Yet Another *Panic Attack* using OSX 10.6.8

[MacDulles]

Much appreciate the RAM heads-up. My 2009 24" iMac Core 2 Duo was purchased from Mac Business Solutions in Gaithersburg,Md , whom purchased direct from Apple & whom have been licensed for selling and servicing Macs exclusively for 24 years. I'm sure they have a record of what brand RAM they had installed in 3/2009 if it wasn't already ordered thru them w/ all 8GBs pre-installed.
Like I said, this has *never* happened to me before on this iMac owned since 3/2009 w/ same RAM it came with.
Will use the Rember test app that I just downloaded as you prescribe, but cwa107's diagnosis sounds
pretty dire.
As asked before ,Is there *any* useful intelligence buried in the lines of Apple shutdown report code that can be useful to a layman to flag as signals of what is actually going wrong seeing as how Apple wants a snapshot record of conditions leading up to crash, in this case the KP? If anyone knows code-reading what would *I* look for ? I just would want to spare all of you to post its entirety here like another MacForum poster did.

 

[Randy B. Singer]

As asked before ,Is there *any* useful intelligence buried in the lines of Apple shutdown report code that can be useful to a layman to flag as signals of what is actually going wrong seeing as how Apple wants a snapshot record of conditions leading up to crash, in this case the KP? If anyone knows code-reading what would *I* look for ? I just would want to spare all of you to post its entirety here like another MacForum poster did.

I answered that previously in this thread:

Also, your Mac maintains logs of all of your kernel panics, and the logs can give you clues as to what caused the panics. The problem is that it's not easy to understand those logs. Here is some background information if you are brave enough to wade into this:

TN 2123 CrashReport Deciphere
http://developer.apple.com/mac/libra...04/tn2123.html
and
TN 2063: Understanding and Debugging Kernel Panics
http://developer.apple.com/technotes/tn2002/tn2063.html

Look for log files named "panic.log" here:

/Library/Logs/Diagnostic Reports
and here
/username/Library/Logs/DiagnosticReports and PanicReports

 

[MacDulles]

Hey Randy, appreciate the reminder post from yesterday which was out-of-sight,out of mind.
I *shall* suffer through the homework you have offered as I'm on mission to get to the root of all of this
*Kernal Panic Alert* issue and acquire some measure of a working knowledge of this totally *new* situation and I do appreciate your kind patience in schooling me on this. The least I can do is the follow-up required reading.
Follow-up on the Rember Test results just released to me. Don't know how much RAM OSX 10.6.8 takes up , but Rember states it could only test 5.3GB's *available RAM out of recognized total of 8 GB's RAM with Rember & Finder the only apps running *forced quit* window.* All Tests Passed*
Only abberation in Rember's Log was "ERROR: Memory lock failed - reason unknown." Otherwise *All tests passed!*.
Will report my findings with assigned reading of "Crash Report Deciphere"/"Understadning Kernal Panics"/ as well as subsequently my own iMac's "panic log" and , again, I *do* appreciate the research links you provided. "Knowledge is power" and I am a practicing *Joir de Savior™* gourmet.
BTW: No further *KP* incidents, as yet, this business day.

 

[MacDulles]

Link Problem: TN 2123 CrashReport Deciphere
http://developer.apple.com/mac/libra...04/tn2123.html *Page Not Found*.
2nd link works and found a listing in the Table of contents that reads:"How to Read the Panic Log from an Intel-Based Mac". Is this the 1st reading that you referenced with the apparently defunct link?

 

[MacDulles]

OK, Have the prerequisite headache from reading all this , for a layman, poorly written description. It's like the code-elites don't want mere uninitiated layman to be able to read their holy script, like lawyers and the law . Sought out the possibility of a video tutorial on YouTube as I've been pleasantly surprised in the past, but *not* this time, just more daisy-chains of links to more code-centric gobblty-gook that fails to correspond to my iMac-generated open window of my iMac's record of its *KP* event . However I have found an awful lot of other such *Kernal Panic* threads online, some on recently purchased Mac hardware.
I just need an actual human being to 'splain it as print just won't cut it. Print is hopelessly static and not dynamic which is the problem with text and why I prefer tutorials videos. At least they portray *behaviors* as we all experience them in real life , *in motion*. As I said there's just no direct & clear explanation of which line of code is the most informative. It's all buried in explanation of code that does not correspond to the code report I've got right in front of me which I experience as infinitely frustrating.

 

[MacDulles]

What I have learned is that there is *no* laymen's code identification corresponding to * problem* or *error source. It's all couched in binary relative language that offers no *clear* value judgement of errant code flagging
that designates the presence of a *known* kernal panic trigger already on path. To my right-brained/left-handed mind
can't *known* code paths to disaster be traced with more illustrary code-pattern indentifiers., warning flags that alert a debugger program which already is programmed to *know* what to hunt down as errant kernal panic triggers that, if followed to their conclusion , will trigger kernal panic. And if my attempt at description reads as so much tortured English gobbilty-gook then please feel my pain over poor defining of what amounts to Martian code to me.
Makes me wish that I could let a cursor hover over any line of code and wait for some defining passage, or link to one , to appear in a window just beneath it . ( ie: If you see this here then that may mean possible trouble leading to a kernal panic crash-path) I believe you get my plain layman's English drift.

 

[cwa107]

OK, Have the prerequisite headache from reading all this , for a layman, poorly written description. It's like the code-elites don't want mere uninitiated layman to be able to read their holy script, like lawyers and the law . Sought out the possibility of a video tutorial on YouTube as I've been pleasantly surprised in the past, but *not* this time, just more daisy-chains of links to more code-centric gobblty-gook that fails to correspond to my iMac-generated open window of my iMac's record of its *KP* event . However I have found an awful lot of other such *Kernal Panic* threads online, some on recently purchased Mac hardware.
I just need an actual human being to 'splain it as print just won't cut it. Print is hopelessly static and not dynamic which is the problem with text and why I prefer tutorials videos. At least they portray *behaviors* as we all experience them in real life , *in motion*. As I said there's just no direct & clear explanation of which line of code is the most informative. It's all buried in explanation of code that does not correspond to the code report I've got right in front of me which I experience as infinitely frustrating.

Let me try to keep this simple, because really, it is not all that complicated a problem... though it may seem so.

A kernel panic is an operating system crash. It occurs because something about the underlying platform (the hardware) is shaky in some way. Think of it like a house of cards... if the foundation isn't solid, it doesn't matter how great the rest of the design is, or how careful you place the cards, it's just gonna come crashing down.

So, where you need to focus your energy and effort is finding the problem in the hardware.

If nothing has changed with the computer hardware-wise (i.e. you haven't upgraded the RAM or added a new peripheral) then it's not all that likely to be any of the solid-state components at fault. You should be looking at components that are mechanical in nature (i.e. have moving parts).

As I mentioned before - by a large margin, the most common point of failure in modern computers is the hard disk drive. Especially given that you were able to reach a point of relative stability by running 'First Aid' using Disk Utility, I can tell you with a VERY high degree of certainty that it's likely your problem here.

Fortunately, replacing the hard drive isn't exactly rocket science and it's not all that expensive either. So, replacing it pre-emptively, even if you don't have conclusive proof, is not a bad course of action. In fact, if you replace it with a solid state drive, you'll see a huge performance boost.

Just something to think about.

 

[MacDulles]

Thanks cwa107 and glad to compliment your response with a permalink.
Unfortunately replacing a hard drive in an iMac is not that easy either as far as opening up the iMac itself.
If you suspect that my Apple pre-installed Western Digital main drive, from 2009 , is reaching end-of-life can an external hard drive serve. Can't financially swing a Soild State Drive right now let alone the professional labor to execute it. Like I said, I've been on a marathon of DVD-archiving as well as transferring to empty space on my externals as much of my main drive's contents I can all day and probably well into tomorrow. It's like Titanic-time , *abandon ship* mode.
BTW: No kernal panics well past 48 hrs today either.

 

[lclev]

*If* I do see a return of the *Kernal Panic Attack* I'll report back and try as best as I can report on the chain of events that led to it. I observed someone else here posting the panic attack code record to be reported to Apple. May I cut & paste that here as well as if reading the code tea leaves might be the most direct source of KP trigger identification and, if not all of it, what key lines of code would one be interested in to read for some diagnosis clues? TIA

Yes, post your kernel panics. That would help.

Lisa

 

[pm-r]

I'm just doing some catchup here and I was surprised that no one had mentioned the possibility of the HDD failing until cwa107' #20 post which I was also about to mention.

And thinking of that, besides the KP's, I hope there is a cloned CCC backup and it might be a good idea to try booting from it as a test procedure.

i.e.: if things work well when booted from the clone and no KP's, then I'd suspect the original HDD is failing or may just have a batch of bad sectors. Either of which can cause a KP.

 

[MacDulles]

A Genuine Thank you, Lisa, You are very kind indeed :
This was the very last *KP* attack crash record registered this past Saturday, 10/11/2014:
Sat Oct 11 08:32:44 2014
panic(cpu 0 caller 0x2abf6a): Kernel trap at 0x00c5e290, type 14=page fault, registers:
CR0: 0x80010033, CR2: 0x000000a8, CR3: 0x61f28000, CR4: 0x00000660
EAX: 0x00000000, EBX: 0x75f521f0, ECX: 0x178b3000, EDX: 0x00000000
CR2: 0x000000a8, EBP: 0x7c5a2908, ESI: 0x00000009, EDI: 0x178b3000
EFL: 0x00010246, EIP: 0x00c5e290, CS: 0x00000008, DS: 0x00000010
Error code: 0x00000000

Backtrace (CPU 0), Frame : Return Address (4 potential args on stack)
0x7c5a26e8 : 0x21b837 (0x5dd7fc 0x7c5a271c 0x223ce1 0x0)
0x7c5a2738 : 0x2abf6a (0x59e3d0 0xc5e290 0xe 0x59e59a)
0x7c5a2818 : 0x2a1a78 (0x7c5a2830 0x0 0x7c5a2908 0xc5e290)
0x7c5a2828 : 0xc5e290 (0xe 0x48 0x10 0x10)
0x7c5a2908 : 0xcd776b (0x6d393000 0x6d5df000 0x6d646000 0x178f8240)
0x7c5a2958 : 0xcd7314 (0x6d5df000 0x6d3aed20 0x7c5a29f8 0x81)
0x7c5a2978 : 0xc6bc46 (0x6d5df000 0x17c15800 0x7c5a29d0 0x100000)
0x7c5a2ab8 : 0xca55d8 (0x6d5df000 0x1 0x7c5a2bcc 0x7c5a2bc8)
0x7c5a2b68 : 0xc67fe1 (0x6d5df000 0x1 0x7c5a2bcc 0x7c5a2bc8)
0x7c5a2be8 : 0x56da06 (0x6d5df000 0x0 0x7c5a2e3c 0x7c5a2c74)
0x7c5a2c38 : 0x56e2a5 (0xcf6720 0x6d5df000 0x176ca888 0x1)
0x7c5a2c88 : 0x56eb59 (0x6d5df000 0x10 0x7c5a2cd0 0x0)
0x7c5a2da8 : 0x286638 (0x6d5df000 0x10 0x176ca888 0x1)
0x7c5a3e58 : 0x21dbe5 (0x176ca860 0xd9975a0 0x1af338 0xb737)
0x7c5a3e98 : 0x210a86 (0x176ca800 0x0 0x17704af0 0x17b5b3b0)
0x7c5a3ef8 : 0x216f84 (0x176ca800 0x0 0x0 0x0)
0x7c5a3f78 : 0x295c57 (0xe30e188 0x0 0x0 0x0)
0x7c5a3fc8 : 0x2a256d (0xe30e184 0x7fff 0x10 0xe30e184)
Kernel Extensions in backtrace (with dependencies):
com.apple.GeForce(6.3.6)@0xc5c000->0xd12fff
dependency: com.apple.NVDAResman(6.3.6)@0x96e000
dependency: com.apple.iokit.IONDRVSupport(2.2.1)@0x961000
dependency: com.apple.iokit.IOPCIFamily(2.6.5)@0x928000
dependency: com.apple.iokit.IOGraphicsFamily(2.2.1)@0x93f000

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: iMac9,1 (Mac-F2218FC8)

System uptime in nanoseconds: 48350778887997
unloaded kexts:
com.apple.driver.AirPortBrcm43xx 423.91.27 (addr 0xeeb000, size 0x1900544) - last unloaded 117640314768
loaded kexts:
com.apple.driver.AppleHWSensor 1.9.3d0 - last loaded 44383415044
com.apple.filesystems.autofs 2.1.0
com.apple.driver.AppleMikeyHIDDriver 1.2.0
com.apple.driver.AppleHDA 2.0.5f14
com.apple.driver.AGPM 100.12.31
com.apple.driver.AudioAUUC 1.57
com.apple.driver.AppleMikeyDriver 2.0.5f14
com.apple.driver.AppleUpstreamUserClient 3.5.7
com.apple.driver.AppleMCCSControl 1.0.20
com.apple.driver.AppleBacklight 170.0.46
com.apple.Dont_Steal_Mac_OS_X 7.0.0
com.apple.driver.AudioIPCDriver 1.1.6
com.apple.driver.AppleIntelPenrynProfile 17
com.apple.driver.ACPI_SMC_PlatformPlugin 4.7.0a1
com.apple.driver.AppleLPC 1.5.1
com.apple.GeForce 6.3.6
com.apple.driver.AppleIRController 303.8
com.apple.iokit.SCSITaskUserClient 2.6.8
com.apple.BootCache 31.1
com.apple.AppleFSCompression.AppleFSCompressionTypeZlib 1.0.0d1
com.apple.driver.AppleFWOHCI 4.7.3
com.apple.driver.AirPortBrcm43224 428.42.4
com.apple.iokit.IOAHCIBlockStorage 1.6.4
com.apple.driver.AppleUSBHub 4.2.4
com.apple.driver.AppleHPET 1.5
com.apple.driver.AppleAHCIPort 2.1.7
com.apple.nvenet 2.0.17
com.apple.driver.AppleUSBOHCI 4.2.0
com.apple.driver.AppleUSBEHCI 4.2.4
com.apple.driver.AppleEFINVRAM 1.4.0
com.apple.driver.AppleRTC 1.3.1
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.DspFuncLib 2.0.5f14
com.apple.iokit.IOFireWireIP 2.0.3
com.apple.driver.AppleSMBusController 1.0.10d0
com.apple.driver.AppleBacklightExpert 1.0.1
com.apple.driver.AppleProfileReadCounterAction 17
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.iokit.IOAudioFamily 1.8.3fc2
com.apple.kext.OSvKernDSPLib 1.3
com.apple.driver.AppleHDAController 2.0.5f14
com.apple.iokit.IOHDAFamily 2.0.5f14
com.apple.iokit.AppleProfileFamily 41
com.apple.driver.AppleSMC 3.1.0d5
com.apple.driver.IOPlatformPluginFamily 4.7.0a1
com.apple.driver.AppleSMBusPCI 1.0.10d0
com.apple.nvidia.nv50hal 6.3.6
com.apple.NVDAResman 6.3.6
com.apple.iokit.IONDRVSupport 2.2.1
com.apple.iokit.IOGraphicsFamily 2.2.1
com.apple.driver.BroadcomUSBBluetoothHCIController 2.4.5f3
com.apple.driver.AppleUSBBluetoothHCIController 2.4.5f3
com.apple.iokit.IOBluetoothFamily 2.4.5f3
com.apple.driver.AppleUSBHIDKeyboard 141.5
com.apple.driver.AppleHIDKeyboard 141.5
com.apple.iokit.IOUSBHIDDriver 4.2.0
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.AppleUSBMergeNub 4.2.4
com.apple.driver.AppleUSBComposite 3.9.0
com.apple.driver.XsanFilter 402.1
com.apple.iokit.IOAHCISerialATAPI 1.2.6
com.apple.iokit.IOSCSIArchitectureModelFamily 2.6.8
com.apple.iokit.IOFireWireFamily 4.2.6
com.apple.iokit.IO80211Family 320.1
com.apple.iokit.IOUSBUserClient 4.2.4
com.apple.iokit.IOAHCIFamily 2.0.6
com.apple.iokit.IONetworkingFamily 1.10
com.apple.iokit.IOUSBFamily 4.2.4
com.apple.driver.NVSMU 2.2.7
com.apple.driver.AppleEFIRuntime 1.4.0
com.apple.iokit.IOHIDFamily 1.6.6
com.apple.iokit.IOSMBusFamily 1.1
com.apple.kext.AppleMatch 1.0.0d1
com.apple.security.TMSafetyNet 6
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

 

[pigoo3]

My 2009 24" iMac Core 2 Duo...

You're actually very lucky that you have an "Early 2009" 24" iMac. Replacing the hard drive in later iMacs is more complicated.

If the iMac's HD is the problem...for the hard drive replacement procedure...go to:

- www.ifixit.com

* Nick

 

[MacDulles]

My sincere thanks,Nick.
I guess I've made enough noises splashing around for help and am so gratified to be thrown all these life preservers. ( Getting all misty-eyed) Mac-folk culture is still the best!

 

[pigoo3]

...Mac-folk culture is still the best!

 

[MacDulles]

With a Google search I found this*very well -produced* & detailed iFixit video tutorial link on YouTube on the procedure for swapping out the main drive in a 2009 iMac. It's a much less scary solution now, but because it's a video and not a text tutorial. Moving pictures worth thousands of words and all that.Thought I'd share this just to *pay it forward* in saying thanks to the help I've received here at MacForum .
How To: Intel iMac Hard Drive Replacement

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3w6E2_XqaBw

 

[pigoo3]

With a Google search I found this*very well -produced* & detailed iFixit video tutorial link on YouTube on the procedure for swapping out the main drive in a 2009 iMac. It's a much less scary solution now, but because it's a video and not a text tutorial. Moving pictures worth thousands of words and all that.

I'm sure you noticed how the person in the video mentioned the special detail about "Late 2009" iMacs needing the exact same HD brand. This was one of the "complications" I mentioned later iMac HD replacements have to deal with (you don't need to worry with an Early 2009 iMac).

One of the most useful parts of the video (for someone who has never gone inside before)...is the removal of the display glass with the suction devices. This can be a little "scary" the first time (if someone has never done it before). But with the video & the experience of doing it the first time...it's really very very easy...and nothing to be concerned about.

- Nick

 

[MacDulles]

Thanks for the encouragement ,Nick . I've already learned that my EMC ID is 2267. My MacGuru friend has all of those tools and will probably insist he be allowed to get his *geek on* and perform the operation or at least have me do the operation under his watchful eye at his personal Mac-Clinic Mac-Cave. Am tempted to take one MacForum member's advice and upgrade to SSD because less moving parts , a path I chose when retiring my aging Canon GL1 digital video-cam which used mini-casettes and when the physical minCassette tape mechanism heads went out of alignment I upgraded to an HD-capable ( 1920 X 1080 ) Vixia HF-S21 with flash memory cards and *never* looked back for the same reason, less moving parts, less to go wrong strategy.
BTW: 64 hours straight w/ *no* further *kernal panic*, but I'm taking this as a heads-up warning that this iMac WD main drive has, indeed, struck and iceberg and is allowing me time get my affairs in order to abandon ship.

 

[pm-r]

One thing that most such sites don't stress enough when removing the glass from an iMac etc. is to keep fingers away and only use gloves or super clean lint-free cloths when handling it, especially the display and the inside of the glass.

PS: One doesn't need fancy suction cups, and the large suction cups for hanging things or even the lever actuated ones you can purchase from one's local Dollar Store or Dollar Den usually work well.

And use decent quality tools so as not to wreck the screws!!!

Edit:
I notice Firefox mentioned in the KP Log, and if it's being used, make sure that its "hardware acceleration", or any other application, is NOT enabled, as having it enabled can cause KPs that are hard to diagnose.

 

[MacDulles]

Edit:
I notice Firefox mentioned in the KP Log, and if it's being used, make sure that its "hardware acceleration", or any other application, is NOT enabled, as having it enabled can cause KPs that are hard to diagnose.

Took your advice and reset Firefox prefs to disable hardware acceleration. As I'd noticed a lot of just Firefox quitting on me before the degeneration into triggered *kernal panic attacks*.
Now let's see if Firefox was, indeed, the trigger.

 

[lclev]

Yeah, I noticed the Firefox issue too. Firefox might be the trigger but I would still be looking at replacing the hard drive too.

Lisa