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sknapp351 · Jul 18, 2005, 09:54 PM

Hey everyone,
I probably got myself into this one, but need help getting out now. I was reading another post in the Powerbook section and saw someone mention an app called systrace. I wanted to see how it worked so downloaded it. My Powerbook hasn't started again since. Upon restart I recieved the standard kernal panic message. So I tried again. Nope. Booted into verbose mode, then it did it again. Tried to boot into safe mode, but naturaly my computer was on mute when all heck broke loose so I don't know if it wont do that or I am missing the chime. I booted from the Tiger disk and ran disk utility from there, but solved nothing. Any ideas?
No new hardware or anything like that. Been using the computer all day, no issues. Everything started immediatly after installing the systrace program. I think it is my fault for not verifying that it worked on Tiger.
I read this forum all the time in hope that I wont have to ask questions like this. Any help will be greatly appreciated, and rewarded with a signed nude photo of my elderly Ferret. ( No kiddie ferret porn here..)
Sam

17" Rev. A PowerBook 1GHZ
1 GB ram factory installed 2 yrs ago.
10.4.2
Brushed Aluminum in color.

awaspaas · Jul 18, 2005, 11:54 PM

Kernel panic. Kernel.

Kristoff · Jul 19, 2005, 12:31 AM

boot to safe mode and remove whatever kext that app installed.

sknapp351 · Jul 19, 2005, 06:45 AM

The unfortunate part, as I stated above is that I have been unable to get it to boot into any mode. Safe, verbose or single user. I am wontering if it might work as a target disk, so I may be able to at least get some of my files....
Sam

Mr. Blur · Jul 19, 2005, 09:55 AM

yes, if you can connect it via firewire to another mac and start it in target mode you should then be able to remove the files installed by the offending program....hopefully then it will boot up for you again...but if not then you can do the same and retrieve your files (or if necessary, just do an archive and install - that will replace the system but leave your files intact)

sknapp351 · Jul 19, 2005, 10:22 AM

Thanks for the confirmation. Am at the Apple Store now to get the cable. Now hopefully I can figure out what files to remove.
S

Mr. Blur · Jul 19, 2005, 12:43 PM

Originally Posted by sknapp351

Thanks for the confirmation. Am at the Apple Store now to get the cable. Now hopefully I can figure out what files to remove.
S

if you open the offending application's installer/package file with
Pacifist you'll be able to se what it puts where....

sknapp351 · Jul 19, 2005, 02:58 PM

Called a friend who is a systems admin for a large company, he looked up the program and found that it patches the kernel. He said that a reinstall was in my future. The program was not compatible with Tiger, and that was certainly my fault for not checking thoroughly.

S

Mr. Blur · Jul 19, 2005, 03:24 PM

"patching the kernel" may simply mean that it puts a kext (kernel extension) file in your /system/library/extensions folder......if that is the case then removing it will probably get it up and running again.

sknapp351 · Jul 19, 2005, 03:52 PM

If only it had been that easy.... I checked all the extensions, and checked them against what the other Mac had and they were the same. In the end I did an archive and install and it was relatively painless. Alls well that ends well.
Thanks for the help. Does this mean you want the photo of the ferret?

S

sknapp351 · Jul 19, 2005, 05:15 PM

of course now iChat wont start.