Any advice on troubleshooting instability in Mountain Lion OS X 10.8.4?
In all cases of crashes, I can SSH to the machine, but I can't figure out anything useful to remedy the situation.
This freeze happened when sizing the crop in Aperture. Machine had been running for probably 3 days.
Apple support wants to me uninstall every system extension, etc. to troubleshoot. They can't seem to find anything in the logs. I find that hard to believe that this issue cannot be troubleshooted via ssh or the logs.
Needless to say, freezing every 3 days is awful. My guess is that the issue is related to updates related to Aperture or Chrome. I'm pretty sure I've been running Chrome every time the machine has crashed. I'm also sure the machine has sometimes crashed without Aperture running.
Any advice on how to troubleshoot?
In installed Tempurature Monitor download. Any advice on alert settings?
I'm going to try SMC Fan Control set to "Higher RPM".
Is there any way to have the dual video card only use the NVidia card rather than the Intel one (when using A/C)? Could that be relevant?
Possibly Related Apple discussion on same topic
> Jun 10 12:56:48 JustinMbp.local Aperture[37669]: [<__NSDictionaryM
> 0x7fa727424490> valueForUndefinedKey:]: this class is not key value
> coding-compliant for the key Projects. Jun 10 12:56:48 JustinMbp.local
> Aperture[37669]: ( 0 CoreFoundation
> 0x00007fff8ce05b06 __exceptionPreprocess + 198 1 libobjc.A.dylib
> 0x00007fff8e3eb3f0 objc_exception_throw + 43 2 CoreFoundation
> 0x00007fff8ce99f49 -[NSException raise] + 9 3 Foundation
> 0x00007fff9131f15c -[NSObject(NSKeyValueCoding) valueForUndefinedKey:]
> + 238 4 Foundation 0x00007fff91266ea9 -[NSObject(NSKeyValueCoding) valueForKey:] + 400 5 Foundation 0x00007fff912841bd -[NSDictionary(NSKeyValueCoding) valueForKey:] +
> 139 6 Aperture 0x000000010a64b3fa
> Aperture + 1963002 7 Aperture
> 0x000000010a64d1ab Aperture + 1970603 8 Foundation
> 0x00007fff91271463 __NSFireTimer + 96 9 CoreFoundation
> 0x00007fff8cdc2804
> __CFRUNLOOP_IS_CALLING_OUT_TO_A_TIMER_CALLBACK_FUNCTION__ + 20 10 CoreFoundation 0x00007fff8cdc231d
> __CFRunLoopDoTimer + 557 11 CoreFoundation 0x00007fff8cda7ad9 __CFRunLoopRun + 1529 12 CoreFoundation
> 0x00007fff8cda70e2 CFRunLoopRunSpecific + 290 13 HIToolbox
> 0x00007fff8e5f5eb4 RunCurrentEventLoopInMode + 209 14 HIToolbox
> 0x00007fff8e5f5b94 ReceiveNextEventCommon + 166 15 HIToolbox
> 0x00007fff8e5f5ae3 BlockUntilNextEventMatchingListInMode + 62 16
> AppKit 0x00007fff88d1d533 _DPSNextEvent +
> 685 17 AppKit 0x00007fff88d1cdf2
> -[NSApplication nextEventMatchingMask:untilDate:inMode:dequeue:] + 128 18 Aperture 0x000000010a8e42b9 Aperture
> + 4686521 19 AppKit 0x00007fff88d141a3 -[NSApplication run] + 517 20 ProKit 0x000000010ba036c5 NSProApplicationMain + 378 21 Aperture
> 0x000000010a47c4ee Aperture + 66798 22 Aperture
> 0x000000010a47be14 Aperture + 65044 )
More
> Jun 10 13:05:33 JustinMbp kernel[0]: (default pager): [KERNEL]: default_pager_backing_store_monitor - send LO_WAT_ALERT
More -- this is the most consistent issue I see
6/10/13 1:17:08.000 PM kernel[0]: NVDA(OpenGL): Channel timeout!
I believe the machine locked up at about 13:00.
> Jun 10 13:01:06 JustinMbp com.apple.launchd[1]
> (com.apple.cfprefsd.xpc.daemon[39103]): Exited: Killed: 9 Jun 10
> 13:01:06 JustinMbp kernel[0]: memorystatus_thread: idle exiting pid
> 39103 [cfprefsd] Jun 10 13:01:26 JustinMbp
> com.apple.launchd.peruser.501[228]
> (com.apple.cfprefsd.xpc.agent[39102]): Exited: Killed: 9 Jun 10
> 13:01:26 JustinMbp kernel[0]: memorystatus_thread: idle exiting pid
> 39102 [cfprefsd] Jun 10 13:01:26 JustinMbp com.apple.launchd[1]
> (com.apple.hiservices-xpcservice[39082]): Exited: Killed: 9 Jun 10
> 13:01:26 JustinMbp kernel[0]: memorystatus_thread: idle exiting pid
> 39082 [com.apple.hiserv] Jun 10 13:01:36 JustinMbp.local
> WindowServer[128]: CGXDisableUpdate: UI updates were forcibly disabled
> by application "Aperture" for over 1.00 seconds. Server has re-enabled
> them. Jun 10 13:01:36 JustinMbp com.apple.launchd[1]
> (com.apple.iCloudHelper[39101]): Exited: Killed: 9 Jun 10 13:01:37
> JustinMbp kernel[0]: memorystatus_thread: idle exiting pid 39101
> [com.apple.iCloud] Jun 10 13:01:42 JustinMbp.local WindowServer[128]:
> reenable_update_for_connection: UI updates were finally reenabled by
> application "Aperture" after 7.27 seconds (server forcibly re-enabled
> them after 1.00 seconds) Jun 10 13:01:58 JustinMbp
> com.apple.launchd.peruser.501[228]
> (com.apple.cfprefsd.xpc.agent[39127]): Exited: Killed: 9 Jun 10
> 13:01:58 JustinMbp kernel[0]: memorystatus_thread: idle exiting pid
> 39127 [cfprefsd] Jun 10 13:02:38 JustinMbp.local
> com.apple.usbmuxd[84]: _SendAttachNotification (thread
> 0x7fff75fa5180): Device
> d8:d1:cb:88:7e:5b@fe80::dad1:cbff:fe88:7e5b._apple-mobdev._tcp.local.
> has already appeared on interface 4. Suppressing duplicate attach
> notification. Jun 10 13:02:41 JustinMbp com.apple.launchd[1]
> (com.apple.xpcd.F5010000-0000-0000-0000-000000000000[38883]): Exited:
> Killed: 9 Jun 10 13:02:41 JustinMbp kernel[0]: memorystatus_thread:
> idle exiting pid 38883 [xpcd] Jun 10 13:02:51 JustinMbp kernel[0]:
> (default pager): [KERNEL]: default_pager_backing_store_monitor - send
> LO_WAT_ALERT Jun 10 13:02:56 JustinMbp.local iTunes[13067]:
> _NotificationSocketReadCallbackGCD (thread 0x7fff75fa5180): Unexpected connection closure... Jun 10 13:02:56 JustinMbp.local ath[13082]:
> _NotificationSocketReadCallbackGCD (thread 0x7fff75fa5180): Unexpected connection closure... Jun 10 13:04:53 JustinMbp com.apple.launchd[1]
> (com.apple.cfprefsd.xpc.daemon[39172]): Exited: Killed: 9 Jun 10
> 13:04:53 JustinMbp kernel[0]: memorystatus_thread: idle exiting pid
> 39172 [cfprefsd] Jun 10 13:05:30 JustinMbp kernel[0]: macx_swapoff
> SUCCESS Jun 10 13:05:33 JustinMbp kernel[0]: (default pager):
> [KERNEL]: default_pager_backing_store_monitor - send LO_WAT_ALERT Jun
> 10 13:06:11 JustinMbp.local com.apple.usbmuxd[84]:
> _SendAttachNotification (thread 0x7fff75fa5180): Device d8:d1:cb:88:7e:5b@fe80::dad1:cbff:fe88:7e5b._apple-mobdev._tcp.local.
> has already appeared on interface 4. Suppressing duplicate attach
> notification. Jun 10 13:06:21 JustinMbp.local com.apple.usbmuxd[84]:
> _SendAttachNotification (thread 0x7fff75fa5180): Device 7c:c3:a1:83:92:17@fe80::7ec3:a1ff:fe83:9217._apple-mobdev._tcp.local.
> has already appeared on interface 4. Suppressing duplicate attach
> notification. Jun 10 13:06:33 JustinMbp.local iTunes[13067]:
> _NotificationSocketReadCallbackGCD (thread 0x7fff75fa5180): Unexpected connection closure... Jun 10 13:06:33 JustinMbp.local ath[13082]:
> _NotificationSocketReadCallbackGCD (thread 0x7fff75fa5180): Unexpected connection closure... Jun 10 13:09:18 JustinMbp kernel[0]:
> macx_swapoff SUCCESS Jun 10 13:11:36 JustinMbp.local CrashPlan menu
> bar[514]: CPMessageHandler Asked to change 'isConnected' status for
> GUID 550808839686455618, but I couldn't find any computer with that
> GUID. Jun 10 13:11:46 JustinMbp.local com.apple.usbmuxd[84]:
> _SendAttachNotification (thread 0x7fff75fa5180): Device d8:d1:cb:88:7e:5b@fe80::dad1:cbff:fe88:7e5b._apple-mobdev._tcp.local.
> has already appeared on interface 4. Suppressing duplicate attach
> notification. Jun 10 13:11:47 JustinMbp com.apple.launchd[1]
> (com.apple.cfprefsd.xpc.daemon[39225]): Exited: Killed: 9 Jun 10
> 13:11:47 JustinMbp kernel[0]: memorystatus_thread: idle exiting pid
> 39225 [cfprefsd] Jun 10 13:11:52 JustinMbp.local iTunes[13067]:
> _NotificationSocketReadCallbackGCD (thread 0x7fff75fa5180): Unexpected connection closure... Jun 10 13:11:52 JustinMbp.local ath[13082]:
> _NotificationSocketReadCallbackGCD (thread 0x7fff75fa5180): Unexpected connection closure... Jun 10 13:13:46 JustinMbp.local
> com.apple.usbmuxd[84]: _SendAttachNotification (thread
> 0x7fff75fa5180): Device
> d8:d1:cb:88:7e:5b@fe80::dad1:cbff:fe88:7e5b._apple-mobdev._tcp.local.
> has already appeared on interface 4. Suppressing duplicate attach
> notification. Jun 10 13:14:12 JustinMbp com.apple.launchd[1]
> (com.apple.cfprefsd.xpc.daemon[39395]): Exited: Killed: 9 Jun 10
> 13:14:12 JustinMbp kernel[0]: memorystatus_thread: idle exiting pid
> 39395 [cfprefsd] Jun 10 13:14:14 JustinMbp.local iTunes[13067]:
> _NotificationSocketReadCallbackGCD (thread 0x7fff75fa5180): Unexpected connection closure... Jun 10 13:14:14 JustinMbp.local ath[13082]:
> _NotificationSocketReadCallbackGCD (thread 0x7fff75fa5180): Unexpected connection closure... Jun 10 13:14:14 JustinMbp
> com.apple.launchd.peruser.89[250]
> (com.apple.cfprefsd.xpc.agent[39171]): Exited: Killed: 9 Jun 10
> 13:14:14 JustinMbp kernel[0]: memorystatus_thread: idle exiting pid
> 39171 [cfprefsd] Jun 10 13:14:19 JustinMbp.local Aperture[37669]:
> Could not connect the action infoClicked: to target of class
> RKCropToolController Jun 10 13:14:24 JustinMbp kernel[0]:
> NVDA(OpenGL): Channel exception! exception type = 0x1f = Fifo: MMU
> Error Jun 10 13:14:44 JustinMbp kernel[0]: NVDA(OpenGL): Channel
> timeout!
Solution 1:
You could try using this menu bar app http://gfx.io to force integrated only mode (provided you don't used an external display) and see if stability improves.
Sounds like you are using an iMac (or MacBook Pro)? I had a similar issue with graphics-instability in my 2009 Mac Pro. After I replaced the graphics card I realized the original one was chock-full of dust blocking basically all airflow to the GPU fan. I disassembled it and cleaned it out and it is now running fine (albeit with smcFanControl ramped up a bit, because it seems my chipset also runs hot or has a bad sensor).
What I'm trying to say here is: try to make sure you have good air-flow in addition to ramping up the fan speeds. Easiest is just to feel if there is flow, but if there is not, some disassembly may be required. The stability of my machine was improved drastically by those two measures, though.
This thread speculated (similar due to the LO_WAT_ALERT error) about ram usage and free swap space, but ultimately solved it with a mobo replacement.