You need to restart - again!

[Buzby]

Hi all,

First post here, so much information. I have a iMac G5 for about 9 months now. Having persistent problems in that it keeps crashing on me, well it a black screen comes down telling me that I need to re-start my computer. Today its happened 3 times! We spoke with the 'desk' and they said it must be software and to remove everything from the Mac and re-install. Before we do this has this happened to anyone else?

I deal with graphics and animation and its starting to really get on my goat. Feel so let down? Am I doing something wrong or is it my Mac.

Any takers?

Many thanks in advance!

Buzby

PS. It has been doing this more a less since I got it.

 

[mkrishnan]

If you are getting consistent kernel panics (that's what the crash with the black screen you described is called), there are a couple of major possible explanations:

- You have bad hardware...particularly bad memory is a common problem. If you have more than one memory module in your computer, try removing the extra RAM for a little while and seeing if the panics go away. If they do, it's the RAM. Also make sure your hard drive is SMART verified (i.e. not in the process of failing).

- You have a system modification that is messing things up. Running Word or Illustrator or Maya will NOT cause kernel panics. The kinds of software that can cause kernel panics are things like device drivers, hacks that change the appearance of basic OS X elements, and so on. To see if this is the case, spotlight the file panic.log and open it. Look for the last few entries, and see if you see consistent references to a program or process. If you want, post the last entry here and we'll help you look.

 

[frankblundt]

You could try running the hardware test that's on the system disks

 

[Buzby]

Many thanks guys!

It seems to happen more if I just walk away from the Mac for five minutes and when I come back its happened. Or I type, or click and it happens then.

Mac's are very new to me so apologies in advance if I'm not to sure what you mean. You say spotlight the file panic.log Had a quick look but I'm not sure I can find it.

I believe we ran a hardware test with the help desk and it was fine, but will check.

 

[mkrishnan]

Mac's are very new to me so apologies in advance if I'm not to sure what you mean. You say spotlight the file panic.log Had a quick look but I'm not sure I can find it.

Sorry... I should've explained this more clearly. Click on the spotlight icon in the very upper right corner of your display, to the right of the time in the menu bar (looks like a magnifying glass). Then type in

panic.log

In the space that pops up. If you are an adminstrator, it should identify a file by this name. Then click on it and it will open up in a program called Console.

If this doesn't work, go to your Applications/Utilities folder, and run Console from there. If you do not see a left-hand pane (that says logs and then has several options that can be clicked), then click on the Logs button in the upper left. The panic.log should be in /library/logs (not ~/library/logs).

 

[Buzby]

panic(cpu 0): A driver releasing a(n) RootDomainUserClient has corrupted the registry

Latest stack backtrace for cpu 0:
Backtrace:
0x00083498 0x0008397C 0x0001EDA4 0x0028FA70 0x00981D58 0x00441F0C 0x004407A8 0x00441F0C
0x0096D3B8 0x0096D0CC 0x0096E324 0x0096E4AC 0x00267FCC 0x00266EAC 0x00266E10
Kernel loadable modules in backtrace (with dependencies):
com.Analog.iokit.ADSLUSBModem(2.0.2d1)@0x97c000
dependency: com.apple.iokit.IOUSBFamily(2.1.5)@0x43e000
dependency: com.Analog.iokit.ADSLEthernetController(1.0.4d1)@0x976000
dependency: com.apple.iokit.IOSerialFamily(6.0.1d20)@0x3ea000
com.apple.driver.AppleUSBOHCI(2.1.4)@0x96a000
dependency: com.apple.iokit.IOPCIFamily(1.4)@0x398000
dependency: com.apple.iokit.IOUSBFamily(2.1.5)@0x43e000
com.apple.iokit.IOUSBFamily(2.1.5)@0x43e000
Proceeding back via exception chain:
Exception state (sv=0x23059500)
PC=0x00000000; MSR=0x0000D030; DAR=0x00000000; DSISR=0x00000000; LR=0x00000000; R1=0x00000000; XCP=0x00000000 (Unknown)

Kernel version:
Darwin Kernel Version 7.9.0:
Wed Mar 30 20:11:17 PST 2005; root:xnu/xnu-517.12.7.obj~1/RELEASE_PPC


How does this look? To me it looks like

 

[mkrishnan]

Are you using some kind of ADSL modem that connects via USB? Have you always connected this way? Does your modem have an ethernet port, and if so, can you use it? Have you always had these crashes, or just recently?

 

[CanadaRAM]

Frequent crashes are not normal. I routinely leave my Macs running for a month or more between restarts.

As mentioned, you have either a software or a hardware problem. It has been present since early on, and it is NOT going to go away by itself. You need to take positive action.

The easiest thing to do is to eliminate the software variable -- you can either wipe and reload the machine from scratch, or you can do an Archive and Install, which reloads the OS without wiping out your programs and data. That is a halfways measure, because the problem may be with your applications or settings.

Also, set up a new User - let's say NewGuy, and log in as NewGuy. Does it crash the same way while under the new account?

Having said that, since it is randomly crashing while unattended, the likelihood is that the problem is with your OS software or with hardware. If the problem were with an application, you would expect to see more of a repeatable pattern - "do this, then it crashes". Try simplifying your OS by removing any add-ons and reduce your fonts to the minimum set installed by Apple. Any difference?

Was your RAM installed by Apple or third party? Do you have any third party USB peripherals? Remove any peripherals other than your Apple keyboard and mouse. Test.

Have you run the Apple Hardware test that comes on your OS CD/DVD that Frank suggested?

Have you ever run the Disk Utility Repair Disk from your OS CD/DVD, and the Repair Permisisons from your Applications: Utilities: Disk Utility?


I'm sorry you feel let down, but you should have addressed this 8.5 months ago...

 

[Buzby]

You could have hit the nail on the head. So you suggest instead of using USB we use another port?

 

[Heb1228]

When I was having kernel panics, it was bad memory. Even when the kernel panic log blamed other devices. I tested the memory with the Hardware test and it tested out ok, but when I took the 3rd party memory out, the kernel panics stopped.

Do you have any 3rd party memory installed? If so, try removing it and going back to the original configuration. I'll be willing to bet that fixes the problem.

 

[CanadaRAM]

You could have hit the nail on the head. So you suggest instead of using USB we use another port?

How about telling us first what the configuration is with the modem? We don't know what to suggest unless you tell us what you have...

 

[Buzby]

reply to canadaRAM;
we have a usb adsl modem, the problem has been going on for ages, probable since the modem was installed!!

 

[Buzby]

reply to heb1228; we have no third party memory installed, the mac is as was when we unpacked it. only changes are software and usb add ons such as usb hub, asdl modem, skpe headset.

 

[jeremy.king]

reply to canadaRAM;
we have a usb adsl modem, the problem has been going on for ages, probable since the modem was installed!!

Winner! Does your modem have an Ethernet jack too? Looks like an oversized phone jack.

 

[Buzby]

no, just a phone type jack and usb cable

 

[jeremy.king]

no, just a phone type jack and usb cable

For sake of clarity, that phone type jack is the one you plug into the wall phone adapter?

Edit: Also, what ISP do you use? Its possible you can request an Ethernet based modem.

 

[frankblundt]

you could also look at seeing if there are updated drivers for the modem from the manufacturer that might fix the bug.

 

[Applespider]

You could have hit the nail on the head. So you suggest instead of using USB we use another port?

Go get yourself an ADSL ethernet modem - they're not very expensive. Much, much easier and more reliable.

 

[Buzby]

yas, phone type jack is the connection from the modem to the filter to the wall phone connection

 

[frankblundt]

is there another jack point on the modem tho? ethernet looks a bit like a phone jack only squarer (there'll be one on your mac, not the modem jack - bigger).

 

[Buzby]

its a small square type jack, that the phone cable plugs into, so there are no free sockets on the modem, just the two previously mentioned phone & usb

 

[Applespider]

If it's one of the freebie modems that many UK ISPs giveaway, it's very unlikely to have an ethernet port on it.

 

[frankblundt]

either:

Go get yourself an ADSL ethernet modem - they're not very expensive. Much, much easier and more reliable.

or:

you could also look at seeing if there are updated drivers for the modem from the manufacturer that might fix the bug.

 

[Buzby]

will try to find an ethernet modem and see if that solves the problem,
thanks for all your help

 

[jeremy.king]

will try to find an ethernet modem and see if that solves the problem,
thanks for all your help

Before you spend money, call your ISP first. Often times you can just ask for an Ethernet based modem and they'll swap with you - that is, if they own the one you are currently using.