Kernel panic - considering re-install.... questions

[tveric]

So my Kernel Panic on my dual G5 PowerMac is apparently pretty serious. I am able to boot up from my Tiger installation disc, and I'm able to repair permissions AND repair disc.... but doing those multiple times (and now being told everything is fine) doesn't stop the kernel panic from happening. It happens on boot-up almost immediately after the Apple logo appears.

I'm considering re-installing Tiger as my next option, but I've never done a re-install without wiping my hard drive first. Obviously I don't want to do that in this case because I have all my iTunes and my documents on this computer, among other things.

My question is, will I retain everything in my home folder if I do a re-install on this machine? Or will that stuff be inaccessible/wiped out?

I do realize that some stuff will be gone, like preferences that I've set up in many apps, etc... I'm just most worried about blowing away the tens of gigabytes of stuff in the home folder, mostly music, pictures and docs.

 

[iBlue]

So you don't have a backup then?

If you don't want to lose your data then you can do an archive and install. You shouldn't lose your data in your home folder but it's obviously not as clean of a start as an erase and install.

First though, just in case you don't have to go that far, does it start up in safe mode?

 

[Sun Baked]

Buy a cheap drive, try a fresh install on that.

Likely though it is a safe mode problem, with something added to the OS that just doesn't work any more.

A new user might fix that.

 

[windowpain]

If you are having to repeatedly repair the disk, it sounds as if its failing.. I had a similar problem.

If you do an 'archive and install' it will keep everything that is in your home folder. It wont copy over things.

Can I just say 'back things up now!', if you haven't already. Buy a external (pretty cheap these days) and get things copied.

Even if everything is fine with your hard disk it'll take a lot of the stress out of times like this.

 

[Soulwar]

So my Kernel Panic on my dual G5 PowerMac is apparently pretty serious. I am able to boot up from my Tiger installation disc, and I'm able to repair permissions AND repair disc.... but doing those multiple times (and now being told everything is fine) doesn't stop the kernel panic from happening. It happens on boot-up almost immediately after the Apple logo appears.

I'm considering re-installing Tiger as my next option, but I've never done a re-install without wiping my hard drive first. Obviously I don't want to do that in this case because I have all my iTunes and my documents on this computer, among other things.

My question is, will I retain everything in my home folder if I do a re-install on this machine? Or will that stuff be inaccessible/wiped out?

I do realize that some stuff will be gone, like preferences that I've set up in many apps, etc... I'm just most worried about blowing away the tens of gigabytes of stuff in the home folder, mostly music, pictures and docs.

Info on kernel panics.

You can also try the Apple Hardware test.
Check the SMART status of the HDD.

For future reference, you don't want to repair permissions from the Install disk. They should be repaired from the startup volume itself.

"When possible, disk permissions should be repaired while started up from a Mac OS X volume (hard disk) that contains updated Mac OS X software, instead of a Mac OS X installation disc. Mac OS X software updates may change permissions on some files to improve security. When this occurs, the version of Disk Utility on the Mac OS X volume is updated to account for the new permissions. Running Disk Utility while started from the Mac OS X volume ensures that the changes made by software updates are preserved."

 

[tveric]

Buy a cheap drive, try a fresh install on that.

Likely though it is a safe mode problem, with something added to the OS that just doesn't work any more.

A new user might fix that.

Nothing was added to the OS; the kernel panic occurred after a DVD burn failed and I restarted because the OS wouldn't spit out the partially-burned DVD.

It also doesn't start up in safe mode.

The archive and install looks like the smartest advice for me.

 

[tveric]

For future reference, you don't want to repair permissions from the Install disk. They should be repaired from the startup volume itself.

Whoops! Oh well, too late now. Like I said, in 5 years I've never had this problem. I'm learning now I guess.

 

[IJ Reilly]

Info on kernel panics.

This is an excellent article. Note that reinstalling OSX is down at the bottom of the page, under "If All Else Fails." Great advice -- follow it!

 

[tveric]

What an excellent redundant post. How high do you need that post count to get?

On another note, I'd like to take this opportunity to plug the forums at http://www.macosxhints.com/ - posted my problem there and knowledgeable people helped me out with actual advice.

Plus, it's pretty rare, if not unheard of, that mods there delete posts without having a good reason to do so. Free flow of thoughts and ideas and all that. It's a good thing.

 

[IJ Reilly]

Would you kindly explain what the hell you are on about?