Kernel Panic on MacPro

[SteveW25561]

I know SuperDuper can't directly cause kernel panics, but on my MacPro (3Gigs), running a backup job always causes a Kernel Panic (grey screen. reboot message). I've never completed a full job. SD seems to be the only program doing this.

Here's the crash log and I can send a System profile if it helps. I really really want to buy SD for all its features but obviously can't use it right now. Help!

-Steve

panic(cpu 3 caller 0x00141505): zalloc: "kalloc.8192" (92494 elements) retry fail 3
Backtrace, Format - Frame : Return Address (4 potential args on stack)
0x37343c08 : 0x128d08 (0x3cb134 0x37343c2c 0x131de5 0x0)
0x37343c48 : 0x141505 (0x3cbe40 0x3cb418 0x1694e 0x3)
0x37343ca8 : 0x12d97d (0x1ed79e0 0x1 0x24540 0x0)
0x37343cd8 : 0x12d99c (0x1034 0x1 0x746e6576 0x1f0073)
0x37343cf8 : 0x33d810 (0x1034 0x297 0x37343d28 0x37343dd0)
0x37343d18 : 0x1ed9fc (0x1030 0x50 0x0 0x0)
0x37343d68 : 0x1f05d7 (0x7000000 0x80107301 0x37343eb8 0x1)
0x37343da8 : 0x1e7411 (0x37343dd0 0x297 0x37343e08 0x5bb53e8)
0x37343e08 : 0x1df212 (0x71b4bdc 0x80107301 0x37343eb8 0x1)
0x37343e58 : 0x331c4c (0x6bbd560 0x80107301 0x37343eb8 0x5bb53e8)
0x37343e88 : 0x34ffa8 (0x6bbd560 0x80107301 0x37343eb8 0x5bb53e8)
0x37343f58 : 0x379e23 (0x5bb53e8 0x5a9f4a0 0x5a9f4e4 0x0)
0x37343fc8 : 0x19b17e (0x5f76340 0x0 0x10 0x0) No mapping exists for frame pointer
Backtrace terminated-invalid frame pointer 0xb011eec8

Kernel version:
Darwin Kernel Version 8.9.1: Thu Feb 22 20:55:00 PST 2007; root:xnu-792.18.15~1/RELEASE_I386

Model: MacPro1,1, BootROM MP11.005C.B04, 4 processors, Dual-Core Intel Xeon, 2.66 GHz, 3 GB
Graphics: NVIDIA GeForce 7300 GT, NVIDIA GeForce 7300 GT, PCIe, 256 MB
Memory Module: DIMM Riser A/DIMM 1, 1 GB, DDR2 FB-DIMM, 667 MHz
Memory Module: DIMM Riser A/DIMM 2, 1 GB, DDR2 FB-DIMM, 667 MHz
Memory Module: DIMM Riser B/DIMM 1, 512 MB, DDR2 FB-DIMM, 667 MHz
Memory Module: DIMM Riser B/DIMM 2, 512 MB, DDR2 FB-DIMM, 667 MHz
AirPort: spairport_wireless_card_type_airport_extreme (0x14E4, 0x87), Broadcom BCM43xx 1.0 (4.80.79.1)
Bluetooth: Version 1.7.14f14, 2 service, 1 devices, 1 incoming serial ports
Network Service: Built-in Ethernet 1, Ethernet, en0
Network Service: Parallels Host-Guest, Ethernet, en3
Network Service: Parallels NAT, Ethernet, en4
PCI Card: NVIDIA GeForce 7300 GT, Display, Slot-1
Serial ATA Device: ST3320620AS, 298.09 GB
Serial ATA Device: ST3320620AS, 298.09 GB
Serial ATA Device: ST3320620AS, 298.09 GB
Serial ATA Device: ST3320620AS, 298.09 GB
Serial ATA Device: ST3250824AS P, 232.89 GB
Parallel ATA Device: OPTIARC DVD RW AD-7170A
USB Device: USB2.0 Hub Controller, NEC Corporation, Up to 480 Mb/sec, 500 mA
USB Device: Hub in Apple Pro Keyboard, Mitsumi Electric, Up to 12 Mb/sec, 500 mA
USB Device: USB Receiver, Logitech, Up to 1.5 Mb/sec, 100 mA
USB Device: Apple Pro Keyboard, Mitsumi Electric, Up to 12 Mb/sec, 250 mA
USB Device: Hub, Up to 480 Mb/sec, 500 mA
USB Device: USB2223, SMSC, Up to 480 Mb/sec, 500 mA
USB Device: Hub, Up to 480 Mb/sec, 500 mA
USB Device: USB2.0 Hub, Up to 480 Mb/sec, 500 mA
USB Device: Bluetooth HCI, Up to 12 Mb/sec, 500 mA
FireWire Device: built-in_hub, unknown_value, Unknown

[SteveW25561]

I've attached my MacPro system profile in case it helps.

Thanks...
- Steve

[dnanian]

Well, this looks like something was eating kernel memory, Steve... any weird drivers/devices?

[SteveW25561]

I did have the Wacom driver (latest) installed but uninstalled it when I saw a thread here suggesting it was the cause. After uninstalling and rebooting to be sure, I still got the kernel panic. The same problem happened under an admin account (which has minimal extra stuff installed).

Odd devices or drivers: I do have Steermouse installed as a specialized mouse driver. There are some USB hubs installed (but these are using Apple drivers). The keyboard is Apple. Mouse is a Logitech Revolution notebook mouse. I have a Palm Tx and the Missing Sync installed. There is also Spanning Sync installed. Neither of these apps are on the admin account which still gives the panic.

Applications: Pathfinder, Quicksilver run all the time.

Memory: Apple 2x512MB, Kingston 2x1GB sticks. Memtest says OK.

- Steve

[dnanian]

Well, you definitely have a bunch of stuff there. Since we know it's kernel memory, and you have a lot of extensions (Missing Sync, Little Snitch, Parallels, SteerMouse, something having to do with "ScreenRecycling"), a ton of startup items and lots of other things, it's going to be hard to diagnose without doing the giant "simplify" dance... no specific driver is implicated.

[SteveW25561]

Thanks for your prompt replies. I'm sure the complexity of my suite of stuff is messing with things.

Is there a way you know of to temporarily move things out of the startup and extensions, etc, then move them selectively back in? I know I can simply remove items from the login items but then they need to be manually reinstalled, and it still will miss lots of other extensions.

I'd love to find an app which allows extension and startup management but know of none for Tiger/Intel.

If all else fails, I'll try a fresh install (since I think an Archive and install will still leave the problematic program/extension loading).

- Steve

[dnanian]

Well, you've got a number of panics, and they started reasonably recently... what changed then?

[SteveW25561]

Well, after trying multiple runs at disabling and removing various kernel extensions and startup items manually, I was still getting kernel panics. This take a long time to figure out since each run of SD to completion took nearly 1 1/2 hours (200 GB of data).

I finally decided to do a clean reinstall and put back everything I had before, including Parallels, BlueHarvest, Screen Recycler, Steermouse, Quicksilver, Growl, Spanning Sync etc. Now it all runs smoothly.

Not sure what was causing the lockups, but it all works well. Too bad there aren't any apps for Tiger which allow you to selectively enable/disable startup items, kernel extensions and drivers.

Thanks for your help. I'm now happily running and registered SD with backups galore.

- Steve

[dnanian]

It's too bad it was never nailed down to a specific driver, but at least it's working now, Steve! :)

[gbshuler]

..Too bad there aren't any apps for Tiger which allow you to selectively enable/disable startup items, kernel extensions and drivers.

- Steve

You can disable ALL extensions temporarily easily using the "start up in Safe Boot, Safe Mode" feature of OS X.

Apple.com: What is Safe Boot, Safe Mode? (Mac OS X)

"It loads only required kernel extensions (some of the items in /System/Library/Extensions)."
http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?artnum=107392


Instructions
http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?artnum=107393