External HD causing kernel panic

[jscally]

I have been using an external 1 TB Western Digital USB HD for Time Machine backups and my Aperture library - this morning it started causing a kernel panic anytime it is plugged in.

Recovering the system backups would be great, but recovering the Aperture library is a must as it contains 350+ GB of photo's (family, sports, landscapes, etc.) that I have taken over the last 5 years.

Is there a way to recover information off the drive? Since it is causing a kernel panic anytime it is plugged in I have not found a way to access the information.

Any help is greatly appreciated.

The kernel panic information is:

Wed Jan  4 10:03:51 2012
panic(cpu 1 caller 0x64742c): "I/O Kit: Unrecoverable deadlock."@/SourceCache/xnu/xnu-1699.24.8/iokit/Kernel/IOService.cpp:1095
Backtrace (CPU 1), Frame : Return Address (4 potential args on stack)
0x14d3ad8 : 0x22032e (0x6ad86c 0x14d3af8 0x229f00 0x0) 
0x14d3b08 : 0x64742c (0x7151d0 0x654c640 0x14d3b28 0x607969) 
0x14d3b38 : 0x649bab (0x10e3da00 0x1 0x14d3b68 0x1d1cb42) 
0x14d3b68 : 0x64712f (0x10e3da00 0x8 0x14d3b98 0x6452c7) 
0x14d3b98 : 0xa30271 (0x10e3da00 0x8 0x64416c0 0x4) 
0x14d3c88 : 0xa2f387 (0x111e8a00 0x0 0x18 0x111e8a00) 
0x14d3ca8 : 0xa2beca (0x111e8a00 0x1 0x0 0x0) 
0x14d3d18 : 0x648264 (0x111e8a00 0xe0010001 0xaf97d80 0x1) 
0x14d3d58 : 0x646485 (0xaf97d80 0xe0010001 0x111e8a00 0x1) 
0x14d3d88 : 0x64438c (0x111e8a00 0x14d3e00 0x6600244 0x14d3e00) 
0x14d3da8 : 0x646440 (0xaf97d80 0x646450 0x14d3e00 0x6441e40) 
0x14d3dc8 : 0x64854a (0xaf97d80 0x646450 0x14d3e00 0x14d3e00) 
0x14d3de8 : 0x6464de (0xaf97d80 0x64425e0 0x646450 0x14d3e00) 
0x14d3e18 : 0x1a1595a (0xaf97d80 0xe0010001 0x1 0x0) 
0x14d3e48 : 0x648264 (0xaf97d80 0xe0010001 0x111e8900 0x1) 
0x14d3e88 : 0x646485 (0x111e8900 0xe0010001 0xaf97d80 0x1) 
0x14d3eb8 : 0x64438c (0xaf97d80 0x14d3f30 0x65ec204 0x14d3f30) 
0x14d3ed8 : 0x646440 (0x111e8900 0x646450 0x14d3f30 0x6441e40) 
0x14d3ef8 : 0x64854a (0x111e8900 0x646450 0x14d3f30 0x14d3f30) 
0x14d3f18 : 0x6464de (0x111e8900 0x64425e0 0x646450 0x14d3f30) 
0x14d3f48 : 0x1a18511 (0x111e8900 0xe0010001 0x1 0x0) 
0x14d3f88 : 0x1a164d8 (0x111e8900 0x0 0x14d3fc8 0x23e3ee) 
0x14d3f98 : 0x23e3ee (0x111e8900 0x0 0x14d3fc8 0x660839) 
0x14d3fc8 : 0x2c6d0c (0x84ad60 0x0 0x10 0x7f6c890) 
      Kernel Extensions in backtrace:
         com.apple.iokit.IOStorageFamily(1.7)[C4C02FA6-1EB7-4FCB-B54E-9F138E3E7EF6]@0xa28000->0xa4bfff
         com.apple.iokit.IOSCSIBlockCommandsDevice(3.0.1)[3D4B3FB8-A73E-4051-AAE0-6529AEB520B8]@0x1a14000->0x1a32fff
            dependency: com.apple.iokit.IOSCSIArchitectureModelFamily(3.0.1)[97490326-3E01-403D-A080-666932C4412A]@0xaa3000
            dependency: com.apple.iokit.IOStorageFamily(1.7)[C4C02FA6-1EB7-4FCB-B54E-9F138E3E7EF6]@0xa28000

BSD process name corresponding to current thread: kernel_task

Mac OS version:
11C74

Kernel version:
Darwin Kernel Version 11.2.0: Tue Aug  9 20:56:15 PDT 2011; root:xnu-1699.24.8~1/RELEASE_I386
Kernel UUID: C2810CF8-D672-3301-8D3F-ED56974A80E1
System model name: iMac5,1 (Mac-F4228EC8)

System uptime in nanoseconds: 1088238994303
last loaded kext at 1086988688600: com.apple.driver.AppleUSBCDC	4.1.15 (addr 0x1545000, size 16384)
last unloaded kext at 1033079348911: com.apple.driver.AppleUSBCDC	4.1.15 (addr 0x146d000, size 16384)
loaded kexts:
com.zeobit.kext.AVKauth	1.0
com.eltima.ElmediaPlayer.kext	1.0
com.parallels.kext.prl_vnic	4.0 3810.351321
com.parallels.kext.prl_netbridge	4.0 3810.351321
com.parallels.kext.prl_hypervisor	4.0 3810.351321
com.parallels.kext.prl_hid_hook	4.0 3810.351321
com.parallels.kext.prl_usb_connect	4.0 3810.351321
com.apple.driver.AppleUSBCDC	4.1.15
com.apple.driver.MaxTranserSizeOverrideDriver	3.0.1
com.apple.filesystems.autofs	3.0
com.apple.driver.AppleHWSensor	1.9.4d0
com.apple.driver.AudioAUUC	1.59
com.apple.driver.AppleUpstreamUserClient	3.5.9
com.apple.driver.AppleMCCSControl	1.0.26
com.apple.driver.AppleHDA	2.1.3f7
com.apple.kext.ATIFramebuffer	7.1.2
com.apple.ATIRadeonX1000	7.0.0
com.apple.iokit.IOUserEthernet	1.0.0d1
com.apple.Dont_Steal_Mac_OS_X	7.0.0
com.apple.driver.AudioIPCDriver	1.2.1
com.apple.driver.ACPI_SMC_PlatformPlugin	4.7.5d4
com.apple.driver.AppleLPC	1.5.3
com.apple.driver.AppleBacklight	170.1.9
com.apple.driver.AppleIRController	312
com.apple.AppleFSCompression.AppleFSCompressionTypeDataless	1.0.0d1
com.apple.AppleFSCompression.AppleFSCompressionTypeZlib	1.0.0d1
com.apple.BootCache	33
com.apple.iokit.SCSITaskUserClient	3.0.1
com.apple.iokit.IOAHCIBlockStorage	2.0.1
com.apple.iokit.AppleYukon2	3.2.2b1
com.apple.driver.AppleFWOHCI	4.8.9
com.apple.driver.AppleUSBHub	4.5.0
com.apple.driver.AppleAHCIPort	2.2.0
com.apple.driver.AppleIntelPIIXATA	2.5.1
com.apple.driver.AppleUSBEHCI	4.5.0
com.apple.driver.AppleUSBUHCI	4.4.5
com.apple.driver.AirPortBrcm43224	500.36.11
com.apple.driver.AppleEFINVRAM	1.5.0
com.apple.driver.AppleRTC	1.4
com.apple.driver.AppleHPET	1.6
com.apple.driver.AppleACPIButtons	1.4
com.apple.driver.AppleSMBIOS	1.7
com.apple.driver.AppleACPIEC	1.4
com.apple.driver.AppleAPIC	1.5
com.apple.driver.AppleIntelCPUPowerManagementClient	167.0.0
com.apple.nke.applicationfirewall	3.2.30
com.apple.security.quarantine	1
com.apple.driver.AppleIntelCPUPowerManagement	167.0.0
com.apple.iokit.IOSCSIBlockCommandsDevice	3.0.1
com.apple.iokit.IOUSBMassStorageClass	3.0.0
com.apple.kext.triggers	1.0
com.apple.driver.AppleAVBAudio	1.0.0d11
com.apple.driver.DspFuncLib	2.1.3f7
com.apple.iokit.IOFireWireIP	2.2.4
com.apple.kext.ATI1600Controller	7.1.2
com.apple.kext.ATISupport	7.1.2
com.apple.iokit.IOSurface	80.0
com.apple.iokit.IOBluetoothSerialManager	4.0.1f4
com.apple.iokit.IOSerialFamily	10.0.5
com.apple.iokit.IOAVBFamily	1.0.0d22
com.apple.iokit.IOEthernetAVBController	1.0.0d5
com.apple.iokit.IOAudioFamily	1.8.3fc11
com.apple.kext.OSvKernDSPLib	1.3
com.apple.driver.ApplePolicyControl	3.0.16
com.apple.driver.AppleSMC	3.1.1d8
com.apple.driver.IOPlatformPluginFamily	4.7.5d4
com.apple.driver.AppleHDAController	2.1.3f7
com.apple.iokit.IOHDAFamily	2.1.3f7
com.apple.driver.AppleGraphicsControl	3.0.16
com.apple.driver.AppleBacklightExpert	1.0.3
com.apple.iokit.IONDRVSupport	2.3.2
com.apple.iokit.IOGraphicsFamily	2.3.2
com.apple.driver.CSRUSBBluetoothHCIController	4.0.1f4
com.apple.driver.AppleUSBBluetoothHCIController	4.0.1f4
com.apple.iokit.IOBluetoothFamily	4.0.1f4
com.apple.driver.AppleUSBHIDMouse	170.4
com.apple.driver.AppleHIDMouse	170.4
com.apple.driver.AppleUSBMergeNub	4.5.3
com.apple.iokit.IOUSBHIDDriver	4.4.5
com.apple.driver.AppleUSBComposite	3.9.0
com.apple.iokit.IOSCSIMultimediaCommandsDevice	3.0.1
com.apple.iokit.IOBDStorageFamily	1.6
com.apple.iokit.IODVDStorageFamily	1.7
com.apple.iokit.IOCDStorageFamily	1.7
com.apple.driver.XsanFilter	403
com.apple.iokit.IOATAPIProtocolTransport	3.0.0
com.apple.iokit.IOSCSIArchitectureModelFamily	3.0.1
com.apple.iokit.IOFireWireFamily	4.4.5
com.apple.iokit.IOUSBUserClient	4.5.3
com.apple.iokit.IOAHCIFamily	2.0.7
com.apple.iokit.IOATAFamily	2.5.1
com.apple.iokit.IOUSBFamily	4.5.3
com.apple.iokit.IO80211Family	411.1
com.apple.iokit.IONetworkingFamily	2.0
com.apple.driver.AppleEFIRuntime	1.5.0
com.apple.iokit.IOHIDFamily	1.7.1
com.apple.iokit.IOSMBusFamily	1.1
com.apple.security.sandbox	165.3
com.apple.kext.AppleMatch	1.0.0d1
com.apple.security.TMSafetyNet	7
com.apple.driver.DiskImages	331
com.apple.iokit.IOStorageFamily	1.7
com.apple.driver.AppleKeyStore	28.18
com.apple.driver.AppleACPIPlatform	1.4
com.apple.iokit.IOPCIFamily	2.6.7
com.apple.iokit.IOACPIFamily	1.4

 

[Fishrrman]

"Is there a way to recover information off the drive? Since it is causing a kernel panic anytime it is plugged in I have not found a way to access the information."

Kernel panics are usually caused by some sort of hardware failure. I'm guessing that perhaps something in the external drive enclosure (controller board?) might be the source of the problem. There's a _chance_ that the hard drive itself (inside the enclosure) is still ok.

Is the drive now out-of-warranty?
Do you mind opening the enclosure?

If that's ok with you, I suggest you get one of these:
http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss?url=search-alias=aps&field-keywords=usb+sata+dock&x=0&y=0
(many items shown, they all work the same, pick one you like that's cheap, some are only about $20)

Once you have the USB/SATA dock, open the old hard drive enclosure, extract the drive, and just drop it into the dock. Plug the dock into the Mac, turn it all on, and see what happens next.

Does the drive now "mount up" on the desktop, as before?
I'll hazard a guess that if you try putting the drive into a dock, that there's a good chance it will mount and your problem will be resolved.

BTW -- perhaps you're realizing now that just having _one_ backup volume for things like the Aperture library can become a risky proposition, if that one volume has problems. It might be worth considering a SECOND backup (of the backup!). You could then use CarbonCopyCloner to "dupe" the contents of one drive to the other.

I think there are even some "dual USB/SATA docks", that have 2 "bays" and might be ideal for doing this. I've never tried one on the Mac, though. Although the "one bay" docks work fine, I've heard that some folks had problems getting the Mac to properly recognize drives docked in a dual-bay dock. That issue may have been resolved by now....

 

[jscally]

Kernel panics are usually caused by some sort of hardware failure. I'm guessing that perhaps something in the external drive enclosure (controller board?) might be the source of the problem. There's a _chance_ that the hard drive itself (inside the enclosure) is still ok.

Thanks for the suggestions - I decided to do some investigating on the software side of things before cracking the HD case and it seems either the Aperture library living on the external, or the Time Machine backup is causing the kernel panic.

I booted with the HD unplugged, created a new Aperture library and turned off Time Machine, then plugged the external in and am able to access it without a problem.

Now I have to narrow it down to Aperture or Time Machine. I'm going to turn Time Machine back on and see if I get a kernel panic. If it doesn't I will reboot and see if it kernel panic's - if it doesn't I will then set the Aperture library to point to the one on the external and see what happens.