Grey Blanket Screen - Kernel Panic?

[3587]

Okay, so I've had my '09 Quad 2.66 Mac Pro for a few weeks now... No issues with it, then yesterday when I was watching a video in Safari, this grey blanket came down the screen and told me how to power off the computer... I held the power button, it shut down, I restarted, and all was fine again... What gives? How can it be fine for s long and then this all of a sudden?

I have OWC memory and HD's in it, but I've had that all in since day one without a single issue...

 

[r.j.s]

Yes, that was a KP. If it keeps happening, call Apple.

 

[iBlue]

Yes that is a kernal panic. You can check the logs to see the cause but it can be hard to decipher sometimes. I wouldn't worry unless it started happening more frequently.

 

[3587]

Well, I experienced another Kernel Panic today... I ran a hardware test, came back fine... Called AppleCare, they said to remove all the memory and reseat it all... So, now I have done that... Keeping fingers crossed! I just hope it doesn't happen when I'm doing work that needs to be saved! Next step, Apple Store!

 

[iBlue]

Damn, that sucks. Save your notes of everything that was going on just before it crashes, it will make it easier to diagnose.
Good first step, reseating the memory.

It might not hurt to do a repair permissions too.

 

[3587]

Alright, so after removing the RAM and placing each one in a different slot, I've been up and running for a day now without a Kernel Panic... I really hope that solved the issue! I really got out of the habit of saving my work all the time, well after this I'm back to it... Boy, how Macs really make you feel safe!

 

[Pika]

Kernel Panics usually are caused by resource hog applications such as Norton Anti-virus.

 

[r.j.s]

Kernel Panics usually are caused by resource hog applications such as Norton Anti-virus.

No, they're usually caused by bad hardware. A corrupt sector of memory where the kernel is currently stored, perhaps.

Badly coded software that accesses the kernel can cause them too, but normally it's a hardware issue - and only something to worry about if it keeps happening.

 

[3587]

Well, after 2 months of being panic free, I experiences one last night... I lugged my Mac Pro to the local Apple Store, he suspects it to be RAM... He wanted to keep it for 3-5 days to see if he could replicate it... Not sure exactly what that would do...

It is OWC RAM, so I called them... They wanted me to screw around and figure out which stick it was... I told them that I didn't have time to play HOME TECH, so I filled out the online form and am waiting an EXCHANGE reply.

If it continues to happen after that, I guess I have no other choice then to let Apple take it away from me for 5 day! This last time that it occurred, I was running Handbrake if that makes a difference?