MacBook Pro is crashing

[warbler]

My mid 2012 MacBook Pro started crashing . I am able to use my computer but when I walk away, then come back some time later, I am looking at the Catalina image with a password window, like the computer had just booted up.

This seems to have started not long after I tried to install a Bit Torrent app. When I installed, my Mac gave me a warning this was an app from the Internet. I overrode by unlocking the permissions. (As it turned out, I was unable to get the Bit Torrent app to work, anyway).

I don't have a back up. After installing OS Catalina, my older Carbon Copy Cloner would not work, needing an update. It's on my to-do list, but it didn't get done.

I am not sure the Bit Torrent app installation is the problem, but it's suspicious considering the timing. What solutions are there for fixing this crashing? 🤞

 

[Bigwaff]

Follow these instructions .. be sure to save the crash report for later

If your Mac restarts and a message appears

If your Mac restarts unexpectedly, an error known as a “kernel panic” occurred.

support.apple.com

 

[warbler]

Bigwaff, thanks for your reply.

I also posted the same query at the Apple Community Forum and received suggestions to reset NVRAM, which I did. Very happy to report, it cured the crashing issue! https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT204063

It was also suggested that I reset the SMC, which I haven't done yet, but expect to get to that later today. https://support.apple.com/en-us/102605

The article that you sent refers to an article to reset NVRAM or PRAM. The instructions are the same for both. Is NVRAM and PRAM different names for the same thing? I performed this exact procedure which solved my crashing problem.

Do you agree that I should reset the SMC?