Kernal panic at start up! UPDATE AND HELP

[eyedoc_00]

When starting up my iMac G5, I get the kernal panic screen. Tried to restart computer in safe mode by holding down shift key, and I get the following message:
Invalid memory access at SRR0: 00000000.066 10b84 SRR1: 10000000.00003030

Apple powerMac8,2 5.2.5f1 BootROM built on 04/06/05

Welcome to Open Firmware
to continue booting, type "mac-boot" and press return.
to shut down, type "shut-down" and press return
reducing system power...

0>

Any thoughts on if this is a ram problem vs hard drive problems vs other hardware problem?

Thank you

 

[Makosuke]

Have you tried booting from the Hardware Test disc that came with the machine and seeing what it tells you? If it's actually a hardware problem (as opposed to a corrupt OS), that will probably tell you, as well as identify the component.

If you don't have the discs that came with it, how about a copy of Applecare's TechTool Deluxe or the full Pro version? You could always buy the bundle advertised on the front page of MacRumors to get a copy of TTP...

 

[eyedoc_00]

Have you tried booting from the Hardware Test disc that came with the machine and seeing what it tells you? If it's actually a hardware problem (as opposed to a corrupt OS), that will probably tell you, as well as identify the component.

If you don't have the discs that came with it, how about a copy of Applecare's TechTool Deluxe or the full Pro version? You could always buy the bundle advertised on the front page of MacRumors to get a copy of TTP...

Yes, i either get the same message or the mouse is not working so i can not click on the program to start it.

 

[Makosuke]

Just to confirm, that's TechTool that the mouse isn't working on? The Apple Hardware Test can be activated with the keyboard only.

If it panics sometimes when starting from a test disc that pretty much rules out the hard drive; either RAM or motherboard. If you can get it to run Apple Hardware Test should tell you which.

Depending on which iMac you have and what RAM is in it, you might be able to remove one stick to see if the problem clears up; doesn't take long to try, either.

 

[eyedoc_00]

Just to confirm, that's TechTool that the mouse isn't working on? The Apple Hardware Test can be activated with the keyboard only.

If it panics sometimes when starting from a test disc that pretty much rules out the hard drive; either RAM or motherboard. If you can get it to run Apple Hardware Test should tell you which.

Depending on which iMac you have and what RAM is in it, you might be able to remove one stick to see if the problem clears up; doesn't take long to try, either.

I tried the star up disk the iMac G5 ambient light sensor model came with. Hold down option key and run hardwear test. I get to the language screen and the mouse will not work nor the keyboard to select the language and start the program. TechTool will not even load. I will try checking the ram. I have 2 1gb sticks.
Thanks for your help. Any other advise is welcomed.

 

[eyedoc_00]

problem solved! NOT SOLVED

I took out the ram and tried starting up the computer with each stick by itself. One of the sticks would cause the kernal panics, while the other worked just fine. Ran the test hardware program off the start up disk and everything tested fine. Original stick of memory went bad.
Thanks or your help.

Still having kernal panics randomly. I also ran tech tool disk and everything was fine. What could be causing the kernal panics? Any suggestions? I ran repair permissions thru disk utility

 

[eyedoc_00]

Any other thoughts? Or Help?

Thanks

 

[i.shaun]

So you removed a stick and it booted up?

Was the stick removed when you ran hardware tests? (Were the tests done wit h just 1 stick of RAM)



Have you tried putting the stick back in to see if it works, and if so, ran hardware tests (on both sticks)

 

[eyedoc_00]

So you removed a stick and it booted up?

Was the stick removed when you ran hardware tests? (Were the tests done wit h just 1 stick of RAM)



Have you tried putting the stick back in to see if it works, and if so, ran hardware tests (on both sticks)

The 1 stick of ram would not even boot up, just kernal panic. The other stick of ram I could boot up, ran the hardware test a couple of times and everything was good. Now I get random kernal panics were the computer will just freeze and the cpu fan kicks on and you can not do anything. Have to manually turn computer off and when it restarts it goes to kernal panic. I then turn the computer off manually and restart it and it works fine until it freezes again. It seems to run fine for 1 to 2 days and then out of nowhere it freezes.

 

[Makosuke]

Try swapping the working stick of RAM into the other slot and see if the computer will boot. If it won't, that tells you that you have a bad slot on the motherboard, and it wouldn't be at all surprising if that wasn't the only problem, and if so why you're getting panics.

If it does boot, then you have one definitely-bad stick of RAM, but there's at least a chance the other is flakey (though I'd still be suspicious of a bad motherboard). If you can come up with a separate stick, do and try it to see if it helps (or, if the bad stick has a lifetime warranty, get it replaced and use just that one).

Alternately, it's possible that some time during the repeated crashes the OS got chewed up enough to cause problems. Doing an "Archive and Install" would be the way to test for this, and at least it doesn't cost anything as a troubleshooting measure. Also make sure to use Disk Utility to check the drive while you're booted from the install disc.

 

[eyedoc_00]

Try swapping the working stick of RAM into the other slot and see if the computer will boot. If it won't, that tells you that you have a bad slot on the motherboard, and it wouldn't be at all surprising if that wasn't the only problem, and if so why you're getting panics.

If it does boot, then you have one definitely-bad stick of RAM, but there's at least a chance the other is flakey (though I'd still be suspicious of a bad motherboard). If you can come up with a separate stick, do and try it to see if it helps (or, if the bad stick has a lifetime warranty, get it replaced and use just that one).

Alternately, it's possible that some time during the repeated crashes the OS got chewed up enough to cause problems. Doing an "Archive and Install" would be the way to test for this, and at least it doesn't cost anything as a troubleshooting measure. Also make sure to use Disk Utility to check the drive while you're booted from the install disc.

I tried switching the good stick of ram into the other ram slot and the computer started with no problems. I ran the hardware test and everything passed. I read somewhere to try and run the hardware test in loop mode because the ram may need more testing. I will try this overnight.

 

[eyedoc_00]

Apple Hardware Test Failure

Ran in loop mode and during the 5th loop the memory failed. The following code came up: 2MEM/105/4: DIMMO/J400. I guess the "good stick" of memory is not good after all. I bought it from crucial a little over 1 year ago. I hope that is the only thing wrong and by getting it replaced that will take care of the kernal panics.

 

[Makosuke]

Well, at least that pretty conclusively narrows down the cause of your panics to "intermittent memory glitches". With any luck, it's just the failed module and a replacement from Crucial will resolve everything. If you're unlucky, of course, the glitches are being caused by the motherboard--bad slots, say.

I actually had a slot go bad on the motherboard of an XServe with exactly that symptom--the memory in that slot would generate errors every once in a while, but the machine ran normally most of the time.

 

[eyedoc_00]

Well, at least that pretty conclusively narrows down the cause of your panics to "intermittent memory glitches". With any luck, it's just the failed module and a replacement from Crucial will resolve everything. If you're unlucky, of course, the glitches are being caused by the motherboard--bad slots, say.

I actually had a slot go bad on the motherboard of an XServe with exactly that symptom--the memory in that slot would generate errors every once in a while, but the machine ran normally most of the time.

Is there a way to tell if it is the motherboard other than changing the stick of ram?

 

[Makosuke]

Is there a way to tell if it is the motherboard other than changing the stick of ram?

Unless the Apple Hardware Test disc (or TechTool) tells you so, none that I can think of.

I can say, though, that if you can get it to generate that same error regardless of which slot the RAM is in there is at least a decent chance it's the stick, rather than the motherboard. No guarantee, but I'd be at least a little optimistic. With the caveat being that it's a little weird for two sticks of RAM to go bad at exactly the same time on their own.

Of course, since Crucial has a lifetime warranty on their RAM, it shouldn't cost you anything to find out, right?

 

[eyedoc_00]

Unless the Apple Hardware Test disc (or TechTool) tells you so, none that I can think of.

I can say, though, that if you can get it to generate that same error regardless of which slot the RAM is in there is at least a decent chance it's the stick, rather than the motherboard. No guarantee, but I'd be at least a little optimistic. With the caveat being that it's a little weird for two sticks of RAM to go bad at exactly the same time on their own.

Of course, since Crucial has a lifetime warranty on their RAM, it shouldn't cost you anything to find out, right?

Yeah the crucial ram was the only 1 I could get to work. It is the 1 that the apple hardware test said had an error. I ran the hardware test with the ram in both slots. It passed every time until I ran it in loop mode and that is when it failed. I did not try loop mode in both slots. The apple hardware test never had any problems with the other items it tests. Crucial has already sent me a new stick of ram, should get it next week.

 

[eyedoc_00]

So what does it mean when the new stick of ram will not even allow the computer to start up. I tried it several times in both ram slots and nothing. A black screen for several seconds and then the cpu fan kicks into high gear. I put the old stick back in and after starting up and showing the kernal panic message, restart the computer and it stats up. I am so confused!!!!!