WindowServer repeatedly crashing while using MS Office Apps
I regularly use MS apps Word, Powerpoint, Excel and Teams on my Macbook Pro 2018 (Intel). Recently (not sure if after the Monterey update), while some of these apps are open, the whole system crashes and it goes to my lockscreen. It also opens the same set of apps that I usually quit after use.
I uninstalled and reinstalled all the MS apps, and the issue is still there. I need to use MS apps regularly at my college.
Attaching the text from the Problem Report here. Please help.
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Translated Report (Full Report Below)
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Process: WindowServer [38072]
Path: /System/Library/PrivateFrameworks/SkyLight.framework/Versions/A/Resources/WindowServer
Identifier: WindowServer
Version: ???
Code Type: X86-64 (Native)
Parent Process: launchd [1]
User ID: 88
Date/Time: 2021-11-24 14:46:31.9149 +0530
OS Version: macOS 12.0.1 (21A559)
Report Version: 12
Bridge OS Version: 6.0 (19P548)
Anonymous UUID: 80F9947D-2B10-9217-FAA1-060A6F3B089D
Sleep/Wake UUID: 72E63296-5995-477B-BC70-47C26079E985
Time Awake Since Boot: 210000 seconds
Time Since Wake: 3369 seconds
System Integrity Protection: enabled
Crashed Thread: 0 Dispatch queue: com.apple.main-thread
Exception Type: EXC_CRASH (SIGABRT)
Exception Codes: 0x0000000000000000, 0x0000000000000000
Exception Note: EXC_CORPSE_NOTIFY
Application Specific Information:
Assertion failed: (clippedNeverClip || status_bar_arrangement_first_clipped_never_clip_item(items) == nullptr), function reassign_status_items_to_buckets_if_needed, file SystemStatusBar.mm, line 937.
StartTime:2021-11-24 13:52:40
GPU:IG
MetalDevice for accelerator(0x10e33): 0x7f9cef736798 (MTLDevice: 0x7f9cf07f1000)
IOService:/AppleACPIPlatformExpert/PCI0@0/AppleACPIPCI/IGPU@2/AppleIntelFramebuffer@0
boot-args:
Thread 0 Crashed:: Dispatch queue: com.apple.main-thread
0 libsystem_kernel.dylib 0x7ff817a17112 __pthread_kill + 10
1 libsystem_pthread.dylib 0x7ff817a4d233 pthread_kill + 263
2 libsystem_c.dylib 0x7ff817999d10 abort + 123
3 libsystem_c.dylib 0x7ff8179990be __assert_rtn + 314
4 SkyLight 0x7ff81cbd262c reassign_status_items_to_buckets_if_needed(StatusBarBucket*, int, x_list_struct*, SystemStatusBarItem_t*, x_list_struct**, x_list_struct**) + 973
5 SkyLight 0x7ff81cbd06f8 RepositionAndClipStatusItemList(PKGManagedMenuSpace*, bool) + 1870
6 SkyLight 0x7ff81cbd333b PKGSystemStatusBarFullRebuild + 174
7 SkyLight 0x7ff81cc606ce run_timer_pass + 502
8 SkyLight 0x7ff81cc9ae2d CGXRunOneServicesPass + 218
9 SkyLight 0x7ff81cc9c1a5 server_loop + 91
10 SkyLight 0x7ff81cc9be98 SLXServer + 1707
11 WindowServer 0x10fc353a8 0x10fc32000 + 13224
12 dyld 0x114e814fe start + 462
Thread 1:: com.apple.coreanimation.render-server
0 libsystem_kernel.dylib 0x7ff817a10aba mach_msg_trap + 10
1 libsystem_kernel.dylib 0x7ff817a10e2b mach_msg + 59
2 QuartzCore 0x7ff81ebc0678 CA::Render::Server::server_thread(void*) + 493
3 QuartzCore 0x7ff81ebc047d thread_fun(void*) + 25
4 libsystem_pthread.dylib 0x7ff817a4d514 _pthread_start + 125
5 libsystem_pthread.dylib 0x7ff817a4902f thread_start + 15
Thread 2:: Dispatch queue: com.apple.VirtualDisplayListener
0 libsystem_kernel.dylib 0x7ff817a10aba mach_msg_trap + 10
1 libsystem_kernel.dylib 0x7ff817a10e2b mach_msg + 59
2 libsystem_kernel.dylib 0x7ff817a19059 mach_msg_server_once + 257
3 CoreDisplay 0x7ff818dd4172 -[VirtualDisplayListener rx] + 77
4 libdispatch.dylib 0x7ff817895ad8 _dispatch_call_block_and_release + 12
5 libdispatch.dylib 0x7ff817896cc9 _dispatch_client_callout + 8
6 libdispatch.dylib 0x7ff81789ccee _dispatch_lane_serial_drain + 696
7 libdispatch.dylib 0x7ff81789d7c8 _dispatch_lane_invoke + 366
8 libdispatch.dylib 0x7ff8178a77e1 _dispatch_workloop_worker_thread + 758
9 libsystem_pthread.dylib 0x7ff817a4a08f _pthread_wqthread + 326
10 libsystem_pthread.dylib 0x7ff817a4901b start_wqthread + 15
Thread 3:: IOHIDService - RunLoopCompatibilityThread
0 libsystem_kernel.dylib 0x7ff817a10aba mach_msg_trap + 10
1 libsystem_kernel.dylib 0x7ff817a10e2b mach_msg + 59
2 CoreFoundation 0x7ff817b14a42 __CFRunLoopServiceMachPort + 319
3 CoreFoundation 0x7ff817b1311b __CFRunLoopRun + 1325
4 CoreFoundation 0x7ff817b1252d CFRunLoopRunSpecific + 563
5 CoreFoundation 0x7ff817b9a57e CFRunLoopRun + 40
6 IOKit 0x7ff81a44082d __IOHIDServiceRunLoopCompatibilityThread + 306
7 libsystem_pthread.dylib 0x7ff817a4d514 _pthread_start + 125
8 libsystem_pthread.dylib 0x7ff817a4902f thread_start + 15
Thread 4:
0 libsystem_kernel.dylib 0x7ff817a10aba mach_msg_trap + 10
1 libsystem_kernel.dylib 0x7ff817a10e2b mach_msg + 59
2 CoreFoundation 0x7ff817b14a42 __CFRunLoopServiceMachPort + 319
3 CoreFoundation 0x7ff817b1311b __CFRunLoopRun + 1325
4 CoreFoundation 0x7ff817b1252d CFRunLoopRunSpecific + 563
5 CoreFoundation 0x7ff817b9a57e CFRunLoopRun + 40
6 AppleHIDALS 0x10fec1406 void* std::__1::__thread_proxy<std::__1::tuple<std::__1::unique_ptr<std::__1::__thread_struct, std::__1::default_delete<std::__1::__thread_struct> >, AppleUSBALS::scheduleWithDispatchQueue(dispatch_queue_s*)::$_0> >(void*) + 222
7 libsystem_pthread.dylib 0x7ff817a4d514 _pthread_start + 125
8 libsystem_pthread.dylib 0x7ff817a4902f thread_start + 15
Thread 5:
0 libsystem_kernel.dylib 0x7ff817a10aba mach_msg_trap + 10
1 libsystem_kernel.dylib 0x7ff817a10e2b mach_msg + 59
2 CoreFoundation 0x7ff817b14a42 __CFRunLoopServiceMachPort + 319
3 CoreFoundation 0x7ff817b1311b __CFRunLoopRun + 1325
4 CoreFoundation 0x7ff817b1252d CFRunLoopRunSpecific + 563
5 CoreFoundation 0x7ff817b9a57e CFRunLoopRun + 40
6 AppleHIDALS 0x10fec1406 void* std::__1::__thread_proxy<std::__1::tuple<std::__1::unique_ptr<std::__1::__thread_struct, std::__1::default_delete<std::__1::__thread_struct> >, AppleUSBALS::scheduleWithDispatchQueue(dispatch_queue_s*)::$_0> >(void*) + 222
7 libsystem_pthread.dylib 0x7ff817a4d514 _pthread_start + 125
8 libsystem_pthread.dylib 0x7ff817a4902f thread_start + 15
Thread 6:
0 libsystem_kernel.dylib 0x7ff817a10aba mach_msg_trap + 10
1 libsystem_kernel.dylib 0x7ff817a10e2b mach_msg + 59
2 CoreDisplay 0x7ff818eadd61 CoreDisplay::Mach::Server::Start() + 147
3 CoreDisplay 0x7ff818eadec7 void* std::__1::__thread_proxy<std::__1::tuple<std::__1::unique_ptr<std::__1::__thread_struct, std::__1::default_delete<std::__1::__thread_struct> >, void (CoreDisplay::Mach::Server::*)(), CoreDisplay::Mach::Server*> >(void*) + 59
4 libsystem_pthread.dylib 0x7ff817a4d514 _pthread_start + 125
5 libsystem_pthread.dylib 0x7ff817a4902f thread_start + 15
Thread 7:
0 libsystem_pthread.dylib 0x7ff817a4900c start_wqthread + 0
Thread 8:
0 libsystem_pthread.dylib 0x7ff817a4900c start_wqthread + 0
Thread 9:
0 libsystem_pthread.dylib 0x7ff817a4900c start_wqthread + 0
Thread 10:: com.apple.windowserver.root_queue
0 libsystem_kernel.dylib 0x7ff817a10b0e semaphore_timedwait_trap + 10
1 libdispatch.dylib 0x7ff8178971f2 _dispatch_sema4_timedwait + 72
2 libdispatch.dylib 0x7ff81789761f _dispatch_semaphore_wait_slow + 58
3 libdispatch.dylib 0x7ff8178a61e7 _dispatch_worker_thread + 308
4 libsystem_pthread.dylib 0x7ff817a4d514 _pthread_start + 125
5 libsystem_pthread.dylib 0x7ff817a4902f thread_start + 15
Thread 11:: com.apple.windowserver.root_queue
0 libsystem_kernel.dylib 0x7ff817a10b0e semaphore_timedwait_trap + 10
1 libdispatch.dylib 0x7ff8178971f2 _dispatch_sema4_timedwait + 72
2 libdispatch.dylib 0x7ff81789761f _dispatch_semaphore_wait_slow + 58
3 libdispatch.dylib 0x7ff8178a61e7 _dispatch_worker_thread + 308
4 libsystem_pthread.dylib 0x7ff817a4d514 _pthread_start + 125
5 libsystem_pthread.dylib 0x7ff817a4902f thread_start + 15
Thread 12:
0 libsystem_pthread.dylib 0x7ff817a4900c start_wqthread + 0
Thread 13:: com.apple.windowserver.root_queue
0 libsystem_kernel.dylib 0x7ff817a10b0e semaphore_timedwait_trap + 10
1 libdispatch.dylib 0x7ff8178971f2 _dispatch_sema4_timedwait + 72
2 libdispatch.dylib 0x7ff81789761f _dispatch_semaphore_wait_slow + 58
3 libdispatch.dylib 0x7ff8178a61e7 _dispatch_worker_thread + 308
4 libsystem_pthread.dylib 0x7ff817a4d514 _pthread_start + 125
5 libsystem_pthread.dylib 0x7ff817a4902f thread_start + 15
Thread 0 crashed with X86 Thread State (64-bit):
rax: 0x0000000000000000 rbx: 0x0000000114ef4600 rcx: 0x00007ff7b02bccf8 rdx: 0x0000000000000000
rdi: 0x0000000000000103 rsi: 0x0000000000000006 rbp: 0x00007ff7b02bcd20 rsp: 0x00007ff7b02bccf8
r8: 0x00000000000003a9 r9: 0xcccccccccccccccd r10: 0x0000000000000000 r11: 0x0000000000000246
r12: 0x0000000000000103 r13: 0x000000010ff20000 r14: 0x0000000000000006 r15: 0x0000000000000016
rip: 0x00007ff817a17112 rfl: 0x0000000000000246 cr2: 0x00007ff8592637d0
Logical CPU: 0
Error Code: 0x02000148
Trap Number: 133
Model: MacBookPro15,2, BootROM 1715.40.15.0.0 (iBridge: 19.16.10548.0.0,0), 4 processors, Quad-Core Intel Core i5, 2.3 GHz, 8 GB, SMC
Graphics: Intel Iris Plus Graphics 655, Intel Iris Plus Graphics 655, Built-In
Display: Color LCD, 2560 x 1600 Retina, Main, MirrorOff, Online
Memory Module: BANK 0/ChannelA-DIMM0, 4 GB, LPDDR3, 2133 MHz, Samsung, K4E6E304EC-EGCG
Memory Module: BANK 2/ChannelB-DIMM0, 4 GB, LPDDR3, 2133 MHz, Samsung, K4E6E304EC-EGCG
AirPort: spairport_wireless_card_type_wifi (0x14E4, 0x7BF), wl0: Jul 12 2021 19:26:30 version 9.30.464.0.32.5.76 FWID 01-45ccefcd
Bluetooth: Version (null), 0 services, 0 devices, 0 incoming serial ports
Network Service: Wi-Fi, AirPort, en0
USB Device: USB31Bus
USB Device: T2Bus
USB Device: Touch Bar Backlight
USB Device: Touch Bar Display
USB Device: Apple Internal Keyboard / Trackpad
USB Device: Headset
USB Device: Ambient Light Sensor
USB Device: FaceTime HD Camera (Built-in)
USB Device: Apple T2 Controller
Thunderbolt Bus: MacBook Pro, Apple Inc., 47.5
Thunderbolt Bus: MacBook Pro, Apple Inc., 47.5
The crash report shows that WindowServer crashed in the middle of a fairly benign operation. This looks at its root like a macOS bug, even though according to your explanation it might be primarily triggered by a third-party app.
Monterey is a new major OS release and these always have bugs that are often fixed in subsequent minor updates.
For now, are you running the very latest versions of all of your MS apps?
I suspect that you use MS apps all the time and so there may be a possibility of false correlation. To rule this out, can you try actively, heavily using your machine for a full day without opening any MS apps at all to see if the problem goes away?