit.IOPCIFamily          2.7.3

    com.apple.iokit.IOACPIFamily          1.4

    com.apple.kec.corecrypto          1.0

    System Profile:

    Model: iMac12,1, BootROM IM121.0047.B1F, 4 processors, Intel Core i5, 2.5 GHz, 12 GB, SMC 1.71f25

    Graphics: AMD Radeon HD 6750M, AMD Radeon HD 6750M, PCIe, 512 MB

    Memory Module: BANK 0/DIMM0, 2 GB, DDR3, 1333 MHz, 0x02FE, 0x45424A3230554638424353302D444A2D4620

    Memory Module: BANK 1/DIMM0, 2 GB, DDR3, 1333 MHz, 0x02FE, 0x45424A3230554638424353302D444A2D4620

    Memory Module: BANK 0/DIMM1, 4 GB, DDR3, 1333 MHz, 0x830B, 0x4E54344743363442384844304E532D434720

    Memory Module: BANK 1/DIMM1, 4 GB, DDR3, 1333 MHz, 0x830B, 0x4E54344743363442384847304E532D434720

    AirPort: spairport_wireless_card_type_airport_extreme (0x168C, 0x9A), Atheros 9380: 4.0.72.0-P2P

    Bluetooth: Version 4.1.4f2 12041, 2 service, 18 devices, 1 incoming serial ports

    Network Service: Wi-Fi, AirPort, en1

    Serial ATA Device: ST3500418AS, 500.11 GB

    Serial ATA Device: HL-DT-STDVDRW  GA32N

    USB Device: hub_device, 0x0424  (SMSC), 0x2514, 0xfd100000 / 2

    USB Device: Backup+ Desk, 0x0bc2  (Seagate LLC), 0xa0a4, 0xfd140000 / 6

    USB Device: Blue Snowball, 0x0d8c  (C-MEDIA ELECTRONICS INC.), 0x0005, 0xfd130000 / 5

    USB Device: IR Receiver, apple_vendor_id, 0x8242, 0xfd120000 / 4

    USB Device: Internal Memory Card Reader, apple_vendor_id, 0x8403, 0xfd110000 / 3

    USB Device: FaceTime HD Camera (Built-in), apple_vendor_id, 0x850b, 0xfa200000 / 3

    USB Device: hub_device, 0x0424  (SMSC), 0x2514, 0xfa100000 / 2

    USB Device: hub_device, 0x0409  (NEC Corporation), 0x005a, 0xfa130000 / 6

    USB Device: iPod, apple_vendor_id, 0x1262, 0xfa133000 / 9

    USB Device: Flash Disk, 0x090c  (Silicon Motion, Inc. - Taiwan), 0x1000, 0xfa132000 / 8

    USB Device: Photosmart D7100 series, 0x03f0  (Hewlett Packard), 0xc602, 0xfa120000 / 5

    USB Device: BRCM2046 Hub, 0x0a5c  (Broadcom Corp.), 0x4500, 0xfa110000 / 4

    USB Device: Bluetooth USB Host Controller, apple_vendor_id, 0x8215, 0xfa111000 / 7

  • by macjack,

    macjack macjack Aug 19, 2013 2:45 PM in response to qwertyui123
    Level 9 (55,709 points)
    Mac OS X
    Aug 19, 2013 2:45 PM in response to qwertyui123

    Download and run Rember to test your RAM. a front-end GUI to the 'memtest' command line memory testing program. This application will allow you to select the number of test loops, as well as the amount of memory to test.

     

    Also what happens if you go to System Preferences > Users & Groups > Login items and delete Chrome. Not just uncheck, then log out and back in?

  • by John Galt,

    John Galt John Galt Aug 19, 2013 2:50 PM in response to qwertyui123
    Level 9 (50,409 points)
    Mac OS X
    Aug 19, 2013 2:50 PM in response to qwertyui123

    OS X: About kernel panics

     

    Read everything, and pay particular attention to the passages regarding isolating hardware and software as the cause. Hardware includes externally connected devices such as your Seagate drive, flash drive, even USB hubs.

     

    Basic troubleshooting requires that you isolate the cause to anything not included with the Mac when it was built. Start by excluding non-Apple hardware. This includes RAM.

  • by qwertyui123,

    qwertyui123 qwertyui123 Aug 19, 2013 3:18 PM in response to John Galt
    Level 1 (8 points)
    Photos for Mac
    Aug 19, 2013 3:18 PM in response to John Galt

    macjack:  Just making it clear regarding Login items and Chrome that the crash is not happening when I start the computer.  Several questions: Should I still remove Google Chrome as login item?  How many loops shoiuld I select?  Not sure what you mean by "what happens" if I do that.  Did you see something in my log that makes you suggest that?

Page 1 of 3 last Next