After Yosemite 10.10.3 late-2013 iMac Crashes Randomly and Frequently

Question

After Yosemite 10.10.3 late-2013 iMac Crashes Randomly and Frequently

Environment: late-2013 iMac bought used in February. Yosemite was installed to replace the existing Mavericks from the seller. It was a clean installation and not an upgrade. Apps were migrated from the previous system using the Apple Migrator and categories were excluded as advised by Apple.

All was stable until Yosemite 10.10.3 and then problems started immediately.

Symptom: screen goes black. Pressing power switch does nothing. Only way I found to boot is to unplug from the wall, wait for about thirty seconds or so, and then boot. If I don't wait long enough before restoring power, it definitely won't boot.

Occurrence: up to twenty times a day (e.g. yesterday). Relentless crashing ever since 10.10.3 vs outstanding stability prior.

Triggers: generally unknown as it appears random. One common fails is right after the Finder appears as it has crashed multiple times at that point. Beyond that it seems random. Final Cut may have its own problems.

Final Cut was upgraded to 10.2 at the same time and shows the same symptoms but more often. I cannot back out as there is insufficient disk space to back up data disks and Time Machine covers only the system disk, as I have it configured here. Unknown if it is a victim of the overall problem.

In the following, com.techsmith.TACC is identified. It comes from Techsmith software and is associated with Camtasia 2, a screen-to-video utility. The vendor has been contacted to determine how to get rid of it as the uninstaller didn't do it. I have not been able to locate the file so I cannot delete it manually.

The system crashes with or without peripherals. The only things common to every crash were Yosemite and Safari as the browser was also. Switching to Chrome seemed productive for some hours but this morning the crashes come again.

Booting into Hardware Diagnostics has yielded a clean result in three tests separated by days.

EtreCheck version: 2.2 (132)

Report generated 5/19/15, 10:22 AM

Download EtreCheck from http://etresoft.com/etrecheck

Click the [Click for support] links for help with non-Apple products.

Click the [Click for details] links for more information about that line.

Hardware Information: ℹ️

iMac (27-inch, Late 2013) (Technical Specifications)

iMac - model: iMac14,2

1 3.5 GHz Intel Core i7 CPU: 4-core

16 GB RAM Upgradeable

BANK 0/DIMM0

8 GB DDR3 1600 MHz ok

BANK 1/DIMM0

8 GB DDR3 1600 MHz ok

BANK 0/DIMM1

Empty

BANK 1/DIMM1

Empty

Bluetooth: Good - Handoff/Airdrop2 supported

Wireless: en1: 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac

Video Information: ℹ️

NVIDIA GeForce GTX 780M - VRAM: 4096 MB

iMac 2560 x 1440

System Software: ℹ️

OS X 10.10.3 (14D136) - Time since boot: 0:23:49

Disk Information: ℹ️

APPLE SSD SM0512F disk0 : (500.28 GB)

EFI (disk0s1) <not mounted> : 210 MB

iMac System (disk0s2) / : 499.42 GB (351.28 GB free)

Recovery HD (disk0s3) <not mounted> [Recovery]: 650 MB

USB Information: ℹ️

Western Digital My Book 1230 4 TB

EFI (disk1s1) <not mounted> : 315 MB

Video Prime (disk1s2) /Volumes/Video Prime : 3.00 TB (1.54 TB free)

Audio Prime (disk1s3) /Volumes/Audio Prime : 999.65 GB (301.69 GB free)

Recovery HD (disk1s4) <not mounted> [Recovery]: 650 MB

Apple Inc. FaceTime HD Camera (Built-in)

Apple Inc. BRCM20702 Hub

Apple Inc. Bluetooth USB Host Controller

Burr-Brown from TI USB Audio CODEC

Logitech Logitech USB Headset

Thunderbolt Information: ℹ️

Apple Inc. thunderbolt_bus

Gatekeeper: ℹ️

Anywhere

Kernel Extensions: ℹ️

/Applications/Transmit.app

[not loaded] com.panic.TransmitDisk.transmitdiskfs (4.0.0 - SDK 10.6) [Click for support]

/System/Library/Extensions

[loaded] com.techsmith.TACC (1.0.2 - SDK 10.8) [Click for support]

User Launch Agents: ℹ️

[loaded] com.google.keystone.agent.plist [Click for support]

User Login Items: ℹ️

None

Internet Plug-ins: ℹ️

Default Browser: Version: 600 - SDK 10.10

QuickTime Plugin: Version: 7.7.3

JavaAppletPlugin: Version: 15.0.0 - SDK 10.10 Check version

Safari Extensions: ℹ️

AdBlock

Translate

Stop/Reload Button

3rd Party Preference Panes: ℹ️

None

Time Machine: ℹ️

Time Machine not configured!

Top Processes by CPU: ℹ️

5% WindowServer

4% fontd

3% Google Chrome Helper(8)

0% taskgated

0% Google Chrome

Top Processes by Memory: ℹ️

1.12 GB Google Chrome Helper(8)

841 MB kernel_task

557 MB mdworker(14)

279 MB Dock

197 MB Spotlight

Virtual Memory Information: ℹ️

11.00 GB Free RAM

5.32 GB Used RAM

0 B Swap Used

Diagnostics Information: ℹ️

May 19, 2015, 09:59:02 AM /Library/Logs/DiagnosticReports/awdd_2015-05-19-095902_[redacted].crash

May 19, 2015, 09:58:54 AM Self test - passed

May 19, 2015, 06:02:00 AM /Library/Logs/DiagnosticReports/awdd_2015-05-19-060200_[redacted].crash

May 18, 2015, 08:45:09 PM /Library/Logs/DiagnosticReports/awdd_2015-05-18-204509_[redacted].crash

Final Cut Pro X, OS X Yosemite (10.10.3), null

Posted on May 19, 2015 8:26 AM

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Answer 1

John Galt

Level 10

141,466 points

May 19, 2015 10:10 AM in response to Silas Scarborough

Symptom: screen goes black. Pressing power switch does nothing. Only way I found to boot is to unplug from the wall, wait for about thirty seconds or so, and then boot. If I don't wait long enough before restoring power, it definitely won't boot.

That behavior can only be caused by a hardware fault. If an SMC reset (read below) does not permanently fix it, schedule a Genius Bar Reservation.

Power or other problems related to unexpected system sleep, shutdown, lights or fans call for an SMC reset. Read all the steps.

Before Resetting the SMC

Try each of the following steps in this order before you reset the SMC. Test the issue after completing each troubleshooting step to determine if the issue still occurs.

Press Command + Option + Escape to force quit any application that is not responding.
Put your Mac to sleep by choosing the Apple () menu from the upper-left menu bar and then choosing Sleep. Wake the computer after it has gone to sleep.
Restart your Mac by choosing the Apple () menu from the upper-left menu bar and then choosing Restart.
Shut down your Mac by choosing the Apple () menu from the upper-left menu bar and then choosing Shut Down.

Resetting the SMC for Mac Pro, Intel-based iMac, Intel-based Mac mini, or Intel-based Xserve

Shut down the computer.
Unplug the computer's power cord.
Wait fifteen seconds.
Attach the computer's power cord.
Wait five seconds, then press the power button to turn on the computer.

Reply

Answer 2

May 19, 2015 3:30 PM in response to John Galt

Thanks. I don't know if it will solve my problem but I followed the steps as you listed them prior to resetting the SMC. There was no way to test if the problem exists in-between steps as it's unpredictable what will trigger them. If it does crash again then I take the answer to be make an appt at the local Apple store (it's not even that far from here).

As to com.techsmith.TACC, their tech responded with this command to get rid of it:

sudo kextunload /Library/Extensions/TACC.kext

Terminal returned:

Can't open CFBundle for /Library/Extensions/TACC.kext.
Can't create /Library/Extensions/TACC.kext.

Tried to the following:

sudo kextunload /Library/Extensions/TACC.kext

No error returned and EtreCheck showed it was unloaded. I booted and saw it was again loaded. I await anything further from Techsmith support. I assume there's nothing short of a clean install to get rid of it? (I demoed the program but found it insufficient. I didn't realize it had left this behind.)

Reply

Answer 3

John Galt

Level 10

141,466 points

May 19, 2015 6:40 PM in response to Silas Scarborough

Booting Safe Mode (read below) will eliminate any uncertainty regarding the questionable kext's effect on the system:

Safe Mode or "Safe Boot" is a troubleshooting mode that bypasses all third party system extensions and loads only required system components. Read about it: Starting up in Safe Mode
You must disable FileVault before you can start your Mac in Safe Mode.
Starting your Mac in Safe Mode will take longer than usual, graphics will not render smoothly, audio is disabled on some Macs, and some programs (iTunes for example) may not work at all.
Merely starting your Mac in Safe Mode is not intended to resolve the problem, it's to observe its performance without certain additional components.
To end Safe Mode restart your Mac normally. Shutdown will take longer as well.

Reply

Answer 4

May 20, 2015 8:52 AM in response to John Galt

Instructions for SMC reset were followed and the machine did run for some hours but then more of the same crashes. It will go the Apple Store at 1:15pm. Even if it costs $100 and all I get is a diagnostic saying it's not broken, it's worth it. Isolating a software problem has been incredibly difficult so it would be very good to eliminate this variable or get it fixed, as it comes.

Your tip on Safe Made is good but the incidence is random so there's not a clear way to measure success. So, I'm going to the second step as advised. Will report back on what comes.

Thanks again.

Reply

Answer 5

John Galt

Level 10

141,466 points

May 20, 2015 10:27 AM in response to Silas Scarborough

You're welcome. Apple's diagnostic fee is a lot less than $100, in fact most of the time it's free. If they insist nothing is wrong (random problems never seem to appear on the bench) try to convince them to keep it a day or two. They have diagnostic tests that take a long time to run anyway. Please let me know what they determine.

Reply

Answer 6

May 21, 2015 4:34 AM in response to John Galt

Sorry as I had something in my head of a $100 diagnostic.

As you predicted, the hardware tests run on the open bench out-front came up all-green. There's a Big King hardware tester and the Apple Store approach now is to virgin install Yosemite 10.10.3 and I have told them it is acceptable to do that. What they want to do is hand the machine back and observe for replication. That approach is workable but slow. As you recommend, I will request extended diagnostics via the Big King Diagnosalyzer such that it runs all night (?). The machine can go six hours without crashing. It usually doesn't but it can.

I believe one debugging approach would be much faster than the other and I will suggest what you have recommended.

More news as it comes. Thank you.

Reply

Answer 7

May 21, 2015 4:00 PM in response to Silas Scarborough

iMac was to be returned with virgin 10.10.3 but I requested, as suggested, they take it to the back room diagnostics and set it afire if you must as this aspect must be closed before trying further debugging, should it be necessary. I'm pleased with this course of action and will report on the result, most likely tomorrow.

Reply

Answer 8

etresoft

Level 8

46,768 points

May 21, 2015 4:51 PM in response to Silas Scarborough

Silas Scarborough wrote:

No error returned and EtreCheck showed it was unloaded. I booted and saw it was again loaded. I await anything further from Techsmith support. I assume there's nothing short of a clean install to get rid of it? (I demoed the program but found it insufficient. I didn't realize it had left this behind.)

The instructions you were given were obviously inadequate and flat-out incorrect. Running kextunload (with the correct file location, of course) will unload the kernel extension. But that will not uninstall it. As you discovered, if you restart your machine, it will be reloaded.

You don't have to do a clean install to remove it. There are ways to manually remove it. It is just that those commands are always dangerous and there is no way to tell if the user running them will type them exactly as instructed. Some of us are reluctant to provide those instructions precisely because we have seen end-users mistype something, get an error, and then immediately start trying their own improvisations. If necessary, we can still try that, as long as you have a good backup.

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Answer 9

May 21, 2015 6:07 PM in response to etresoft

Thanks but that aspect is closed as the Genius Bar crew has installed a virgin copy of Yosemite 10.10.3 and I asked them to take it to the back room diagnostics and stress bust it. Set it afire if you must but I must know if there is an intermittent hardware issue.

Assuming the system is stabilized by the base Yosemite 10.10.3, I'll proceed step-wise and as slowly as with a version upgrade to discover what incompatibility may exist elsewhere. All diagnostics run here and on the desk at the Genius Bar came back green and I don't really believe there's a hardware problem but the variable must be eliminated before the next step.

Thanks for your answer.

Reply

Answer 10

etresoft

Level 8

46,768 points

May 22, 2015 7:40 AM in response to Silas Scarborough

Hello again Silas,

Just remember in the future how difficult it may be to uninstall software. Anything you get from the Mac App Store can be easily removed. Anything you get from some other site may need help. Double check before you install how you would remove. If the installer asks for your password - triple check.

Reply

Answer 11

May 23, 2015 1:42 PM in response to John Galt

Latest status: Apple Store did the up-front bench check and then, on request, took it to the backroom to return it the next day. The result was all green for hardware.

The base 10.10.3 system had only the keyboard and a trackpad attached when I booted. I was aware of the iMac Graphics Update and the 10.10.3 Supplemental Update but decided to defer doing anything with them until the iMac logged some hours to show me the base system can go more than eight hours without crashing.

That accomplished, the Apple updates were applied and it is now eight hours later. I'm seeing continuous stability and I have now connected external hardware but have not loaded any software, either third-party or from the Apple Store. Loading that will start tomorrow and quite slowly. It will not surprise me if none of it breaks because the Techsmith kext was the bad guy all along or because the supplemental Apple maintenance already fixed it. Unclear but building it back out again will take place with all due caution.

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Answer 12

May 24, 2015 10:21 AM in response to Silas Scarborough

After installing third-party extensions in Safari, the system crashed within minutes to the same black screen symptom.

The extensions were removed and the system ran eight hours without trouble.

To confirm the extensions truly caused it, they were enabled again and the system crashed almost immediately.

However, even with the extensions removed, the system crashed several more times and I'm now running in Safe Mode. This is a virgin image of Yosemite 10.10.3 as I haven't even installed EtreCheck yet.

There is no panic log revealed in Diagnostic Reports. The symptoms are identical to the same crash which has happened all along. I'm rapidly coming to the conclusion there is no fix. After three kinds of Apple hardware diagnostics come up green, the problem has to come back to Yosemite 10.10.3 as I haven't installed anything else.

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Answer 13

May 24, 2015 10:33 AM in response to Silas Scarborough

Omitted some details:

Extensions loaded to Safari: Stop/Reload (page refresh button), Translate (language translator), SafariRestore (restore tabs from last session), AdBlock (self-defense)

It is known Safari has built-in capability to restore open tabs. However SafariRestore was in the image of Safari running during all the troubles. It's also known Safari has its own page refresh button but the location is a bit awkward and the Stop/Reload button is more convenient.

There is no other third-party software running on the system and those extensions have been uninstalled. Safe Mode does bring stability and I'm gun-shy about a normal boot. Too many crashes.

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Answer 14

etresoft

Level 8

46,768 points

May 24, 2015 11:11 AM in response to Silas Scarborough

Silas Scarborough wrote:

There is no panic log revealed in Diagnostic Reports. The symptoms are identical to the same crash which has happened all along. I'm rapidly coming to the conclusion there is no fix.

Not so fast. First of all, it is patently impossible to say that this is a virgin image of 10.10.3 - especially since the software that causes these problems is designed to be hidden and run in the background and you have already reinstalled some of it. Well, you can say it, but people might not believe it. 🙂 Please run EtreCheck again.

Also, while you have the system in a relatively clean state, it should be much easier to run Console.app and look for log messages that occur around the time of the event. Any and all diagnostics you did while running various system modifications are old news. The goal in running something like EtreCheck is to see what is running so it can be taken out of the equation. But now, you have to rerun all of the tests again. Weren't you working with Linc Davis in another thread? Run his diagnostics again too.

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Answer 15

May 24, 2015 11:32 AM in response to etresoft

I can keep repeating these steps of re-installing Yosemite, doing almost nothing to it and watching it crash again but it only leads to the same place so I fail to see the point. I already did that lap. John Galt has been the most effective in pursuing it.

The system ran for about thirty hours straight before installing the Safari extensions after which time it crashed immediately. The extensions were removed and the system was up continuously for eight more hours. I reinstalled the extensions and it crashed immediately. How much cause and effect do you need.

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