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Identifying the source of a kernel panic

M

mustangsally82

macrumors member
Original poster
Oct 19, 2006
47
0
I'm troubleshooting my brother's MacBook (purchased summer 2008), and I've got 14 individual panic logs from the past week.

My main question is whether I should bother checking RAM/AirPort card or just simply do a clean install. I've backed everything up.

I don't use the computer regularly so I can't tell you what he's been doing when it panics. But today while I was trying to back it up using my external drive (which works fine with my MBP), it panicked twice until I finally gave up with Time Machine and just dumped his drive contents onto my computer using target disk mode.

For the panic log line that starts with "BSD process name corresponding to current thread:" I have 14 different panics with the following items:

Deskjet
Deskjet
Deskjet
coreservicesd
launchd
Deskjet
kernel_task
Deskjet
ReportCrash
kernel_task
ManagedClient
Deskjet
Finder
mds

The last two (Finder and mds) were when I was trying to complete a backup using Time Machine. No other applications were open.

The MB is running 10.6.3. It has a 2.4 GHz Core 2 Duo processor and 4 GB of RAM.

I don't want to re-install Snow Leopard if it could be a hardware problem. But I don't want to drive two hours to the nearest Apple Store if a clean install would fix it.

I'm looking for suggestions about where to go next. I do plan on trying the Apple Hardware Test CD when my brother brings me his CDs, but I wondered if anyone could explain the information from the panic logs and offer suggestions. I've spent several hours searching the web, but I can't find a good guide that tells me what those specific BSD process name words indicate. Thanks!
 
I thought it might be a printer, but I don't think my brother has printed anything in years. He always puts files on a thumb drive and prints them on another computer.

So if I deleted all his printer drivers, would that possibly fix it?
 
The software is probably already on there. It's more than likely related to some printer daemon. I'd check in /Applications/Utilities as well to see if there's a removal script there.
 
Isolate the LaunchDaemon (or possibly LaunchAgent), restart and see if it continues. Then you can determine whether it is the daemon or not.

I have made numerous posts about doing this, just search my name and LaunchDaemon.
 
calderone said:
Isolate the LaunchDaemon (or possibly LaunchAgent), restart and see if it continues. Then you can determine whether it is the daemon or not.

I have made numerous posts about doing this, just search my name and LaunchDaemon.
Click to expand...

I'm sorry to be dumb, but I've spent the last hour going through your recent posts, and I'm still lost.

If you could be more explicit or point me to a specific previous post, I would appreciate it.

I don't know how to isolate these things. Are you referring to using Terminal, or to the actual folders in the Library with these titles?
 
Eidorian said:
The software is probably already on there. It's more than likely related to some printer daemon. I'd check in /Applications/Utilities as well to see if there's a removal script there.
Click to expand...

Thank you for your post. I didn't see any removal scripts, but he does have two drivers for printers that he probably used at his university or at a friend's house.
 
I couldn't find any HP drivers in the Applications folder; they were in the queue.

This whole thread might be moot anyway because it just panicked again and when I restarted I got three beeps which I assume means it's a RAM problem.
 
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