HELP! Rev B Dual 2.0 Constant Kernal Panics and Crashes

Downdivx · Jul 15, 2004

Hello all,
I just switched to a Dual 2.0 Rev B Powermac. I get constant Kernal Panics. I first found out that there was packing tape inside the case I had to remove. I then reinstalled the OS after zeroing the hard drive. I still got Panics so I took it into the Apple Store - the hardware test passed everything and of course it didn't crash while I was there. I took it home and reinstalled again. It still crashes.
The computer only crashes whenever its doing something processor intensive. Setiathome crashes the system within 2 hours - typically within 20 minutes. Exporting from FCP HD typically crashes the machine also (long exports - like a compression that takes several hours). Importing my itunes library from a backup also crashes the machine - same with importing pictures into iphoto. So - anything that is really processor intensive crashes it.

I'm not that upset about seti crashing the machine - it is a beta of the software - but FCP HD crashing is not acceptable - this is a professional system I bought for video editing and my crappy XP Pro laptop that is 2 years old is much more reliable right now.

I do have several firewire (400 and 800) drives attached to the system -but I haven't noticed a difference in crashing with and without the external HDs.

Many thanks - I'm desperate.

As an Incentive - if someone can help me get this resolved I will donate my 2500+ accumulated classic seti points to the Mac Rumors Seti Team

Edit: I also already tried swapping out my RAM to see if two of the sticks are bad. I get crashes with every configuration of the RAM - so either they're all bad or that's not the problem.

W

applemacdude · Jul 15, 2004

get it to a apple repair facility and demand that the mac be perfect

CalfCanuck · Jul 15, 2004

A bad RAM Module?

You said that you swapped out your RAMMs? What exactly did you do, merely change their locations or replace them with new ones?

I had non-stop crashes/kernel panics with a new G4 iBook laptop bought just before a long trip (averaged about 1 per day). I finally figured out it was a third party 512 MB RAMM by taking it out and running off the 128 MB soldered onto the motherboard for a few days. It was painfully slow, but never crashed once.

I had to put the faulty RAMM back in for speed and endure the crashes while still travelling. But after I returning to CA and exchanging the RAMM on warranty I have never had a crash since.

That said, it could be a bad motherboard, etc.

QCassidy352 · Jul 15, 2004

I don't know if this is what you want to hear, but...
Return it. Return it right now, and get a new one. You've done all that can be reasonably asked - reinstall OS, check RAM, hardware test, etc. There's something wrong with your machine, and for that price, you shouldn't have to deal with it - not fresh out of the box.

I've dealt with two DOA machines - my brother's imac G4, and my gf's MDD powermac. Neither was even as functional as yours (they wouldn't boot), but the point is that in both cases, I was told to try to get them repaired. Screw that. I returned both, and in each case got a brand new model that is working without a single problem to this day.

A brand new, expensive computer should work out of the box. Constant kernal panics, especially after all you've tried, are not normal or acceptable. You can try to fix this if you want, but you got a lemon. Treat it as such, and return it for what you paid for - a normal, working computer.

Santaduck · Nov 27, 2004

I concur... sounds like CPU or cache RAM or RAM, or the remote chance of some basic hardware part like the graphics card. It's a stock CPU right?

Take it in... if you want to troubleshoot, do a clean wipe & new os X install, then go ahead and and swap each of these items out.

Not sure about the seti@home donation thing-- your credits are already done, and afaik we're not "actually" competing against another group. Donate them if you want, or not, but go fix your computer =)

Downdivx · Dec 1, 2004

I ended up returning it to the video equipment supplier that bought it from for repair. They replaced the Processors and claimed it worked. It didn't, the local Apple store then replaced the processors and it seemed to work, but now it won't update the OS or any Apple software because it hangs at "Waiting for local disks". I tried wiping the HDs and reinstaling but the disk utility won't even load. Just got back from the Apple store and he gave me some suggestions but really suggested that I bring it back into them and have every single piece of hardware in the system replaced. Great.
Right now I'm honestly ready to say screw it and put it on ebay. Unfortunately returning it isn't an option because of the company I purchased it from. I would much rather start with a new machine (preferablly a dual 2.5), but I don't want to/can't take the hit from selling it "as is" on ebay. I'm honestly considering moving back to wintel just because I know I can get it to work!
The Seti@home thing was aligning myself with the macrumors team for my classic seti@home points. I've since switched to seti@home on BOINC and started my own team (last I checked I'm in the top 60 for individuals and my team is in the top 130). All of that of course being thanks to my Xeon boxes at work.

Mechcozmo · Dec 1, 2004

Sorry, that sucks. It just does.

But once it gets going, you will be very happy. Just keep looking towards the end result. And I hope that it ends up working, honestly. Because that is really crappy, a new machine and all those issues with it.

Maxx Power · Dec 1, 2004

Downdivx said:
I ended up returning it to the video equipment supplier that bought it from for repair. They replaced the Processors and claimed it worked. It didn't, the local Apple store then replaced the processors and it seemed to work, but now it won't update the OS or any Apple software because it hangs at "Waiting for local disks". I tried wiping the HDs and reinstaling but the disk utility won't even load. Just got back from the Apple store and he gave me some suggestions but really suggested that I bring it back into them and have every single piece of hardware in the system replaced. Great.
Right now I'm honestly ready to say screw it and put it on ebay. Unfortunately returning it isn't an option because of the company I purchased it from. I would much rather start with a new machine (preferablly a dual 2.5), but I don't want to/can't take the hit from selling it "as is" on ebay. I'm honestly considering moving back to wintel just because I know I can get it to work!
The Seti@home thing was aligning myself with the macrumors team for my classic seti@home points. I've since switched to seti@home on BOINC and started my own team (last I checked I'm in the top 60 for individuals and my team is in the top 130). All of that of course being thanks to my Xeon boxes at work.

Sounds like you have a harddisk problem already documented for G5 PowerMac's. There is a thermal sensor issue with the G5 hard disk thermal zone, the sensor doesn't get readings even close to what the drive temperatures are, apparently the engineers there at apple didn't take any physics classes. Anyways, it boils down to that your hard drive is probably over heating and failing to write or read. Next time, when the crash happens touch the side of your drive, I know it will be hot and sizziling since my roomie's 1.6 had problems with just 1 stock maxtor hard drive SATA. It was boiling hot to the touch after running for a while. People had numerous complaints about this, and the solution ad-hoc seems to be to remove the temperature sensor which is located above the topmost hard drive, and mount it directly on the hard drive or between two hard drives if you have two, that way, it can actually read the drive temperatures, and the fan will spin fast enough instead of just turning fast enough that you can almost count the fins go by.

Sun Baked · Dec 1, 2004

You may also want to try running the Mac without the Apple RAM, and just the 3rd party RAM -- there are some conflicts between stock and 3rd party RAM brands.

Of course try running it with only the Apple RAM also, since there is a chance that all the 3rd party RAM is marginal (passes HW tests, but creates problems with heavy use -- which can corrupt the HD.)

---

If you are getting a bunch of kernal panics, you may want to run fsck (boot and hold command-s, then follow directions on screen, use 'reboot' to reboot.)

Frequent kernal panics will corrupt the HD, if fsck repairs something, run it again (and again) until everything is fixed or there is no change (happens.)

---

And lastly, if the machine does run OK at the store and has problems at home -- it could be dirty/noisy/bad power, which causes all types of problems also.

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HELP! Rev B Dual 2.0 Constant Kernal Panics and Crashes

Downdivx

macrumors regular

applemacdude

macrumors 68040

CalfCanuck

macrumors 6502a

QCassidy352

macrumors G5

Santaduck

macrumors 6502a

Downdivx

macrumors regular

Mechcozmo

macrumors 603

Maxx Power

Cancelled

Sun Baked

macrumors G5

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