Your all probably sick of these questions, but please help

[maggsy]

Hello all.
I was given my first Mac from my brother about 6 months ago, its his old one, a aluminum 17inch macbook pro core 2 duo, 2.5mhz, 4gig ram.

Everything was going fairly well until the last couple of weeks when it started crashing on me randomly. Sometimes it crashes once a day, then nothing for maybe 2 or 3 days, then it may crash 3 times in 15 minutes then again nothing for a day or two.
I never turn the computer off and it has crashed both when I am using it and when I'm not.
I took it to the Apple Genius who said it is hard to pinpoint the problem when it crashes randomly and to reinstall Snow Leopard to see how I go.
Did that, and still the MBP crashes.
I've saved a fair few of the error reports and they are always the same stating the problem is in the IOAHCI. Which the genius tells me is the Hard Drive?

The genius ran his diagnostic cd and no problems came up.

I do sometimes plug a ext hdd into the machine but it has never crashed on me when this has been plugged in.

I'll post a error report below which is a typical one I get if someone could run their eyes over it and maybe let me know what the problem is and how to fix it.

Many thanks everyone.

IInterval Since Last Panic Report: 103280 sec
Panics Since Last Report: 6
Anonymous UUID: 80C63098-EE78-4D98-A9EE-CC8E165D5E04

Fri Aug 26 22:45:22 2011
panic(cpu 1 caller 0x560ba8): "IOGMD: not wired for the IODMACommand"@/SourceCache/xnu/xnu-1504.15.3/iokit/Kernel/IOMemoryDescriptor.cpp:1339
Backtrace (CPU 1), Frame : Return Address (4 potential args on stack)
0x5c8638e8 : 0x21b837 (0x5dd7fc 0x5c86391c 0x223ce1 0x0)
0x5c863938 : 0x560ba8 (0x5e6ee8 0x301 0x3d7d9d0 0x301)
0x5c8639b8 : 0x558844 (0x977eb00 0x3 0x743cd00 0x80)
0x5c863aa8 : 0x5590fe (0x7439700 0x2a 0x559840 0x2a)
0x5c863b08 : 0x559806 (0x7439700 0x2a 0x5c863b18 0x939a500)
0x5c863b48 : 0x5c27293b (0x7439700 0x0 0x0 0x4000)
0x5c863bd8 : 0x5c275f7b (0x743ae00 0x7439700 0x977eb00 0x4000)
0x5c863c48 : 0x5c03037e (0x743ae00 0x7439700 0x5c863cc8 0x743e180)
0x5c863c88 : 0x5c03083f (0x743ae00 0x7439700 0x0 0x5c2bbec2)
0x5c863cc8 : 0x5c2b4701 (0x743eb80 0x743e180 0x0 0x2aa21d)
0x5c863d08 : 0x5c2b0846 (0x743d900 0x7423360 0x5c863d38 0x558afadc)
0x5c863d58 : 0x5c2b10df (0x743d800 0x7423360 0x3000 0x0)
0x5c863db8 : 0x5c2b33b2 (0x743d800 0x7424290 0x5c863e08 0x26)
0x5c863dd8 : 0x5c030698 (0x7448b80 0x7439700 0x0 0x231c92)
0x5c863e08 : 0x5c03128a (0x743eb80 0x7439700 0x0 0x743ae00)
0x5c863e28 : 0x5c2741dc (0x7439700 0x7439700 0x0 0x226e2f)
0x5c863e68 : 0x5c27433a (0x743ae00 0x7439700 0x0 0x0)
0x5c863ea8 : 0x5c2764df (0x743ae00 0x80000 0x726e0dc 0x1)
0x5c863f08 : 0x5c2721fc (0x743ae00 0x827ad20 0x5c863f38 0x46c162)
0x5c863f28 : 0x552ea6 (0x743bd80 0x3 0x5c863f78 0x584ef4)
0x5c863f88 : 0x552eea (0x743bf00 0x2ab22a 0x5c863fc8 0xffffffff)
0x5c863fc8 : 0x2a179c (0x743bf00 0x0 0x10 0xf953a80)
Kernel Extensions in backtrace (with dependencies):
com.apple.iokit.IOAHCIBlockStorage(1.6.4)@0x5c2ae000->0x5c2c1fff
dependency: com.apple.iokit.IOAHCIFamily(2.0.6)@0x5c02e000
dependency: com.apple.iokit.IOStorageFamily(1.6.3)@0x558a7000
com.apple.driver.AppleAHCIPort(2.1.7)@0x5c26f000->0x5c282fff
dependency: com.apple.iokit.IOAHCIFamily(2.0.6)@0x5c02e000
dependency: com.apple.iokit.IOPCIFamily(2.6.5)@0x55852000
com.apple.iokit.IOAHCIFamily(2.0.6)@0x5c02e000->0x5c033fff

BSD process name corresponding to current thread: kernel_task

Mac OS version:
10K549

Kernel version:
Darwin Kernel Version 10.8.0: Tue Jun 7 16:33:36 PDT 2011; root:xnu-1504.15.3~1/RELEASE_I386
System model name: MacBookPro4,1 (Mac-F42C86C8)

System uptime in nanoseconds: 2302439081431
unloaded kexts:
(none)
loaded kexts:
com.parallels.kext.prl_vnic 6.0 11994.637263
com.parallels.kext.prl_netbridge 6.0 11994.637263
com.parallels.kext.prl_usb_connect 6.0 11994.637263
com.parallels.kext.prl_hid_hook 6.0 11994.637263
com.parallels.kext.prl_hypervisor 6.0 11994.637263
com.apple.driver.AppleHWSensor 1.9.3d0 - last loaded 40110668206
com.apple.filesystems.autofs 2.1.0
com.apple.driver.AppleTyMCEDriver 1.0.2d2
com.apple.driver.InternalModemSupport 2.6.2
com.apple.driver.AppleUpstreamUserClient 3.5.7
com.apple.driver.AppleIntelYonahProfile 14
com.apple.driver.AppleMCCSControl 1.0.20
com.apple.driver.AudioAUUC 1.57
com.apple.driver.AppleIntelPenrynProfile 17
com.apple.Dont_Steal_Mac_OS_X 7.0.0
com.apple.GeForce 6.3.6
com.apple.driver.IOBluetoothA2DPAudioDriver 2.4.5f3
com.apple.driver.IOBluetoothSCOAudioDriver 2.4.5f3
com.apple.driver.IOBluetoothBNEPDriver 2.4.5f3
com.apple.driver.AppleIntelNehalemProfile 11
com.apple.driver.AppleHDA 2.0.5f14
com.apple.driver.AudioIPCDriver 1.1.6
com.apple.driver.AirPortBrcm43xx 423.91.27
com.apple.driver.AppleGraphicsControl 2.10.6
com.apple.driver.SMCMotionSensor 3.0.1d2
com.apple.iokit.AppleYukon2 3.2.1b1
com.apple.driver.AppleIntelMeromProfile 19
com.apple.driver.AirPortBrcm43224 428.42.4
com.apple.driver.ACPI_SMC_PlatformPlugin 4.7.0a1
com.apple.driver.AppleLPC 1.5.1
com.apple.driver.AppleBacklight 170.0.46
com.apple.kext.AppleSMCLMU 1.5.2d10
com.apple.driver.AppleUSBTCButtons 201.6
com.apple.driver.AppleUSBTCKeyEventDriver 201.6
com.apple.driver.AppleUSBTCKeyboard 201.6
com.apple.driver.AppleIRController 303.8
com.apple.iokit.SCSITaskUserClient 2.6.8
com.apple.driver.AppleUSBHub 4.2.4
com.apple.iokit.IOAHCIBlockStorage 1.6.4
com.apple.driver.AppleUSBEHCI 4.2.4
com.apple.driver.AppleAHCIPort 2.1.7
com.apple.driver.AppleIntelPIIXATA 2.5.1
com.apple.BootCache 31.1
com.apple.AppleFSCompression.AppleFSCompressionTypeZlib 1.0.0d1
com.apple.driver.AppleFWOHCI 4.7.3
com.apple.driver.AppleEFINVRAM 1.4.0
com.apple.driver.AppleUSBUHCI 4.2.0
com.apple.driver.AppleHPET 1.5
com.apple.driver.AppleSmartBatteryManager 160.0.0
com.apple.driver.AppleRTC 1.3.1
com.apple.driver.AppleACPIButtons 1.3.6
com.apple.driver.AppleSMBIOS 1.7
com.apple.driver.AppleACPIEC 1.3.6
com.apple.driver.AppleAPIC 1.4
com.apple.driver.AppleIntelCPUPowerManagementClient 142.6.0
com.apple.security.sandbox 1
com.apple.security.quarantine 0
com.apple.nke.applicationfirewall 2.1.12
com.apple.driver.AppleIntelCPUPowerManagement 142.6.0
com.apple.driver.AppleProfileReadCounterAction 17
com.apple.driver.AppleProfileTimestampAction 10
com.apple.driver.AppleProfileThreadInfoAction 14
com.apple.driver.AppleProfileRegisterStateAction 10
com.apple.driver.AppleProfileKEventAction 10
com.apple.driver.AppleProfileCallstackAction 20
com.apple.iokit.IOSurface 74.2
com.apple.iokit.IOBluetoothSerialManager 2.4.5f3
com.apple.iokit.IOSerialFamily 10.0.3
com.apple.driver.AppleHDAHardwareConfigDriver 2.0.5f14
com.apple.driver.DspFuncLib 2.0.5f14
com.apple.iokit.IOAudioFamily 1.8.3fc2
com.apple.kext.OSvKernDSPLib 1.3
com.apple.nvidia.nv50hal 6.3.6
com.apple.NVDAResman 6.3.6
com.apple.iokit.IOFireWireIP 2.0.3
com.apple.iokit.AppleProfileFamily 41
com.apple.driver.AppleHDAController 2.0.5f14
com.apple.iokit.IOHDAFamily 2.0.5f14
com.apple.iokit.IO80211Family 320.1
com.apple.iokit.IONetworkingFamily 1.10
com.apple.driver.IOPlatformPluginFamily 4.7.0a1
com.apple.driver.AppleSMBusPCI 1.0.10d0
com.apple.driver.AppleBacklightExpert 1.0.1
com.apple.iokit.IONDRVSupport 2.2
com.apple.driver.AppleSMC 3.1.0d5
com.apple.iokit.IOGraphicsFamily 2.2
com.apple.driver.BroadcomUSBBluetoothHCIController 2.4.5f3
com.apple.driver.AppleUSBBluetoothHCIController 2.4.5f3
com.apple.iokit.IOBluetoothFamily 2.4.5f3
com.apple.driver.AppleUSBMultitouch 207.7
com.apple.iokit.IOUSBHIDDriver 4.2.0
com.apple.driver.AppleUSBMergeNub 4.2.4
com.apple.driver.AppleUSBComposite 3.9.0
com.apple.iokit.IOSCSIMultimediaCommandsDevice 2.6.8
com.apple.iokit.IOBDStorageFamily 1.6
com.apple.iokit.IODVDStorageFamily 1.6
com.apple.iokit.IOCDStorageFamily 1.6.1
com.apple.driver.XsanFilter 402.1
com.apple.iokit.IOATAPIProtocolTransport 2.5.1
com.apple.iokit.IOSCSIArchitectureModelFamily 2.6.8
com.apple.iokit.IOUSBUserClient 4.2.4
com.apple.iokit.IOAHCIFamily 2.0.6
com.apple.iokit.IOATAFamily 2.5.1
com.apple.driver.AppleFileSystemDriver 2.0
com.apple.iokit.IOFireWireFamily 4.2.6
com.apple.iokit.IOUSBFamily 4.2.4
com.apple.driver.AppleEFIRuntime 1.4.0
com.apple.iokit.IOHIDFamily 1.6.6
com.apple.iokit.IOSMBusFamily 1.1
com.apple.security.TMSafetyNet 6
com.apple.kext.AppleMatch 1.0.0d1
com.apple.driver.DiskImages 289.1
com.apple.iokit.IOStorageFamily 1.6.3
com.apple.driver.AppleACPIPlatform 1.3.6
com.apple.iokit.IOPCIFamily 2.6.5
com.apple.iokit.IOACPIFamily 1.3.0

 

[Macman45]

Distinct Possibility

Of dying RAM.....or faulty / dirty contacts inside. If you are happy to open the thingnup ( you will need the correct tools) remove and reseat the memory modules, cleaning the slots gently with a super soft varnishing brush.

Check cables for HDD also.

If you don't feel you can take it on, then I would take it back to Apple and find another " Genius"

Faults like this can be really hard to pinpoint, and very often it's an accumulation of dust / muck preventing good connections.

Faulty RAM is also a distinct possibility and you shouldnbe able to tackle that one without too many issues.

Either way, get back to us and tell us what the outcome was.

 

[maggsy]

Thanks Macman45 for such a fast response. I'll open it up and give it a clean. I have the tools already as I replaced a fan that was malfunctioning soon after I got it.

Just regarding the ram comment, I have run, ummm, I think it was called memtest86 ++ or something like that after reading other threads and let it run for 3 passes with no error message?

I dont mind replacing the ram but would obviously like to save the money if that isnt the exact problem. I also dont mind replacing the hdd or anything else for that matter if it cures this problem.

Again mate, thanks for the info, I'll give it a good clean.

Oh, and just on the apple genius guy who I saw a couple of days ago, he said he could fix the problem but I would have to leave the laptop with them for 10 days for thorough testing, since I work from home I really cant be without it for such a long time, but again, cant have a faulty computer either........ A rock and hard place anyone?

 

[AppleFanatic10]

It also would help if you restarted you computer from time to time. Or you could upgrade the RAM. Hope this helps a bit.

 

[iThinkergoiMac]

It also would help if you restarted you computer from time to time.

How, specifically, would it help? Macs are Unix machines, running them for days/weeks at a time won't present a problem.