My imac keeps having kernel panics - is it the graphics card?

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Level 1

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My imac keeps having kernel panics - is it the graphics card?

Last few weeks my imac keeps crashing - the screen shows lots of waving lines and then the computer restarts the last report shows:

Interval Since Last Panic Report: 94188 sec

Panics Since Last Report: 1

Fri Aug 23 17:42:23 2013

panic(cpu 0 caller 0xffffff7f8117af33): NVRM[0/1:0:0]: Read Error 0x00002048: CFG 0xffffffff 0xffffffff 0xffffffff, BAR0 0xe2000000 0xffffff8080a36000 0x092480a2, D0, P3/4

Backtrace (CPU 0), Frame : Return Address

0xffffff808040b820 : 0xffffff8000a1d626

0xffffff808040b890 : 0xffffff7f8117af33

0xffffff808040b950 : 0xffffff7f814e23b9

0xffffff808040b990 : 0xffffff7f814c3a31

0xffffff808040b9c0 : 0xffffff7f814d4aa1

0xffffff808040b9f0 : 0xffffff7f814c38ae

0xffffff808040bb10 : 0xffffff7f812cb0a9

0xffffff808040bc60 : 0xffffff7f812ca5f9

0xffffff808040bd70 : 0xffffff7f812ce2eb

0xffffff808040bdc0 : 0xffffff7f81539f91

0xffffff808040bdf0 : 0xffffff7f812cdf02

0xffffff808040be70 : 0xffffff7f81160141

0xffffff808040bf30 : 0xffffff7f8111f975

0xffffff808040bf60 : 0xffffff8000a3e25e

0xffffff808040bfb0 : 0xffffff8000ab3137

Kernel Extensions in backtrace:

com.apple.NVDAResman(8.1.2)[96AE69DE-8A37-39D0-B2D3-D8446A6AA670]@0xffffff7f811 19000->0xffffff7f813befff

dependency: com.apple.iokit.IOPCIFamily(2.7.3)[1D668879-BEF8-3C58-ABFE-FAC6B3E9A292]@0xffff ff7f81083000

dependency: com.apple.iokit.IONDRVSupport(2.3.7)[6C8CFC18-75F0-3DEF-86C7-CEB2C1FD6BB1]@0xff ffff7f81105000

dependency: com.apple.iokit.IOGraphicsFamily(2.3.7)[990D1A42-DF16-3AB9-ABC1-6A88AC142244]@0 xffffff7f810c2000

com.apple.nvidia.nv50hal(8.1.2)[988EAF3A-3318-3787-8A5A-844830FA1522]@0xffffff7 f813ca000->0xffffff7f8169efff

dependency: com.apple.NVDAResman(8.1.2)[96AE69DE-8A37-39D0-B2D3-D8446A6AA670]@0xffffff7f811 19000

dependency: com.apple.iokit.IOPCIFamily(2.7.3)[1D668879-BEF8-3C58-ABFE-FAC6B3E9A292]@0xffff ff7f81083000

BSD process name corresponding to current thread: kernel_task

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: 0x0000000000800000

Kernel text base: 0xffffff8000a00000

System model name: iMac8,1 (Mac-F227BEC8)

System uptime in nanoseconds: 4276125927701

last loaded kext at 963286424807: com.apple.filesystems.smbfs 1.8.4 (addr 0xffffff7f82b2f000, size 229376)

last unloaded kext at 324027987941: com.apple.filesystems.msdosfs 1.8.1 (addr 0xffffff7f82b21000, size 57344)

loaded kexts:

com.apple.filesystems.smbfs 1.8.4

com.apple.driver.AppleHWSensor 1.9.5d0

com.apple.driver.AppleBluetoothMultitouch 75.19

com.apple.driver.AudioAUUC 1.60

com.apple.driver.IOBluetoothA2DPAudioDriver 4.1.4f2

com.apple.driver.AppleHDA 2.3.7fc4

com.apple.iokit.BroadcomBluetoothHCIControllerUSBTransport 4.1.4f2

com.apple.iokit.IOUserEthernet 1.0.0d1

com.apple.iokit.IOBluetoothSerialManager 4.1.4f2

com.apple.Dont_Steal_Mac_OS_X 7.0.0

com.apple.driver.ApplePolicyControl 3.4.5

com.apple.driver.AppleSMCPDRC 1.0.0

com.apple.driver.AppleUpstreamUserClient 3.5.10

com.apple.driver.AppleLPC 1.6.0

com.apple.GeForce 8.1.2

com.apple.driver.AppleBacklight 170.2.5

com.apple.driver.AppleMCCSControl 1.1.11

com.apple.driver.ACPI_SMC_PlatformPlugin 1.0.0

com.apple.filesystems.autofs 3.0

com.apple.driver.AppleIRController 320.15

com.apple.driver.Oxford_Semi 3.1.7

com.apple.iokit.SCSITaskUserClient 3.5.5

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.AppleAHCIPort 2.5.2

com.apple.driver.AppleUSBHub 5.5.5

com.apple.iokit.AppleYukon2 3.2.3b1

com.apple.driver.AirPortBrcm43224 600.36.17

com.apple.driver.AppleFWOHCI 4.9.6

com.apple.driver.AppleIntelPIIXATA 2.5.1

com.apple.driver.AppleUSBEHCI 5.5.0

com.apple.driver.AppleUSBUHCI 5.2.5

com.apple.driver.AppleEFINVRAM 1.7

com.apple.driver.AppleRTC 1.5

com.apple.driver.AppleHPET 1.8

com.apple.driver.AppleACPIButtons 1.7

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.IOBluetoothHIDDriver 4.1.4f2

com.apple.driver.AppleMultitouchDriver 235.29

com.apple.driver.DspFuncLib 2.3.7fc4

com.apple.iokit.IOAudioFamily 1.8.9fc11

com.apple.kext.OSvKernDSPLib 1.6

com.apple.iokit.AppleBluetoothHCIControllerUSBTransport 4.1.4f2

com.apple.driver.AppleHDAController 2.3.7fc4

com.apple.iokit.IOHDAFamily 2.3.7fc4

com.apple.iokit.IOSurface 86.0.4

com.apple.iokit.IOSerialFamily 10.0.6

com.apple.iokit.IOBluetoothFamily 4.1.4f2

com.apple.iokit.IOFireWireIP 2.2.5

com.apple.driver.AppleGraphicsControl 3.4.5

com.apple.driver.AppleBacklightExpert 1.0.4

com.apple.driver.AppleSMBusController 1.0.11d0

com.apple.driver.AppleSMC 3.1.4d2

com.apple.driver.IOPlatformPluginLegacy 1.0.0

com.apple.driver.IOPlatformPluginFamily 5.3.0d51

com.apple.nvidia.nv50hal 8.1.2

com.apple.NVDAResman 8.1.2

com.apple.iokit.IONDRVSupport 2.3.7

com.apple.iokit.IOGraphicsFamily 2.3.7

com.apple.kext.triggers 1.0

com.apple.driver.AppleUSBHIDKeyboard 170.2

com.apple.driver.AppleHIDKeyboard 170.2

com.apple.iokit.IOUSBHIDDriver 5.2.5

com.apple.iokit.IOSCSIBlockCommandsDevice 3.5.5

com.apple.iokit.IOFireWireSerialBusProtocolTransport 2.1.1

com.apple.iokit.IOFireWireSBP2 4.2.2

com.apple.driver.AppleUSBMergeNub 5.5.5

com.apple.driver.AppleUSBComposite 5.2.5

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.IOATAPIProtocolTransport 3.5.0

com.apple.iokit.IOSCSIArchitectureModelFamily 3.5.5

com.apple.iokit.IOAHCIFamily 2.3.1

com.apple.iokit.IOUSBUserClient 5.5.5

com.apple.iokit.IO80211Family 530.4

com.apple.iokit.IONetworkingFamily 3.0

com.apple.iokit.IOFireWireFamily 4.5.5

com.apple.iokit.IOATAFamily 2.5.1

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

Model: iMac8,1, BootROM IM81.00C1.B00, 2 processors, Intel Core 2 Duo, 3.06 GHz, 4 GB, SMC 1.30f1

Graphics: NVIDIA GeForce 8800 GS, NVIDIA GeForce 8800 GS, PCIe, 512 MB

Memory Module: BANK 0/DIMM0, 2 GB, DDR2 SDRAM, 800 MHz, 0xAD00000000000000, 0x48594D503132355336344352382D53362020

Memory Module: BANK 1/DIMM1, 2 GB, DDR2 SDRAM, 800 MHz, 0xAD00000000000000, 0x48594D503132355336344352382D53362020

AirPort: spairport_wireless_card_type_airport_extreme (0x14E4, 0x8C), Broadcom BCM43xx 1.0 (5.10.131.36.16)

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

Network Service: Ethernet, Ethernet, en0

Serial ATA Device: ST3500418ASQ, 500.11 GB

Parallel ATA Device: OPTIARC DVD RW AD-5630A

USB Device: Keyboard Hub, apple_vendor_id, 0x1006, 0xfa400000 / 2

USB Device: Apple Keyboard, apple_vendor_id, 0x0221, 0xfa420000 / 3

USB Device: Built-in iSight, apple_vendor_id, 0x8502, 0xfd400000 / 2

USB Device: BRCM2046 Hub, 0x0a5c (Broadcom Corp.), 0x4500, 0x1a100000 / 2

USB Device: Bluetooth USB Host Controller, apple_vendor_id, 0x820f, 0x1a110000 / 4

USB Device: IR Receiver, apple_vendor_id, 0x8242, 0x5d100000 / 2

FireWire Device: FreeAgent FW, Seagate, 800mbit_speed

FireWire Device: 1394 Storage Front Panel*, Maxtor, 400mbit_speed

Is my graphics card struggling?

iMAC, Mac OS X (10.6.1)

Posted on Aug 23, 2013 9:55 AM

Reply

Answer 1

Aug 23, 2013 9:59 AM in response to Leeshore

this iss tells how to troubleshoot a kernel panic:

http://support.apple.com/kb/TS3742

it should either resolve or isolate the issue 🙂

Reply

Answer 2

Klaus1

Level 9

52,749 points

Aug 23, 2013 10:18 AM in response to Leeshore

What is a Kernel Panic?

http://support.apple.com/kb/TS3742

and http://support.apple.com/kb/TS1892?viewlocale=en_US

http://developer.apple.com/mac/library/technotes/tn2002/tn2063.html

More details here:

http://www.thexlab.com/faqs/kernelpanics.html

Useful articles on how to avoid and eliminate kernel panics here:

http://reviews.cnet.com/8301-13727_7-10344626-263.html?tag=mfiredir

http://www.macworld.com/article/2027201/how-to-troubleshoot-a-kernel-panic.html# tk.nl_mwhelp

Reply

Answer 3

Linc Davis

Level 10

209,547 points

Aug 23, 2013 4:03 PM in response to Leeshore

Yes, it's the graphics card.

Make a "Genius" appointment at an Apple Store, or go to another authorized service provider. You may have to leave the machine there for several days.

Print the first page of the panic report and bring it with you.

Back up all data on the internal drive(s) before you hand over your computer to anyone. There are ways to back up a computer that isn't fully functional — ask if you need guidance.

If privacy is a concern, erase the data partition(s) with the option to write zeros* (do this only if you have at least two complete, independent backups, and you know how to restore to an empty drive from any of them.) Don’t erase the recovery partition, if present.

Keeping your confidential data secure during hardware repair

*An SSD doesn't need to be zeroed.

Reply

Answer 4

R C-R

Level 6

17,782 points

Aug 23, 2013 4:38 PM in response to Leeshore

Leeshore wrote:

Is my graphics card struggling?

Probably, although it could be the power supply or something else.

I had the same 2008 "iMac8.1" model, which eventually developed video artifacts & then KP's. Some tests I ran on it suggested it might be a motherboard connection, graphics memory chip, or a related issue, but it really didn't matter. By the time this problem surfaced, it was ~5 years old & not worth the cost of repairing it.

I bit the bullet & replaced it with a 2012 27" model, which runs rings around it in terms of performance & runs so cool that I expect it to last much longer than any other iMac I have owned.

Reply