Is Apple planning on fixing the M1 MacBooks crashing multiple times a day?

[quickmac]

I picked up a new MBA M1 a few weeks ago and noticed about 2-3 times a day it'll randomly freeze, briefly show a pink screen then reboot itself. I googled it and noticed a lot of people having this issue. I'm a bit surprised Apple hasn't addressed or pushed an update to try to fix it. I don't have any peripherals connected and overall it seems to be running ok other than these random freeze up then crash moments.

Is it a hardware or software issue? Seems to happen most when using Safari. Anyone else find a fix to this, it's quite disruptive to workflow and also pretty unacceptable given the cost and general build quality of these laptops.

 

[southerndoc]

This is the first I've heard of the issue. Are you sure it's that widespread? People are more vocal when things go wrong.

 

[quickmac]

This is the first I've heard of the issue. Are you sure it's that widespread? People are more vocal when things go wrong.

I'm seeing posts on official Apple support forums going back to December reporting this issue (including the odd pink screen flash before reset). Seeing posts about "kernel panic" issues although the "diagnosis" seems to range from bad display connectors and bad bluetooth connection to certain websites not playing well with M1 chips to possibly a software flaw in the OS.

If I had to pin it down it seems like it happens most in Safari (in fact happened when originally making this post), followed by Zoom software. Although I'd say about 90% of my reboots have happened while actively in a Safari tab.

 

[Significant1]

I have had plenty of process crashes, but not since 11.3. I think I have had one kernel panic. But I haven't experienced what you describe. Does it happen without any external devices connected? I would backup. Try a clean install and see if it still happens. If so, I would consider it a hardware problem.

 

[Successful Sorcerer]

It's possible there's something wrong with your MacBook, a pink screen can relate to hardware issues, since it's still kind of new I'd report the problem to Apple and request a new device.

Why has your Mac screen gone pink? The power, screen display, software incompatibility, kernel panic, and hardware incompatibility are common possible reasons.

There are some options you can try yourself though, like reset the nvram and/or the smc Link

 

[Admiral]

I picked up a new MBA M1 a few weeks ago and noticed about 2-3 times a day it'll randomly freeze, briefly show a pink screen then reboot itself. I googled it and noticed a lot of people having this issue. I'm a bit surprised Apple hasn't addressed or pushed an update to try to fix it. I don't have any peripherals connected and overall it seems to be running ok other than these random freeze up then crash moments.

Is it a hardware or software issue? Seems to happen most when using Safari. Anyone else find a fix to this, it's quite disruptive to workflow and also pretty unacceptable given the cost and general build quality of these laptops.

I have been experiencing the pink screen artifacts and crash issue myself. It didn't happen at all the first five months I've owned my MacBook Pro, but since updating to macOS 11.3, it's happened three times. I'm not thrilled about it; I worried that maybe some water got into my keyboard or something. Reading that it's a widespread issue makes me more comfortable that a fix will be forthcoming.

 

[Toutou]

So why don't you return the machine? It's obviously doing something that millions of others aren't.

 

[PBG4 Dude]

My wife’s week old M1 MBA doesn’t have these issues. In fact, it ran from Tuesday evening until Saturday morning on one battery charge, and was in sleep mode while not in use.

 

[ViktorEvil]

Had mine since December and not had a single crash at all using Safari and Xcode nearly all day every day since receiving it. Maybe its a hardware issue. Have you tried doing a clean install to try and narrow it down?

 

[gnasher729]

I picked up a new MBA M1 a few weeks ago and noticed about 2-3 times a day it'll randomly freeze, briefly show a pink screen then reboot itself. I googled it and noticed a lot of people having this issue. I'm a bit surprised Apple hasn't addressed or pushed an update to try to fix it. I don't have any peripherals connected and overall it seems to be running ok other than these random freeze up then crash moments.

Is it a hardware or software issue? Seems to happen most when using Safari. Anyone else find a fix to this, it's quite disruptive to workflow and also pretty unacceptable given the cost and general build quality of these laptops.

If you have any problems with a new Mac, book an appointment at the nearest Apple Store and let them fix the problem. Why would you care how many people have the issue? Why do you care if it is hardware or software? You have at least one year warranty. Let them fix it.

Had mine since December and not had a single crash at all using Safari and Xcode nearly all day every day since receiving it. Maybe its a hardware issue. Have you tried doing a clean install to try and narrow it down?

There is no need for you to narrow anything down. Get it back to the nearest store and it's Apple's job to fix it, not yours.

 

[msof]

Actually, ever since Big Sur came along, Kernel panics have been back. I have several iMacPros that have been crashing, and my new M1 Macbook also crashes regularly. Strangely, only my Xeon based and M1 based machines appear to be affected.

As you can see from the trace, this is happening in the core crypto libraries. I asked a contact at Apple what do do about this and got the advice "to turn off Time Machine for the time being.". Ugh.

So yes, Apple's software has gone shoddier and shoddier over the past several years where we are now at the point that they have kernel bugs that just crash machines on a daily basis...




panic(cpu 3 caller 0xfffffe001bb88be0): "Zone element 0xfffffe232bb31e00 was modified after free for zone kext.kalloc.512: " "Expected element to be cleared"
Debugger message: panic
Memory ID: 0x6
OS release type: User
OS version: 20D91
Kernel version: Darwin Kernel Version 20.3.0: Thu Jan 21 00:06:51 PST 2021; root:xnu-7195.81.3~1/RELEASE_ARM64_T8101
Fileset Kernelcache UUID:
Kernel UUID:
iBoot version: iBoot-6723.81.1
secure boot?: YES
Paniclog version: 13
KernelCache slide: 0x00000000137a0000
KernelCache base: 0xfffffe001a7a4000
Kernel slide: 0x00000000142d4000
Kernel text base: 0xfffffe001b2d8000
Kernel text exec base: 0xfffffe001b3a0000
mach_absolute_time: 0x4ab49caf16b
Epoch Time: sec usec
Boot : 0x605062bd 0x00065f29
Sleep : 0x00000000 0x00000000
Wake : 0x00000000 0x00000000
Calendar: 0x6053a645 0x00001281
CORE 0 recently retired instr at 0xfffffe001b50ac0c
CORE 1 recently retired instr at 0xfffffe001b50ac0c
CORE 2 recently retired instr at 0xfffffe001b50ac0c
CORE 3 recently retired instr at 0xfffffe001b509748
CORE 4 recently retired instr at 0xfffffe001b50ac10
CORE 5 recently retired instr at 0xfffffe001b50ac10
CORE 6 recently retired instr at 0xfffffe001b50ac10
CORE 7 recently retired instr at 0xfffffe001b50ac10
Panicked task 0xfffffe168cf558e0: 1937 pages, 4 threads: pid 6349: diskimages-helpe
Panicked thread: 0xfffffe1690d2ccb0, backtrace: 0xfffffe3fed74ab10, tid: 2507239
lr: 0xfffffe001b3edfd0 fp: 0xfffffe3fed74ab80
lr: 0xfffffe001b3edd9c fp: 0xfffffe3fed74abf0
lr: 0xfffffe001b50ff0c fp: 0xfffffe3fed74ac10
lr: 0xfffffe001b5018b8 fp: 0xfffffe3fed74acc0
lr: 0xfffffe001b3a77e8 fp: 0xfffffe3fed74acd0
lr: 0xfffffe001b3eda2c fp: 0xfffffe3fed74b060
lr: 0xfffffe001b3eda2c fp: 0xfffffe3fed74b0d0
lr: 0xfffffe001bb8865c fp: 0xfffffe3fed74b0f0
lr: 0xfffffe001bb88be0 fp: 0xfffffe3fed74b120
lr: 0xfffffe001b4459f4 fp: 0xfffffe3fed74b160
lr: 0xfffffe001b448a38 fp: 0xfffffe3fed74b1a0
lr: 0xfffffe001b446c44 fp: 0xfffffe3fed74b200
lr: 0xfffffe001b3fc788 fp: 0xfffffe3fed74b250
lr: 0xfffffe001b8de6d0 fp: 0xfffffe3fed74b280
lr: 0xfffffe001e16cc98 fp: 0xfffffe3fed74b350
lr: 0xfffffe001e175cbc fp: 0xfffffe3fed74b410
lr: 0xfffffe001e174c6c fp: 0xfffffe3fed74bab0
lr: 0xfffffe001e174a58 fp: 0xfffffe3fed74bb10
lr: 0xfffffe001e176000 fp: 0xfffffe3fed74bb60
lr: 0xfffffe001e14b44c fp: 0xfffffe3fed74bbe0
lr: 0xfffffe001b65a470 fp: 0xfffffe3fed74bca0
lr: 0xfffffe001b90e8b4 fp: 0xfffffe3fed74bd50
lr: 0xfffffe001b90ea28 fp: 0xfffffe3fed74bdb0
lr: 0xfffffe001b9ea7ac fp: 0xfffffe3fed74be40
lr: 0xfffffe001b50159c fp: 0xfffffe3fed74bef0
lr: 0xfffffe001b3a77e8 fp: 0xfffffe3fed74bf00
Kernel Extensions in backtrace:
com.apple.filesystems.smbfs(3.4.1)[BED81F26-6A18-34A4-A477-51B1AFF95D32]@0xfffffe001e12c000->0xfffffe001e187fff
dependency: com.apple.kec.corecrypto(11.1)[E7263606-770E-3C0F-B5A1-F10042B34365]@0xfffffe001e074000->0xfffffe001e0bffff
dependency: com.apple.kext.triggers(1.0)[47F2D40F-1C2E-3C3A-AC5C-4DED90380B6D]@0xfffffe001e194000->0xfffffe001e197fff

 

[quickmac]

Actually, ever since Big Sur came along, Kernel panics have been back. I have several iMacPros that have been crashing, and my new M1 Macbook also crashes regularly. Strangely, only my Xeon based and M1 based machines appear to be affected.

As you can see from the trace, this is happening in the core crypto libraries. I asked a contact at Apple what do do about this and got the advice "to turn off Time Machine for the time being.". Ugh.

So yes, Apple's software has gone shoddier and shoddier over the past several years where we are now at the point that they have kernel bugs that just crash machines on a daily basis...




panic(cpu 3 caller 0xfffffe001bb88be0): "Zone element 0xfffffe232bb31e00 was modified after free for zone kext.kalloc.512: " "Expected element to be cleared"
Debugger message: panic
Memory ID: 0x6
OS release type: User
OS version: 20D91
Kernel version: Darwin Kernel Version 20.3.0: Thu Jan 21 00:06:51 PST 2021; root:xnu-7195.81.3~1/RELEASE_ARM64_T8101
Fileset Kernelcache UUID:
Kernel UUID:
iBoot version: iBoot-6723.81.1
secure boot?: YES
Paniclog version: 13
KernelCache slide: 0x00000000137a0000
KernelCache base: 0xfffffe001a7a4000
Kernel slide: 0x00000000142d4000
Kernel text base: 0xfffffe001b2d8000
Kernel text exec base: 0xfffffe001b3a0000
mach_absolute_time: 0x4ab49caf16b
Epoch Time: sec usec
Boot : 0x605062bd 0x00065f29
Sleep : 0x00000000 0x00000000
Wake : 0x00000000 0x00000000
Calendar: 0x6053a645 0x00001281
CORE 0 recently retired instr at 0xfffffe001b50ac0c
CORE 1 recently retired instr at 0xfffffe001b50ac0c
CORE 2 recently retired instr at 0xfffffe001b50ac0c
CORE 3 recently retired instr at 0xfffffe001b509748
CORE 4 recently retired instr at 0xfffffe001b50ac10
CORE 5 recently retired instr at 0xfffffe001b50ac10
CORE 6 recently retired instr at 0xfffffe001b50ac10
CORE 7 recently retired instr at 0xfffffe001b50ac10
Panicked task 0xfffffe168cf558e0: 1937 pages, 4 threads: pid 6349: diskimages-helpe
Panicked thread: 0xfffffe1690d2ccb0, backtrace: 0xfffffe3fed74ab10, tid: 2507239
lr: 0xfffffe001b3edfd0 fp: 0xfffffe3fed74ab80
lr: 0xfffffe001b3edd9c fp: 0xfffffe3fed74abf0
lr: 0xfffffe001b50ff0c fp: 0xfffffe3fed74ac10
lr: 0xfffffe001b5018b8 fp: 0xfffffe3fed74acc0
lr: 0xfffffe001b3a77e8 fp: 0xfffffe3fed74acd0
lr: 0xfffffe001b3eda2c fp: 0xfffffe3fed74b060
lr: 0xfffffe001b3eda2c fp: 0xfffffe3fed74b0d0
lr: 0xfffffe001bb8865c fp: 0xfffffe3fed74b0f0
lr: 0xfffffe001bb88be0 fp: 0xfffffe3fed74b120
lr: 0xfffffe001b4459f4 fp: 0xfffffe3fed74b160
lr: 0xfffffe001b448a38 fp: 0xfffffe3fed74b1a0
lr: 0xfffffe001b446c44 fp: 0xfffffe3fed74b200
lr: 0xfffffe001b3fc788 fp: 0xfffffe3fed74b250
lr: 0xfffffe001b8de6d0 fp: 0xfffffe3fed74b280
lr: 0xfffffe001e16cc98 fp: 0xfffffe3fed74b350
lr: 0xfffffe001e175cbc fp: 0xfffffe3fed74b410
lr: 0xfffffe001e174c6c fp: 0xfffffe3fed74bab0
lr: 0xfffffe001e174a58 fp: 0xfffffe3fed74bb10
lr: 0xfffffe001e176000 fp: 0xfffffe3fed74bb60
lr: 0xfffffe001e14b44c fp: 0xfffffe3fed74bbe0
lr: 0xfffffe001b65a470 fp: 0xfffffe3fed74bca0
lr: 0xfffffe001b90e8b4 fp: 0xfffffe3fed74bd50
lr: 0xfffffe001b90ea28 fp: 0xfffffe3fed74bdb0
lr: 0xfffffe001b9ea7ac fp: 0xfffffe3fed74be40
lr: 0xfffffe001b50159c fp: 0xfffffe3fed74bef0
lr: 0xfffffe001b3a77e8 fp: 0xfffffe3fed74bf00
Kernel Extensions in backtrace:
com.apple.filesystems.smbfs(3.4.1)[BED81F26-6A18-34A4-A477-51B1AFF95D32]@0xfffffe001e12c000->0xfffffe001e187fff
dependency: com.apple.kec.corecrypto(11.1)[E7263606-770E-3C0F-B5A1-F10042B34365]@0xfffffe001e074000->0xfffffe001e0bffff
dependency: com.apple.kext.triggers(1.0)[47F2D40F-1C2E-3C3A-AC5C-4DED90380B6D]@0xfffffe001e194000->0xfffffe001e197fff

Yeah this is the error message that comes up when it restarts. I'm seeing a lot of posts like this on reddit and apple forums.

 

[quickmac]

It's possible there's something wrong with your MacBook, a pink screen can relate to hardware issues, since it's still kind of new I'd report the problem to Apple and request a new device.



There are some options you can try yourself though, like reset the nvram and/or the smc Link

Thanks will try!

 

[chrfr]

Actually, ever since Big Sur came along, Kernel panics have been back. I have several iMacPros that have been crashing, and my new M1 Macbook also crashes regularly. Strangely, only my Xeon based and M1 based machines appear to be affected.

I've heard from people that 11.3 has resolved panics for many users. I'd suggest updating.

 

[quickmac]

I've heard from people that 11.3 has resolved panics for many users. I'd suggest updating.

I did an update and still got them. Although did do disk repair, SMC and NVRAM reset so we shall see.

 

[chrfr]

I did an update and still got them. Although did do disk repair, SMC and NVRAM reset so we shall ee.

M1 Macs don't have SMCs.

 

[EedyBeedyBeeps]

Is it a hardware or software issue? Seems to happen most when using Safari. Anyone else find a fix to this, it's quite disruptive to workflow and also pretty unacceptable given the cost and general build quality of these laptops.

I don’t think I experienced the same pink screen you’ve seen, but my new M1 MBA would crash “all the time” back in early winter. It happened mostly when I was using Affinity Designer, several times per day. I can’t say that Affinity Designer caused the crashes, though.

I reinstalled Big Sur to try to solve the problem, and the crashes went away.

 

[quickmac]

I don’t think I experienced the same pink screen you’ve seen, but my new M1 MBA would crash “all the time” back in early winter. It happened mostly when I was using Affinity Designer, several times per day. I can’t say that Affinity Designer caused the crashes, though.

I reinstalled Big Sur to try to solve the problem, and the crashes went away.

That'll be my next step to do a reinstall or clean install if the NVRAM and disc first aid didn't work. Apparently there's no SMC on these either.

I did read that some programs (perhaps due to not yet running natively on M1 chips) were causing these reboots.

 

[Successful Sorcerer]

That'll be my next step to do a reinstall or clean install if the NVRAM and disc first aid didn't work. Apparently there's no SMC on these either.

I did read that some programs (perhaps due to not yet running natively on M1 chips) were causing these reboots.

Why don't you take it back to an Apple store? I see you tried some solutions yourself which didn't work. There are a lot of these issues to be found online but most people don't experience these.

 

[quickmac]

Why don't you take it back to an Apple store? I see you tried some solutions yourself which didn't work. There are a lot of these issues to be found online but most people don't experience these.

True, I probably will if my current solutions didn't work and if a clean install still doesn't work. Just a pain to take time out of my day to go down to an Apple store to deal with it but you're right that's the next step if doesn't resolve itself.

Other than this annoying issue, this machine is fantastic.

 

[AxiomaticRubric]

If I had to pin it down it seems like it happens most in Safari (in fact happened when originally making this post), followed by Zoom software. Although I'd say about 90% of my reboots have happened while actively in a Safari tab.

I recommend uninstalling Zoom, if you can live without it.

 

[quickmac]

I recommend uninstalling Zoom, if you can live without it.

Lol I would love to but use it in my various work needs. It's kind of clunky.

 

[xraydoc]

I picked up a new MBA M1 a few weeks ago and noticed about 2-3 times a day it'll randomly freeze, briefly show a pink screen then reboot itself. I googled it and noticed a lot of people having this issue. I'm a bit surprised Apple hasn't addressed or pushed an update to try to fix it. I don't have any peripherals connected and overall it seems to be running ok other than these random freeze up then crash moments.

Is it a hardware or software issue? Seems to happen most when using Safari. Anyone else find a fix to this, it's quite disruptive to workflow and also pretty unacceptable given the cost and general build quality of these laptops.

There's something either wrong with your machine, or you've installed a particular combination of software that's causing your problems. While there may be some posts about similar issues, I suspect essentially the only people having those issues are the ones posting about them. Meanwhile, there's a million machines with no such issues at all.

I've had my MacBook Air since February. Use it daily for multiple hours, including Zoom and WebEx. Never once have I had the issue you've seen. Not saying it's not happening for you -- I'd be annoyed as hell, too -- but there's something else going on if your machine is crashing multiple times per day. That is NOT the norm.

 

[LeeW]

Whilst it could be hardware it actually sounds like software. Maybe if you can find time, remove software that was in use at the time of the crash and see if you can replicate the issue then re-install one by one and so on.

 

[chabig]

Lol I would love to but use it in my various work needs. It's kind of clunky.

I use Zoom on my iPad rather than installing it on my Mac.