- Joined
- May 20, 2008
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- Your Mac's Specs
- 2017 15" MBP, 16gig ram, 1TB SSD, OS 10.15
There are 2 sticks, 1 gb a piece. I tried doing that, but still had the kernel panic. Tried the other variation also.
Here is some new information I found digging into old paperwork:
Apparently when I first took it in, my genuis bar paperwork says they issued to Hardware repairs (level 1?). The second time I took it in it says they experienced a kernel panic even with an external hdd. Does this rule out the hard drive being bad?
Hard drives are rarely the cause of kernel panics (KP)...and if they did cause a KP...they are soooo easy to replace!
From what you mentioned about the Apple Store using an external HD to boot from, and they still got a KP...I would agree that your iMac's internal HD is not the problem.
I just want to mention again. The KP's this iMac is experiencing could totally be due to something we are not capable of identifying in a "home environment". All we can do is "fuss" with the things we can investigate (mostly the ram)...and to do this thoroughly...you would have to 100% sure the ram you have is good.
This can only be done by using different ram that you are 100% positive is good...or take the ram you currently have...and install it into a 2nd computer (that uses the same exact ram) to see if that 2nd computer functions properly. I realize that you may not have these options available to you...so this is a limitation on how well be can be sure that the ram is or is not the cause of the kernel panics.
Unless I'm getting mixed up with all the details in this thread. I think that we should have some confidence in the Apple Store technicians...that if this KP problem was an easy fix (bad ram, bad HD, etc.)...they would have found it. It's very possible that it's something else (such as some of the hardware on the logic board has gone bad in some way)...which is NOT repairable. Or at least not repairable cheaply...or by anyone without VERY highly skilled technicians & a well equipped repair facility (which would probably have to be better than most Apple facilities).
Logic boards are replaced...not repaired. And replacement logic boards rarely cost less than $250 (very old computers)...and many times can cost $350, $450, even upwards of $500+.
I think that you have done some very good troubleshooting (with help from Mac-Forums). But you're kind of reaching the limits of what someone can do at home...with limited (or no) replacement parts to swap with (namely 100% good ram), a replacement HD, and maybe appropriate OS install disks.
This computer was sitting in a closet for 2 years (unloved)...and now a "crash-course" is being undertaken to determine if it is suffering from something simple (which should have been done 2 years ago before a new computer was purchased)...yes I know you took it to the Apple Store.
I think that this computers "best days" are behind it. Time to put it on Craig's List (CL)...inform buyers of it's problems...and hope for the best. Any cash you get for it will certainly be better then the zero cash is has contributed sitting in a closet for 2 years, Also realize that 2 years in the closet has lowered it's value (plus it's not working). So don't expect any miracle offers from CL!
Good luck,
- Nick