Continuous Kernel Panic Issue

I know there are many posts regarding kernel panics on this forum though having read advice and having done many things to try and fix the problem, I still keep having the same issue.

My kernel panics only occur when I do a few certain things. The first time the problem occurred a few months ago after having reformatted my Macbook Pro and whenever I tried to transfer photos from my Canon DSLR camera through iphoto. After having run some Disk Utility repairs it seemed like the problem had gone away but then shortly after I started having the problem any time I would search for something using spotlight. I would simply be searching for something and then all of a sudden the kernel panic occurs. I still have this issue right now. Another way it recently occurred was when I was trying to install Microsoft Office 2008 for Mac. It would always get halfway or near the end of the installation and then start a kernel panic.

I've done various forms of maintenance, I've repaired permissions and repaired disk straight from the OSX startup CD. I've done the Apple Hardware Test with the extended test option and I got absolutely no errors.

So I've done everything I could think of and it never tells me there's any hardware issue, though I can't figure out what kind of software issue would cause it as well.

Here is my most recent log:

Interval Since Last Panic Report: -404986 sec
Panics Since Last Report: -3
Anonymous UUID: 08F813D1-1A4B-4604-81D8-B81ECC85E739

Fri Oct 1 17:15:36 2010
panic(cpu 0 caller 0x2a8ab2): Kernel trap at 0x0156e782, type 14=page fault, registers:
CR0: 0x80010033, CR2: 0x00000008, CR3: 0x27e96000, CR4: 0x000006e0
EAX: 0x00000000, EBX: 0x58e9383c, ECX: 0x00000000, EDX: 0x0000000a
CR2: 0x00000008, EBP: 0x58e93818, ESI: 0x1017cce8, EDI: 0x00000000
EFL: 0x00010206, EIP: 0x0156e782, CS: 0x00000008, DS: 0x10130010
Error code: 0x00000000

Backtrace (CPU 0), Frame : Return Address (4 potential args on stack)
0x58e935c8 : 0x21b455 (0x5cf328 0x58e935fc 0x2238b1 0x0)
0x58e93618 : 0x2a8ab2 (0x591664 0x156e782 0xe 0x59182e)
0x58e936f8 : 0x29e9a8 (0x58e93710 0xe979080 0x58e93818 0x156e782)
0x58e93708 : 0x156e782 (0xe 0x48 0x58e90070 0x2d0010)
0x58e93818 : 0x2f8b47 (0x58e9383c 0x0 0x0 0x58e9389c)
0x58e93868 : 0x2fa49d (0x1017cce8 0x58e93a00 0x929ba34 0x2cd26a)
0x58e938b8 : 0x2e0053 (0x1017cce8 0x58e93a00 0x929ba34 0x0)
0x58e93b48 : 0x463922 (0xf07cd7c 0x0 0x880 0x929ba34)
0x58e93b88 : 0x2da6de (0x8757404 0xf07cd7c 0x880 0x929ba34)
0x58e93bd8 : 0x2f065a (0x1017cce8 0x0 0x880 0x929ba34)
0x58e93c18 : 0x2e66dd (0x1017cce8 0x58e93d00 0x0 0x1)
0x58e93d88 : 0x2e6a8e (0x3d0f2f0 0x1 0x0 0x0)
0x58e93f48 : 0x2e6b27 (0x3d0f2f0 0x1 0x0 0x0)
0x58e93f78 : 0x4edaf8 (0x93857e0 0x92a74e8 0x929b974 0x1)
0x58e93fc8 : 0x29f43d (0x92a74e4 0x0 0x10 0x8cb3d04)
Kernel Extensions in backtrace (with dependencies):
com.apple.filesystems.ntfs(3.2)@0x1562000->0x15c1fff

BSD process name corresponding to current thread: mds

Mac OS version:
10F569

Kernel version:
Darwin Kernel Version 10.4.0: Fri Apr 23 18:28:53 PDT 2010; root:xnu-1504.7.4~1/RELEASE_I386
System model name: MacBookPro5,2 (Mac-F2268EC8)

System uptime in nanoseconds: 4787732410427
unloaded kexts:
com.apple.driver.AirPortBrcm43224 425.16.2 (addr 0xd54000, size 0x1523712) - last unloaded 97077817544
loaded kexts:
com.apple.driver.AppleHWSensor 1.9.3d0 - last loaded 34559963738
com.apple.filesystems.autofs 2.1.0
com.apple.driver.AGPM 100.12.12
com.apple.driver.AppleMikeyHIDDriver 1.2.0
com.apple.driver.AppleMikeyDriver 1.8.7f1
com.apple.driver.AppleHDA 1.8.7f1
com.apple.driver.AudioAUUC 1.4
com.apple.driver.AppleUpstreamUserClient 3.3.2
com.apple.driver.SMCMotionSensor 3.0.0d4
com.apple.filesystems.ntfs 3.2
com.apple.kext.AppleSMCLMU 1.5.0d3
com.apple.Dont_Steal_Mac_OS_X 7.0.0
com.apple.driver.AudioIPCDriver 1.1.2
com.apple.driver.AppleIntelPenrynProfile 17
com.apple.driver.ACPI_SMC_PlatformPlugin 4.1.2b1
com.apple.driver.AppleLPC 1.4.12
com.apple.driver.AppleGraphicsControl 2.8.63
com.apple.GeForce 6.1.8
com.apple.driver.AppleUSBTCButtons 1.8.1b1
com.apple.driver.AppleUSBTCKeyboard 1.8.1b1
com.apple.driver.AppleIRController 303.8
com.apple.iokit.SCSITaskUserClient 2.6.5
com.apple.iokit.IOAHCIBlockStorage 1.6.2
com.apple.BootCache 31
com.apple.AppleFSCompression.AppleFSCompressionTypeZlib 1.0.0d1
com.apple.driver.AppleSmartBatteryManager 160.0.0
com.apple.driver.AppleFWOHCI 4.7.1
com.apple.driver.AirPortBrcm43xx 423.91.27
com.apple.driver.AppleUSBHub 4.0.0
com.apple.driver.AppleAHCIPort 2.1.2
com.apple.nvenet 2.0.15
com.apple.driver.AppleUSBEHCI 4.0.2
com.apple.driver.AppleUSBOHCI 3.9.6
com.apple.driver.AppleEFINVRAM 1.3.0
com.apple.driver.AppleRTC 1.3.1
com.apple.driver.AppleHPET 1.5
com.apple.driver.AppleACPIButtons 1.3.2
com.apple.driver.AppleSMBIOS 1.6
com.apple.driver.AppleACPIEC 1.3.2
com.apple.driver.AppleAPIC 1.4
com.apple.driver.AppleIntelCPUPowerManagementClient 105.10.0
com.apple.security.sandbox 0
com.apple.security.quarantine 0
com.apple.nke.applicationfirewall 2.1.11
com.apple.driver.AppleIntelCPUPowerManagement 105.10.0
com.apple.driver.AppleSMBusController 1.0.8d0
com.apple.driver.DspFuncLib 1.8.7f1
com.apple.driver.AppleProfileReadCounterAction 17
com.apple.driver.AppleSMBusPCI 1.0.8d0
com.apple.driver.AppleProfileTimestampAction 10
com.apple.driver.AppleProfileThreadInfoAction 14
com.apple.driver.AppleProfileRegisterStateAction 10
com.apple.driver.AppleProfileKEventAction 10
com.apple.driver.AppleProfileCallstackAction 20
com.apple.iokit.IOFireWireIP 2.0.3
com.apple.iokit.IOSurface 74.0
com.apple.iokit.IOBluetoothSerialManager 2.3.7f1
com.apple.iokit.IOSerialFamily 10.0.3
com.apple.iokit.IOAudioFamily 1.7.6fc2
com.apple.kext.OSvKernDSPLib 1.3
com.apple.driver.AppleHDAController 1.8.7f1
com.apple.iokit.IOHDAFamily 1.8.7f1
com.apple.iokit.AppleProfileFamily 41
com.apple.driver.AppleSMC 3.0.1d2
com.apple.driver.IOPlatformPluginFamily 4.1.2b1
com.apple.nvidia.nv50hal 6.1.8
com.apple.NVDAResman 6.1.8
com.apple.iokit.IONDRVSupport 2.1
com.apple.iokit.IOGraphicsFamily 2.1
com.apple.driver.AppleUSBMultitouch 205.32
com.apple.driver.BroadcomUSBBluetoothHCIController 2.3.7f1
com.apple.driver.AppleUSBBluetoothHCIController 2.3.7f1
com.apple.iokit.IOBluetoothFamily 2.3.7f1
com.apple.iokit.IOUSBHIDDriver 4.0.2
com.apple.driver.AppleUSBMergeNub 4.0.0
com.apple.driver.AppleUSBComposite 3.9.0
com.apple.iokit.IOSCSIMultimediaCommandsDevice 2.6.5
com.apple.iokit.IOBDStorageFamily 1.6
com.apple.iokit.IODVDStorageFamily 1.6
com.apple.iokit.IOCDStorageFamily 1.6
com.apple.driver.XsanFilter 402.1
com.apple.iokit.IOAHCISerialATAPI 1.2.4
com.apple.iokit.IOSCSIArchitectureModelFamily 2.6.5
com.apple.iokit.IOFireWireFamily 4.2.6
com.apple.iokit.IO80211Family 311.1
com.apple.iokit.IOUSBUserClient 4.0.0
com.apple.iokit.IOAHCIFamily 2.0.4
com.apple.iokit.IONetworkingFamily 1.9
com.apple.iokit.IOUSBFamily 4.0.2
com.apple.driver.NVSMU 2.2.7
com.apple.driver.AppleEFIRuntime 1.3.0
com.apple.iokit.IOHIDFamily 1.6.5
com.apple.iokit.IOSMBusFamily 1.1
com.apple.kext.AppleMatch 1.0.0d1
com.apple.security.TMSafetyNet 6
com.apple.driver.DiskImages 283
com.apple.iokit.IOStorageFamily 1.6.1
com.apple.driver.AppleACPIPlatform 1.3.2
com.apple.iokit.IOPCIFamily 2.6
com.apple.iokit.IOACPIFamily 1.3.0
Model: MacBookPro5,2, BootROM MBP52.008E.B05, 2 processors, Intel Core 2 Duo, 2.8 GHz, 4 GB, SMC 1.42f4
Graphics: NVIDIA GeForce 9600M GT, NVIDIA GeForce 9600M GT, PCIe, 512 MB
Graphics: NVIDIA GeForce 9400M, NVIDIA GeForce 9400M, PCI, 256 MB
Memory Module: global_name
AirPort: spairport_wireless_card_type_airport_extreme (0x14E4, 0x8D), Broadcom BCM43xx 1.0 (5.10.91.27)
Bluetooth: Version 2.3.7f1, 2 service, 19 devices, 1 incoming serial ports
Network Service: AirPort, AirPort, en1
Serial ATA Device: Hitachi HTS545050B9SA02, 465.76 GB
Serial ATA Device: MATSHITADVD-R UJ-868
USB Device: Built-in iSight, 0x05ac (Apple Inc.), 0x8507, 0x24400000
USB Device: Apple Internal Keyboard / Trackpad, 0x05ac (Apple Inc.), 0x0236, 0x04600000
USB Device: IR Receiver, 0x05ac (Apple Inc.), 0x8242, 0x04500000
USB Device: USB Receiver, 0x046d (Logitech Inc.), 0xc526, 0x06400000
USB Device: BCM2046A, 0x0a5c (Broadcom Corp.), 0x2046, 0x06100000

Even now, I can literally make a panic start by just searching spotlight or trying to install Microsoft Office. Can anyone help me figure out why this is happening and how to resolve the issue?

I would really appreciate it.

EDIT: Please let me know if I'm posting this in the wrong thread
as I am not sure whether this is a hardware or software issue.

If I had to take a "somewhat" educated guess... I would say you have a memory module acting up. The page fault registers that are dumping and the kernel trap looks that way.

You might want to either try an extended memory test using the AHT or the "Memtest OS X" program. Use the extended tests.

You could also remove one module at a time from your MBP and see how it behaves.

I had already run the extended Apple Hardware Test and my results were returned as not having any errors. I will run Memtest next and let you know if tells me anything.

After having done the Memtest all of my results came out as "ok" without any errors. Does this mean it is more likely a software issue or could it still be hardware related and just not be showing up in any test?

I just wanted to check that you have run fsck? I'm sure you have, but if not, you should try.
It is a very good way of fixing kernel panics, works 95% of the time.

Zilch said:

After having done the Memtest all of my results came out as "ok" without any errors. Does this mean it is more likely a software issue or could it still be hardware related and just not be showing up in any test?

Click to expand...

OK, that's fine. We'll assume the memory is alright. Take the advice given in the post by Kevriano and run a FSCK on the hard drive. You'll need to boot the machine with your install DVD and use Disk Utility. See the instructions given here.

If you mean just running the repair permissions and repair disk from the Disk Utility while booting from the Mac OSX CD, then I have done this numerous times. In fact I ran it now just to check again. I took a photo of my results since I'm not sure I could do a screen capture:

Disk Utility

After rebooting I tried searching spotlight for my font called "Gotham", before even finishing I go straight into Kernel panic mode:

Kernel Panic

I guess if this is some kind of software related issue I would much rather just solve it by reformatting again as much as I'd like to avoid having to do that.

Run fsck by booting to single user mode, not from disk utility. There are loads of threads explaining how, I've written it a few times. This is Apple's recommended way of tackling kernel panics.