Mac Pro 2008 El Capitan Kernel Loop

rickself

Registered
Good morning - My Mac Pro 2008 decided this past weekend to become possessed with an endless loop of Kernel Panics. It reboots about 3/4 of the way and shuts down, attempts to reboot again, and same thing. I have been able to run TechTools ProTogo from a thumb drive just once and it found something in the boot sector that may cause trouble rebooting but then the scren flickers and it shuts down. So I try another HD with system on it and get the same thing. If I can get it to stay on long enough, opening HD's take forever. If I plug into the router, it goes down.
I am thinking either Ethernet card, video card or power supply but don't really know how to test these parts.
Here is the panic report..
______________________
Anonymous UUID: 64A4502A-2A30-F007-3BF7-D2E49190DF89

Wed Apr 18 21:48:57 2018

*** Panic Report ***
panic(cpu 3 caller 0xffffff7f96c16a7f): NVRM[0/2:0:0]: Read Error 0x00009410: CFG 0x060210de 0x00100406 0x92000000, BAR0 0x92000000 0xffffff90b0607000 0x092100a2, D0, P0/2
Backtrace (CPU 3), Frame : Return Address
0xffffff90afd2b180 : 0xffffff8015ed7b92
0xffffff90afd2b200 : 0xffffff7f96c16a7f
0xffffff90afd2b2c0 : 0xffffff7f96f2f8d8
0xffffff90afd2b300 : 0xffffff7f96f982d5
0xffffff90afd2b340 : 0xffffff7f96d95793
0xffffff90afd2b370 : 0xffffff7f96f799fb
0xffffff90afd2b440 : 0xffffff7f96f79785
0xffffff90afd2b4a0 : 0xffffff7f96d48161
0xffffff90afd2b4e0 : 0xffffff7f96d4c9c6
0xffffff90afd2b510 : 0xffffff7f96d4c5e5
0xffffff90afd2b550 : 0xffffff7f96d19f24
0xffffff90afd2b6b0 : 0xffffff7f96d1935f
0xffffff90afd2b6f0 : 0xffffff7f96d29546
0xffffff90afd2b750 : 0xffffff7f96d1d8b6
0xffffff90afd2b780 : 0xffffff7f96bffd2b
0xffffff90afd2b7a0 : 0xffffff7f96c00691
0xffffff90afd2b7e0 : 0xffffff7f96bffb75
0xffffff90afd2b880 : 0xffffff7f96bf287e
0xffffff90afd2b920 : 0xffffff7f96c1b235
0xffffff90afd2bb20 : 0xffffff7f96c1c382
0xffffff90afd2bc00 : 0xffffff7f96dbc083
0xffffff90afd2bc20 : 0xffffff7f96dbc903
0xffffff90afd2bcd0 : 0xffffff7f96bc769e
0xffffff90afd2bd60 : 0xffffff7f96bb6f58
0xffffff90afd2bde0 : 0xffffff7f96bb9f5c
0xffffff90afd2be20 : 0xffffff7f96b7e4a9
0xffffff90afd2be60 : 0xffffff7f96b7d566
0xffffff90afd2be90 : 0xffffff7f96b79569
0xffffff90afd2bef0 : 0xffffff80164b2176
0xffffff90afd2bf40 : 0xffffff80164affe1
0xffffff90afd2bf80 : 0xffffff80164b00d6
0xffffff90afd2bfb0 : 0xffffff8015fc6537
Kernel Extensions in backtrace:
com.apple.iokit.IOGraphicsFamily(2.4.1)[A360453D-2050-3C49-A549-AC0DD5E87917]@0xffffff7f96b6e000->0xffffff7f96ba8fff
dependency: com.apple.iokit.IOPCIFamily(2.9)[1A48C605-D609-381F-90AB-C2547D2D0D12]@0xffffff7f9672c000
com.apple.iokit.IONDRVSupport(2.4.1)[4EB2843C-C821-3AD0-B333-575FD6ED6FB1]@0xffffff7f96bb5000->0xffffff7f96bc4fff
dependency: com.apple.iokit.IOGraphicsFamily(2.4.1)[A360453D-2050-3C49-A549-AC0DD5E87917]@0xffffff7f96b6e000
dependency: com.apple.iokit.IOPCIFamily(2.9)[1A48C605-D609-381F-90AB-C2547D2D0D12]@0xffffff7f9672c000
com.apple.nvidia.classic.NVDAResmanTesla(10.0)[78C84D68-23A9-3597-9AFC-E91B44E5A5B5]@0xffffff7f96bc5000->0xffffff7f96e30fff
dependency: com.apple.iokit.IOPCIFamily(2.9)[1A48C605-D609-381F-90AB-C2547D2D0D12]@0xffffff7f9672c000
dependency: com.apple.iokit.IONDRVSupport(2.4.1)[4EB2843C-C821-3AD0-B333-575FD6ED6FB1]@0xffffff7f96bb5000
dependency: com.apple.iokit.IOGraphicsFamily(2.4.1)[A360453D-2050-3C49-A549-AC0DD5E87917]@0xffffff7f96b6e000
com.apple.nvidia.classic.NVDANV50HalTesla(10.0)[07A95AE2-5869-3389-ACC8-A9675B47ACA4]@0xffffff7f96e3c000->0xffffff7f970e7fff
dependency: com.apple.nvidia.classic.NVDAResmanTesla(10.0.0)[78C84D68-23A9-3597-9AFC-E91B44E5A5B5]@0xffffff7f96bc5000
dependency: com.apple.iokit.IOPCIFamily(2.9)[1A48C605-D609-381F-90AB-C2547D2D0D12]@0xffffff7f9672c000

BSD process name corresponding to current thread: kernel_task

Mac OS version:
15G1421

Kernel version:
Darwin Kernel Version 15.6.0: Fri Feb 17 10:21:18 PST 2017; root:xnu-3248.60.11.4.1~1/RELEASE_X86_64
Kernel UUID: 9B4679AF-7EE6-3BCE-9DD7-C30975A80BB3
Kernel slide: 0x0000000015c00000
Kernel text base: 0xffffff8015e00000
__HIB text base: 0xffffff8015d00000
System model name: MacPro3,1 (Mac-F42C88C8)

System uptime in nanoseconds: 66081728452
last loaded kext at 65232869108: com.apple.driver.AppleHWSensor 1.9.5d0 (addr 0xffffff7f9818b000, size 36864)
loaded kexts:
com.avast.FileShield 4.0.0
com.dvdfab.kext.fabio 1
com.vara.driver.VaraAudio 1.0.3
com.apple.driver.AppleHWSensor 1.9.5d0
com.apple.driver.AppleTyMCEDriver 1.0.2d2
com.apple.filesystems.autofs 3.0
com.apple.driver.AppleOSXWatchdog 1
com.apple.driver.AppleUpstreamUserClient 3.6.1
com.apple.driver.AppleMCCSControl 1.2.13
com.apple.driver.AppleHDAHardwareConfigDriver 274.12
com.apple.GeForceTesla 10.0.0
com.apple.driver.AppleHDA 274.12
com.apple.iokit.CSRBluetoothHostControllerUSBTransport 4.4.6f1
com.apple.driver.AppleFIVRDriver 4.1.0
com.apple.driver.AudioAUUC 1.70
com.apple.nvidia.NVDAStartup 10.1.0
com.apple.driver.AppleLPC 3.1
com.apple.driver.ACPI_SMC_PlatformPlugin 1.0.0
com.apple.driver.pmtelemetry 1
com.apple.iokit.IOUserEthernet 1.0.1
com.apple.iokit.IOBluetoothSerialManager 4.4.6f1
com.apple.Dont_Steal_Mac_OS_X 7.0.0
com.apple.driver.AppleHV 1
com.apple.driver.AppleIntelSlowAdaptiveClocking 4.0.0
com.apple.driver.CSRHIDTransitionDriver 4.4.6f1
com.apple.driver.PioneerSuperDrive 3.7.1
com.apple.iokit.SCSITaskUserClient 3.7.7
com.apple.driver.AppleFileSystemDriver 3.0.1
com.apple.AppleFSCompression.AppleFSCompressionTypeDataless 1.0.0d1
com.apple.AppleFSCompression.AppleFSCompressionTypeZlib 1.0.0
com.apple.BootCache 38
com.apple.iokit.IOAHCIBlockStorage 2.8.5
com.apple.driver.AppleIntelPIIXATA 2.5.1
com.apple.driver.AppleAHCIPort 3.1.8
com.apple.driver.AppleIntel8254XEthernet 3.1.4b1
com.apple.driver.AppleFWOHCI 5.5.4
com.apple.driver.usb.AppleUSBEHCIPCI 1.0.1
com.apple.driver.usb.AppleUSBUHCIPCI 1.0.1
com.apple.driver.AppleACPIButtons 4.0
com.apple.driver.AppleRTC 2.0
com.apple.driver.AppleHPET 1.8
com.apple.driver.AppleSMBIOS 2.1
com.apple.driver.AppleACPIEC 4.0
com.apple.driver.AppleAPIC 1.7
com.apple.driver.AppleIntelCPUPowerManagementClient 218.0.0
com.apple.nke.applicationfirewall 163
com.apple.security.quarantine 3
com.apple.security.TMSafetyNet 8
com.apple.driver.AppleIntelCPUPowerManagement 218.0.0
com.apple.kext.triggers 1.0
com.apple.driver.AppleSMBusController 1.0.14d1
com.apple.iokit.IOUSBHIDDriver 900.4.1
com.apple.nvidia.classic.NVDANV50HalTesla 10.0.0
com.apple.nvidia.classic.NVDAResmanTesla 10.0.0
com.apple.driver.DspFuncLib 274.12
com.apple.kext.OSvKernDSPLib 525
com.apple.iokit.IONDRVSupport 2.4.1
com.apple.iokit.IOBluetoothHostControllerUSBTransport 4.4.6f1
com.apple.driver.AppleSMBusPCI 1.0.14d1
com.apple.driver.IOPlatformPluginLegacy 1.0.0
com.apple.driver.IOPlatformPluginFamily 6.0.0d7
com.apple.iokit.IOFireWireIP 2.2.6
com.apple.driver.AppleHDAController 274.12
com.apple.iokit.IOHDAFamily 274.12
com.apple.iokit.IOSurface 108.2.3
com.apple.iokit.IOGraphicsFamily 2.4.1
com.apple.iokit.IOSerialFamily 11
com.apple.iokit.IOBluetoothFamily 4.4.6f1
com.apple.driver.AppleSMC 3.1.9
com.apple.driver.CoreCaptureResponder 1
com.apple.driver.corecapture 1.0.4
com.apple.iokit.IOSlowAdaptiveClockingFamily 1.0.0
com.apple.driver.usb.IOUSBHostHIDDevice 1.0.1
com.apple.driver.AppleUSBAudio 303.3.1
com.apple.iokit.IOAudioFamily 204.4
com.apple.vecLib.kext 1.2.0
com.apple.iokit.IOSCSIBlockCommandsDevice 3.7.7
com.apple.driver.usb.AppleUSBHub 1.0.1
com.apple.iokit.IOUSBMassStorageDriver 1.0.0
com.apple.driver.usb.cdc 5.0.0
com.apple.driver.usb.networking 5.0.0
com.apple.driver.usb.AppleUSBHostCompositeDevice 1.0.1
com.apple.iokit.IOSCSIMultimediaCommandsDevice 3.7.7
com.apple.iokit.IOBDStorageFamily 1.8
com.apple.iokit.IODVDStorageFamily 1.8
com.apple.iokit.IOCDStorageFamily 1.8
com.apple.driver.AppleXsanScheme 3
com.apple.iokit.IOATAPIProtocolTransport 3.5.0
com.apple.iokit.IOSCSIArchitectureModelFamily 3.7.7
com.apple.iokit.IOATAFamily 2.5.3
com.apple.iokit.IOAHCIFamily 2.8.1
com.apple.iokit.IONetworkingFamily 3.2
com.apple.driver.AppleUSBMergeNub 900.4.1
com.apple.iokit.IOFireWireFamily 4.6.1
com.apple.driver.usb.AppleUSBUHCI 1.0.1
com.apple.driver.usb.AppleUSBEHCI 1.0.1
com.apple.iokit.IOUSBFamily 900.4.1
com.apple.iokit.IOUSBHostFamily 1.0.1
com.apple.driver.AppleUSBHostMergeProperties 1.0.1
com.apple.driver.AppleEFINVRAM 2.0
com.apple.driver.AppleEFIRuntime 2.0
com.apple.iokit.IOHIDFamily 2.0.0
com.apple.iokit.IOSMBusFamily 1.1
com.apple.security.sandbox 300.0
com.apple.kext.AppleMatch 1.0.0d1
com.apple.driver.AppleKeyStore 2
com.apple.driver.AppleMobileFileIntegrity 1.0.5
com.apple.driver.AppleCredentialManager 1.0
com.apple.driver.DiskImages 417.4
com.apple.iokit.IOStorageFamily 2.1
com.apple.iokit.IOReportFamily 31
com.apple.driver.AppleFDEKeyStore 28.30
com.apple.driver.AppleACPIPlatform 4.0
com.apple.iokit.IOPCIFamily 2.9
com.apple.iokit.IOACPIFamily 1.4
com.apple.kec.pthread 1
com.apple.kec.corecrypto 1.0
com.apple.kec.Libm 1
 
Good morning - My Mac Pro 2008 decided this past weekend to become possessed with an endless loop of Kernel Panics. It reboots about 3/4 of the way and shuts down, attempts to reboot again, and same thing. I have been able to run TechTools ProTogo from a thumb drive just once and it found something in the boot sector that may cause trouble rebooting but then the scren flickers and it shuts down. So I try another HD with system on it and get the same thing. If I can get it to stay on long enough, opening HD's take forever. If I plug into the router, it goes down.
I am thinking either Ethernet card, video card or power supply but don't really know how to test these parts.
Here is the panic report..
______________________
......

I would guess that multiple loop failures and shutdowns can eventually result in hard drive problems, particularly if the hard drive is a spinning hard drive. (An SSD might have the same difficulties, but may survive shutdowns more often than spinning hard drives might.
The reboot loop can often be a hard drive failure. You said you tried a different hard drive and still got got shut-downs. Did you remove ALL other drives from your MacPro when you tested that?
If you know the hard drive is working properly (test it in a different Mac), and still get the boot loops/shutdown, then I would suspect the power supply first.
The simple way to test that theory is to replace the power supply.
If that doesn't fix the issue, try a different video card. Is your vid card the original for your MacPro? Or, is it a flashed card for upgraded video (and not originally an Apple graphics card)?
 
Thanks, DeltaMac. I 'believe' I had all other drives pulled. 2 trays have a 2gb drive with OS partitioned into 2-1gb drives, a third is storage. ! will also try to boot from the TechToolProTogo from the thumb drive with no drives at all and see what happens.
In your opinion, does the monitor flicker relate more to a video card or power supply? It's a clean screen for a couple of minutes and then flickers, then reboots. The Video card is a NVIDIA GeForce 8800 GT 512 MB.
 
Also, when I plug in the wifi router between the Cox box and the Mac, the wifi and router goes down. Wifi is just for our iphones.
 
OK - lots of questions ... :confused:

What exactly is a "Cox box"? Is that a modem, or router, or both? (which model of that Cox box?)
What wifi router do you have, in addition to the "Cox box"?

So, if I am understanding what you said, that you plug in an ethernet patch cable from your Cox box to your MacPro, then you lose your network. Does that mean that you also lose Wifi on your iPhone?
And, that only happens when you plug in the ethernet cable to your MacPro?
When that ethernet cable is plugged in, is that to your Cox box - or do you plug in ethernet from a port on your Wifi router?
Is there more than one ethernet port on either the Cox box, or the wifi router?
If both have multiple ethernet ports, is there any difference if you plug ethernet from the wifi router to your MacPro, and NOT Cox box to MacPro?

Do the lights on either the "Cox box" or your wifi router change at the time that you complete the connection with the ethernet cable

Are you using BOTH ethernet ports on the MacPro? or just one ethernet port? Did you try the other ethernet port to see if that makes a difference?

Finally - flickering on the monitor could just be a failing monitor.
But, if it seems to do that, then often reboots at that point, could be a video card. That might even be your full issue with the reboots.
And, another But - the flickering video may just be a symptom of a faulty power supply that is dropping power, and then loses stability, and drops out, causing a reboot.

Have you ever opened the side door, and looked for changes to the diagnostic LEDs on the logic board, and memory LEDs on each memory riser?
 
OK - lots of questions ... :confused:

What exactly is a "Cox box"? Is that a modem, or router, or both? (which model of that Cox box?)
What wifi router do you have, in addition to the "Cox box"?

So, if I am understanding what you said, that you plug in an ethernet patch cable from your Cox box to your MacPro, then you lose your network. Does that mean that you also lose Wifi on your iPhone?
And, that only happens when you plug in the ethernet cable to your MacPro?
When that ethernet cable is plugged in, is that to your Cox box - or do you plug in ethernet from a port on your Wifi router?
Is there more than one ethernet port on either the Cox box, or the wifi router?
If both have multiple ethernet ports, is there any difference if you plug ethernet from the wifi router to your MacPro, and NOT Cox box to MacPro?

Do the lights on either the "Cox box" or your wifi router change at the time that you complete the connection with the ethernet cable

Are you using BOTH ethernet ports on the MacPro? or just one ethernet port? Did you try the other ethernet port to see if that makes a difference?

Finally - flickering on the monitor could just be a failing monitor.
But, if it seems to do that, then often reboots at that point, could be a video card. That might even be your full issue with the reboots.
And, another But - the flickering video may just be a symptom of a faulty power supply that is dropping power, and then loses stability, and drops out, causing a reboot.

Have you ever opened the side door, and looked for changes to the diagnostic LEDs on the logic board, and memory LEDs on each memory riser?
Cox Cable, sorry
 
Thought that might be it. :D
It will really help if you can say what model number box that is - and also what you are using for a wifi router. Perhaps that is a combined modem-router, and you don't have a separate wifi router, because the Cox box does it all (?)
 
OK - lots of questions ... :confused:

What exactly is a "Cox box"? Is that a modem, or router, or both? (which model of that Cox box?)
What wifi router do you have, in addition to the "Cox box"?

So, if I am understanding what you said, that you plug in an ethernet patch cable from your Cox box to your MacPro, then you lose your network. Does that mean that you also lose Wifi on your iPhone?
And, that only happens when you plug in the ethernet cable to your MacPro?
When that ethernet cable is plugged in, is that to your Cox box - or do you plug in ethernet from a port on your Wifi router?
Is there more than one ethernet port on either the Cox box, or the wifi router?
If both have multiple ethernet ports, is there any difference if you plug ethernet from the wifi router to your MacPro, and NOT Cox box to MacPro?

Do the lights on either the "Cox box" or your wifi router change at the time that you complete the connection with the ethernet cable

Are you using BOTH ethernet ports on the MacPro? or just one ethernet port? Did you try the other ethernet port to see if that makes a difference?

Finally - flickering on the monitor could just be a failing monitor.
But, if it seems to do that, then often reboots at that point, could be a video card. That might even be your full issue with the reboots.
And, another But - the flickering video may just be a symptom of a faulty power supply that is dropping power, and then loses stability, and drops out, causing a reboot.

Have you ever opened the side door, and looked for changes to the diagnostic LEDs on the logic board, and memory LEDs on each memory riser?
I remember on my previous Mac G5 that it had a series of diagnostic lights towards the front left side. I have not checked where these are on this Mac.
There are 4 ports on the wifi router. The Cox cable modem box goes to the router by ethernet cable and returns to the mac via ethernet. Last night, through the Cox.net website, I had to reset their modem as only a couple of lights were lit up. After resetting the modem (Cox box), all lights were back to normal. But when I plugged the ethernet back into the wifi router, the Mac went back to rebooting. I've tried both ethernet ports and yes, I lost wifi on the iphones also.
Lots of questions, troubleshooting, process of elimination.
I need to find a manual that shows the order of the lights. I think I saw one on MacRumors.
Thank you for help.
 
Thought that might be it. :D
It will really help if you can say what model number box that is - and also what you are using for a wifi router. Perhaps that is a combined modem-router, and you don't have a separate wifi router, because the Cox box does it all (?)
Ya, I have a Belkin wifi router between the cable box and Mac. The Cox cable box is not wifi.
 
Go
The Apple service manual is easy to find: http://tim.id.au/laptops/apple/macpro/macpro_early2008.pdf

Belkin currently sells more than a dozen different wifi routers, many other models that are still supported to some degree

Does the Cox cable box have more than ONE ethernet port on the back?
Got it downloaded. Lots of good info there.
Odd that everything has been going no problemo for over a year and then pow.
OK - lots of questions ... :confused:

What exactly is a "Cox box"? Is that a modem, or router, or both? (which model of that Cox box?)
What wifi router do you have, in addition to the "Cox box"?

So, if I am understanding what you said, that you plug in an ethernet patch cable from your Cox box to your MacPro, then you lose your network. Does that mean that you also lose Wifi on your iPhone?
And, that only happens when you plug in the ethernet cable to your MacPro?
When that ethernet cable is plugged in, is that to your Cox box - or do you plug in ethernet from a port on your Wifi router?
Is there more than one ethernet port on either the Cox box, or the wifi router?
If both have multiple ethernet ports, is there any difference if you plug ethernet from the wifi router to your MacPro, and NOT Cox box to MacPro?

Do the lights on either the "Cox box" or your wifi router change at the time that you complete the connection with the ethernet cable

Are you using BOTH ethernet ports on the MacPro? or just one ethernet port? Did you try the other ethernet port to see if that makes a difference?

Finally - flickering on the monitor could just be a failing monitor.
But, if it seems to do that, then often reboots at that point, could be a video card. That might even be your full issue with the reboots.
And, another But - the flickering video may just be a symptom of a faulty power supply that is dropping power, and then loses stability, and drops out, causing a reboot.

Have you ever opened the side door, and looked for changes to the diagnostic LEDs on the logic board, and memory LEDs on each memory riser?
Okay, looking into the side and have NO idea where these LED's are located. All hd's are pulled and booting off of thumb drive. Thumb drive came up but shut down after 2 or 3 minutes. I don't see the LED's.
 
?
The LEDs are located on the logic board between the two DIMM riser card connectors
If you need to find those LEDs, you could shut down, then pull out both memory risers, so you can get a full view of that part of the logic board
I would say they are not easy to see, until you know where they are. Look for the DIAG_LED button, which will be within 1 or 2 cm of the row of LEDs.
 
?

If you need to find those LEDs, you could shut down, then pull out both memory risers, so you can get a full view of that part of the logic board
I would say they are not easy to see, until you know where they are. Look for the DIAG_LED button, which will be within 1 or 2 cm of the row of LEDs.
OK, I will pull out the memory risers and set up my camera on video so I can get a good view of what's going on when I reboot. The old eyeballs aren't what they used to be!
 
?

If you need to find those LEDs, you could shut down, then pull out both memory risers, so you can get a full view of that part of the logic board
I would say they are not easy to see, until you know where they are. Look for the DIAG_LED button, which will be within 1 or 2 cm of the row of LEDs.
Is it necessary to remove the memory cage to see the LEDs?
 
Your service manual has some good info about troubleshooting each LED error. There's multiple possible steps to try.
 
I've kinda run into a wall on this. The LEDs read okay now - not getting the #3 to light up anymore. But when the mac is running for maybe 3-5 minutes, the screen flickers from the bottom up and the mac reboots. It then goes into a cycle of trying to go again, which may be 3 attempts, before I shut it down and unplug the power for a while. I can reboot into recovery mode, safe mode and with admin access and it will still do the same shut down.
I did some dust cleaning, taking out the front fan and blowing out the area. I removed the NVIDIA GeForce 8800 GT and did my best blowing it out. I'm hesitant to take the shell off the GeForce and make sure all is dust free as I can get it. Something about some type of glue that has to be applied when putting it back together? I'm close to trying what ever I need to do.
I've pulled the riser cards and switched top to bottom.
Seems like a power issue or overheating?
 
You could try one of the utilities that will display the various temps reported in your MacPro.
I use smcFanControl, but there's also Macs Fan Control - and a few others that I can't think of right now.

That can show you if the temps are spiking when you get your reboot. If the temps don't seem to change noticeably, and not really connected to the reboot, then it may simply be an issue with the power supply.
 
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