[the_Unborn]

Greetings:

I've been troubleshooting for days now, and still no relief. I hope that someone here can point me in the right direction.

Powerbook 1.65gHz (the last model before the MacBook)
512 MB factory RAM
OS X 10.4.6 (latest updates)

I use a Logitech USB optical mouse, but the problem occures whether or not it is plugged in. I also recently used a friends Microsoft wireless USB mouse. I have a camera that connects to USB, but I don't use it with this computer much.


I have three, seemingly related problems.

1) Kernel panics ("You need to restart your computer")
2) Keyboard, trackpad, and Mouse stop working intermittently.
3) Sometimes, on startup, there is a strang tone (not the usual startup chime), and the white light on the front of the Powerbook (under the catch button) blinks on and off a few times. Boot sometimes continues normally, sometimes not.



The Kernel panics seem to have something to do with USB. They are happening with alarming frequency, but not as often as the input device lockups I have been having. Here are some recent extracts from panic.log:

Code:
Kernel version:
Darwin Kernel Version 8.6.0: Tue Mar  7 16:58:48 PST 2006; root:xnu-792.6.70.obj~1/RELEASE_PPC
panic(cpu 0 caller 0xFFFF0004): 0x400 - Inst access
Latest stack backtrace for cpu 0:
      Backtrace:
         0x00095718 0x00095C30 0x0002683C 0x000A8384 0x000ABD00 
Proceeding back via exception chain:
   Exception state (sv=0x210BC280)
      PC=0x00000000; MSR=0x40009030; DAR=0xE00FF000; DSISR=0x40000000; LR=0x004F74EC; R1=0x0D15BBE0; XCP=0x00000010 (0x400 - Inst access)
      Backtrace:
0x004F73F8 0x004F5908 0x00507BC8 0x2145D25C 0x2145D190 0x0003C744 
         0x000A9894 
      Kernel loadable modules in backtrace (with dependencies):
         com.apple.driver.AppleUSBTrackpad(1.3.0f1)@0x2145a000
            dependency: com.apple.iokit.IOUSBFamily(2.2.8)@0x4bb000
            dependency: com.apple.iokit.IOHIDFamily(1.4.4)@0x4f1000
         com.apple.iokit.IOHIDFamily(1.4.4)@0x4f1000
   Exception state (sv=0x2F1ED000)
      PC=0x00000000; MSR=0x0000D030; DAR=0x00000000; DSISR=0x00000000; LR=0x00000000; R1=0x00000000; XCP=0x00000000 (Unknown)


Unresolved kernel trap(cpu 0): 0x300 - Data access DAR=0x0000000000000408 PC=0x00000000002BD0C0
Latest crash info for cpu 0:
   Exception state (sv=0x2239D780)
      PC=0x002BD0C0; MSR=0x00009030; DAR=0x00000408; DSISR=0x40000000; LR=0x002B8960; R1=0x0D62BC00; XCP=0x0000000C (0x300 - Data access)
      Backtrace:
0x002BD0D0 0x002B8960 0x002BCF9C 0x002BD138 0x213C8EB0 0x213C8DAC 
         0x0003C744 0x000A9894 
      Kernel loadable modules in backtrace (with dependencies):
         com.apple.iokit.IOUSBFamily(2.2.8)@0x213b6000
Proceeding back via exception chain:
   Exception state (sv=0x2239D780)
      previously dumped as "Latest" state. skipping...
   Exception state (sv=0x2A726C80)
      PC=0x00000000; MSR=0x0000D030; DAR=0x00000000; DSISR=0x00000000; LR=0x00000000; R1=0x00000000; XCP=0x00000000 (Unknown)


Kernel version:
Darwin Kernel Version 8.6.0: Tue Mar  7 16:58:48 PST 2006; root:xnu-792.6.70.obj~1/RELEASE_PPC
*********

Wed Dec 31 16:01:17 1969
panic(cpu 0 caller 0x002BB458): OSMetaClass::_RESERVEDOSMetaClass2 called

Latest stack backtrace for cpu 0:
      Backtrace:
         0x00095718 0x00095C30 0x0002683C 0x002BB458 0x008EDD5C 0x008ECFBC 0x008F1A9C 0x008F03B4 
         0x008F1408 0x008F11F4 0x0003C744 0x000A9894 
      Kernel loadable modules in backtrace (with dependencies):
         com.apple.driver.AppleUSBHub(2.2.9)@0x8ea000
            dependency: com.apple.iokit.IOUSBFamily(2.2.8)@0x4bb000
Proceeding back via exception chain:
   Exception state (sv=0x26F72500)
      PC=0x00000000; MSR=0x0000D030; DAR=0x00000000; DSISR=0x00000000; LR=0x00000000; R1=0x00000000; XCP=0x00000000 (Unknown)


Kernel version:
Darwin Kernel Version 8.6.0: Tue Mar  7 16:58:48 PST 2006; root:xnu-792.6.70.obj~1/RELEASE_PPC
*********

Wed Jun  7 00:08:57 2006
panic(cpu 0 caller 0x000A8D80): Uncorrectable machine check: pc = 00000000000AF3C0, msr = 0000000000141020, dsisr = 40000000, dar = 00000000172A9040
  AsyncSrc = 0000000000000000, CoreFIR = 0000000000000000
     L2FIR = 0000000000000000,  BusFir = 0000000000000000

Latest stack backtrace for cpu 0:
      Backtrace:
         0x00095718 0x00095C30 0x0002683C 0x000A8D80 0x000A8010 0x000ABD00 
Proceeding back via exception chain:
   Exception state (sv=0x20ED8C80)
      PC=0x000AF3C0; MSR=0x00141020; DAR=0x172A9040; DSISR=0x40000000; LR=0x000AF1D8; R1=0x0D1038A0; XCP=0x00000008 (0x200 - Machine check)
      Backtrace:
0x004EE540 0x004E6050 0x004EBB2C 0x002D0FF8 0x004C2E40 0x004C4B1C 
         0x002BE444 0x002CFAB0 0x002BEB78 0x002BDB8C 0x002BDA9C 0x004E7954 0x004E7B98 0x002D0940 
         0x002CF808 0x000A9894 
      Kernel loadable modules in backtrace (with dependencies):
         com.apple.driver.AppleUSBOHCI(2.2.5)@0x4e3000
            dependency: com.apple.iokit.IOUSBFamily(2.2.8)@0x4bb000
            dependency: com.apple.iokit.IOPCIFamily(1.7)@0x4d9000
         com.apple.iokit.IOUSBFamily(2.2.8)@0x4bb000
   Exception state (sv=0x20A1BA00)
      PC=0x00000000; MSR=0x0000D030; DAR=0x00000000; DSISR=0x00000000; LR=0x00000000; R1=0x00000000; XCP=0x00000000 (Unknown)

Regarding the input device lock-ups, here are some entries from the system.log. I have seen errors like these while watching the console at the time the mouse and keyboard locked up:

Code:
Jun  6 14:45:10 localhost kernel[0]: USBF:      10.226  USB Controller on
bus 53 received and unrecoverable error interrupt.  Attempting to
recover (0,0,0)
Jun  6 14:45:10 localhost kernel[0]: USBF:      10.267  AppleUSBHubPort:
Port 2 of Hub at 0x35000000 reported error 0xe00002c0 while doing
getting port status (5)
Jun  6 14:45:10 localhost kernel[0]:
USBF:   10.327  AppleUSBOHCI[0x1783800] Processing WDH before suspending
Jun  6 14:45:10 localhost kernel[0]: USBF:      10.360  USB Controller on
bus 21 received and unrecoverable error interrupt.  Attempting to
recover (0,0,0)

Some of my troubleshooting notes:
- tried reseating ram, and moving ram to the other slot
- Input device lockup occurs in Safe boot, single user mode, even when booting from the OS X CD.
- Early on, Disk Utility found some permission problems, but I was able to repair these.
- Disk Utility verified the hard disk
- Apple Hardware Test shows no problems (I ran it twice).
- I used "Remember" (Memtest GIU) to check the memory, and it passed all tests.
- one reboot yeilded "Invalid memory access" errors.
- If I leave the computer alone for half an hour or an hour, then start up, keyboard and mouse will function for 5 or 10 min. I have noticed that I get longer today; it is colder today. Could that be a factor?
- before I moved the ram to the second slot, Apple Hardware test would not load. I got errors like : ERROR: write to location ZERO Detected!! and Invalid memory access. After I moved the Ram, I was able to load the Hardware Test.
- Disk space was down to 5gigs, but I freed up another 10gigs
- reset firmware
- single-user and verbose mode both show USB Controler Unrecoverable error interup messages on boot, and:
"The IOUSBFamily was not able to enuberate a device".
No external devices were attached at this time.


Any ideas would be appreciated! Thanks.

[ibook_steve]

I'd rule out memory first. Replace your memory with another stick or sticks. If you still have a problem, you could have a motherboard problem with the USB.

Steve

[olePigeon]

I have an idea. Boot up from the Install CD and try plugging in and unplugging USB devices and see if it crashes. That would give you an idea if it's the OS or if it's the computer.

[the_Unborn]

Thanks for the replies!

I thought that there might be a problem with the RAM, so I bought some yesterday. I haven't tried it yet, though, because Apple Hardware Test and Remember both tell me that the old RAM is fine. Could it be bad even though the test show no problem? I was hoping to return the new RAM, but if this is a good possibility, I'll keep it and give it a try.

I tried booting from the OS X CD. I have used this to boot up a few times, and the mouse and keyboard have always died after a variable time, with the USB mouse and without. This time, I tried plugging the mouse in (it wouldn't work, but the trackpad still did) and unplugging it. Mouse and keyboard both went dead after a short time. Shorter than last time I started it up, I think, but I'm not certain that plugging and unplugging made a difference. Maybe I should try my camera?

[Simon]

The error
Bus xy received and unrecoverable error interrupt. Attempting to recover (0,0,0)
reminded me of an incident we had a while ago with a 17" PB G4 1.67GHz. After two days of troubleshooting we gave up and decided it was probably a hosed USB controller or a some bad soldering. AHT didn't report anything, but we sent it in nevertheless and Apple confirmed that the motherboard needed to be replaced. Two weeks later (!) it came back and ever since all has been fine.

I think you should call Apple and have it sent in for repair.

[vacationgirl]

You needs a new logic board. Though, to answer your question, yes, you can have bad RAM that still passes those RAM tests.

[the_Unborn]

I tried some new RAM, but the problem persists. Looks like I'll have to send her in to Apple, unless anyone has any other Ideas?

Thanks, everyone.

[the_Unborn]

I took it in; it was the logic board. It's all fixed, now. In fact it seems to be working better than it was when I bought it... the wireless signal reception was weak, and dropped connection all the time, but I haven't had any problem with that since I got it back.

Thanks for the input.