constant kernel panics: userspace watchdog timeout: no successful checkins from com.apple.WindowServer in 120 seconds

[thefriendshipmachine]

I have a 2019 iMac with a vega 48 and I get this kernel panic once every day or every other day. I tried reinstalling macos, resetting smc/nvram. Apple support asked about how to reproduce it and it just seems random. I have apple care but I'm worried they'll inspect it and not replace anything due to not being able to reproduce. Does anyone have any advice? It's a very intrusive problem

panic(cpu 2 caller 0xffffff801e364a25): userspace watchdog timeout: no successful checkins from com.apple.WindowServer in 120 seconds
service: com.apple.logd, total successful checkins since wake (9120 seconds ago): 913, last successful checkin: 0 seconds ago
service: com.apple.WindowServer, total successful checkins since wake (9120 seconds ago): 901, last successful checkin: 120 seconds ago

Backtrace (CPU 2), Frame : Return Address
0xffffffa1557db670 : 0xffffff801b0bab4d
0xffffffa1557db6c0 : 0xffffff801b1fd7e3
0xffffffa1557db700 : 0xffffff801b1ede1a
0xffffffa1557db750 : 0xffffff801b05fa2f
0xffffffa1557db770 : 0xffffff801b0ba3ed
0xffffffa1557db890 : 0xffffff801b0ba6d8
0xffffffa1557db900 : 0xffffff801b8bf004
0xffffffa1557db970 : 0xffffff801e364a25
0xffffffa1557db980 : 0xffffff801e364678
0xffffffa1557db9a0 : 0xffffff801b84628e
0xffffffa1557db9f0 : 0xffffff801e363ab4
0xffffffa1557dbb20 : 0xffffff801b85045b
0xffffffa1557dbc80 : 0xffffff801b1a8e51
0xffffffa1557dbd90 : 0xffffff801b0c0147
0xffffffa1557dbe00 : 0xffffff801b096905
0xffffffa1557dbe60 : 0xffffff801b0ae062
0xffffffa1557dbef0 : 0xffffff801b1d1fc3
0xffffffa1557dbfa0 : 0xffffff801b060216
Kernel Extensions in backtrace:
com.apple.driver.watchdog(1.0)[2C1307C5-FD71-3802-8D68-A67DB24BCB4A]@0xffffff801e363000->0xffffff801e364fff

Process name corresponding to current thread: watchdogd

Mac OS version:
20D64

 

[igauravarora]

I think I am mostly positive that this happens when your machine doesn’t wake up from deep sleep. I had this issue on my mbp 16” in beta period of big sur. I reported it in the feedback app several times and eventually it got fixed in the final beta versions. I made a thread on reddit as well. Link

Now, a workaround would be that you can change the deep sleep timer on your machine with terminal commands. I think by default it goes into deep sleep state after an hour. You can also downgrade to catalina if your machine supports it, mine started showing this kernel panic after big sur update.

I will also suggest you to report this bug on the feedback app with logs so that it would have the possibility to get fixed in future updates.

Good luck.

 

[appltech]

I think we need more information. For example, do you use any external devices? Did you add any RAM recently? Was there any changes? Was the iMac always crashing or since a specific moment in time?

 

[thefriendshipmachine]

I think we need more information. For example, do you use any external devices? Did you add any RAM recently? Was there any changes? Was the iMac always crashing or since a specific moment in time?

The only external devices I use are two 4k displays over displayport. I did upgrade the ram when I got the machine two years ago, from 16gb to 64gb of ram. The panics started around one month ago. It seems like it happens most often when my mac is sleeping I think

 

[thefriendshipmachine]

I think I am mostly positive that this happens when your machine doesn’t wake up from deep sleep. I had this issue on my mbp 16” in beta period of big sur. I reported it in the feedback app several times and eventually it got fixed in the final beta versions. I made a thread on reddit as well. Link

Now, a workaround would be that you can change the deep sleep timer on your machine with terminal commands. I think by default it goes into deep sleep state after an hour. You can also downgrade to catalina if your machine supports it, mine started showing this kernel panic after big sur update.

I will also suggest you to report this bug on the feedback app with logs so that it would have the possibility to get fixed in future updates.

Good luck.

It does seem to happen when the mac is in sleep! I tried disabling hibernate but it happened again. So now I went into power saver and just set it to never sleep I'll see if it still happens. If it does maybe it's my external display or GPU

 

[Jackill]

PROBLEM.... SORT OF FIXED/REDUCED, Been having this problem just like everyone, noticed that it only crashed when things were idle, and once when it looked like it was going to crash I started to move the mouse and it came bace from the edge. I got the idea to try a "Mouse jiggle USB port mouse mover" which I turn on anytime I am away from my screen (The Jiggler I have has a built in power switch) and for the last 2 months it has not kernel panicked once when the Jiggler was on. This proves that it is a problem when things are Idle and Apple needs to fix this.