Kernel panic disconnecting memory stick!?!?

[thegrandmaster]

I had my first kernel panic on my iMac the other day, and I'm not sure what caused it.

I had my memory stick connected to the USB port on my :apple: Keyboard, I had ejected it in the finder and everything, all was well.

But when I physically removed it, my screen turned grey, and told me I needed to restart, something which freak me out a lot.

After restart all was fine, and I've used my memory stick with it since, and its been fine.

I was just wondering if anyone else had experienced the same thing, and if anyone discovered a cause or something?
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Thanks.

[miniConvert]

You really shouldn't use the USB ports on the Apple keyboard for your memory stick - there's enough power there for a mouse, but not for anything else really, especially not at the same time as a mouse if that's applicable.

Sounds like you were just unlucky, you only need worry if you start getting kernel panics regularly. You might want to get disk utility up and just do the standard checks (repair permissions) if you're worried.

[thegrandmaster]

Thanks for the fast reply, I checked permissions afterwards and didn't get anything, I guess it was just a one off since it hasn't happened before or since.

If there isn't enough power to the keyboard for a memory stick, I assume there isn't enough for a a printer, but I've been using my Canon off it for ages, is it doing any harm?

Thanks

[miniConvert]

I'm amazed actually - I tried to plug something into my Apple keyboard a couple of months ago and I got a spazzy message about there not being enough juice to power the device ;)

No, I doubt it's doing any harm - but if you have another kernel panic I'd advise trying a USB port on the actual machine or getting a separate powered hub.

[thegrandmaster]

Yeah, I got the 'not enough power' message a few times, but most of the time it doesn't show it, its quite odd. I might just grab an external USB hub, since I like to leave everything plugged in all at the same time instead of messing about with wires.

Thanks for the help!

[SC68Cal]

I had a USB stick that I once went around plugging into all the Windows workstations, instant blue-screen of death.

[thegrandmaster]

Hahahhahaha, now that memory stick would have been a lot of fun at my school!

[nsbio]

I once plugged a usb cable into a usb port at the back of my work G5 iMac and the computer turned off instantly, cold turkey. I repeated the trick, thinking that maybe I might have simply pulled out the power cord inadvertently, but it was indeed the usb cable that did the trick :cool: .

It turned out to be a defective cable, but it is nevertheless kind of strange. A couple of Dells, by the way, gave me a warning about excess power in the port, but never actually crashed or shut off. Now that I am thinking about it, I should have kept the cable and dubbed it the iCrasher :p .

[Grasbak]

I have had the mac in my sig for 18mths. I have only had the grey restart screen once (is that a kernel panic?) and it was when I disconnected my usb key (from an attached hub). I still use the same key and havent had a problem since, like someone else said, you were just unlucky!

[thegrandmaster]

Yeah, its a pretty weird error though, wonder what caused it in the end.