02-28-2011, 02:26 PM

I have a MDD with dual 1.25 GHz and 2 GB RAM. I just recently installed 10.5.8 on my second hard drive and it is running snappy and reasonably fast. The problem is when I walk away for any length of time. I return only to find that lovely black square encouraging me to hold down the start button. I installed two new Patriot 512 MB RAM chips in it right before I installed the OS. I thought that could be it, but it does this with or without them. I ran across another forum with a guy having a similar problem. He said if he left something running, such as iTunes, it didn't crash. That seems to be working or me as well, but I haven't been doing it long. I've been around Macs for most of my life, but I'm not a total pro, so keep that in mind. I do, however, know a bit about troubleshooting and know how to read forums and google what I don't get. Here is a crash report. Maybe somebody has seen something like this. Thanks for any help.

Interval Since Last Panic Report: 4237 sec
Panics Since Last Report: 2
Anonymous UUID: 3DA1B14E-0D5E-47A7-9E75-DF60F394094F

Mon Feb 28 11:57:25 2011


Unresolved kernel trap(cpu 1): 0x400 - Inst access DAR=0x0000000000105DC8 PC=0x0000000000000000
Latest crash info for cpu 1:
Exception state (sv=0x3b643c80)
PC=0x00000000; MSR=0x40009030; DAR=0x00105DC8; DSISR=0x40000000; LR=0x007AC528; R1=0x3B5EFD00; XCP=0x00000010 (0x400 - Inst access)
Backtrace:
0x03170300 0x00350114 0x003504D8 0x0003F2A0 0x000B1DD4
Kernel loadable modules in backtrace (with dependencies):
com.Ralink.driver.RT73(1.1.7)@0x78d000->0x7c5fff
dependency: com.apple.iokit.IOPCIFamily(2.6)@0x5c7000
dependency: com.apple.iokit.IONetworkingFamily(1.6.1)@0x76e000
dependency: com.apple.iokit.IOUSBFamily(3.4.9)@0x4fd000
Proceeding back via exception chain:
Exception state (sv=0x3b643c80)
previously dumped as "Latest" state. skipping...
Exception state (sv=0x44cfac80)
PC=0x00000000; MSR=0x0000D030; DAR=0x00000000; DSISR=0x00000000; LR=0x00000000; R1=0x00000000; XCP=0x00000000 (Unknown)

BSD process name corresponding to current thread: kernel_task

Mac OS version:
9L31a

Kernel version:
Darwin Kernel Version 9.8.0: Wed Jul 15 16:57:01 PDT 2009; root:xnu-1228.15.4~1/RELEASE_PPC
System model name: PowerMac3,6

System uptime in nanoseconds: 1753036473917
unloaded kexts:
com.apple.driver.AppleFCU 1.3.2b0 - last unloaded 4616704292
loaded kexts:
com.Ralink.driver.RT73 1.1.7
com.apple.driver.AppleHIDKeyboard 1.0.9b4 - last loaded 2027171467
com.apple.driver.IOBluetoothHIDDriver 2.1.8f2
com.apple.filesystems.cddafs 2.3.0
com.apple.iokit.IOBluetoothSerialManager 2.1.8f2
com.apple.driver.AudioIPCDriver 1.0.6
com.apple.driver.AppleFCU 1.3.2b0
com.apple.driver.AppleFan 1.0.10f1
com.apple.driver.AppleADT746x 1.0.10f1
com.apple.driver.AppleTexasAudio 2.5.8f1
com.apple.filesystems.autofs 2.0.2
com.apple.driver.AppleADM103x 1.0.10f1
com.apple.driver.AppleSCCSerial 1.3.2
com.apple.driver.AppleTexas2Audio 2.5.8f1
com.apple.driver.AppleDACAAudio 2.5.8f1
com.apple.iokit.IOFireWireIP 1.7.7
com.apple.ATIRadeon8500 5.4.8
com.apple.driver.AppleVSP 2.2.2
com.apple.driver.AppleUSBAudio 2.6.4b17
com.apple.driver.AppleThermal 1.0.1f2
com.apple.driver.AppleSlewClock 1.5.2d0
com.apple.driver.AppleHWClock 1.5.2d0
com.apple.driver.AppleDallasDriver 2.5.8f1
com.apple.driver.InternalModemSupport 2.4.0
com.apple.iokit.IOUSBHIDDriver 3.4.6
com.apple.driver.AppleI2S 1.0.1f1
com.apple.driver.CSRUSBBluetoothHCIController 2.1.8f2
com.apple.driver.iTunesPhoneDriver 1.0
com.apple.iokit.IOUSBMassStorageClass 2.0.8
com.apple.driver.AppleFileSystemDriver 1.1.0
com.apple.driver.AppleUSBComposite 3.2.0
com.apple.iokit.IOSCSIMultimediaCommandsDevice 2.1.1
com.apple.iokit.SCSITaskUserClient 2.1.1
com.apple.driver.XsanFilter 2.7.91
com.apple.driver.AppleUSBHub 3.4.9
com.apple.iokit.IOATAPIProtocolTransport 1.5.3
com.apple.iokit.IOATABlockStorage 2.0.6
com.apple.iokit.IOUSBUserClient 3.4.9
com.apple.driver.ApplePMU 2.5.6d2
com.apple.driver.AppleGPIO 1.3.0d0
com.apple.driver.AppleCPUThermo 2.0.0a0
com.apple.iokit.AppleMediaBay 1.0.2f1
com.apple.driver.KeyLargoATA 1.1.1f1
com.apple.driver.AppleI2C 4.0.0d2
com.apple.iokit.AppleGMACEthernet 1.5.9f1
com.apple.driver.

02-28-2011, 02:49 PM

Originally Posted by pdub77

I installed two new Patriot 512 MB RAM chips in it right before I installed the OS. I thought that could be it, but it does this with or without them.

Incompatible or bad ram in many cases is the cause of "kernel panics" (which is what you're probably experiencing). The best way to test this, is to only install 1 stick of ram (a stick of ram that you're absolutely confident is good & Macintosh compatible). Then see if you have any crashing problems. If not, add a 2nd stick of ram...if it doesn't crash...install a 3rd stick. This way you can determine which ram works & which doesn't.

If your computer still keeps crashing (even after each stick is tested individually)...then it could be the video card. Lastly...sometimes these sorts of crashes can happen due to expansion cards installed in the computer...or peripherals connected to the computer...either of which may not be compatible with OS 10.5.8.

HTH,

- Nick

02-28-2011, 02:55 PM

Nothing really definitive in that crash report but this one thing does stand out. (see below) Perhaps it will make sense to you - it does look like a driver may be the culprit.

Unresolved kernel trap(cpu 1): 0x400 - Inst access DAR=0x0000000000105DC8 PC=0x0000000000000000
Latest crash info for cpu 1:
Exception state (sv=0x3b643c80)
PC=0x00000000; MSR=0x40009030; DAR=0x00105DC8; DSISR=0x40000000; LR=0x007AC528; R1=0x3B5EFD00; XCP=0x00000010 (0x400 - Inst access)
Backtrace:
0x03170300 0x00350114 0x003504D8 0x0003F2A0 0x000B1DD4
Kernel loadable modules in backtrace (with dependencies):
com.Ralink.driver.RT73(1.1.7)@0x78d000->0x7c5fff
dependency: com.apple.iokit.IOPCIFamily(2.6)@0x5c7000
dependency: com.apple.iokit.IONetworkingFamily(1.6.1)@0x76e000
dependency: com.apple.iokit.IOUSBFamily(3.4.9)@0x4fd000
Proceeding back via exception chain:
Exception state (sv=0x3b643c80)
previously dumped as "Latest" state. skipping...
Exception state (sv=0x44cfac80)
PC=0x00000000; MSR=0x0000D030; DAR=0x00000000; DSISR=0x00000000; LR=0x00000000; R1=0x00000000; XCP=0x00000000 (Unknown)

I have no idea though what it does but you can see that it's crashing at that address. Perhaps it's something that is not compatible with Leopard?

Sorry I can't be of more help. Perhaps someone else can chime in and provide you with better info.

02-28-2011, 03:01 PM

I don't even know how to interpret these crash reports. What denotes the crash?

02-28-2011, 03:35 PM

I downloaded a different driver for this. Hoping this helps. Thanks, C. P, I will look into those options if this doesn't solve it. It's hard when you have a problem that only happens when you aren't at your computer. You have to wait until you're not using it to find out. . . ; )

03-01-2011, 10:50 AM

Ralink appears to be a USB wireless adapter. It could be that the unit going to sleep and trying to unload the driver is causing the panic. Good first move installing a different driver. We'll see if that helps, and if not, go from there.

03-01-2011, 03:31 PM

Never got a USB wireless adapter to work satisfactorily yet, particuarly Ralink as they manufacture drivers for Windows only.

03-01-2011, 04:19 PM

They clearly have drivers for mac, just insufficient ones. . .

Is this the problem, though?

03-04-2011, 11:48 AM

If you're using a USB wireless adapter, then I'd say most likely. If you're close enough to use Ethernet instead of wireless for internet access, I'd remove the adapter and see if the behavior improves for a week or so. If so, you've found your culprit.

03-07-2011, 11:45 AM

That did the trick. I am now running from on ethernet and not wireless. No crashes and everything is running smoothly. Been running almost 24 hours straight now with no issue. Thank you all who took the time to help me out. I appreciate it greatly.

03-07-2011, 11:46 AM

I apologize for my poor grammar just then. Need to proofread! ; )

03-07-2011, 03:45 PM

We forgivees ya!

So lang as you get it up and going!

And keep away from Ralink adapters eh?

03-07-2011, 04:21 PM

What else can I use to connect my Belkin adapter, though? I don't need it now, but what about the future? Alas. . .

03-07-2011, 05:37 PM

Never got any brand USB adapter to work with a G4 sorry.

03-09-2011, 08:21 AM

Some folks have used an Airport Express to provide pseudo-wireless access to a computer. Basically, the Airport becomes a wireless client, feeding internet through the ethernet cable to the computer - sort of backwards to how it's normally used, but should work ok.