Repeated system crashes on my iMac

Question

Level 1

4 points

Repeated system crashes on my iMac

Hi,

I have a mid-2007 iMac that is running OSX Mavericks. A few months ago the HD died and I had Apple Geniuses replace it. Lately there have been more crashes, sometimes when my mouse can be moved but does not click and the keyboard is not able to type. I had my computer turned off for a few days when I moved, and then it took repeated plugging in and unplugging to finally turn on. Tonight the screen just froze up with a bluish grey screen and I had to turn it off by holding the power button. The error report is below. Any thoughts are much appreciated.

Anonymous UUID: 1AF6EFBF-5318-C2E3-D78C-30EBD48CDE60

Sun Dec 15 19:07:13 2013

Machine-check capabilities 0x0000000000000806:

family: 6 model: 15 stepping: 11 microcode: 186

Intel(R) Core(TM)2 Duo CPU T7700 @ 2.40GHz

6 error-reporting banks

threshold-based error status present

Processor 0: no machine-check status reported

Processor 1: machine-check status 0x0000000000000005:

restart IP valid

machine-check in progress

MCA error-reporting registers:

IA32_MC0_STATUS(0x401): 0xb200004000000800 valid

MCA error code: 0x0800

Model specific error code: 0x0000

Other information: 0x00000040

Threshold-based status: Undefined

Status bits:

Processor context corrupt

Error enabled

Uncorrected error

IA32_MC1_STATUS(0x405): 0x0000000000000000 invalid

IA32_MC2_STATUS(0x409): 0x0000000000000000 invalid

IA32_MC3_STATUS(0x40d): 0x0020000000000000 invalid

IA32_MC4_STATUS(0x411): 0x0000000000000011 invalid

IA32_MC5_STATUS(0x415): 0xb200121020080400 valid

MCA error code: 0x0400

Model specific error code: 0x2008

Other information: 0x00001210

Threshold-based status: Undefined

Status bits:

Processor context corrupt

Error enabled

Uncorrected error

panic(cpu 1 caller 0xffffff800c6dca29): "Machine Check at 0xffffff7f8e1066ef, registers:\n" "CR0: 0x000000008001003b, CR2: 0xffffff80b85ed000, CR3: 0x000000000ed72000, CR4: 0x0000000000000660\n" "RAX: 0x0000000000000010, RBX: 0xffffff801b2ca000, RCX: 0x0000000000000001, RDX: 0x0000000000000000\n" "RSP: 0xffffff80bd563d40, RBP: 0xffffff80bd563d70, RSI: 0x0000000000000002, RDI: 0xffffff80bd59d148\n" "R8: 0xffffff802bde1d40, R9: 0x0000000000000002, R10: 0xffffff80bd563d00, R11: 0x0000000000010068\n" "R12: 0x0000000000000002, R13: 0xffffff801b0db9c0, R14: 0xffffff7f8e123e20, R15: 0x0000000000000290\n" "RFL: 0x0000000000000046, RIP: 0xffffff7f8e1066ef, CS: 0x0000000000000008, SS: 0x0000000000000010\n" "Error code: 0x0000000000000000\n"@/SourceCache/xnu/xnu-2422.1.72/osfmk/i386/trap_native.c:1 68

Backtrace (CPU 1), Frame : Return Address

0xffffff80b751de80 : 0xffffff800c622f69

0xffffff80b751df00 : 0xffffff800c6dca29

0xffffff80b751e060 : 0xffffff800c6f3eaf

0xffffff80bd563d70 : 0xffffff7f8e0ff953

0xffffff80bd563e70 : 0xffffff7f8e0feb89

0xffffff80bd563f30 : 0xffffff800c6dda5c

0xffffff80bd563f50 : 0xffffff800c63757a

0xffffff80bd563f90 : 0xffffff800c6378c8

0xffffff80bd563fb0 : 0xffffff800c6d6aa7

Kernel Extensions in backtrace:

com.apple.driver.AppleIntelCPUPowerManagement(216.0)[A6EE4D7B-228E-3A3C-95BA-10 ED6F331236]@0xffffff7f8e0fc000->0xffffff7f8e126fff

BSD process name corresponding to current thread: kernel_task

Mac OS version:

13A603

Kernel version:

Darwin Kernel Version 13.0.0: Thu Sep 19 22:22:27 PDT 2013; root:xnu-2422.1.72~6/RELEASE_X86_64

Kernel UUID: 1D9369E3-D0A5-31B6-8D16-BFFBBB390393

Kernel slide: 0x000000000c400000

Kernel text base: 0xffffff800c600000

System model name: iMac7,1 (Mac-F4238CC8)

System uptime in nanoseconds: 6046337321746

last loaded kext at 5965049649846: com.sophos.kext.sav 8.0.14 (addr 0xffffff7f8e6ee000, size 24576)

last unloaded kext at 5951942433932: com.sophos.kext.sav 8.0.14 (addr 0xffffff7f8e6ee000, size 20480)

loaded kexts:

com.sophos.kext.sav 8.0.14

com.apple.driver.AudioAUUC 1.60

com.apple.driver.AppleBluetoothMultitouch 80.14

com.apple.filesystems.autofs 3.0

com.apple.iokit.IOBluetoothSerialManager 4.2.0f6

com.apple.driver.AppleHWSensor 1.9.5d0

com.apple.driver.AppleHDA 2.5.2fc2

com.apple.iokit.IOUserEthernet 1.0.0d1

com.apple.driver.AppleUpstreamUserClient 3.5.13

com.apple.Dont_Steal_Mac_OS_X 7.0.0

com.apple.driver.AppleHWAccess 1

com.apple.kext.AMDFramebuffer 1.1.4

com.apple.driver.ACPI_SMC_PlatformPlugin 1.0.0

com.apple.iokit.CSRBluetoothHostControllerUSBTransport 4.2.0f6

com.apple.driver.AppleLPC 1.7.0

com.apple.driver.AppleBacklight 170.3.5

com.apple.driver.AppleMCCSControl 1.1.12

com.apple.ATIRadeonX2000 8.1.8

com.apple.kext.AMD2600Controller 1.1.4

com.apple.AppleFSCompression.AppleFSCompressionTypeDataless 1.0.0d1

com.apple.AppleFSCompression.AppleFSCompressionTypeZlib 1.0.0d1

com.apple.BootCache 35

com.apple.driver.AppleIRController 325.7

com.apple.iokit.SCSITaskUserClient 3.6.0

com.apple.driver.XsanFilter 404

com.apple.iokit.IOAHCIBlockStorage 2.4.0

com.apple.driver.AppleUSBHub 650.4.4

com.apple.iokit.AppleYukon2 3.2.3b1

com.apple.driver.AppleFWOHCI 4.9.9

com.apple.driver.AirPortBrcm43224 700.36.24

com.apple.driver.AppleIntelPIIXATA 2.5.1

com.apple.driver.AppleAHCIPort 2.9.5

com.apple.driver.AppleUSBUHCI 650.4.0

com.apple.driver.AppleUSBEHCI 650.4.1

com.apple.driver.AppleRTC 2.0

com.apple.driver.AppleHPET 1.8

com.apple.driver.AppleACPIButtons 2.0

com.apple.driver.AppleSMBIOS 2.0

com.apple.driver.AppleACPIEC 2.0

com.apple.driver.AppleAPIC 1.7

com.apple.driver.AppleIntelCPUPowerManagementClient 216.0.0

com.apple.nke.applicationfirewall 153

com.apple.security.quarantine 3

com.apple.driver.AppleIntelCPUPowerManagement 216.0.0

com.apple.driver.IOBluetoothHIDDriver 4.2.0f6

com.apple.driver.AppleMultitouchDriver 245.13

com.apple.kext.triggers 1.0

com.apple.iokit.IOSerialFamily 10.0.7

com.apple.driver.DspFuncLib 2.5.2fc2

com.apple.vecLib.kext 1.0.0

com.apple.iokit.IOAudioFamily 1.9.4fc11

com.apple.kext.OSvKernDSPLib 1.14

com.apple.iokit.IOSurface 91

com.apple.iokit.IOBluetoothFamily 4.2.0f6

com.apple.iokit.IOFireWireIP 2.2.5

com.apple.driver.AppleSMC 3.1.6d1

com.apple.driver.IOPlatformPluginLegacy 1.0.0

com.apple.iokit.IOBluetoothHostControllerUSBTransport 4.2.0f6

com.apple.driver.AppleHDAController 2.5.2fc2

com.apple.iokit.IOHDAFamily 2.5.2fc2

com.apple.driver.IOPlatformPluginFamily 5.5.1d27

com.apple.driver.AppleBacklightExpert 1.0.4

com.apple.driver.AppleSMBusController 1.0.11d1

com.apple.iokit.IONDRVSupport 2.3.6

com.apple.kext.AMDSupport 1.1.4

com.apple.AppleGraphicsDeviceControl 3.4.12

com.apple.iokit.IOGraphicsFamily 2.3.6

com.apple.driver.AppleUSBHIDKeyboard 170.15

com.apple.driver.AppleHIDKeyboard 170.15

com.apple.iokit.IOUSBHIDDriver 650.4.4

com.apple.driver.AppleUSBMergeNub 650.4.0

com.apple.driver.AppleUSBComposite 650.4.0

com.apple.iokit.IOSCSIMultimediaCommandsDevice 3.6.0

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 3.6.0

com.apple.iokit.IOUSBUserClient 650.4.4

com.apple.iokit.IOFireWireFamily 4.5.5

com.apple.iokit.IO80211Family 600.34

com.apple.iokit.IONetworkingFamily 3.2

com.apple.iokit.IOATAFamily 2.5.2

com.apple.iokit.IOAHCIFamily 2.6.0

com.apple.iokit.IOUSBFamily 650.4.4

com.apple.driver.AppleEFINVRAM 2.0

com.apple.driver.AppleEFIRuntime 2.0

com.apple.iokit.IOHIDFamily 2.0.0

com.apple.iokit.IOSMBusFamily 1.1

com.apple.security.sandbox 278.10

com.apple.kext.AppleMatch 1.0.0d1

com.apple.security.TMSafetyNet 7

com.apple.driver.AppleKeyStore 2

com.apple.driver.DiskImages 371.1

com.apple.iokit.IOStorageFamily 1.9

com.apple.iokit.IOReportFamily 21

com.apple.driver.AppleFDEKeyStore 28.30

com.apple.driver.AppleACPIPlatform 2.0

com.apple.iokit.IOPCIFamily 2.8

com.apple.iokit.IOACPIFamily 1.4

com.apple.kec.corecrypto 1.0

com.apple.kec.pthread 1

Model: iMac7,1, BootROM IM71.007A.B03, 2 processors, Intel Core 2 Duo, 2.4 GHz, 6 GB, SMC 1.20f4

Graphics: ATI Radeon HD 2600 Pro, ATI,RadeonHD2600, PCIe, 256 MB

Memory Module: BANK 0/DIMM0, 4 GB, DDR2 SDRAM, 667 MHz, 0x7F7F7F7F7FF70000, 0x00004B363435315536344535363637460000

Memory Module: BANK 1/DIMM1, 2 GB, DDR2 SDRAM, 667 MHz, 0x7F7FBA00FFFFFFFF, 0xFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFF

AirPort: spairport_wireless_card_type_airport_extreme (0x14E4, 0x88), Broadcom BCM43xx 1.0 (5.10.131.36.16)

Bluetooth: Version 4.2.0f6 12982, 3 services, 22 devices, 1 incoming serial ports

Network Service: Wi-Fi, AirPort, en1

Serial ATA Device: ST3500418AS, 500.11 GB

Parallel ATA Device: OPTIARC DVD RW AD-5630A

USB Device: Keyboard Hub

USB Device: Apple Keyboard

USB Device: Built-in iSight

USB Device: Bluetooth USB Host Controller

USB Device: IR Receiver

Thunderbolt Bus:

iMac, OS X Mavericks (10.9)

Posted on Dec 15, 2013 4:18 PM

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Answer 1

Best reply

Linc Davis

Level 10

209,547 points

Dec 15, 2013 5:49 PM in response to SP21

That type of panic is usually caused by a hardware fault, most likely in the memory you installed. However, you should remove the useless "Sophos" product, which is capable of causing panics, even if it's not causing this one.

Remove Sophos by following the instructions on this page. If you have a different version, the procedure may be different.

Back up all data before making any changes.

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Answer 2

SP21 Author

Level 1

4 points

Dec 15, 2013 9:34 PM in response to Linc Davis

Thank you very much! Six years is a long time... I've replaced the HD and it looks like time to get a new mac. I will also remove the Sophos but was hoping for some kind of antivirus protection for my mac. I am not downloading strange files or installing random programs, but just in case. Thanks again.

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Answer 3

Linc Davis

Level 10

209,547 points

Dec 15, 2013 9:53 PM in response to SP21

1. This is a comment on what you should and should not do to protect yourself from malicious software ("malware") that circulates on the Internet. It does not apply to software, such as keystroke loggers, that may be installed deliberately by an intruder who has hands-on access to the victim's computer. That threat is in a different category, and there's no easy way to defend against it. If you have reason to suspect that you're the target of such an attack, you need expert help.

If you find this comment too long or too technical, read only sections 5, 6, and 10.

OS X now implements three layers of built-in protection specifically against malware, not counting runtime protections such as execute disable, sandboxing, system library randomization, and address space layout randomization that may also guard against other kinds of exploits.

2. All versions of OS X since 10.6.7 have been able to detect known Mac malware in downloaded files, and to block insecure web plugins. This feature is transparent to the user, but internally Apple calls it "XProtect." The malware recognition database is automatically checked for updates once a day; however, you shouldn't rely on it, because the attackers are always at least a day ahead of the defenders.

The following caveats apply to XProtect:

It can be bypassed by some third-party networking software, such as BitTorrent clients and Java applets.
It only applies to software downloaded from the network. Software installed from a CD or other media is not checked.

As new versions of OS X are released, it's not clear whether Apple will indefinitely continue to maintain the XProtect database of older versions such as 10.6. The security of obsolete system versions may eventually be degraded. Security updates to the code of obsolete systems will stop being released at some point, and that may leave them open to other kinds of attack besides malware.

3. Starting with OS X 10.7.5, there has been a second layer of built-in malware protection, designated " Gatekeeper" by Apple. By default, applications and Installer packages downloaded from the network will only run if they're digitally signed by a developer with a certificate issued by Apple. Software certified in this way hasn't necessarily been tested by Apple, but you can be reasonably sure that it hasn't been modified by anyone other than the developer. His identity is known to Apple, so he could be held legally responsible if he distributed malware. That may not mean much if the developer lives in a country with a weak legal system (see below.)

Gatekeeper doesn't depend on a database of known malware. It has, however, the same limitations as XProtect, and in addition the following:

It can easily be disabled or overridden by the user.
A malware attacker could get control of a code-signing certificate under false pretenses, or could simply ignore the consequences of distributing codesigned malware.
An App Store developer could find a way to bypass Apple's oversight, or the oversight could fail due to human error.

For the reasons given above, App Store products, and other applications recognized by Gatekeeper as signed, are safer than others, but they can't be considered absolutely safe. "Sandboxed" applications may prompt for access to private data, such as your contacts, or for access to the network. Think before granting that access. OS X security is based on user input. Never click through any request for authorization without thinking.

4. Starting with OS X 10.8.3, a third layer of protection has been added: a "Malware Removal Tool" (MRT). MRT runs automatically in the background when you update the OS. It checks for, and removes, malware that may have evaded the other protections via a Java exploit (see below.) MRT also runs when you install or update the Apple-supplied Java runtime (but not the Oracle runtime.) Like XProtect, MRT is effective against known threats, but not against unknown ones. It notifies you if it finds malware, but otherwise there's no user interface to MRT.

5. The built-in security features of OS X reduce the risk of malware attack, but they're not absolute protection. The first and best line of defense is always going to be your own intelligence. With the possible exception of Java exploits, all known malware circulating on the Internet that affects a fully-updated installation of OS X 10.6 or later takes the form of so-called " Trojan horses," which can only have an effect if the victim is duped into running them. The threat therefore amounts to a battle of wits between you and the malware attacker. If you're smarter than he thinks you are, you'll win.

That means, in practice, that you always stay within a safe harbor of computing practices. How do you know what is safe?

Any website that prompts you to install a “codec,” “plug-in,” "player," "extractor," or “certificate” that comes from that same site, or an unknown one, is unsafe.
A web operator who tells you that you have a “virus,” or that anything else is wrong with your computer, or that you have won a prize in a contest you never entered, is trying to commit a crime with you as the victim. (Some reputable websites did legitimately warn visitors who were infected with the "DNSChanger" malware. That exception to this rule no longer applies.)
Pirated copies or "cracks" of commercial software, no matter where they come from, are unsafe.
Software of any kind downloaded from a BitTorrent or from a Usenet binary newsgroup is unsafe.
Software that purports to help you do something that's illegal or that infringes copyright, such as saving streamed audio or video for reuse without permission, is unsafe. All YouTube "downloaders" are outside the safe harbor, though not all are necessarily harmful.
Software with a corporate brand, such as Adobe Flash Player, must be downloaded directly from the developer’s website. If it comes from any other source, it's unsafe. For instance, if a web page warns you that Flash is out of date, do not follow an offered link to an update. Go to the Adobe website to download it, if you need it at all.
Even signed applications, no matter what the source, should not be trusted if they do something unexpected, such as asking for permission to access your contacts, your location, or the Internet for no obvious reason.
"FREE WI-FI !!!" networks in public places are unsafe unless you can verify that the network is not a trap (which you probably can't.) Even then, do not download any software or transmit any private information while connected to such a network, regardless of where it seems to come from or go to.

6. Java on the Web ( not to be confused with JavaScript, to which it's not related, despite the similarity of the names) is a weak point in the security of any system. Java is, among other things, a platform for running complex applications in a web page, on the client. That was always a bad idea, and Java's developers have proven themselves incapable of implementing it without also creating a portal for malware to enter. Past Java exploits are the closest thing there has ever been to a Windows-style virus affecting OS X. Merely loading a page with malicious Java content could be harmful.

Fortunately, client-side Java on the Web is obsolete and mostly extinct. Only a few outmoded sites still use it. Try to hasten the process of extinction by avoiding those sites, if you have a choice. Forget about playing games or other non-essential uses of Java.

Java is not included in OS X 10.7 and later. Discrete Java installers are distributed by Apple and by Oracle (the developer of Java.) Don't use either one unless you need it. Most people don't. If Java is installed, disable it — not JavaScript — in your browsers.

Regardless of version, experience has shown that Java on the Web can't be trusted. If you must use a Java applet for a task on a specific site, enable Java only for that site in Safari. Never enable Java for a public website that carries third-party advertising. Use it only on well-known, login-protected, secure websites without ads. In Safari 6 or later, you'll see a lock icon in the address bar with the abbreviation "https" when visiting a secure site.

Follow the above guidelines, and you’ll be as safe from malware as you can practically be. The rest of this comment concerns what you should not do to protect yourself from malware.

7. Never install any commercial "anti-virus" or "Internet security" products for the Mac, as they all do more harm than good, if they do any good at all. Any database of known threats is always going to be out of date. Most of the danger is from unknown threats. If you need to be able to detect Windows malware in your files, use one of the free anti-virus products in the Mac App Store — nothing else.

Why shouldn't you use commercial "anti-virus" products?

Their design is predicated on the nonexistent threat that malware may be injected at any time, anywhere in the file system. Malware is downloaded from the network; it doesn't materialize from nowhere.
In order to meet that nonexistent threat, the software modifies or duplicates low-level functions of the operating system, which is a waste of resources and a common cause of instability, bugs, and poor performance.
To recognize malware, the software depends on a database of known threats, which is always at least a day out of date. Most of the real-world danger of malware attack comes from highly targeted "zero-day" exploits that are not yet recognized.
By modifying the operating system, the software itself may create weaknesses that could be exploited by malware attackers.

8. An anti-malware product from the App Store, such as "ClamXav," doesn't have these drawbacks. That doesn't mean it's entirely safe. It may report email messages that have "phishing" links in the body, or Windows malware in attachments, as infected files, and offer to delete or move them. Doing so will corrupt the Mail database. The messages should be deleted from within the Mail application.

An anti-virus app is not needed, and should not be relied upon, for protection against OS X malware. It's useful only for detecting Windows malware. Windows malware can't harm you directly (unless, of course, you use Windows.) Just don't pass it on to anyone else.

A Windows malware attachment in email is usually easy to recognize. The file name will often be targeted at people who aren't very bright; for example:

♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥!!!!!!!H0TBABEZ4U!!!!!!!.AVI♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥.exe

Anti-virus software may be able to tell you which particular virus or trojan it is, but do you care? In practice, there's seldom a reason to use the software unless a network administrator requires you to do it.

The ClamXav developer won't try to "upsell" you to a paid version of the product. Other developers may do that. Don't be upsold. For one thing, you should not pay to protect Windows users from the consequences of their choice of computing platform. For another, a paid upgrade from a free app will probably have the disadvantages mentioned in section 7.

9. It seems to be a common belief that the built-in Application Firewall acts as a barrier to infection, or prevents malware from functioning. It does neither. It blocks inbound connections to certain network services you're running, such as file sharing. It's disabled by default and you should leave it that way if you're behind a router on a private home or office network. Activate it only when you're on an untrusted network, for instance a public Wi-Fi hotspot, where you don't want to provide services. Disable any services you don't use in the Sharing preference pane. All are disabled by default.

10. As a Mac user you don't have to live in fear that your computer is going to be infected every time you install an application, read email, or visit a web page. But neither should you have the false idea that you will always be safe, no matter what you do. The greatest harm done by security software is precisely its selling point: it makes people feel safe. They may then feel safe enough to take risks from which the software doesn't protect them. Nothing can lessen the need for safe computing practices.

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