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TICKET ARCHIVE -> My mac freezes and gets disturbing lines

ryestarr - Jan 20, 2008 - 1:01 am

hi
my mac continually freezes up and lines just freeze on my monitor - usually gray and black lines- my only option is to restart.
When i restart an error pops up on the screen saying "mac os unexpectedly quit" and asks if i would like to send a report. when i look at the error it has a bunch of 00000XX numbers, panic, kernal, backwards and other identifiable words.

in the error report, configuration tab says it is reading the RAM, so i'm thinking it;s not a RAM issue.

I have run the AHT and it said evrything was fine.

i have tried to run repair disk permissions but it will freeze up in the middle and give me the lines on my monitor again and my only option is to restart.

i was running 10.4, then upgraded to Leopard 10.5 and it stopped the problem for a while, but now is back, and I can't do anything without it freezing every few minutes.

any ideas?

zo219 - Jan 20, 2008 - 1:50 am

This seems like a kernel panic, yet you[re not describing quite the on-screen appearance of one.

You've started up with your Install DVD and run Disk Utility from there? DU also has a log you might take a look at.

System Profiler also shows a diagnostic both for hard disk and for RAM (different panels.)

Have you anything to tell us about your RAM ... like recently added? Chip couldn't possibly be ajar?

Neither OS would have any bearing on this, really. Let's look at things electrical, peripherals ... Safe Boot, New account? (Always cover the basics, Unix can be so weird!) Failing video card?

Lots of ideas, what resonates with you, what have you forgotten to do, etc.

What do the disturbing lines look like?

ryestarr - Jan 20, 2008 - 12:24 pm

The RAM is the same as the day I bought the computer a few years ago. I've tried reseating it, but the problem still exists.

I have unplugged all usb/firewire drives and just have the basic set up - keyboard, mouse, etc

I ran the AHT last night, and it froze up in the middle of it.

the lines on the monitor vary almost every time, usually black and gray shifting across the screen horizontally. SOmetimes red is mixed in.

WHen I run disk utility from the apps, it will go for a while, but its not repairing anything, and usually freezes about a quarter of the way through, and the blue bar sits in the same spor untill either I quit or the cpu freezes and the lines reappear.

Safeboot doesnt help. Still the lines.

If i try putting the install disk in to do anything, like disk utility it still freezes.

ANy thoughts>?

When I restart the problem report says
panic... uncorrectable machine check: pc...
latest stack backtrace ...
BSD process name corresponding to current thread: kernal_task

ryestarr - Jan 20, 2008 - 6:23 pm

Hey
I reseated the video card and waalah! its working! I booted up my itunes and played a few songs, and also opened up disk utility to try the disk repair and it started going, but then everything froze up.
So i restarted again. this time i got the apple and the balloon, but when it was suppoed to go to my desktop it went to a blank black screen. i have restarted a few times, and got the same results. once it gave me the cascading gray screen and told me I had to restart my computer.
I havent gotten the same lines at the freeze, but now i'm getting something different.

ANy more ideas?

zo219 - Jan 20, 2008 - 6:48 pm

Don't try and run any more apps til you get this cleared up.
1. Restart with install dvd and run DU from there
2. Reset the video ram on restart: Hold down command-option-O-F ...
you'll be in Open Firmware. type: reset-NVRAM, then reset-all
3. machine will restart itself, so be ready: you will be holding down Comm-Option-P-R through 3 startup chimes and let go.

Now see how it is, and open something easy ...

4. Lastly, you may need to reset the Power Manager - the last thing to try at home! Look on apple to see the procedure for your machine. Hopefully things are working already.

zo219 - Jan 20, 2008 - 6:51 pm

Go ahead and reset the Video RAM and PRAM first, if it won't take the DVD.

Let me know.

ryestarr - Jan 20, 2008 - 8:12 pm

I'll try those in a sec, but first I just wanted to say quick that I put the Leopard disk in and held down the C key to get to the installer options and it just freezes after the apple with a blue screen, nothing else. if i just do a normal startup its a black screen.

I saved everything to my laptop and was going to do a erase and install leopard start fresh, but it only gives me the blue screen and I cant do anything.

Just an FYI, i'll look into your other suggestions in a minute, but just wanted to tell you that quick

ryestarr - Jan 20, 2008 - 9:21 pm

Kay
I reset the video ram and pram and released on the thrird chime, the apple came up, then went to a blue screen and then faded to black. the mouse arrow is on the screen and thats it.
this is what happens if I do anything. we solved the original lines across the monitor, but now it's black and I cant do anything. not even get to the leopard dvd.

any thoughts? i appreciate the help youve given so far.

zo219 - Jan 20, 2008 - 9:36 pm

Got a second Mac? Yours will probably still boot into Firewire mode.

Though frankly, we are getting into hardware repair territory. The last thing a Mac tech asks you to do before he sends the DHL box, is to reset the power manager, and apple.com can tell you what the procedure is for your machine.

Other than trying other disk repairs utilities--and I can't recommend any haven't used them--I'm fresh out of ideas.

ryestarr - Jan 20, 2008 - 9:48 pm

also, i did just run AHT successfully. and the hardware profile showed everything was there.

when i ran it before it would get those lines across the screen and freeze up.

so at least its not doing that.

zo219 - Jan 20, 2008 - 10:13 pm

at least. try the power manager reset. post again if you want - good luck!

ryestarr - Jan 20, 2008 - 10:33 pm

hey
i just reset the power manager, and it worked!
sort of.
i'm playing itunes but everything else ive tried opening just quit, even though itunes keeps playing.
i tried to go to disk repair on the hd, but finder quits, while itunes keeos playing...
hmmm. i feel so close!
throw out any more ideas if you think of any,
otherwise thanks for the help. i'll try a clean/erase install of leopard if it persists...

zo219 - Jan 20, 2008 - 10:47 pm

You are close! I would do an Archive and Install right now!