Kernel Panic on startup

Daysleeper

Registered
I have a Macbook with 10.5.4 and got a kernel panic suddenly.

Situation:
My Macbook was off. Yesterday evening I shut it down and everything was well with it, no problems at all. This morning I turned it on, and after the normal grey screen at the startup, I got a kernal panic before Leopard even started. I am familiar with kernel panics but not when they occur before the system started.
I turned my Macbook off and on again while holding the Alt, Apple, P and R keys and waited for the chime, 3 times. After that, my Macbook started normally, no kernel panics, it just started the system and I was ready to go.

However, I am really scared now. Does a kernel panic at startup indicate harddisk problems? Was it just a coincidence? I am afraid to turn my computer off, it might get a kernel panic again... :-(
I checked permissions and all seemed well, but I am hoping someone can tell me more about kernel panics at startup.
 
Well you could always look through your logs to see what is happening during the panic. Just go to the folder /YourHardDrive/Applications/Utilities/ and launch Console and look mat the logs to trace down the indications of the panic to get an idea what is happening.
 
Did you install any new hardware or software before these panics? Or any unexpected shutdowns before?
 
Thanks for your replies!
No, i did not install anything. The latest thing I did was upgrading to 10.5.4 as soon as it was released, and I upgraded iTunes the day 7.7 was released.
I could not find anything in the Console log unfortunately. Some guy I know thinks there might have been RAM problems because the kernel panic came so early.
I haven't had big problems with this Macbook before... I got it in May this year, and one week later I had a kernel panic when I was using bluetooth for my cellphone. Until yesterday I did not have any more problems or kernel panics.

If it is the RAM, then I am not so worried anymore. Because I can replace that easily. My macbook came with 1 GB and I added 1 GB (which is still recognized when i select 'about this mac'). But with the macbook I had before this one, I had problems with the harddisk. It was a first generation macbook with a Seagate harddisk and I understand many people have had problems with these.

I work at a servicedesk and I am familiar with kernel panics on the computers at work, but when something happens to MY macbook I always get a bit shakey. :)
 
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