iMac shuting down with grey drop down screen

Hi

I have a 2006 iMac running 10.6.8 and it has recently started to shut down on it's own with a grey screen dropping down from the top of the screen and a "You need to restart your computer" message.

No idea what's causing this. I've running Repair Permissions and Apple hardware test bu it said No trouble found on Std Test or Extended Test

Any ideas?

Unplug all USB peripherals except the KB and mouse if you need them. Start up in Safe mode by holding down the Shift key on startup until you see the words Safe Mode on screen. Then restart normally. If the problem goes away when you do that, you can then try plugging in your peripherals again.

chas_m said:

Unplug all USB peripherals except the KB and mouse if you need them. Start up in Safe mode by holding down the Shift key on startup until you see the words Safe Mode on screen. Then restart normally. If the problem goes away when you do that, you can then try plugging in your peripherals again.

Click to expand...

Hilarious (not!) just as I was logging back in Mac Forums to reply "So far so good" the grey screen started to drop down from the top. Synchronicity! So that's not done it, I started up in Safe mode, then did a restart without any usb's plugged in except the keyboard and mouse and it lasted since my first post, a few hours max.

Now what? (and thanks for your help)

Look in /Library/Logs/Diagnostic Reports - Open it in 'List' view - arrange by time - Not sure if the file you're looking for is still called panic.log or not - but find and open the one that matches the time of your last KP and copy/paste the contents of that log here.

bobtomay said:

Look in /Library/Logs/Diagnostic Reports - Open it in 'List' view - Not sure if the file you're looking for is still called panic.log or not - but find and open the one that matches the time of your last KP and copy/paste the contents of that log here.

Click to expand...

Wed Sep 30 10:58:49 2015
panic(cpu 0 caller 0x2abf6a): Kernel trap at 0x3f4c8ad9, type 14=page fault, registers:
CR0: 0x80010033, CR2: 0x00000030, CR3: 0x3d4d1000, CR4: 0x00000660
EAX: 0x2cb6f000, EBX: 0x00000027, ECX: 0x2cb7012c, EDX: 0x00000000
CR2: 0x00000030, EBP: 0x3ee12be8, ESI: 0x00000000, EDI: 0x0691a000
EFL: 0x00010206, EIP: 0x3f4c8ad9, CS: 0x00000008, DS: 0x00000010
Error code: 0x00000000

Backtrace (CPU 0), Frame : Return Address (4 potential args on stack)
0x3ee12938 : 0x21b837 (0x5dd7fc 0x3ee1296c 0x223ce1 0x0)
0x3ee12988 : 0x2abf6a (0x59e3d0 0x3f4c8ad9 0xe 0x59e59a)
0x3ee12a68 : 0x2a1a78 (0x3ee12a80 0x5918000 0x3ee12be8 0x3f4c8ad9)
0x3ee12a78 : 0x3f4c8ad9 (0xe 0x48 0x90010 0x7140010)
0x3ee12be8 : 0x56d5c6 (0x691a000 0xe3df86c 0x40 0x0)
0x3ee12c38 : 0x56e23c (0x3f4ebd78 0x691a000 0xe3df868 0x0)
0x3ee12c88 : 0x56eb59 (0x691a000 0x13 0x3ee12cd0 0x0)
0x3ee12da8 : 0x286638 (0x691a000 0x13 0xe3df868 0x0)
0x3ee13e58 : 0x21dbe5 (0xe3df840 0xe5525a0 0x1f6228 0x133cb)
0x3ee13e98 : 0x210a86 (0xe3df800 0x0 0x6630380 0xe469110)
0x3ee13ef8 : 0x216f84 (0xe3df800 0x0 0x0 0x0)
0x3ee13f78 : 0x295c57 (0x58d3b08 0x0 0x0 0x0)
0x3ee13fc8 : 0x2a256d (0x58d3b04 0x0 0x10 0x6ddb364)
Kernel Extensions in backtrace (with dependencies):
com.apple.ATIRadeonX1000(6.3.6)@0x3f495000->0x3f4f0fff
dependency: com.apple.iokit.IOPCIFamily(2.6.5)@0x387d2000
dependency: com.apple.iokit.IONDRVSupport(2.2.1)@0x3efad000
dependency: com.apple.iokit.IOGraphicsFamily(2.2.1)@0x3eda1000

BSD process name corresponding to current thread: firefox

Mac OS version:
10K549

Kernel version:
Darwin Kernel Version 10.8.0: Tue Jun 7 16:33:36 PDT 2011; root:xnu-1504.15.3~1/RELEASE_I386
System model name: iMac5,1 (Mac-F4228EC8)

System uptime in nanoseconds: 4110675610680
unloaded kexts:
com.apple.driver.AppleFileSystemDriver 2.0 (addr 0x389fd000, size 0x12288) - last unloaded 148020884286
loaded kexts:
at.obdev.nke.LittleSnitch 3916
com.apple.driver.AppleHWSensor 1.9.3d0
com.apple.driver.AudioAUUC 1.57
com.apple.driver.AppleUpstreamUserClient 3.5.7
com.apple.driver.AppleMCCSControl 1.0.20
com.apple.kext.ATIFramebuffer 6.3.6
com.apple.Dont_Steal_Mac_OS_X 7.0.0
com.apple.ATIRadeonX1000 6.3.6
com.apple.driver.AudioIPCDriver 1.1.6
com.apple.driver.AppleHDA 2.0.5f14
com.apple.driver.IOBluetoothBNEPDriver 2.4.5f3
com.apple.driver.AppleLPC 1.5.1
com.apple.driver.AppleBacklight 170.0.46
com.apple.iokit.AppleYukon2 3.2.1b1
com.apple.driver.AppleIntelMeromProfile 19
com.apple.driver.AirPortBrcm43224 428.42.4
com.apple.driver.ACPI_SMC_PlatformPlugin 4.7.0a1
com.apple.filesystems.autofs 2.1.0
com.apple.driver.AppleIRController 303.8
com.apple.iokit.SCSITaskUserClient 2.6.8
com.apple.iokit.IOAHCIBlockStorage 1.6.4
com.apple.BootCache 31.1
com.apple.AppleFSCompression.AppleFSCompressionTypeZlib 1.0.0d1
com.apple.driver.AppleAHCIPort 2.1.7
com.apple.driver.AppleUSBHub 4.2.4
com.apple.driver.AppleIntelPIIXATA 2.5.1
com.apple.driver.AppleFWOHCI 4.7.3
com.apple.driver.AppleEFINVRAM 1.4.0
com.apple.driver.AppleUSBEHCI 4.2.4
com.apple.driver.AppleUSBUHCI 4.2.0
com.apple.driver.AppleRTC 1.3.1
com.apple.driver.AppleHPET 1.5
com.apple.driver.AppleACPIButtons 1.3.6
com.apple.driver.AppleSMBIOS 1.7
com.apple.driver.AppleACPIEC 1.3.6
com.apple.driver.AppleAPIC 1.4
com.apple.driver.AppleIntelCPUPowerManagementClient 142.6.0
com.apple.security.sandbox 1
com.apple.security.quarantine 0
com.apple.nke.applicationfirewall 2.1.14
com.apple.driver.AppleIntelCPUPowerManagement 142.6.0
com.apple.driver.AppleProfileReadCounterAction 17 - last loaded 42931366214
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.IOSurface 74.2
com.apple.iokit.IOBluetoothSerialManager 2.4.5f3
com.apple.iokit.IOSerialFamily 10.0.3
com.apple.driver.DspFuncLib 2.0.5f14
com.apple.iokit.IOAudioFamily 1.8.3fc2
com.apple.kext.OSvKernDSPLib 1.3
com.apple.driver.AppleBacklightExpert 1.0.1
com.apple.iokit.IONDRVSupport 2.2.1
com.apple.iokit.IOFireWireIP 2.0.3
com.apple.iokit.AppleProfileFamily 41
com.apple.driver.AppleHDAController 2.0.5f14
com.apple.iokit.IOHDAFamily 2.0.5f14
com.apple.iokit.IO80211Family 320.1
com.apple.iokit.IONetworkingFamily 1.10
com.apple.driver.AppleSMC 3.1.0d5
com.apple.driver.IOPlatformPluginFamily 4.7.0a1
com.apple.kext.ATI1600Controller 6.3.6
com.apple.kext.ATISupport 6.3.6
com.apple.iokit.IOGraphicsFamily 2.2.1
com.apple.driver.CSRUSBBluetoothHCIController 2.4.5f3
com.apple.driver.AppleUSBBluetoothHCIController 2.4.5f3
com.apple.iokit.IOBluetoothFamily 2.4.5f3
com.apple.driver.AppleUSBHIDMouse 162
com.apple.driver.AppleHIDMouse 162
com.apple.iokit.IOUSBHIDDriver 4.2.0
com.apple.driver.AppleUSBMergeNub 4.2.4
com.apple.driver.AppleUSBComposite 3.9.0
com.apple.iokit.IOSCSIMultimediaCommandsDevice 2.6.8
com.apple.iokit.IOBDStorageFamily 1.6
com.apple.iokit.IODVDStorageFamily 1.6
com.apple.iokit.IOCDStorageFamily 1.6.1
com.apple.driver.XsanFilter 402.1
com.apple.iokit.IOATAPIProtocolTransport 2.5.1
com.apple.iokit.IOSCSIArchitectureModelFamily 2.6.8
com.apple.iokit.IOAHCIFamily 2.0.6
com.apple.iokit.IOUSBUserClient 4.2.4
com.apple.iokit.IOATAFamily 2.5.1
com.apple.iokit.IOFireWireFamily 4.2.6
com.apple.iokit.IOUSBFamily 4.2.4
com.apple.driver.AppleEFIRuntime 1.4.0
com.apple.iokit.IOHIDFamily 1.6.6
com.apple.iokit.IOSMBusFamily 1.1
com.apple.security.TMSafetyNet 6
com.apple.kext.AppleMatch 1.0.0d1
com.apple.driver.DiskImages 289.1
com.apple.iokit.IOStorageFamily 1.6.3
com.apple.driver.AppleACPIPlatform 1.3.6
com.apple.iokit.IOPCIFamily 2.6.5
com.apple.iokit.IOACPIFamily 1.3.0

Installed any memory lately?

cradom said:

Installed any memory lately?

Click to expand...

Nope, not installed any memory

First, remove "Little Snitch" and then boot your machine with your Snow Leopard disk. But don't reinstall, instead select the top menu "Utilities", "Disk Utility", highlight your hard drive and then run a Verify. Let's see if it gives you any errors. If everything checks out OK, don't reinstall "Little Snitch"; just run without it. Why are you using it anyway?

chscag said:

First, remove "Little Snitch" and then boot your machine with your Snow Leopard disk. But don't reinstall, instead select the top menu "Utilities", "Disk Utility", highlight your hard drive and then run a Verify. Let's see if it gives you any errors. If everything checks out OK, don't reinstall "Little Snitch"; just run without it. Why are you using it anyway?

Click to expand...

Removed Little Snitch (with AppZap) it wasnt running anyway and it hasn't been for more than a year probably, I think they gave up supporting it. I used it for notifying me of incoming crap from programmes I was running and then got the option to 'not allow' them, it was a great little app when I was using it.

Anyway I ran Verify Disk from Utilities on the Install disc and got the message "The volume iMac HD appears to be OK".

It was running or it wouldn't be on that panic report. Probably needed to be updated, possibly the reason for the panic, and is very much still supported.
Try running without it for a while.

cradom said:

It was running or it wouldn't be on that panic report. Probably needed to be updated, possibly the reason for the panic, and is very much still supported.
Try running without it for a while.

Click to expand...

Not had a crash since after I removed the Little Snitch (famous last words as I hold my breath) but I have just noticed that the Little Snitch icon is still appearing in the toolbar at the top of the screen, but it is inoperative as I AppZap'd the program



How do I get rid of that?

Ok, find and delete:
/Library/LaunchAgents/at.obdev.LittleSnitchUIAgent.plist
/Library/LaunchDaemons/at.obdev.littlesnitchd.plist
/Library/Little Snitch folder (BTW: the uninstaller is in there, the one you should have used).
~/Library/Application Support/Little Snitch folder
There may be more but all I could find.

cradom said:

Ok, find and delete:
/Library/LaunchAgents/at.obdev.LittleSnitchUIAgent.plist
/Library/LaunchDaemons/at.obdev.littlesnitchd.plist
/Library/Little Snitch folder (BTW: the uninstaller is in there, the one you should have used).
~/Library/Application Support/Little Snitch folder
There may be more but all I could find.

Click to expand...

daemon and agent "is in use" and won't empty from the trash. There is a way to force empty the trash isn't there?

Restart. Then will empty.
Or open Activity Monitor and kill the processes.
Easier to just restart.

cradom said:

Restart. Then will empty.
Or open Activity Monitor and kill the processes.
Easier to just restart.

Click to expand...

So far, so good! didn't use it much yesterday after emptying the trash but all good this morning. Will keep updated if it goes again. Thanks for everyone's help

So, it seems to have stopped crashing and at least I'm not getting the grey drop down screen although I've been away again and therefore not using it so much anyhow, BUT Firefox is as slow as heck. I've got 60Gb free disk space (out of 250Gb) so not sure why or what would be causing that, any ideas?

pinheadplanet said:

...BUT Firefox is as slow as heck. I've got 60Gb free disk space (out of 250Gb) so not sure why or what would be causing that, any ideas?

Click to expand...

Which part are you asking about? Why Firefox is slow or why you got 60gig left out of 250gig?

If why Firefox is slow…the first thing to consider is…is the internet connection you are using slow at the moment…or possibly the websites you are visiting are slow (sometimes the visiting websites servers are slow). To check your internet connection speed…go to "speediest.net"…run the test…and compare the results to the speeds you're supposed to get with your internet plan.

- Nick

pigoo3 said:

Which part are you asking about? Why Firefox is slow or why you got 60gig left out of 250gig?

If why Firefox is slow…the first thing to consider is…is the internet connection you are using slow at the moment…or possibly the websites you are visiting are slow (sometimes the visiting websites servers are slow). To check your internet connection speed…go to "speediest.net"…run the test…and compare the results to the speeds you're supposed to get with your internet plan.

- Nick

Click to expand...

I am not asking about 60Gb, just put that so people know I am not upto my storage limit which can make a mac slow. It is specifically Firefox that is unresponsive, Safari is fine, it is not my internet provider that is slow.

Actually many will tell you it is at the storage limit as your Mac requires some 20-25% free space to work anywhere near capacity.