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macbook won't boot -- trap 00000006 exception?

O

Oats

macrumors regular
Original poster
Jan 8, 2003
194
1
New York
I've got an intel macbook, probably 2008. I was using mail earlier this evening, then it started complaining about corrupted mailbox. (I was running OS 10.6 software update in the background, downloading a new printer driver I think). I quit mail, try to open, and mail won't open, with some bizarre error. I figure, time to reboot.

Immediately after the startup chimes, I got a "You need to restart your computer" error screen. Rebooted several times, same thing. Zapped PRAM, no dice. Held down 'D' key while powering up for hardware diagnosis debug mode... and I got a black screen with:
Code: 
TRAP 00000006 ========== EXCEPTION ==========

TR=0028 cr0=000000013, cr2=00000000, cr3=00000000
GDT limit=03ff base=00017000 idt limit=07ff base=00017400 

CS:eip=0008:00007B57 ss:esp=0010:00061fe0 errcode=0000
flags=00010006 NoCy NoZr IntDis Down TrapDis
eax=00001104 ebx=004013b1 ecx=00001618 edx=534d0040 ds=0010 es=0010
edi=0047164f esi=000041f4ab ebp=00061ff0 cr0=00000013 fs=0030 gs=0000

What in the world does this mean? I pretty much get this all the time now... sometimes the reboot just hangs with the Apple logo, but usually I see this screen, even though I am not holding down the 'D' key anymore.

I also tried booting from my OS install CD... initially it began to boot, but wasn't long before I got the same error again. I am thinking some sort of catastrophic hardware error. Any insight? Could it be bad RAM?
 
Do you have an up to date back up of your Mac? If I was you I would do an erase and install.
 
If thats the case then I would book an appointment with an Apple genius, it sounds quite serious :(.
 
Just a thought (although I second stridemat's suggestion):

Usually these kind of hangs are driver-related - in fact, most of the time you get an error log indicating strings like that at startup, especially if you're trying to do a hardware diagnostic, your problem is related to some kind of driver issue.

Either you installed something and it didn't go through correctly, or some kind of runtime error occurred that couldn't be reversed.

The fact that you cleared your P/NVRAM leads me to believe it's not an integral problem with the low-level functions of your computer, but since it still won't boot, it's probably not much consolation that your logic board appears to be intact.

Did you do an SMC reset as well?
 
Meldar, thanks for the thoughts. What is SMC reset? Why does clearing PRAM make you think my hardware is all ok? If I can't boot from my install CD, I'm pretty sure it's not a driver/software issue. I can't seem to even run the hardware debug diagnosis... boot up doesn't get that far.
 
Oats said:
What is SMC reset?
Click to expand...

System Management Controller - it controls all the low-level functions of your Mac, including power distribution at startup to things like RAM and the logic board.

This may help.

Oats said:
Why does clearing PRAM make you think my hardware is all ok?
Click to expand...

PRAM stores your default video settings, initial sound volume, and kernel panic information (if there is any) - clearing it will reset these values and can sometimes be a solution if the computer won't boot. In this case, it would appear that a PRAM reset won't help (because you did it and nothing changed).

The reason I said "it looks like all your hardware is ok" is because a) I'm fairly sure your logic board isn't failing and b) I didn't think, at the time, about blackburn's suggestion above.

If you have a bad RAM stick, then your computer won't boot properly, or at all.

Oats said:
If I can't boot from my install CD, I'm pretty sure it's not a driver/software issue. I can't seem to even run the hardware debug diagnosis... boot up doesn't get that far.
Click to expand...

Then yes, it could be RAM.

Honestly, the only time I've ever seen errors like this is with Windows, and at that, only XP. Perhaps I've just worked with a slew of particularly stubborn XP machines, or perhaps Macs just don't usually encounter a trap exception such as this.

Do a search on Google; most, if not all, of the results will be troubleshooting tips for Windows.

Not being able to run a hardware diagnosis, your best bet is to somehow remove your RAM and replace it, if you have the means. I'm not saying you should rush out and buy replacements, should RAM end up not being your problem. Long shot, perhaps, but if you have access to another two sticks of laptop RAM or if you can borrow someone's...maybe I'm taking my own experiences too far in this, since I've got loads of old components lying around.

I wonder if your activities on the computer prior to this problem arising are relevant at all...sometimes they may appear to be the cause but (again, in my experience) usually aren't. Doesn't look like you were doing something you shouldn't have!

I'm afraid my technical expertise only goes so far - an Apple Genius might be able to more accurately diagnose your problem (or who knows, he might pin the whole thing on your RAM). In that case, you wouldn't have a hard time pleading your case, since RAM chips ought to last much, much longer than just a couple years.

Hope this gets resolved!
 
The OP doesn't need to buy ram or swap with somebody. I'm suggesting either removing one stick at a time or swapping them.
And since apple uses some weird stuff when placing ram cleaning the contacts with rubbing alcohol
 
Update: I tried the SMC reset and pulled out one of my 2 RAM modules, and it booted up. I also had pulled my HD and replaced with an older one to try to re-install MAC OS.

And it booted! I installed mac OS onto a new HD (previously I had been unable to boot from the install disc.)

After OS X installed successfully, I tried installing both ram modules again... and sure enough, it runs fine. So I have no idea what was really wrong. Maybe it was the reset SMC? Maybe just cleaning/re-seating the RAM modules? Don't really know... happy my compy is working, but i still feel a bit unsure of what caused this or when it might pop up again.

Anyway, thanks a ton for the help! MR forum people are great.
 
Update 2: I have more clarity on the situation: first of all, the error I reported originally is actually a windows Xp startup error. What had happened is my hard drive had somehow become corrupted. To get my laptop to boot, I temporarily installed an old HD in my laptop so I could boot and put my original HD in a USB enclosure. I was able to reach my files using a USB drive enclosure, but once I put my original HD back in, it booted with the same error. I have windows installed via bootcamp, but why wasn't it booting into OS X? I held option during boot, and my OS x partition wasn't showing up. Booted from the install disc (worked this time don't know why this failed earlier?) to perform a disc repair. Verify and repair disc failed... Instruction was to save what I can and reformat. (actual error was invalid node structure). I don't know how my drive was corrupted, or if my drive is actually about to totally fail... It is less than 1 yr old, and I haven't made proper backups lately. Such a pain.
 
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