Kernel Panics, help anyone?

Heb1228 · Sep 5, 2005

Hey guys, I've had about 4 kernel panics in the last 3 days since installing new memory and a new hard drive. I just removed the memory and reinstalled the memory that came with the machine, because I know bad memory is a likely culprit.

Here are a few strange things though... I ran Rember (a memory tester) and it said it didn't find any problems.

Also, twice I've had my Powerbook "doze" on me. I'm not sure what else to call it, its like halfway between sleep and awake. Once was when I had it in my bag, I took it out and it was doing it. The other time was last night when I was just moving the mouse cursor. The screen goes black, just like it would if it were going to sleep because of a low battery, but the sleep light doesn't come on and it doesn't respond to anything. But the computer is still actually on, because you have to hold the power button down to do a hard restart. Is this just another type of kernel panic?

I've got the log entry for the last one, here it is:

Unresolved kernel trap(cpu 0): 0x700 - Program DAR=0x0000000000410048 PC=0x00000000002D2C38
Latest crash info for cpu 0:
Exception state (sv=0x42B7B000)
PC=0x002D2C38; MSR=0x00089030; DAR=0x00410048; DSISR=0x40000000; LR=0x002D2F2C; R1=0x2C603630; XCP=0x0000001C (0x700 - Program)
Backtrace:
0x000B3FCC 0x002D2F2C 0x006C09C8 0x008D510C 0x008E808C 0x008E8128
0x008D7380 0x008F5644 0x008F52A0 0x008F1184 0x008D6994 0x002E54C0 0x002E738C 0x0008C404
0x000291C0 0x000233AC 0x000ABE2C 0x00000001
Kernel loadable modules in backtrace (with dependencies):
com.apple.ATIRadeon9700(4.0.6)@0x8cf000
dependency: com.apple.iokit.IOPCIFamily(1.6)@0x44e000
dependency: com.apple.iokit.IOGraphicsFamily(1.4)@0x865000
dependency: com.apple.iokit.IONDRVSupport(1.4)@0x889000
com.apple.driver.AppleMacRiscPCI(3.0)@0x6bd000
dependency: com.apple.iokit.IOPCIFamily(1.6)@0x44e000
Proceeding back via exception chain:
Exception state (sv=0x42B7B000)
previously dumped as "Latest" state. skipping...
Exception state (sv=0x50D21000)
PC=0x9000A778; MSR=0x0200F030; DAR=0x00410048; DSISR=0x40000000; LR=0x9000A6BC; R1=0xBFFFE9B0; XCP=0x00000030 (0xC00 - System call)

Kernel version:
Darwin Kernel Version 8.2.0: Fri Jun 24 17:46:54 PDT 2005; root:xnu-792.2.4.obj~3/RELEASE_PPC
panic(cpu 0 caller 0xFFFF0007): 0x700 - Program
Latest stack backtrace for cpu 0:
Backtrace:
0x00095544 0x00095A5C 0x0002683C 0x000A819C 0x000ABB00
Proceeding back via exception chain:
Exception state (sv=0x42B7B000)
PC=0x002D2C38; MSR=0x00089030; DAR=0x00410048; DSISR=0x40000000; LR=0x002D2F2C; R1=0x2C603630; XCP=0x0000001C (0x700 - Program)
Backtrace:
0x000B3FCC 0x002D2F2C 0x006C09C8 0x008D510C 0x008E808C 0x008E8128
0x008D7380 0x008F5644 0x008F52A0 0x008F1184 0x008D6994 0x002E54C0 0x002E738C 0x0008C404
0x000291C0 0x000233AC 0x000ABE2C 0x00000001
Kernel loadable modules in backtrace (with dependencies):
com.apple.ATIRadeon9700(4.0.6)@0x8cf000
dependency: com.apple.iokit.IOPCIFamily(1.6)@0x44e000
dependency: com.apple.iokit.IOGraphicsFamily(1.4)@0x865000
dependency: com.apple.iokit.IONDRVSupport(1.4)@0x889000
com.apple.driver.AppModel: PowerBook5,3, BootROM 4.7.1f1, 1 processors, PowerPC G4 (1.1), 1.33 GHz, 512 MB
Graphics: ATI Mobility Radeon 9600, ATY,RV350M10, AGP, 64 MB
Memory Module: SODIMM1/J23REVERSED, 512 MB, DDR SDRAM, PC2700U-25330
AirPort: AirPort Extreme, 400.17 (3.90.34.0.p11)
Modem: LastDash, UCJ, V.92, 4.0, APPLE VERSION 2.6.6
Bluetooth: Version 1.6.0f2, 2 service, 1 devices, 0 incoming serial ports
Network Service: AirPort, AirPort, en1
PCI Card: TXN,PCIXXXX-00, cardbus, PC Card
Parallel ATA Device: MATSHITADVD-R UJ-816,
Parallel ATA Device: ST9120821A, 111.79 GB
USB Device: Bluetooth HCI, , Up to 12 Mb/sec, 500 mA

I know some people around these board can interpret this and give some suggestion. Thanks guys!

yenko · Sep 5, 2005

Panic!!

Heb1228 said:
Hey guys, I've had about 4 kernel panics in the last 3 days since installing new memory and a new hard drive. I just removed the memory and reinstalled the memory that came with the machine, because I know bad memory is a likely culprit.

Here are a few strange things though... I ran Rember (a memory tester) and it said it didn't find any problems.

Also, twice I've had my Powerbook "doze" on me. I'm not sure what else to call it, its like halfway between sleep and awake. Once was when I had it in my bag, I took it out and it was doing it. The other time was last night when I was just moving the mouse cursor. The screen goes black, just like it would if it were going to sleep because of a low battery, but the sleep light doesn't come on and it doesn't respond to anything. But the computer is still actually on, because you have to hold the power button down to do a hard restart. Is this just another type of kernel panic?

I've got the log entry for the last one, here it is:

I know some people around these board can interpret this and give some suggestion. Thanks guys!

Do you have the original install disks?
Try running the Apple Hardware tests from those.

Heb1228 · Sep 5, 2005

yenko said:
Do you have the original install disks?
Try running the Apple Hardware tests from those.

I heard somewhere that they weren't working properly with Tiger. I guess I'll try it and see.

mkrishnan · Sep 5, 2005

Do you have and regularly use a BT mouse or KB with this powerbook, Brent?

cb911 · Sep 5, 2005

the only other thing i can think of would be to repair preferences.

sometimes OS X just gets installed all screwy and will have weird errors. nothing to do in that case except re-install.

you could also create a clean user - and use that account for a while. just to see if it's got anything to do with some software you installed.

faintember · Sep 5, 2005

Heb1228 said:
I heard somewhere that they weren't working properly with Tiger. I guess I'll try it and see.

I used them recently and they worked as well as the AHT works.

That said, when you ran Rember, did you do multiple tests on just 1mb of ram, or did you run a few tests on all of the ram. It takes longer this way, but it will help to diagnose problems much more accurately. Besides, AHT said my ram that was faulty was actually fine!

yenko · Sep 5, 2005

Heb1228 said:
I heard somewhere that they weren't working properly with Tiger. I guess I'll try it and see.

If the hardware test passes, the next thing to do is boot into "single user mode" (command-s when you hear the startup chime) and run "fsck -f" (hit return). If it repairs the disk, repeat the test until it comes back "OK". Restart.

IJ Reilly · Sep 5, 2005

It might also help to reset Open Firmware.

http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?artnum=42642

Hard crashes can do strange things to the persistent settings.

Heb1228 · Sep 5, 2005

mkrishnan said:
Do you have and regularly use a BT mouse or KB with this powerbook, Brent?

Yes, actually I use the Apple BT Keyboard and it has been connected pretty much every time its happened. Do you think that could be the problem? The only thing is, it didn't seem to give me any problems before I put the RAM and hard drive upgrades in.

Everyone else, thanks for the suggestions! It'll take me a little while to get through all of them, but I will let you know how its coming. I'm repairing permissions first.

The Apple Hardware Disc had Techtool plus on it. I ran the memory part and it said everything was fine. Then 20 min. later I had another kernel panic.

Heb1228 · Sep 5, 2005

faintember said:
That said, when you ran Rember, did you do multiple tests on just 1mb of ram, or did you run a few tests on all of the ram. It takes longer this way, but it will help to diagnose problems much more accurately. Besides, AHT said my ram that was faulty was actually fine!

I ran the test for 1 pass over all the RAM. Maybe I'll try letting it go for 2 or 3 passes. I also ran it right after a restart and let it quit all programs so it could test as much memory as possible.

mkrishnan · Sep 5, 2005

Heb1228 said:
Yes, actually I use the Apple BT Keyboard and it has been connected pretty much every time its happened. Do you think that could be the problem? The only thing is, it didn't seem to give me any problems before I put the RAM and hard drive upgrades in.

I have had a similar KP issue in Tiger, with leaving a bluetooth device on, and then putting the computer to sleep and moving it out of range of the bluetooth device, and then turning it back on... it wasn't consistent, but it happened several times. Since then, I turned off Wake on Bluetooth, and also make sure to turn my mouse off before I move my iBook.... Which works, but.... I didn't have the issue with Panther.

So anyway, that was what I was thinking. Although the things you're considering are certainly possible...

Heb1228 · Sep 5, 2005

mkrishnan said:
I have had a similar KP issue in Tiger, with leaving a bluetooth device on, and then putting the computer to sleep and moving it out of range of the bluetooth device, and then turning it back on...

If this is the problem, it would definitely explain the first time it happened, I closed it in my room, connected to the BT keyboard, and opened it somewhere else. I'll keep BT turned off for awhile and see if that fixes the problem.

As far as the other suggestions... I zapped the PRAM and ran the fsck -f thingy and it said the disk was OK.

But anyways, I've gone through most of the suggestions so now I guess its just wait and see if I have another one!

Heb1228 · Sep 5, 2005

Well I didn't have to wait very long. I left the room for about 5 minutes, came back and got the kernel panic screen. Right now, I'm really thinking it has to be the RAM. I've been trying the 2 sticks I bought one at a time along with the original Apple memory and its happened with both of them. Maybe I just got two bad sticks of memory?!

The only thing I haven't tried yet is that Open Firmware thingy. I read the page thats linked above, but I couldn't really figure out what it was saying to do. Any more info on that?

yenko · Sep 5, 2005

Heb1228 said:
Well I didn't have to wait very long. I left the room for about 5 minutes, came back and got the kernel panic screen. Right now, I'm really thinking it has to be the RAM. I've been trying the 2 sticks I bought one at a time along with the original Apple memory and its happened with both of them. Maybe I just got two bad sticks of memory?!

The only thing I haven't tried yet is that Open Firmware thingy. I read the page thats linked above, but I couldn't really figure out what it was saying to do. Any more info on that?

The problem points to memory. I suggest you run your machine with the original memory ONLY. See what happens.

Mac's won't tolerate bad memory very well. The irony is that it sometimes passes memory tests and still fails in service. Use original Mac memory or try Crucial Ram. I've had good results with both although the mac memory is very expensive.

mad jew · Sep 5, 2005

Heb1228 said:
The only thing I haven't tried yet is that Open Firmware thingy. I read the page thats linked above, but I couldn't really figure out what it was saying to do. Any more info on that?

I think on modern Macs it's pretty much the same as resetting NVRAM which you would have done by default when you reset the PRAM. Maybe try resetting the PMU - although I doubt it'll do much.

I agree with yenko, run it with just the Apple RAM and see how things go from there.

Mac_Freak · Sep 5, 2005

Heb1228 it is most probably the RAM that is causing KP

I had a bad RAM before too, Apple hardware test (extended) and TechTool Pro couldn't find anything. So finaly I have swaped my sticks around and I got a KP just after my desktop appeared. To eliminate the bad ram, I have put one stick a time and using it at two different slots. Sure thing, it was one bad ram stick, after having it replaced no KP so far.

I am sorry to say but it sounds that your new RAM could be the problem.

faintember · Sep 5, 2005

Just curious, but where did you buy the RAM, and what brand of RAM is it? Not that where you bought it necessarily matters, but i bought some RAM recently from a fairly large macintosh supplier online. The first two sticks were bad, and the two replacements they sent were bad as well. All in all, about eight kernel panics per hour. I purchased from Crucial and the RAM works great.

The good news is that it looks like RAM, as other posters have said. Now the problem is going through the hassle of getting it replaced.

EJBasile · Sep 5, 2005

It could be a logic board. There was a thread a little while ago saying that frequent kernal panics could be caused by a logic board problem. Other problems include:

-No start up sound
-Sleep light problems
-Missing RAM

Heb1228 · Sep 5, 2005

I'm still thinking RAM is the most likely option. I'm running on just the Apple pre-installed RAM right now, so we'll see if I have any problems with now. I got the memory from newegg.com. If I don't have any more problems by tomorrow, I'll call and see what I can do about getting another brand or something.

One other thing I've noticed is that two of the kernel panics were definitely caused my Energy Saver settings. On one of them, I had just adjusted one of the settings, and then I clicked on the red button to close System Prefs. Bam! Grey screen. Then, just a few minutes ago, I unplugged the power cord and got the grey screen instantaneously.

yenko · Sep 5, 2005

After you install the original RAM, restart; then restart again and hold the command-s keys down. Run: fsck -f. Repair permissions; restart.

yenko · Sep 5, 2005

Heb1228 said:
I'm still thinking RAM is the most likely option. I'm running on just the Apple pre-installed RAM right now, so we'll see if I have any problems with now. I got the memory from newegg.com. If I don't have any more problems by tomorrow, I'll call and see what I can do about getting another brand or something.

Try Crucial RAM. Really!

Heb1228 · Sep 5, 2005

yenko said:
Before or after you switched to original Mac RAM?

That was before, when I had the old RAM in. Since going back to the Apple RAM, no problems so far... (keeping fingers crossed).

yenko · Sep 5, 2005

Heb1228 said:
That was before, when I had the old RAM in. Since going back to the Apple RAM, no problems so far... (keeping fingers crossed).

This is not a lecture: Make ONE change at a time and test it first.

I believe in your original statement was that you changed the drive and added RAM. That would make it TWO.

Heb1228 · Sep 5, 2005

yenko said:
This is not a lecture: Make ONE change at a time and test it first.

I believe in your original statement was that you changed the drive and added RAM. That would make it TWO.

I did leave the RAM in for about 6 hours before installing the hard drive. I thought that would be long enough to spot any problems, but obviously not. Good advice though!

Heb1228 · Sep 6, 2005

Good news in case anyone wants to know...

I went back to ONLY the Apple pre-installed RAM last night and have had no problems since then. I've even tried to cause a kernel panic by doing some of the things that had previously caused them, and still rock solid. So my diagnosis is bad memory.

So I called newegg.com this morning, and they told me to send it back and they would refund without charging me the restocking fee. Very easy, they were great to deal with. I'll definitely shop there again next time because of the good service I received this morning.

So I shipped those 2 sticks back and ordered 2 1GB sticks of Crucial RAM from newegg.com. It was $20 more per stick, but after I'm not messing around with no-name memory anymore after this experience!

Thanks for the help everyone!

Kernel Panics, help anyone?

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