Grey screen of death (kernel)

[Falc]

< DEEP SIGH >

iMac 1.87 Mhz dual Intel early 2006 model

2 GB RAM, updated months ago, no problem.

160 GB internal HD

OS X.54 (latest)

The machine has been acting a bit wonky with applications the past couple of days. The only events I can think of were two power outages. There is a Monster surge protector and line conditioner, but no battery backup. In both cases, though, the machine came up without incident.

Last night, I tried to right-click on a picture and the browser got hung up. Today, a couple of apps got hung up and refused to Force-Quit as well, so I held down the power button, forcing it to shut down. Normally, this would not be an insurmountable problem.. but...

P.S. I already repaired permissions (1 problem) and checked the HD. NO issues cited.

That's when I saw the Grey Screen of Death that insists that I need to restart my machine. I did. Several times... disconn'd the periphery, tried to shift-start, tried to zap the PRAM, etc. It apparently never gets that far, nor will it boot from the CD.

I have the original Apple RAM in a box, and am going to try that, but I don't have much confidence in that as the cause. RAM doesn't get FUBAR from a power outage, HDs do. I'll let ya know if the RAM fixes it. Meanwhile, any other suggestions?

It's shameful to be using my PC laptop to ask y'all this.:/

 

[r0k]

< DEEP SIGH >

iMac 1.87 Mhz dual Intel early 2006 model

2 GB RAM, updated months ago, no problem.

160 GB internal HD

OS X.54 (latest)

The machine has been acting a bit wonky with applications the past couple of days. The only events I can think of were two power outages. There is a Monster surge protector and line conditioner, but no battery backup. In both cases, though, the machine came up without incident.

Last night, I tried to right-click on a picture and the browser got hung up. Today, a couple of apps got hung up and refused to Force-Quit as well, so I held down the power button, forcing it to shut down. Normally, this would not be an insurmountable problem.. but...

P.S. I already repaired permissions (1 problem) and checked the HD. NO issues cited.

That's when I saw the Grey Screen of Death that insists that I need to restart my machine. I did. Several times... disconn'd the periphery, tried to shift-start, tried to zap the PRAM, etc. It apparently never gets that far, nor will it boot from the CD.

I have the original Apple RAM in a box, and am going to try that, but I don't have much confidence in that as the cause. RAM doesn't get FUBAR from a power outage, HDs do. I'll let ya know if the RAM fixes it. Meanwhile, any other suggestions?

It's shameful to be using my PC laptop to ask y'all this.:/

Several thoughts occur to me. Hardware problem. Return to Apple. Software problem, do an erase and install. (Except that it won't even boot from the DVD). This makes sense actually. A grey screen should really always mean a hardware issue. Unix is (normally) so well protected that a mere application cannot cause a grey screen. Only a hardware problem or a bad driver should be able to do this.

Of course, in another thread we are going on about how Time Machine causes grey screens of death, but I expect Apple to nip that issue in the bud if they want to keep selling Time Capsules.

So to come back to your issue, it really does sound like hardware when you say you can't even boot from the DVD.

 

[Falc]

Update (Resolved, I HOPE)

Well, the RAM change got the machine to boot. Some aspects of settings (like my WiFi login, etc.) were lost - things I THOUGHT were on the HD, rather than in PRAM.... so the jury's still deliberating, but it SEEMS to be resolving. At least now I can talk to it so I can make it clear to the machine that its future as a can-opener is bright if it doesn't shape up!

I'd say this one is closed, unless other stuff comes up. If it does, I'll post another update.

RAM. Go figure. Hope they'll replace it...

J

 

[r0k]

Well, the RAM change got the machine to boot. Some aspects of settings (like my WiFi login, etc.) were lost - things I THOUGHT were on the HD, rather than in PRAM.... so the jury's still deliberating, but it SEEMS to be resolving. At least now I can talk to it so I can make it clear to the machine that its future as a can-opener is bright if it doesn't shape up!

I'd say this one is closed, unless other stuff comes up. If it does, I'll post another update.

RAM. Go figure. Hope they'll replace it...

J

Glad to hear it was the RAM. The easiest thing to replace. Glad to hear it's working now. Get a backup strategy in place so if it really does go up in smoke, you don't lose data you care about.

 

[Falc]

Data?

Data's not my concern... the computer is. The machine is out of warranty. As it is, the guy I got the RAM from (who sold it as New on eBay less than 2 months ago) now claims that it was used, no warranty.

Backing up data is getting to be easier (and cheaper) than backing up the manufacturers.