Friend's OS X Freezing -- Need Help

[yellow]

Care to make a little wager?

Sure. Bragging rights.

While I agree that doing an OS reinstall is a bit premature, I disagree with your encouragement NOT to attempt it. Since it won't boot normally at all, what is to be lost by attempting and failing a reinstall? Plus, if it fails during a reinstall then it's 100% a hardware problem, thereby taking out the current possibility of it software related. Since they are abroad, and taking it in to have it fixed isn't a possiblity, and a high chance that this kid NEEDS his Mac for school (I assume that's why he's abroad), then jsut saying "it's hardware" and offering no other helpful tips... well it isn't very helpful, right? Hell this could be a legacy VPN kernel extension flaking out from the last OS update.. a pretty easy fix and he gets back up and running without taking it to Apple.

So, before attempting to reinstall the OS, or giving up.. please boot in Safe Mode and give us the last couple entries in that panic log.

 

[electronboy]

have you tried booting the mac in safe mode? Have you run disk warrior? have you reset the PMU for the unit?

 

[greenguy4]

Alright--I'll check out the log. My friend left for the weekend so I won't be able to post the log until Sunday morning at the earliest.

 

[IJ Reilly]

Sure. Bragging rights.

While I agree that doing an OS reinstall is a bit premature, I disagree with your encouragement NOT to attempt it. Since it won't boot normally at all, what is to be lost by attempting and failing a reinstall? Plus, if it fails during a reinstall then it's 100% a hardware problem, thereby taking out the current possibility of it software related. Since they are abroad, and taking it in to have it fixed isn't a possiblity, and a high chance that this kid NEEDS his Mac for school (I assume that's why he's abroad), then jsut saying "it's hardware" and offering no other helpful tips... well it isn't very helpful, right? Hell this could be a legacy VPN kernel extension flaking out from the last OS update.. a pretty easy fix and he gets back up and running without taking it to Apple.

So, before attempting to reinstall the OS, or giving up.. please boot in Safe Mode and give us the last couple entries in that panic log.

Yer on. Bragging rights it is.

My reasoning is this: If the problem turns out to be hardware-related (which I think is highly likely), then verifying that the problem was addressed in a repair or diagnostic effort is that much more difficult if you hose the OS in the course of trying to reinstall it.

One thing I notice now about this report is the "no third party RAM is installed." Nobody caught that. Even factory-installed RAM from Apple can fail. It's happened to me. All RAM that can be removed should be removed in situations of this kind. Also, nobody thought to suggest removing an AirPort card, if one is installed. More things to try before attempting to reinstall OSX.

 

[yellow]

My reasoning is this: If the problem turns out to be hardware-related (which I think is highly likely), then verifying that the problem was addressed in a repair or diagnostic effort is that much more difficult if you hose the OS in the course of trying to reinstall it.

Not true.. if it's taken to a Certified Apple Repair Center, they use machine specific test CDs to test the hardware. Having (or not having) an OS is irrelevant. But since they won't have the chance to get there for a while..

I'm looking forward to the panic.log..

 

[IJ Reilly]

Not true.. if it's taken to a Certified Apple Repair Center, they use machine specific test CDs to test the hardware. Having (or not having) an OS is irrelevant. But since they won't have the chance to get there for a while..

I'm looking forward to the panic.log..

Your point is taken, but this assumes it's going to a repair center... which was my recommendation after all. IF the problem can be traced to bad RAM or a poorly-seated or bad AirPort card, then not only will they want to look into this first, they'll want to do it before attempting to reinstall the OS.

 

[yellow]

I'm definitely with you on holding off on the reinstall.. too many OS X n00bs from the Windows world make that their first suggestion. Probably because troubleshooting is such a colossal pain in the ass on Windows.

 

[greenguy4]

And the results are in!

My friend got back early so I am posting the panic.log

By the way the computer has been running in safe mode

 

[IJ Reilly]

Looks like a bad AirPort card to me. Not sure how these are installed and removed in the iBook, but I'd pull that sucker for sure now. It might just need to be reseated, but I'd removed it entirely first to verify that this is in fact the problem.

 

[greenguy4]

Tried to take out his airport card but it is no where to be seen. I think in the newest revision of iBooks they made this standard and hid it somewhere else in the framework of his computer. We removed the keyboard but all that we could see was the RAM slot.

Anyone know where they placed the card and if it is still easily removable?

 

[IJ Reilly]

Right, it's standard now. Does anyone know how to physically disable an AirPort card on an iBook?

 

[yellow]

HA-HA!!!!! I WIN!

http://www.apple.com/support/downloads/airportupdate2005001.html

I bet this will fix your problem.

 

[IJ Reilly]

How do you figure? The explanation for this update doesn't suggest that it fixes kernel panics associated with AirPort cards. Unless I missed something, doesn't address crashes of any kind -- it only addresses "reliability and resolves AirPort compatibility issues with certain third party 802.11 cards and access points for Mac OS X v10.4.3 and later."

 

[yellow]

Yes.. compatability issues, as in kernel panics. Time will tell.

Personally, I don't think his AirPort Extreme card suddently went "bad", though the problem is definitely with the AirPort Extreme card. It's a software issue, as in bad drivers/kernel extensions. Again, time will tell. Espcially since it's running fine in Safe Mode.

 

[greenguy4]

Downloading this update now and putting it on a flash drive to install on his computer. This might actually do it because he gets lazy about software updater!

Will be back in 5-10 minutes with the results!

 

[greenguy4]

Install is not allowed in safe mode...What options are there?

 

[IJ Reilly]

Yes.. compatability issues, as in kernel panics. Time will tell.

Personally, I don't think his AirPort Extreme card suddently went "bad", though the problem is definitely with the AirPort Extreme card. It's a software issue, as in bad drivers/kernel extensions. Again, time will tell. Espcially since it's running fine in Safe Mode.

Possibly, but in safe mode the AirPort network interface is presumably not functional, which would take it out of the loop. I've had AirPort cards go belly up, so it can happen. As for compatibility, I'd be shocked if compatibility issues related to third party base stations could crash a Mac. We don't even know if he's using this iBook on a wireless network.

Short of removing the card, I'm going to suggest disabling the AirPort interface in the network settings.

 

[yellow]

Install is not allowed in safe mode...What options are there?

Move

/System/Library/Extensions/AppleAirPort2.kext
&
/System/Library/Extensions/AppleAirPort.kext

To the Desktop, restart as normal, hopefully it won't KP anymore.

Possibly, but in safe mode the AirPort network interface is presumably not functional, which would take it out of the loop. I've had AirPort cards go belly up, so it can happen. As for compatibility, I'd be shocked if compatibility issues related to third party base stations could crash a Mac. We don't even know if he's using this iBook on a wireless network.

Not saying it's not possible, just unlikely. Your presumption about Safe Mode and AirPort is correct.

 

[IJ Reilly]

Not saying it's not possible, just unlikely. Your presumption about Safe Mode and AirPort is correct.

Removing/reseating AirPort cards is a pretty standard method of diagnosing kernel panic issues. So I'm still leaning towards hardware, but we shall see!

BTW, even if removing the kernel extension solves the problem, nothing will be proven either way.

 

[yellow]

BTW, even if removing the kernel extension solves the problem, nothing will be proven either way.

Thanks for that.

My purpose is to get this guy up and running.

Frankly, I don't know if removing those extension will allow him to boot normally.

I would sugggest that you download 10.4.3 Combo Updater and install that as well.

 

[IJ Reilly]

Thanks for that.

My purpose is to get this guy up and running..

Well sure, me too. No offense intended and I apologize if any was taken. My point is, if disabling the AirPort card gets him up and running again, it doesn't prove that the problem is hardware or software-related, so neither of us wins our bragging rights wager on that basis.

 

[greenguy4]

He installed the airport update and it didn't work (turned out reason the install wasn't working was he was running on 10.4.2 so we installed 10.4.3 as well).

Should I still tell him to

Move

/System/Library/Extensions/AppleAirPort2.kext
&
/System/Library/Extensions/AppleAirPort.kext

To the Desktop, restart as normal?

 

[yellow]

To the Desktop, restart as normal?

Bummer, there goes the 'easy fix'.

I assume that he's still getting kernel panics if he boots as normal?

 

[greenguy4]

Aha!!! Moved the extensions and Walla!!! It WORKS! I guess we know it is definately the Airport card now. Thanks for all your help. When we come into the states he'll take it to the Genius Bar and hopefully they'll be able to replace it within a day or two!

Thanks AGAIN!

 

[yellow]

Does he still get kernel panics if the extensions are in their normal home?

Now we have to solve the soft vs hard issue for bragging rights (though I think I might have lost).