Kernel panics, other weirdness.

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Level 1

5 points

Kernel panics, other weirdness.

I think my early 2008 Mac Pro may be on its last legs. I've had a couple of kernel panics in the last few days for no obvious reason. Today I booted it up and got a kernel panic immediately. Rebooted in Safe Mode and it worked fine. Rebooted from the install CD and tried Repair Disk, which told me the boot drive is OK. I disconnected my TIme Machine external drive and tried to restart (from my boot drive) and this time the screen just went dark and the power light started flashing. Any ideas? I have no other peripherals connected aside from the basic ones. I know Disk Utility doesn't detect every problem, but it feels like a hardware issue to me, especially since the Mac refused to restart even before any software had loaded.

Mac Pro (Early 2008), Mac OS X (10.6.8), 4 Gigs RAM

Posted on Jul 17, 2014 8:00 AM

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Answer 1

Loner T

Level 9

59,471 points

Jul 17, 2014 8:06 AM in response to Mark_Borok

Can you run the Apple Hardware Test? Power cycle and hold the D key during power up.

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Answer 2

Drew Reece

Level 6

10,660 points

Jul 17, 2014 8:35 AM in response to Mark_Borok

You will need to take a look at the panic logs & see what the reason is - it could help to isolate RAM or GPU etc. Search around for hints on how to read them, post the latest one here if they all look similar. /Applications/Utilities/Console in an admin account will allow you to read them if you can get into a working boot, otherwise they will be in /Library/Logs or /var/log. Take a look in your user logs too FWIW.

Apple hardware test may also pick up hardware issues (if you are lucky).

rember can also check RAM (supposedly it's more thorough than AHT).

Using Apple Hardware Test

rember http://www.kelleycomputing.net/rember/

You can you rule out the internal HD by trying a clean install on another disk. A USB flash drive can work if you are stuck for a 16GB partition to make a test install on (make sure it is fast 🙂). If the panics re-occur remove the internal HD(s) altogether & retry.

I would also remove all peripherals & retry booting from the internal HD, just use an Apple mouse & keyboard if possible.

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Answer 3

The hatter

Level 9

60,990 points

Jul 17, 2014 8:40 AM in response to Mark_Borok

Well.... did you take the time to make a bootable backup previously?

Disconnected everything but essentials? kb/mouse, monitor and video card? Even remove all the internal (and of course external drives and devices).

Do SMC Reset.

If you are using a CD (DVD actually) then you would have to be running 10.6.x or earlier, have an older GPU as well (the 5770 and such require later OS).

3,1 2008s have always tended to have much more problems, power management of all sorts. PSU and GPU would be high on the list, and FBDIMMs will almost certainly need to have been replaced - new ones are cheap and better, try Amazon not MacSales.

A new clean install of the OS would of course be recommended on a new drive before declaring what the issue is.

And a list of what 3rd party apps, tools, etc you have.

Never a need to boot from a CD (or DVD) is you would install a small emergency maintenance OS somewhere needs a mere 30GB or even less.

Snow Leopard is often touted as the best OS for that system though it can run any of the later versions too.

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Answer 4

Jul 17, 2014 9:16 AM in response to Mark_Borok

Hi Mark,

- There are some initial checks which should be carried out.

Still perform the safe boot again after the SMC and NVRAM reset

- Disk Repair has already been done by yourself.

Try ; Intel-based Macs: Resetting the System Management Controller (SMC)

and reset NVRAM : About NVRAM and PRAM

and boot to Safe Boot: OS X: What is Safe Boot, Safe Mode?

then reboot back to normal.

check for correct firmware version: EFI and SMC firmware updates for Intel-based Macs

and Repair Disk Permissions: Repair disk permissions

- check whether stability improves

Cheers

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Answer 5

Jul 17, 2014 10:25 AM in response to Mark_Borok

Kernel Panic is not one problem, it is one of Thousands of problems. Use this article to retrieve the saved kernel panic log and post it here in its entirety.

Mac OS X: How to log a kernel panic

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Answer 6

Mark_Borok Author

Level 1

5 points

Jul 24, 2014 7:44 AM in response to Grant Bennet-Alder

Thanks. I appreciate any help you can give me. I was starting up from another drive and it worked fine for a couple of days, but now the problem is back, computer is rebooting every few minutes.

Interval Since Last Panic Report: 5 sec

Panics Since Last Report: 1

Anonymous UUID: 068AB2E4-54AE-1F61-DB7C-310EF257914E

Thu Jul 24 10:40:01 2014

Machine-check capabilities 0x0000000000000806:

family: 6 model: 23 stepping: 6 microcode: 1547

Intel(R) Xeon(R) CPU E5462 @ 2.80GHz

6 error-reporting banks

threshold-based error status present

Processor 0: machine-check status 0x0000000000000005:

restart IP valid

machine-check in progress

MCA error-reporting registers:

IA32_MC0_STATUS(0x401): 0x1000000020000000 invalid

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): 0xb200001084200e0f valid

MCA error code: 0x0e0f

Model specific error code: 0x8420

Other information: 0x00000010

Threshold-based status: Undefined

Status bits:

Processor context corrupt

Error enabled

Uncorrected error

Processor 1: machine-check status 0x0000000000000005:

restart IP valid

machine-check in progress

MCA error-reporting registers:

IA32_MC0_STATUS(0x401): 0x1000000020000000 invalid

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): 0xb200001080200e0f valid

MCA error code: 0x0e0f

Model specific error code: 0x8020

Other information: 0x00000010

Threshold-based status: Undefined

Status bits:

Processor context corrupt

Error enabled

Uncorrected error

Processor 2: machine-check status 0x0000000000000005:

restart IP valid

machine-check in progress

MCA error-reporting registers:

IA32_MC0_STATUS(0x401): 0x1000000020000000 invalid

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): 0xb200000084200e0f valid

MCA error code: 0x0e0f

Model specific error code: 0x8420

Other information: 0x00000000

Threshold-based status: Undefined

Status bits:

Processor context corrupt

Error enabled

Uncorrected error

Processor 3: machine-check status 0x0000000000000005:

restart IP valid

machine-check in progress

MCA error-reporting registers:

IA32_MC0_STATUS(0x401): 0x1000000020000000 invalid

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): 0xb200000080200e0f valid

MCA error code: 0x0e0f

Model specific error code: 0x8020

Other information: 0x00000000

Threshold-based status: Undefined

Status bits:

Processor context corrupt

Error enabled

Uncorrected error

Processor 4: machine-check status 0x0000000000000005:

restart IP valid

machine-check in progress

MCA error-reporting registers:

IA32_MC0_STATUS(0x401): 0x1000000020000000 invalid

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): 0xb200001084200e0f valid

MCA error code: 0x0e0f

Model specific error code: 0x8420

Other information: 0x00000010

Threshold-based status: Undefined

Status bits:

Processor context corrupt

Error enabled

Uncorrected error

Processor 5: machine-check status 0x0000000000000005:

restart IP valid

machine-check in progress

MCA error-reporting registers:

IA32_MC0_STATUS(0x401): 0x1000000020000000 invalid

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): 0xb200001080200e0f valid

MCA error code: 0x0e0f

Model specific error code: 0x8020

Other information: 0x00000010

Threshold-based status: Undefined

Status bits:

Processor context corrupt

Error enabled

Uncorrected error

Processor 6: machine-check status 0x0000000000000005:

restart IP valid

machine-check in progress

MCA error-reporting registers:

IA32_MC0_STATUS(0x401): 0x1000000020000000 invalid

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): 0xb200000084200e0f valid

MCA error code: 0x0e0f

Model specific error code: 0x8420

Other information: 0x00000000

Threshold-based status: Undefined

Status bits:

Processor context corrupt

Error enabled

Uncorrected error

Processor 7: machine-check status 0x0000000000000005:

restart IP valid

machine-check in progress

MCA error-reporting registers:

IA32_MC0_STATUS(0x401): 0x1000000020000000 invalid

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): 0xb200000080200e0f valid

MCA error code: 0x0e0f

Model specific error code: 0x8020

Other information: 0x00000000

Threshold-based status: Undefined

Status bits:

Processor context corrupt

Error enabled

Uncorrected error

panic(cpu 1 caller 0xffffff801c2b91b9): "Machine Check at 0xffffff7f9dfeac1d, registers:\n" "CR0: 0x000000008001003b, CR2: 0xffffff809c31a000, CR3: 0x000000001e75d000, CR4: 0x0000000000000660\n" "RAX: 0x00000000000000ac, RBX: 0x00000000000000ac, RCX: 0x0000000000000000, RDX: 0x0000000000000020\n" "RSP: 0xffffff809bd4bd60, RBP: 0xffffff809bd4bda0, RSI: 0x00000000000000ac, RDI: 0xffffff809bd4bdd8\n" "R8: 0x0000000000000020, R9: 0x0000000000000000, R10: 0xffffff809bd4bdf8, R11: 0xffffff8095a4b047\n" "R12: 0x0000000000008100, R13: 0xffffff8029069c00, R14: 0xffffff809bd4bdf8, R15: 0xffffff80292fc1d0\n" "RFL: 0x0000000000000206, RIP: 0xffffff7f9dfeac1d, CS: 0x0000000000000008, SS: 0x0000000000000010\n" "Error code: 0x0000000000000000\n"@/SourceCache/xnu/xnu-2050.48.12/osfmk/i386/trap_native.c: 280

Backtrace (CPU 1), Frame : Return Address

0xffffff8095a55ec0 : 0xffffff801c21d636

0xffffff8095a55f30 : 0xffffff801c2b91b9

0xffffff8095a560a0 : 0xffffff801c2cf4df

0xffffff809bd4bda0 : 0xffffff7f9e00cca8

0xffffff809bd4bdc0 : 0xffffff7f9dfe9a4f

0xffffff809bd4bde0 : 0xffffff7f9dc9fbd7

0xffffff809bd4be10 : 0xffffff7f9dc9f515

0xffffff809bd4be30 : 0xffffff7f9dc9f15f

0xffffff809bd4be60 : 0xffffff801c63a05b

0xffffff809bd4bea0 : 0xffffff801c639b7e

0xffffff809bd4bf30 : 0xffffff801c635b10

0xffffff809bd4bf70 : 0xffffff801c63a6d9

0xffffff809bd4bfb0 : 0xffffff801c2b3257

Kernel Extensions in backtrace:

com.apple.driver.AppleACPIPlatform(1.8)[209B2382-A61F-344C-8BBC-26331B9BA398]@0 xffffff7f9dfe3000->0xffffff7f9e03cfff

dependency: com.apple.iokit.IOACPIFamily(1.4)[A35915E8-C1B0-3C0F-81DF-5515BC9002FC]@0xfffff f7f9cd13000

dependency: com.apple.iokit.IOPCIFamily(2.8)[2FAEA49C-EA4C-39C6-9203-FC022277A43C]@0xffffff 7f9c8df000

com.apple.driver.AppleMCEDriver(1.1.9)[C16BE0E6-26C8-3159-972A-2D65EAE6085A]@0x ffffff7f9dc9e000->0xffffff7f9dca4fff

dependency: com.apple.iokit.IOACPIFamily(1.4)[A35915E8-C1B0-3C0F-81DF-5515BC9002FC]@0xfffff f7f9cd13000

BSD process name corresponding to current thread: kernel_task

Mac OS version:

12F45

Kernel version:

Darwin Kernel Version 12.5.0: Sun Sep 29 13:33:47 PDT 2013; root:xnu-2050.48.12~1/RELEASE_X86_64

Kernel UUID: EA38B02E-2B88-309F-BA68-1DE29F605DD8

Kernel slide: 0x000000001c000000

Kernel text base: 0xffffff801c200000

System model name: MacPro3,1 (Mac-F42C88C8)

System uptime in nanoseconds: 26967733648

last loaded kext at 26725660126: com.apple.driver.AppleMCEDriver 1.1.9 (addr 0xffffff7f9dc9e000, size 28672)

loaded kexts:

com.apple.driver.AppleMCEDriver 1.1.9

com.apple.driver.AppleSMBusPCI 1.0.11d1

com.apple.driver.AppleLPC 1.6.3

com.apple.driver.ACPI_SMC_PlatformPlugin 1.0.0

com.apple.Dont_Steal_Mac_OS_X 7.0.0

com.apple.driver.ApplePolicyControl 3.4.5

com.apple.driver.CSRHIDTransitionDriver 4.1.7f2

com.apple.driver.AppleFireWireStorage 3.3.1

com.apple.driver.initioFWBridge 3.3.1

com.apple.driver.IOFireWireSerialBusProtocolSansPhysicalUnit 3.3.1

com.apple.driver.LSI_FW_500 3.3.1

com.apple.driver.Oxford_Semi 3.3.1

com.apple.driver.StorageLynx 3.3.1

com.apple.iokit.SCSITaskUserClient 3.5.6

com.apple.driver.XsanFilter 404

com.apple.driver.AppleFileSystemDriver 3.0.1

com.apple.AppleFSCompression.AppleFSCompressionTypeDataless 1.0.0d1

com.apple.AppleFSCompression.AppleFSCompressionTypeZlib 1.0.0d1

com.apple.BootCache 34

com.apple.iokit.IOAHCIBlockStorage 2.3.5

com.apple.driver.AppleIntel8254XEthernet 3.1.1b1

com.apple.driver.AppleUSBHub 635.4.0

com.apple.driver.AppleFWOHCI 4.9.9

com.apple.driver.AppleAHCIPort 2.6.6

com.apple.driver.AppleIntelPIIXATA 2.5.1

com.apple.driver.AppleUSBEHCI 621.4.6

com.apple.driver.AppleUSBUHCI 621.4.0

com.apple.driver.AppleACPIButtons

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Answer 7

Jul 24, 2014 8:42 AM in response to Mark_Borok

You have a RAM Memory problem, as evidenced by

Kernel Panic

Machine check

Uncorrected error

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Answer 8

Mark_Borok Author

Level 1

5 points

Jul 24, 2014 9:14 AM in response to Grant Bennet-Alder

Thanks, I suspected as much, but it's great to have it confirmed. I appreciate your help.

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Answer 9

Jul 24, 2014 9:21 AM in response to Mark_Borok

You can use System Information to show which module(s) are developing Single-bit, correctable errors before the machine check on a double-bit error.

About This Mac > More info > Report > Memory:

graphic courtesy anandtech.com

This information is static. To get fresh information, you must invoke the display again.

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Answer 10

Drew Reece

Level 6

10,660 points

Jul 24, 2014 10:12 AM in response to Mark_Borok

Have you run rember or Apple Hardware Test yet?

They should also help you confirm what module(s) is at fault too.

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Answer 11

Mark_Borok Author

Level 1

5 points

Jul 24, 2014 10:59 AM in response to Grant Bennet-Alder

System info tells me all the RAM modules are OK.

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Answer 12

Mark_Borok Author

Level 1

5 points

Jul 24, 2014 11:01 AM in response to Drew Reece

I tried it with the 6.8 install DVD, but nothing happened. I will try it with system 10.8.

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Answer 13

Jul 24, 2014 11:20 AM in response to Mark_Borok

Memory problems can be subtle and very hard to detect. You can often run a memory test overnight and catch nothing at all.

They may be OK right now, but if you get lucky later and ask for the report again, you MAY be able to catch it in the act of starting to go bad.

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Answer 14

Drew Reece

Level 6

10,660 points

Jul 24, 2014 11:54 AM in response to Mark_Borok

The original grey disk will have instructions for AHT if that disk supports it.

It is possible to copy over the AHT to the boot disk too, kimfromberwyn mentions it at…

Apple Hardware Test (AHT) is GONE!! after Lion install

Somewhere there is a list of the AHT version for each Mac with disk images of the Apple AHT versions, but I cannot recollect where I saw that, sorry.

Look at https://github.com/upekkha/AppleHardwareTest

Try rember, it is claimed to be more thorough on RAM tests, I think it can be run on a loop easier than AHT 🙂

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Answer 15

Mark_Borok Author

Level 1

5 points

Jul 24, 2014 2:22 PM in response to Drew Reece

Not quite sure what you mean. I have one original DVD with OS 10.6 on it. I booted from that disk while holding down the "D" key and nothing happened. I tried the same thing booting from my 10.8 partition (off of an external drive), but nothing happened there either.

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