Kernel Panics, crashes, etc.

[queshy]

Hi,

I think my 24" iMac (2 gb ram) has been acting up. When I got it two weeks ago, I had to reformat because of a serious problem. While it was reformatting, I got a kernal panic. Then everything was working, but one day I woke it up from sleep and kernel panic again. Today, I was installing a friend's iPod on my Mac, and when I unplugged it (not for the first time), another kernel panic! I am also experiencing some random app crashes - itunes crashed today while converting some video.Google earth crashes sometimes too. Here is the kernel panic I just experienced:

Mon Feb 5 00:19:36 2007
panic(cpu 0 caller 0x001A3135): Unresolved kernel trap (CPU 0, Type 14=page fault), registers:
CR0: 0x8001003b, CR2: 0x00000000, CR3: 0x0113b000, CR4: 0x000006e0
EAX: 0x00000000, EBX: 0x0679c600, ECX: 0x3c2cf89a, EDX: 0x0679c600
CR2: 0x00000000, EBP: 0x25723d28, ESI: 0x04047f00, EDI: 0x00000000
EFL: 0x00010286, EIP: 0x3c2cf8d4, CS: 0x00000008, DS: 0x04040010

Backtrace, Format - Frame : Return Address (4 potential args on stack)
0x25723b08 : 0x128d1f (0x3c9540 0x25723b2c 0x131df4 0x0)
0x25723b48 : 0x1a3135 (0x3cf1f4 0x0 0xe 0x3cea24)
0x25723c58 : 0x19a8d4 (0x25723c70 0x4359580 0x25723c88 0x1d82bc8)
0x25723d28 : 0x534bf7 (0x679c600 0xe00002ed 0xe00002ed 0x2)
0x25723db8 : 0xd56f0c (0x3eba000 0x4047f00 0xe0004050 0x0)
0x25723e68 : 0xd5784f (0x3eba000 0x4036490 0x0 0x0)
0x25723ec8 : 0xd578a3 (0x3eba000 0x0 0x0 0x5)
0x25723ee8 : 0xd508ba (0x3eba000 0x0 0x4d1d59c 0x3f59390)
0x25723f08 : 0x398a1f (0x3eba000 0x0 0x1 0x37ec3e)
0x25723f58 : 0x397bf1 (0x4023680 0x2 0x0 0x0)
0x25723f88 : 0x397927 (0x4025240 0x4058c14 0x90bdc86c 0x0)
0x25723fc8 : 0x19a74c (0x4025240 0x0 0x19d0b5 0x3f06b8c) Backtrace terminated-invalid frame pointer 0x0
Kernel loadable modules in backtrace (with dependencies):
com.apple.driver.AppleUSBEHCI(2.6.1)@0xd4d000
dependency: com.apple.iokit.IOUSBFamily(2.6.1)@0x530000
dependency: com.apple.iokit.IOPCIFamily(2.1)@0x587000
com.apple.iokit.IOUSBFamily(2.6.1)@0x530000

Kernel version:
Darwin Kernel Version 8.8.1: Mon Sep 25 19:42:00 PDT 2006; root:xnu-792.13.8.obj~1/RELEASE_I386


*********

I was also told to reformat my mac again because of the humming noise it started to make...that didn't work. I would say since I got it around 2.5 weeks ago, I had maybe 5 application crashes, 3 kernel panics. Is this normal? Can apple give me a replacement? How long does that take?
Thanks

 

[FadeToBlack]

That's definitely not normal. It could be bad RAM. Is all of the RAM you have in it stock?

 

[IJ Reilly]

Another good lesson in why it's almost always pointless to reformat to cure kernel panics.

Remove that additional RAM. It is almost certainly the source of your problem.

 

[Angrist]

Don't just remove the RAM, test it.

Download a copy of "memtestosx" (Costs like $1), and run that to see of RAM really is the problem. Then, take the sticks out, clean the sockets with a can of air, reseat the sticks and try again.

That should tell you definiatively that the RAM is indeed the problem.

 

[IJ Reilly]

Sure, you can test it -- but removal is the fastest way to determine if RAM is causing the problem. I've also seen RAM pass tests and still be bad.

Either way, no more reformats, please. People who give out that sort of advice should be drawn and quartered.

 

[queshy]

Hello, thanks for all your replies. the ram I have is STOCK ram. It came built in right from Apple. Should I call apple for a replacement? I'm really not technical enough to open up the iMac.

 

[queshy]

Alright, kernel panic AGAIN. This machine is like 2 weeks old, shoudlnt be crashing so much! My old windows box was better! On the phone with apple right now, they BETTER replace it.

 

[miniConvert]

My first Mac, a BTO Intel Mac mini, kept dying with Kernel Panics. They had me reformat it twice. It was a lemon, and after I'd convinced them as such there were no problems getting it replaced.

As it was so new I actually returned it completely and ordered a new one.

If you get a new anything and it doesn't work as it should do right out of the box then, IMHO, you have to go for a replacement or refund straight away. As consumers we normally have quite a narrow window to get this done without having to make a huge fuss.

 

[IJ Reilly]

Hello, thanks for all your replies. the ram I have is STOCK ram. It came built in right from Apple. Should I call apple for a replacement? I'm really not technical enough to open up the iMac.

Have you tried removing the RAM? Testing it? Stock from Apple doesn't matter. I've had bad RAM straight out of the factory.

 

[queshy]

Thank you all for your replies.

I finished speaking with Apple and they agreed to send me a replacement

Hope it doesn't take too long...and I hope the new one works well! it's been a pretty rough experience switching over...

 

[jeremy.king]

What USB devices do you have/had attached? These too can cause kernel panic.