Help Diagnosing Kernel Panic

[VAmin]

Hello fellow Appleites,
I've started getting pretty frequent kernel panics while dialed-up, and I was wondering if it was possible pinpoint the problem exactly from the log file. I have no experience with this and I was hoping some of you would. Here's the latest panic log:

Wed Jun 14 14:25:59 2006


Unresolved kernel trap(cpu 0): 0x300 - Data access DAR=0x00000000A295A3FC PC=0x0000000000AE9AB4
Latest crash info for cpu 0:
Exception state (sv=0x383A8C80)
PC=0x00AE9AB4; MSR=0x0000B030; DAR=0xA295A3FC; DSISR=0x40000000; LR=0x00AEA558; R1=0x2207B840; XCP=0x0000000C (0x300 - Data access)
Backtrace:
0x00AEA558 0x00AEAECC 0x00AEB8F8 0x00AE5C84 0x00A01C34 0x009F7644
0x009D2B74 0x009D29F0 0x009D981C 0x002D3184 0x0003C744 0x000A9894
Kernel loadable modules in backtrace (with dependencies):
com.apple.driver.MotorolaSM56K(1.3.3)@0x97e000
dependency: com.apple.iokit.IOSerialFamily(9.0.0d30)@0x471000
dependency: com.apple.driver.AppleI2SModemFamily(1.1.3)@0x6e1000
Proceeding back via exception chain:
Exception state (sv=0x383A8C80)
previously dumped as "Latest" state. skipping...
Exception state (sv=0x320DB780)
PC=0x00000000; MSR=0x0000D030; DAR=0x00000000; DSISR=0x00000000; LR=0x00000000; R1=0x00000000; XCP=0x00000000 (Unknown)

Kernel version:
Darwin Kernel Version 8.6.0: Tue Mar 7 16:58:48 PST 2006; root:xnu-792.6.70.obj~1/RELEASE_PPC
panic(cpu 0 caller 0xFFFF0003): 0x300 - Data access
Latest stack backtrace for cpu 0:
Backtrace:
0x00095718 0x00095C30 0x0002683C 0x000A8384 0x000ABD00
Proceeding back via exception chain:
Exception state (sv=0x383A8C80)
PC=0x00AE9AB4; MSR=0x0000B030; DAR=0xA295A3FC; DSISR=0x40000000; LR=0x00AEA558; R1=0x2207B840; XCP=0x0000000C (0x300 - Data access)
Backtrace:
0x00AEA558 0x00AEAECC 0x00AEB8F8 0x00AE5C84 0x00A01C34 0x009F7644
0x009D2B74 0x009D29F0 0x009D981C 0x002D3184 0x0003C744 0x000A9894
Kernel loadable modules in backtrace (with dependencies):
com.apple.driver.MotorolaSM56K(1.3.3)@0x97e000
dependency: com.apple.iokit.IOSerialFamily(9.0.0d30)@0x471000
dependency: com.apple.driver.AppleI2SModemFamily(1.1.3)@0x6e1000
Exception state (sv=0x320DB780)
PC=0x00000000; MSR=0x0000D030; DAR=0x00000000; DSISR=0x00000000; LR=0x00000000; R1=0x00000000; XCP=0x00000000 (Unknown)

Kernel version:
Darwin Kernel Version 8.6.0: Tue Mar 7 16:58:48 PST 2006; root:xnu-792.6.70.obj~1/RELEASE_PPC



Thanks in advance.

 

[IJ Reilly]

I'm no expert at reading panic logs, but all those references to the modem and the timing of the panics suggest a hardware problem with the modem, or conceivably with the modem driver.

 

[VAmin]

The thought crossed my mind. Is there a way I can figure out whether this is a software of a hardware problem?

 

[IJ Reilly]

I'm not sure if the hardware test CD (which came with your Mac) addresses the modem, but it's worth a look. Beyond that, I'm on unfamiliar ground. Generally speaking kernel panics are hardware-related, but that's just a generalization.

 

[Makosuke]

If you have a Mac with a built-in modem, then the hardware test CD should do at least a basic check on it. May or may not detect significant problems, but at least it'll check something.

As for the panic, a driver problem is just as likely, and I seem to remember there being an issue with this at some point a while ago in browsing MacFixIt, but I don't remember any specifics.

Can't be universal, at least, because my mom's G4 iMac is connected via dialup for literally HUNDREDS of hours straight, and it never panics.