I seem to be getting Kernel panics randomly. This time it occurred while playing back SD video. I drive four monitors*in portrait mode with two NVIDIA GT120 graphics cards. The system is running the latest version of Mountain Lion which does not work well with Portrait monitors [LINK]. When I reboot the system, the displays must be rearranged or sometimes, one or two of the displays are blank. NOTE: It always happens when the graphics card is being used intensively, playing back video (within hours) or Photoshop (within a few minutes). Most of the time, the system is just fine. I keep the machine operating 24/7 and need near 100% reliability, could one of the cards be failing? I purchased the second GT120 card from someone selling it locally just over a month ago. Or is it the same "portrait monitor blank screen" issue as others are also having Kernel Panics. Attached is a KP log. Below is an excerpt from the log. Going back to Lion on a different drive for now. Code: Interval Since Last Panic Report: 466755 sec Panics Since Last Report: 1 Kernel Extensions in backtrace: com.apple.NVDAResman(8.1)[A26D2A3D-C06F-3A0F-BCFF-901A98C93C3D]@0xffffff7f8fdd3000->0xffffff7f900e0fff dependency: com.apple.iokit.IOPCIFamily(2.7.3)[1D668879-BEF8-3C58-ABFE-FAC6B3E9A292]@0xffffff7f8fccc000 dependency: com.apple.iokit.IONDRVSupport(2.3.7)[38C214C0-83C8-3594-8A4C-DC6AC3FEC163]@0xffffff7f8fdbf000 dependency: com.apple.iokit.IOGraphicsFamily(2.3.7)[74E3E50F-E50A-3073-8C96-06F854292A91]@0xffffff7f8fd7c000 com.apple.GeForce(8.1)[A15BB65E-3501-340F-87CB-2FD2BAD33E35]@0xffffff7f90b6c000->0xffffff7f90c38fff dependency: com.apple.NVDAResman(8.1.0)[A26D2A3D-C06F-3A0F-BCFF-901A98C93C3D]@0xffffff7f8fdd3000 dependency: com.apple.iokit.IONDRVSupport(2.3.7)[38C214C0-83C8-3594-8A4C-DC6AC3FEC163]@0xffffff7f8fdbf000 dependency: com.apple.iokit.IOPCIFamily(2.7.3)[1D668879-BEF8-3C58-ABFE-FAC6B3E9A292]@0xffffff7f8fccc000 dependency: com.apple.iokit.IOGraphicsFamily(2.3.7)[74E3E50F-E50A-3073-8C96-06F854292A91]@0xffffff7f8fd7c000 BSD process name corresponding to current thread: Finder Mac OS version: 12D78 Kernel version: Darwin Kernel Version 12.3.0: Sun Jan 6 22:37:10 PST 2013; root:xnu-2050.22.13~1/RELEASE_X86_64 Kernel UUID: 3EB7D8A7-C2D3-32EC-80F4-AB37D61492C6 Kernel slide: 0x000000000f400000 Kernel text base: 0xffffff800f600000 System model name: MacPro4,1 (Mac-F221BEC8) System uptime in nanoseconds: 185527221598496
I was getting system freezes and instability while Flash was being used. 10.9 will supposedly be better with multiple screens since ML seems to lack better support when running multiple graphic card and screens. Mine were in landscape but would sometimes be flipped when I start it up so I had to flip them back around and switch the menubar back to my main monitor. I'm just running one screen so it doesn't bother me no more.
I drive 4 monitors, experiencing strange behaviour since Lion 10.7.5... That's the build in which drivers made by NVIDIA are included. Anything below works just fine. I sold off my GTX 670 because I felt that it was overkill for documents, film scripts and image/poster creation. The GT120's work just fine except for the kernel panics. Looks like the only other working options I have are: - Use Lion 10.7.4 temporarily - Get a Quad Monitor Stand and use displays in Landscape (expensive). - Sell all displays and get two u2711 or u3011 (hard to find a buyer).