[Laminar]

For the past two weeks my iBook has been frequently crashing and kernel panicing. The latest crash text is this:

Host Name: Mikaels-iBook-G4
Date/Time: 2007-12-27 10:05:57.872 -0600
OS Version: 10.4.11 (Build 8S165)
Report Version: 4

Command: WindowServer
Path: /System/Library/Frameworks/ApplicationServices.framework/Frameworks/CoreGraphics.framework/Resources/WindowServer
Parent: launchd [1]

Version: ??? (???)

PID: 59
Thread: 0

Exception: EXC_BAD_ACCESS (0x0001)
Codes: KERN_PROTECTION_FAILURE (0x0002) at 0x00000004

Thread 0 Crashed:
0 com.apple.CoreGraphics 0x9065bf4c SignalExceptionHandlerActionCallback + 76
1 libSystem.B.dylib 0x90130f68 _sigtramp + 124
2 <<00000000>> 0xb4066000 0 + -1274650624
3 com.apple.CoreFoundation 0x907bd0cc _CFRuntimeCreateInstance + 240
4 com.apple.CoreFoundation 0x907ca3bc __CFDictionaryInit + 1888
5 com.apple.CoreGraphics 0x903893f8 CGXNewWindow + 380
6 com.apple.CoreGraphics 0x9039d814 CGXShieldDisplayForConfiguration + 84
7 com.apple.CoreGraphics 0x90398efc CGXDisplaysWillReconfigure + 848
8 com.apple.CoreGraphics 0x903976c4 reconfigureDisplays + 544
9 com.apple.CoreGraphics 0x90394c00 doStartupLayoutChanges + 1760
10 com.apple.CoreGraphics 0x90394270 CGXPerformInitialDisplayConfiguration + 32
11 com.apple.CoreGraphics 0x90374c78 _CGXInitialize + 160
12 com.apple.CoreGraphics 0x903746d0 CGXServer + 912
13 WindowServer 0x00002d0c main + 16
14 WindowServer 0x00002558 _start + 340
15 WindowServer 0x00002400 start + 60

Thread 1:
0 libSystem.B.dylib 0x9000b348 mach_msg_trap + 8
1 libSystem.B.dylib 0x9000b29c mach_msg + 60
2 com.apple.CoreGraphics 0x9038626c eventThread + 516
3 libSystem.B.dylib 0x9002bd08 _pthread_body + 96

Thread 0 crashed with PPC Thread State 64:
srr0: 0x000000009065bf4c srr1: 0x000000000000d030 vrsave: 0x0000000000000000
cr: 0x44048444 xer: 0x0000000000000005 lr: 0x000000009065bf44 ctr: 0x0000000090014ba0
r0: 0x00000000b4066000 r1: 0x00000000bfffe6f0 r2: 0x00000000a00078bc r3: 0x0000000000000018
r4: 0x0000000000000000 r5: 0x0000000000000001 r6: 0x0000000080808080 r7: 0x0000000000000001
r8: 0x0000000072000000 r9: 0x00000000901a2168 r10: 0x00000000903b8374 r11: 0x00000000a00062d4
r12: 0x0000000090014ba0 r13: 0x0000000000000000 r14: 0x0000000000000000 r15: 0x0000000000000000
r16: 0x0000000000000000 r17: 0x0000000000000000 r18: 0x000000000030d078 r19: 0x0000000000000000
r20: 0x00000000a0379284 r21: 0x0000000000000000 r22: 0x0000000000000000 r23: 0x00000000a07b9c64
r24: 0x0000000000000000 r25: 0x0000000000000000 r26: 0x00000000a0000ef4 r27: 0x00000000bfffe858
r28: 0x00000000bfffe818 r29: 0x000000000000000a r30: 0x0000000000000000 r31: 0x000000009065bf08

Binary Images Description:
0x1000 - 0x2fff WindowServer /System/Library/Frameworks/ApplicationServices.framework/Frameworks/CoreGraphics.framework/Resources/WindowServer
0x91000 - 0x94fff com.apple.ATIRadeon8500GA 1.4.18 (4.1.8) /System/Library/Extensions/ATIRadeon8500GA.plugin/Contents/MacOS/ATIRadeon8500GA
0x605000 - 0x714fff GLEngine /System/Library/Frameworks/OpenGL.framework/Resources/GLEngine.bundle/GLEngine
0x1405000 - 0x165cfff com.apple.ATIRadeon8500GLDriver 1.4.18 (4.1.8) /System/Library/Extensions/ATIRadeon8500GLDriver.bundle/Contents/MacOS/ATIRadeon8500GLDriver
0x8fe00000 - 0x8fe52fff dyld 46.16 /usr/lib/dyld
0x90000000 - 0x901bcfff libSystem.B.dylib /usr/lib/libSystem.B.dylib
0x90214000 - 0x90219fff libmathCommon.A.dylib /usr/lib/system/libmathCommon.A.dylib
0x9021b000 - 0x90268fff com.apple.CoreText 1.0.4 (???) /System/Library/Frameworks/ApplicationServices.framework/Versions/A/Frameworks/CoreText.framework/Versions/A/CoreText
0x90293000 - 0x90344fff ATS /System/Library/Frameworks/ApplicationServices.framework/Versions/A/Frameworks/ATS.framework/Versions/A/ATS
0x90373000 - 0x9072efff com.apple.CoreGraphics 1.258.77 (???) /System/Library/Frameworks/ApplicationServices.framework/Versions/A/Frameworks/CoreGraphics.framework/Versions/A/CoreGraphics
0x907bb000 - 0x90895fff com.apple.CoreFoundation 6.4.9 (368.31) /System/Library/Frameworks/CoreFoundation.framework/Versions/A/CoreFoundation
0x908de000 - 0x908defff com.apple.CoreServices 10.4 (???) /System/Library/Frameworks/CoreServices.framework/Versions/A/CoreServices
0x908e0000 - 0x909e2fff libicucore.A.dylib /usr/lib/libicucore.A.dylib
0x90a3c000 - 0x90ac0fff libobjc.A.dylib /usr/lib/libobjc.A.dylib
0x90aea000 - 0x90b5cfff IOKit /System/Library/Frameworks/IOKit.framework/Versions/A/IOKit
0x90b72000 - 0x90b84fff libauto.dylib /usr/lib/libauto.dylib
0x90b8b000 - 0x90e62fff com.apple.CoreServices.CarbonCore 681.17 /System/Library/Frameworks/CoreServices.framework/Versions/A/Frameworks/CarbonCore.framework/Versions/A/CarbonCore
0x90ec8000 - 0x90f48fff com.apple.CoreServices.OSServices 4.1 /System/Library/Frameworks/CoreServices.framework/Versions/A/Frameworks/OSServices.framework/Versions/A/OSServices
0x90f92000 - 0x90fd4fff com.apple.CFNetwork 129.22 /System/Library/Frameworks/CoreServices.framework/Versions/A/Frameworks/CFNetwork.framework/Versions/A/CFNetwork
0x90fe9000 - 0x91001fff com.apple.WebServices 1.1.2 (1.1.0) /System/Library/Frameworks/CoreServices.framework/Versions/A/Frameworks/WebServicesCore.framework/Versions/A/WebServicesCore
0x91011000 - 0x91092fff com.apple.SearchKit 1.0.7 /System/Library/Frameworks/CoreServices.framework/Versions/A/Frameworks/SearchKit.framework/Versions/A/SearchKit
0x910d8000 - 0x91101fff com.apple.Metadata 10.4.4 (121.36) /System/Library/Frameworks/CoreServices.framework/Versions/A/Frameworks/Metadata.framework/Versions/A/Metadata
0x91112000 - 0x91120fff libz.1.dylib /usr/lib/libz.1.dylib
0x91123000 - 0x912defff com.apple.security 4.6 (29770) /System/Library/Frameworks/Security.framework/Versions/A/Security
0x913dd000 - 0x913e6fff com.apple.DiskArbitration 2.1.2 /System/Library/Frameworks/DiskArbitration.framework/Versions/A/DiskArbitration
0x913ed000 - 0x913f5fff libbsm.dylib /usr/lib/libbsm.dylib
0x913f9000 - 0x91421fff com.apple.SystemConfiguration 1.8.3 /System/Library/Frameworks/SystemConfiguration.framework/Versions/A/SystemConfiguration
0x91434000 - 0x9143ffff libgcc_s.1.dylib /usr/lib/libgcc_s.1.dylib
0x914fc000 - 0x914fcfff com.apple.ApplicationServices 10.4 (???) /System/Library/Frameworks/ApplicationServices.framework/Versions/A/ApplicationServices
0x914fe000 - 0x91536fff com.apple.AE 1.5 (297) /System/Library/Frameworks/ApplicationServices.framework/Versions/A/Frameworks/AE.framework/Versions/A/AE
0x91551000 - 0x91623fff com.apple.ColorSync 4.4.10 /System/Library/Frameworks/ApplicationServices.framework/Versions/A/Frameworks/ColorSync.framework/Versions/A/ColorSync
0x91676000 - 0x91707fff com.apple.print.framework.PrintCore 4.6 (177.13) /System/Library/Frameworks/ApplicationServices.framework/Versions/A/Frameworks/PrintCore.framework/Versions/A/PrintCore
0x9174e000 - 0x91805fff com.apple.QD 3.10.25 (???) /System/Library/Frameworks/ApplicationServices.framework/Versions/A/Frameworks/QD.framework/Versions/A/QD
0x91842000 - 0x918a0fff com.apple.HIServices 1.5.3 (???) /System/Library/Frameworks/ApplicationServices.framework/Versions/A/Frameworks/HIServices.framework/Versions/A/HIServices
0x918cf000 - 0x918f0fff com.apple.LangAnalysis 1.6.1 /System/Library/Frameworks/ApplicationServices.framework/Versions/A/Frameworks/LangAnalysis.framework/Versions/A/LangAnalysis
0x91904000 - 0x91929fff com.apple.FindByContent 1.5 /System/Library/Frameworks/ApplicationServices.framework/Versions/A/Frameworks/FindByContent.framework/Versions/A/FindByContent
0x9193c000 - 0x9197efff com.apple.LaunchServices 182 /System/Library/Frameworks/ApplicationServices.framework/Versions/A/Frameworks/LaunchServices.framework/Versions/A/LaunchServices
0x9199a000 - 0x919aefff com.apple.speech.synthesis.framework 3.3 /System/Library/Frameworks/ApplicationServices.framework/Versions/A/Frameworks/SpeechSynthesis.framework/Versions/A/SpeechSynthesis
0x919bc000 - 0x91a02fff com.apple.ImageIO.framework 1.5.6 /System/Library/Frameworks/ApplicationServices.framework/Versions/A/Frameworks/ImageIO.framework/Versions/A/ImageIO
0x91a19000 - 0x91ae0fff libcrypto.0.9.7.dylib /usr/lib/libcrypto.0.9.7.dylib
0x91b2e000 - 0x91b44fff libcups.2.dylib /usr/lib/libcups.2.dylib
0x91b49000 - 0x91b67fff libJPEG.dylib /System/Library/Frameworks/ApplicationServices.framework/Versions/A/Frameworks/ImageIO.framework/Versions/A/Resources/libJPEG.dylib
0x91b6d000 - 0x91c24fff libJP2.dylib /System/Library/Frameworks/ApplicationServices.framework/Versions/A/Frameworks/ImageIO.framework/Versions/A/Resources/libJP2.dylib
0x91c73000 - 0x91c77fff libGIF.dylib /System/Library/Frameworks/ApplicationServices.framework/Versions/A/Frameworks/ImageIO.framework/Versions/A/Resources/libGIF.dylib
0x91c79000 - 0x91ce3fff libRaw.dylib /System/Library/Frameworks/ApplicationServices.framework/Versions/A/Frameworks/ImageIO.framework/Versions/A/Resources/libRaw.dylib
0x91ce8000 - 0x91d25fff libTIFF.dylib /System/Library/Frameworks/ApplicationServices.framework/Versions/A/Frameworks/ImageIO.framework/Versions/A/Resources/libTIFF.dylib
0x91d2c000 - 0x91d46fff libPng.dylib /System/Library/Frameworks/ApplicationServices.framework/Versions/A/Frameworks/ImageIO.framework/Versions/A/Resources/libPng.dylib
0x91d4b000 - 0x91d4efff libRadiance.dylib /System/Library/Frameworks/ApplicationServices.framework/Versions/A/Frameworks/ImageIO.framework/Versions/A/Resources/libRadiance.dylib
0x91d50000 - 0x91e2efff libxml2.2.dylib /usr/lib/libxml2.2.dylib
0x91e4e000 - 0x91e4efff com.apple.Accelerate 1.2.2 (Accelerate 1.2.2) /System/Library/Frameworks/Accelerate.framework/Versions/A/Accelerate
0x91e50000 - 0x91f35fff com.apple.vImage 2.4 /System/Library/Frameworks/Accelerate.framework/Versions/A/Frameworks/vImage.framework/Versions/A/vImage
0x91f3d000 - 0x91f5cfff com.apple.Accelerate.vecLib 3.2.2 (vecLib 3.2.2) /System/Library/Frameworks/Accelerate.framework/Versions/A/Frameworks/vecLib.framework/Versions/A/vecLib
0x91fc8000 - 0x92036fff libvMisc.dylib /System/Library/Frameworks/Accelerate.framework/Versions/A/Frameworks/vecLib.framework/Versions/A/libvMisc.dylib
0x92041000 - 0x920d6fff libvDSP.dylib /System/Library/Frameworks/Accelerate.framework/Versions/A/Frameworks/vecLib.framework/Versions/A/libvDSP.dylib
0x920f0000 - 0x92678fff libBLAS.dylib /System/Library/Frameworks/Accelerate.framework/Versions/A/Frameworks/vecLib.framework/Versions/A/libBLAS.dylib
0x926ab000 - 0x929d6fff libLAPACK.dylib /System/Library/Frameworks/Accelerate.framework/Versions/A/Frameworks/vecLib.framework/Versions/A/libLAPACK.dylib
0x92a06000 - 0x92af4fff libiconv.2.dylib /usr/lib/libiconv.2.dylib
0x9454d000 - 0x9459dfff libGLImage.dylib /System/Library/Frameworks/OpenGL.framework/Versions/A/Libraries/libGLImage.dylib
0x97b7f000 - 0x97c40fff libGLProgrammability.dylib /System/Library/Frameworks/OpenGL.framework/Versions/A/Libraries/libGLProgrammability.dylib

It looks like it might have something to do with the graphics unit maybe? For the past three years I've been using Screen Spanning Doctor to overcome Apple's built-in limitations and use the iBook with an external display as a dual-display system.

Now all of a sudden it randomly crashes. Yesterday I couldn't even get it to boot up without seeing panic text over the gray Apple screen. I totally wiped the hard drive and tried fresh installs of both Leopard and Tiger, but the symptoms remain the same.

I got in a bike accident a little over a year ago that led to me having to replace the screen, but it's worked fine since then. I'm just wondering whether or not the hard drive could have suffered some damage, too, and replacing that would fix my problems, or if I should just part it out and cut my losses. Right now I'm stuck with a 1GHz Dell until I can save up enough to pick up a new Mac. This sucks.

Any suggestions?

[seanc]

I remember you discussing this issue a while ago somewhere. Have you tested the RAM? Do you have an Apple Hardware Test disc and have you run the extended test?
Have you tried resetting the NVRAM to remove the screen spanning hack?

[Laminar]

I removed the screen spanning hack, reset the NVRAM, and ran the TechTool disc that comes with AppleCare, it didn't find any problems.

[seanc]

Do you have an AHT disc? One of those would test the video RAM. Have you removed/replaced the RAM to rule that out?

[Laminar]

I miiight have the AHT disc that came with my iBook....if it did actually come with one. But it's about half an hour away right now.

I haven't tried taking out the extra RAM chip in there. But the hard part with doing something like that is that the problem isn't replicable. It could crash upon startup eight times in a row, or go three days without a problem. Right now it's sharing my parents' DSL connection over Airport (they don't have a wireless router) without a problem.

[seanc]

Your iBook should have come with one, assuming you got it new. With mine, it was a separate CD with a grey label and Apple Hardware Test on it. Next time you can, pick it up and see if it brings anything up.
I understand the problem with RAM possibly only having sporadic problems, but it's a possibility that really needs testing, either by removing it or swapping it out with another stick.

It does look like a graphics issue, but it could be that OS X is hitting a bad piece of RAM, when it's trying to launch the window server, then crashing and dumping all of the graphics related information because it thinks it's that.

[Laminar]

Okay, I found the AHT disc and ran it, except it managed to freeze during the memory test. I went to pull the RAM, but since I moved today I either can't find or just don't have the tiny screwdriver I need to do it. I'll buy a set tomorrow and see if pulling the RAM helps.

[Laminar]

I pulled the extra RAM module and ran the AHT test. It's currently frozen on the "Video RAM" section.

This isn't looking good.

[seanc]

No, it isn't

[Laminar]

Okay, some weird developments.
I ran the quick test, which it passed, then I ran the full test and it passed it twice in a row. Wonderful. I booted it back up (without the extra RAM) and it seems to work fine. Great. I turned it off and reinstalled the Airport card. Now upon boot it beeps three times and the "sleep" light comes on solid, but nothing else happens.

So I pull the Airport card and it goes back to working again. Uh...what??

[dowNNshift]

Those beeps are Power On Self Test (POST) error beeps.
Did you correctly seat the AirPort Card? Was the third party RAM installed when this happened?

[imitchellg5]

The AirPort card shouldn't cause a test failure. I am about 99% sure that it's the RAM. In fact, I know that the Apple website says that the three beeps mean that the RAM is most likely bad.

[Laminar]

Just kidding. It's not consistently working now, even without both the Airport card and RAM.

[imitchellg5]

Originally Posted by Laminar 

Just kidding. It's not consistently working now, even without both the Airport card and RAM.

Hmm. I hate to say it, but I think your iBook is deader than a Vista PC.

[seanc]

Sounds like your logic board has had it then Laminar.
Considering all the other parts work, you could find an iBook with a broken screen/dead something other than the logic board and swap your parts over to it, or start saving for a MacBook.