Serial Crashes - iMac 2017

[lambreff]

Hi, Apple Support Community!





Thank you for your superb service and continued support!





I have a 2017 iMac, which would sporadically crash. I keep it up-to-date using the latest MacOS (BigSur). I have also run disk utility's first aid from within the system. Since Sept. 2020, my iMac has been crashing frequently - once every few days, or a few times a day. I have already had to reinstall the MacOS (and my files), as well as run virus checks (Avira and Avast). I have also saved most of the reports generated by the computer upon crashing (with the latest one pasted below). Finally, I have run the disk utility using the MacOS Recovery instructions provided by Apple and the result is that there is no hardware problem/issues. So, having spent countless hours trying to have my computer working normally without crashes, I've decided to reach out to you and see if you might be able to figure out what the real issue is and how to solve it.





Thank you in advance for taking the time to help out!





Have a wonderful weekend!





Sincerely,


Matt


(a Mac fan since 1993)

The Latest Crash Report

panic(cpu 3 caller 0xffffff801436ea25): userspace watchdog timeout: no successful checkins from com.apple.logd in 120 seconds


service returned not alive with context : unresponsive dispatch queue(s): com.apple.firehose.io-wl


service: com.apple.logd, total successful checkins since volume unfreeze notification (78941 seconds ago): 7883, last successful checkin: 120 seconds ago


service: com.apple.WindowServer, total successful checkins since volume unfreeze notification (78941 seconds ago): 7895, last successful checkin: 0 seconds ago





Backtrace (CPU 3), Frame : Return Address


0xffffffa0c23e3670 : 0xffffff80110b9aed


0xffffffa0c23e36c0 : 0xffffff80111fc6e3


0xffffffa0c23e3700 : 0xffffff80111ecd1a


0xffffffa0c23e3750 : 0xffffff801105ea2f


0xffffffa0c23e3770 : 0xffffff80110b938d


0xffffffa0c23e3890 : 0xffffff80110b9678


0xffffffa0c23e3900 : 0xffffff80118be434


0xffffffa0c23e3970 : 0xffffff801436ea25


0xffffffa0c23e3980 : 0xffffff801436e678


0xffffffa0c23e39a0 : 0xffffff801184569e


0xffffffa0c23e39f0 : 0xffffff801436dab4


0xffffffa0c23e3b20 : 0xffffff801184f86b


0xffffffa0c23e3c80 : 0xffffff80111a7d81


0xffffffa0c23e3d90 : 0xffffff80110bf0e7


0xffffffa0c23e3e00 : 0xffffff8011095905


0xffffffa0c23e3e60 : 0xffffff80110ad012


0xffffffa0c23e3ef0 : 0xffffff80111d0ec3


0xffffffa0c23e3fa0 : 0xffffff801105f216


Kernel Extensions in backtrace:


com.apple.driver.watchdog(1.0)[7AE04EA4-D026-39A0-B2D5-5C9E4EE72967]@0xffffff801436d000->0xffffff801436efff





Process name corresponding to current thread: watchdogd





Mac OS version:


20C69





Kernel version:


Darwin Kernel Version 20.2.0: Wed Dec 2 20:39:59 PST 2020; root:xnu-7195.60.75~1/RELEASE_X86_64


Kernel UUID: 82E2050C-5936-3D24-AD3B-EC4EC5C09E11


KernelCache slide: 0x0000000010e00000


KernelCache base: 0xffffff8011000000


Kernel slide: 0x0000000010e10000


Kernel text base: 0xffffff8011010000


__HIB text base: 0xffffff8010f00000


System model name: iMac18,2 (Mac-77F17D7DA9285301)


System shutdown begun: NO


Panic diags file available: YES (0x0)


Hibernation exit count: 0





System uptime in nanoseconds: 164821627575409


Last Sleep: absolute base_tsc base_nano


Uptime : 0x000095e786901ecf


Sleep : 0x000032a44bfd329a 0x000000009c795164 0x00003295220bcd4d


Wake : 0x000032a45075672e 0x000000009c3aad08 0x000032a44f566669


last started kext at 150016478199764: >usb.!UUserHCI 1 (addr 0xffffff7fb199d000, size 98304)


last stopped kext at 127805235975653: >usb.!UUserHCI 1 (addr 0xffffff7fb199d000, size 98304)


loaded kexts:


>usb.!UUserHCI 1


>!ATopCaseHIDEventDriver 4020.6


>AudioAUUC 1.70


>AGPM 119


>!APlatformEnabler 2.7.0d0


>X86PlatformShim 1.0.0


>!AUpstreamUserClient 3.6.8


@fileutil 20.036.15


@kext.AMDFramebuffer 4.0.2


@filesystems.autofs 3.0


@kext.AMDRadeonX4000 4.0.2


>!A!IKBLGraphics 16.0.1


@kext.AMDRadeonServiceManager 4.0.2


>!AHDA 283.15


>!A!IPCHPMC 2.0.1


>!A!IKBLGraphicsFramebuffer 16.0.1


@kext.AMD9500!C 4.0.2


>!AGraphicsDevicePolicy 6.2.2


@AGDCPluginDisplayMetrics 6.2.2


>eficheck 1


>pmtelemetry 1


>LuaHardwareAccess 1.0.16


|IOUserEthernet 1.0.1


|IO!BSerialManager 8.0.2f9


@Dont_Steal_Mac_OS_X 7.0.0


>!AHV 1


|Broadcom!B20703USBTransport 8.0.2f9


>!ASMCLMU 212


>!AGFXHDA 100.1.431


>!ADiskImages2 1


>!AThunderboltIP 4.0.3


>!A!ISlowAdaptiveClocking 4.0.0


>!AMCCSControl 1.14


@filesystems.tmpfs 1


@filesystems.hfs.kext 556.60.1


@BootCache 40


@!AFSCompression.!AFSCompressionTypeZlib 1.0.0


@!AFSCompression.!AFSCompressionTypeDataless 1.0.0d1


@filesystems.apfs 1677.60.23


>!ASDXC 1.9.0


|!ABCM5701Ethernet 11.0.0


>AirPort.BrcmNIC 1400.1.1


>!AAHCIPort 346


@private.KextAudit 1.0


>!AACPIButtons 6.1


>!ARTC 2.0


>!ASMBIOS 2.1


>!AACPIEC 6.1


>!AAPIC 1.7


@!ASystemPolicy 2.0.0


@nke.applicationfirewall 310


|IOKitRegistryCompatibility 1


|EndpointSecurity 1


>!AHIDKeyboard 222


>!AMultitouchDriver 4400.28


>!AInputDeviceSupport 4400.35


>!AHS!BDriver 4020.6


>IO!BHIDDriver 8.0.2f9


@kext.triggers 1.0


@kext.AMDRadeonX4200HWLibs 1.0


@kext.AMDRadeonX4000HWServices 4.0.2


>DspFuncLib 283.15


@kext.OSvKernDSPLib 529


|IOAccelerator!F2 439.52


@kext.AMDSupport 4.0.2


>X86PlatformPlugin 1.0.0


>IOPlatformPlugin!F 6.0.0d8


>!AGraphicsControl 6.2.2


>!ASMBusPCI 1.0.14d1


|IOSerial!F 11


|IOAVB!F 900.12


@plugin.IOgPTPPlugin 900.11


|IOEthernetAVB!C 1.1.0


|Broadcom!BHost!CUSBTransport 8.0.2f9


|IO!BHost!CUSBTransport 8.0.2f9


|IO!BHost!CTransport 8.0.2f9


>!AHDA!C 283.15


|IOHDA!F 283.15


|IONDRVSupport 585


|IOAudio!F 300.6.1


@vecLib.kext 1.2.0


@!AGPUWrangler 6.2.2


@!AGraphicsDeviceControl 6.2.2


|IOSlowAdaptiveClocking!F 1.0.0


|IOGraphics!F 585


>!ASMBus!C 1.0.18d1


>usb.networking 5.0.0


>usb.!UHostCompositeDevice 1.2


>!AThunderboltDPInAdapter 8.1.4


>!AThunderboltDPAdapter!F 8.1.4


>!AThunderboltPCIDownAdapter 4.1.1


>!AHPM 3.4.4


>!A!ILpssI2C!C 3.0.60


>!A!ILpssI2C 3.0.60


>!A!ILpssDmac 3.0.60


>!ABSDKextStarter 3


|IOSurface 289.3


@filesystems.hfs.encodings.kext 1


|IOAHCIBlock!S 332


|IO80211!F 1200.12.2b1


|IOSkywalk!F 1


>mDNSOffloadUserClient 1.0.1b8


>corecapture 1.0.4


|IOAHCI!F 294


|IONVMe!F 2.1.0


>!AThunderboltNHI 7.2.8


|IOThunderbolt!F 9.3.2


>usb.!UXHCIPCI 1.2


>usb.!UXHCI 1.2


|IOUSB!F 900.4.2


>!AEFINVRAM 2.1


>!AEFIRuntime 2.1


|IOSMBus!F 1.1


|IOHID!F 2.0.0


$!AImage4 3.0.0


|IOTimeSync!F 900.11


|IONetworking!F 3.4


>DiskImages 493.0.0


|IO!B!F 8.0.2f9


|IOReport!F 47


|IO!BPacketLogger 8.0.2f9


$quarantine 4


$sandbox 300.0


@kext.!AMatch 1.0.0d1


|CoreAnalytics!F 1


>!ASSE 1.0


>!AKeyStore 2


>!UTDM 511.60.2


|IOUSBMass!SDriver 184.40.6


|IOSCSIBlockCommandsDevice 436.40.6


|IO!S!F 2.1


|IOSCSIArchitectureModel!F 436.40.6


>!AMobileFileIntegrity 1.0.5


@kext.CoreTrust 1


>!AFDEKeyStore 28.30


>!AEffaceable!S 1.0


>!ACredentialManager 1.0


>KernelRelayHost 1


|IOUSBHost!F 1.2


>!UHostMergeProperties 1.2


>usb.!UCommon 1.0


>!ABusPower!C 1.0


>!ASEPManager 1.0.1


>IOSlaveProcessor 1


>!AACPIPlatform 6.1


>!ASMC 3.1.9


|IOPCI!F 2.9


|IOACPI!F 1.4


>watchdog 1


@kec.pthread 1


@kec.corecrypto 11.1


@kec.Libm 1

 

[Cheryl]

What software is running right before the crash?

 

[Satcomer]

Yes you are running a 2017 Intel Mac but if you had an M1I would say a reinstall!

please tell us what Mac OS X are you running because the answer could come quicker!

 

[DeltaMac]

OP post says near the top that he is running Big Sur. The log shows build 20C69, so macOS 11.1

@lambreff: Were you already using Big Sur (beta) when this started happening?
Big Sur seems less stable for some, so you COULD try updating to the current 11.2 release version.
Are the crashes completely random (it could be the result of anything?) - or, do you get crashes most often when you are doing a particular task?
It can be worthwhile to keep an informal log, to note how long your Mac has been running when you get a crash, and something about the circumstances (what are you doing at that moment?)

 

[lambreff]

What software is running right before the crash?

Hi Cheryl,
It happens with all kinds of applications running.

So, it’s occurred multiple times over many months. I’m always running all kinds of applications.

Hope that helps.

Thank you and I look forward to hearing from you.

 

[DeltaMac]

Do you remember if the problem started before you upgraded to Big Sur?
Have you run Diagnostics , not just the Disk Utility? You start the built-in Diagnostics by restarting while holding the letter D, or Option-D. Either should work.

Does your iMac have a fusion drive, or a "real" SSD, or the 1 TB spinning/slow standard hard drive?

How much RAM is installed?

Have you upgraded any part of the hardware, such as adding more RAM?
You can actually upgrade up to 64GB, but the procedure requires major disassembly of your iMac - and is a clearly non-trivial task - but maybe you have done that (?)

 

[Cheryl]

So, it’s occurred multiple times over many months. I’m always running all kinds of applications.

It would help if you tell us what app (s) are running or your using when the crash occurs. As Delta suggested start a handwritten log of what you are doing, what you have running just before the crash.

It is possible that you are running an app that can not run properly on Big Sur and needs an upgrade/update. It could be as simple as a printer driver needs to be updated.

 

[lambreff]

What software is running right before the crash?

Thank you for your question.

The software that runs right before the crashes is always different. I usually have multiple apps open, such as Mail, Calendar, Contacts, Safari, Chrome, etc. I've been looking for a pattern myself. However, the spontaneous crashes continue. I was hoping the community would be able to read the crash report and interpret the causes.

Appreciate your help!

 

[lambreff]

Yes you are running a 2017 Intel Mac but if you had an M1I would say a reinstall!

please tell us what Mac OS X are you running because the answer could come quicker!

Appreciate your follow-up.

The MacOS used is the latest one, e.g. MacOS BigSur. I'd always update to the latest version. Nevertheless, the serial crashes continue. Right now, I have updated to 11.2.3 and the crashing persists.

I have yet to determine if this is a software or a hardware related issue.

Please take a look at the latest crash report form a few minutes ago (attached).

 

[lambreff]

OP post says near the top that he is running Big Sur. The log shows build 20C69, so macOS 11.1

@lambreff: Were you already using Big Sur (beta) when this started happening?
Big Sur seems less stable for some, so you COULD try updating to the current 11.2 release version.
Are the crashes completely random (it could be the result of anything?) - or, do you get crashes most often when you are doing a particular task?
It can be worthwhile to keep an informal log, to note how long your Mac has been running when you get a crash, and something about the circumstances (what are you doing at that moment?)

Yes, you are right about the MacOS. Please take a look at my reply to the respective threads as well.

Yes, I always download the latest OS as prompted by Apple. I believe the versions are stable, e.g. not Beta. I have not signed up for Beta versions. The crashes started around September 2020. So, I've kept a log. There are always different circumstances, e.g. I haven't noticed a connection between a specific activity and the freezing up and restarting of the computer.

I have attached the latest crash report to the previous thread. Are you able to interpret it?

 

[lambreff]

Do you remember if the problem started before you upgraded to Big Sur?
Have you run Diagnostics , not just the Disk Utility? You start the built-in Diagnostics by restarting while holding the letter D, or Option-D. Either should work.

Does your iMac have a fusion drive, or a "real" SSD, or the 1 TB spinning/slow standard hard drive?

How much RAM is installed?

Have you upgraded any part of the hardware, such as adding more RAM?
You can actually upgrade up to 64GB, but the procedure requires major disassembly of your iMac - and is a clearly non-trivial task - but maybe you have done that (?)

Thank you for reaching out!

The problem started before BigSur. I have run the disk utility first aid tool from inside the OS (after logging into my account). Furthermore, I have used the command-R option upon startup, which would take me to a separate tool (prior to being able to log into your account) (I believe the Diagnostics you are referring to), which would let me do a Clean reinstall, as well as a MacOS installation, and offer other Recovery options. The tool also lets one use FirstAid in the Disk Utility and verify the disks, including the Fusion Drive. I have already used it a few times and it always shows all disks are OK.

The iMac has a Fusion Drive.

The RAM installed is two 8 GB memory cards, e.g. 16 GB. I usually review how much memory is being used (through the About this Mac button and in general the memory available is over and above what's being used by the applications running.

I haven't upgraded any hardware. The memory upgrade for this model is not like on previous Mac models, where one could easily swap the memory cards. In this model, there is no instruction on how to do it yourself, so I have not even considered doing it on my own.

I've attached my latest crash report to a previous thread here. Are you able to decipher the causes?

 

[Cheryl]

First, I think your crash report is missing parts. It should show System Launch Agents and System Launch Daemons amount a few other items. Your crash Report should be longer than 3 pages.
I suggest you use a third party app to get to the bottom of this. Etre Check would give you a more detailed report.
Disk Warrior would give you an option to correct any file corruption.

 

[DeltaMac]

Please try running the built-in diagnostic test. That is NOT the same as booting to the Recovery system (and not related to Disk Utility in any way)
More about Diagnostics here - https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT202731

Your last crash log does not lead anywhere, and does not give any indication of faults that can be deciphered easily.

If you have both Avira and Avast installed, I would suggest that neither are helping, and you might like to uninstall both completely, at least until you get this all sorted out.
Cheryl mentioned Disk Warrior. That, unfortunately, won't be helpful. Disk Warrior currently can't repair the APFS format that you are now using with Big Sur.

* * How full is your fusion drive?

 

[AHB]

I seriously doubt its a software issue. I am the victim of Apple hardware freezes that the shop couldn't replicate while they tested it. Some of us just get the short stick from the bunch and have to live with sporadic crashes. Even after I sent mine in to get the video chip replaced, I get crashes at least once a week, along with now having a computer that doesn't sleep when I close the lid.

What happens when it "crashes?" Does the mouse freeze? Does the computer stay on for 30 seconds and then restart?