Ah, didn't know you needed to be that specific. It's MB325LL/A, early 2008. And I'm actually writing this from the problem machine. Well, formerly problem machine. Everything seems to be working fine now. Woke up to find the screen problem gone and I was able to boot normally…6 hours after ordering a new iMac (of course!).
I haven't had any problems for the past 15 hours or so. I've been able to run TechTools Pro 5, which gave the all clear, boot from the install DVD to run AHT, which also reported no problems in the regular and extended tests, and run Repair Permissions. I have no idea what changed and why I'm having absolutely no problems now after over 2 days of screen issues that were halting reboots.
I submitted a crash report to Apple and have included the text below. I don't know what else to test and I'm reluctant to crack this thing open now in case I do more harm than good.
I could cancel the order for the new but I think maybe I just might play it safe, despite what my bank book says, and upgrade. Although, I might have buyer's remorse if they announce new iMacs with Retina Displays and such this October.
Interval Since Last Panic Report: 30182048 sec
Panics Since Last Report: 1
Anonymous UUID: C2F1C815-EB10-4D22-BCF3-2B7EEC027198
Thu Aug 23 17:28:22 2012
panic(cpu 1 caller 0x2a6ac2): Kernel trap at 0x00000000, type 14=page fault, registers:
CR0: 0x8001003b, CR2: 0x00000000, CR3: 0x00100000, CR4: 0x00000660
EAX: 0x0ae90004, EBX: 0x0ae90004, ECX: 0x00000080, EDX: 0x09abf004
CR2: 0x00000000, EBP: 0x7ed832d8, ESI: 0x09abf004, EDI: 0x0afb0204
EFL: 0x00010206, EIP: 0x00000000, CS: 0x00000008, DS: 0x0ae90010
Error code: 0x00000010
Backtrace (CPU 1), Frame : Return Address (4 potential args on stack)
0x7ed830d8 : 0x21acfa (0x5ce650 0x7ed8310c 0x223156 0x0)
0x7ed83128 : 0x2a6ac2 (0x590a50 0x0 0xe 0x590c1a)
0x7ed83208 : 0x29c968 (0x7ed83220 0x3425 0x7ed832d8 0x0)
0x7ed83218 : 0x0 (0xe 0xafb0048 0x7ed80010 0x7fb20010)
0x7ed832d8 : 0x7fb2398a (0x9abf004 0xae90004 0x7ed83344 0x0)
0x7ed83368 : 0x7fb21ab1 (0x9abf004 0xae90004 0x7ed833a8 0x7fa4ba6f)
0x7ed833a8 : 0x7fb20696 (0x9abf004 0xae90004 0x1 0x0)
0x7ed83438 : 0x7fb00d05 (0x9abf004 0xae90004 0x7ed8347c 0x0)
0x7ed83498 : 0x7fb08e56 (0x9abf004 0x9d8b004 0x10000 0x0)
0x7ed834e8 : 0x7fb0493a (0x7ed83534 0x7fc72a20 0x0 0x0)
0x7ed83508 : 0x7fa4ddc5 (0x7ed83534 0x7ed83554 0x7ed83558 0x7fa1ac7a)
0x7ed83578 : 0x7fa4dee1 (0xc1d0000e 0x1007313 0x730122 0x7ed8388c)
0x7ed835e8 : 0x7fa3cbbe (0xc1d0000e 0x1007313 0x730122 0x7ed8388c)
0x7ed83618 : 0x7fa5d440 (0x7ed837a8 0x6 0x0 0x0)
0x7ed83778 : 0x7fa5ed81 (0x0 0x600d600d 0x702a 0x7ed837a8)
0x7ed83848 : 0x7fc0e990 (0xc1d0000e 0x1007313 0x730122 0x7ed8388c)
0x7ed838b8 : 0x7fc0f0c1 (0x696e4000 0xc1 0x7ed83914 0x7ed83910)
0x7ed83938 : 0x7fc1fa2a (0x696e4000 0x0 0x1007313 0x73)
0x7ed83a48 : 0x7fa035a4 (0x696e4000 0x0 0x7ed83b8a 0x80)
0x7ed83aa8 : 0x7ed8c796 (0xad60000 0x0 0x7ed83b8a 0x80)
Backtrace continues...
Kernel Extensions in backtrace (with dependencies):
com.apple.NVDAResman(6.0.0)@0x7fa00000->0x7fc93fff
dependency: com.apple.iokit.IOPCIFamily(2.6)@0x78233000
dependency: com.apple.iokit.IONDRVSupport(2.0)@0x7ed85000
dependency: com.apple.iokit.IOGraphicsFamily(2.0)@0x7f607000
com.apple.iokit.IONDRVSupport(2.0)@0x7ed85000->0x7ed92fff
dependency: com.apple.iokit.IOGraphicsFamily(2.0)@0x7f607000
dependency: com.apple.iokit.IOPCIFamily(2.6)@0x78233000
BSD process name corresponding to current thread: WindowServer
Mac OS version:
10A432
Kernel version:
Darwin Kernel Version 10.0.0: Fri Jul 31 22:47:34 PDT 2009; root:xnu-1456.1.25~1/RELEASE_I386
System model name: iMac8,1 (Mac-F227BEC8)
System uptime in nanoseconds: 119651542238
unloaded kexts:
(none)
loaded kexts:
com.apple.driver.AppleTyMCEDriver 1.0.1d8
com.apple.driver.InternalModemSupport 2.6.0
com.apple.driver.AppleIntelYonahProfile 14
com.apple.driver.AppleIntelPenrynProfile 17
com.apple.Dont_Steal_Mac_OS_X 7.0.0
com.apple.driver.AppleUpstreamUserClient 3.0.5
com.apple.driver.AppleIntelNehalemProfile 11
com.apple.driver.AudioIPCDriver 1.1.0
com.apple.driver.AppleHDA 1.7.4a1
com.apple.driver.AppleGraphicsControl 2.8.16
com.apple.GeForce 6.0.0
com.apple.driver.AppleLPC 1.4.6
com.apple.driver.AppleIRController 161
com.apple.driver.AppleIntelMeromProfile 19
com.apple.driver.ACPI_SMC_PlatformPlugin 3.4.0a20
com.apple.driver.AppleBacklight 170.0.2
com.apple.driver.AppleHIDKeyboard 1.1.5f1
com.apple.driver.DiskImages.SparseDiskImage 281
com.apple.driver.DiskImages.ReadWriteDiskImage 281
com.apple.driver.DiskImages.UDIFDiskImage 281
com.apple.driver.DiskImages.RAMBackingStore 281
com.apple.driver.DiskImages.HTTPBackingStore 281
com.apple.driver.DiskImages.FileBackingStore 281
com.apple.iokit.SCSITaskUserClient 2.5.0
com.apple.BootCache 31
com.apple.AppleFSCompression.AppleFSCompressionTyp eZlib 1.0.0d1
com.apple.iokit.IOAHCIBlockStorage 1.5.0
com.apple.driver.AppleAHCIPort 2.0.0
com.apple.driver.AppleUSBHub 3.7.8
com.apple.driver.AppleIntelPIIXATA 2.5.0
com.apple.driver.AppleUSBUHCI 3.7.5
com.apple.iokit.AppleYukon2 3.1.14b1
com.apple.driver.AppleUSBEHCI 3.7.5
com.apple.driver.AirPortBrcm43xx 410.91.20
com.apple.driver.AppleFWOHCI 4.3.4
com.apple.driver.AppleEFINVRAM 1.3.0
com.apple.driver.AppleRTC 1.3
com.apple.driver.AppleHPET 1.4
com.apple.driver.AppleACPIButtons 1.3
com.apple.driver.AppleSMBIOS 1.4
com.apple.driver.AppleACPIEC 1.3
com.apple.driver.AppleAPIC 1.4
com.apple.driver.AppleIntelCPUPowerManagementClien t 90.0.0
com.apple.security.sandbox 0
com.apple.security.quarantine 0
com.apple.nke.applicationfirewall 2.0.11
com.apple.driver.AppleIntelCPUPowerManagement 90.0.0
com.apple.driver.AppleHDAPlatformDriver 1.7.4a1 - last loaded 115256241684
com.apple.driver.AppleProfileReadCounterAction 17
com.apple.driver.AppleProfileTimestampAction 10
com.apple.driver.AppleProfileThreadInfoAction 14
com.apple.driver.AppleProfileRegisterStateAction 10
com.apple.driver.AppleProfileKEventAction 10
com.apple.driver.AppleProfileCallstackAction 20
com.apple.iokit.IOSurface 73.0
com.apple.iokit.IOBluetoothSerialManager 2.2f18
com.apple.iokit.IOSerialFamily 10.0.2
com.apple.driver.AppleHDAHardwareConfigDriver 1.7.4a1
com.apple.driver.DspFuncLib 1.7.4a1
com.apple.iokit.IOAudioFamily 1.7.0fc16
com.apple.kext.OSvKernDSPLib 1.3
com.apple.iokit.IOFireWireIP 2.0.3
com.apple.iokit.AppleProfileFamily 40
com.apple.driver.AppleHDAController 1.7.4a1
com.apple.iokit.IOHDAFamily 1.7.4a1
com.apple.driver.AppleSMC 3.0.1d2
com.apple.driver.IOPlatformPluginFamily 3.4.0a20
com.apple.nvidia.nv50hal 6.0.0
com.apple.NVDAResman 6.0.0
com.apple.iokit.IONDRVSupport 2.0
com.apple.iokit.IOGraphicsFamily 2.0
com.apple.driver.AppleBluetoothHIDMouse 1.3.0f1
com.apple.driver.AppleHIDMouse 1.3.0f1
com.apple.driver.IOBluetoothHIDDriver 2.2f18
com.apple.driver.DiskImages.KernelBacked 281
com.apple.iokit.IOUSBHIDDriver 3.7.5
com.apple.driver.BroadcomUSBBluetoothHCIController 2.2f18
com.apple.driver.AppleUSBBluetoothHCIController 2.2f18
com.apple.iokit.IOBluetoothFamily 2.2f18
com.apple.driver.AppleUSBMergeNub 3.7.5
com.apple.driver.AppleUSBComposite 3.7.5
com.apple.iokit.IOSCSIMultimediaCommandsDevice 2.5.0
com.apple.iokit.IOBDStorageFamily 1.6
com.apple.iokit.IODVDStorageFamily 1.6
com.apple.iokit.IOCDStorageFamily 1.6
com.apple.driver.XsanFilter 402.1
com.apple.driver.AppleFileSystemDriver 2.0
com.apple.iokit.IOATAPIProtocolTransport 2.5.0
com.apple.iokit.IOSCSIArchitectureModelFamily 2.5.0
com.apple.iokit.IOAHCIFamily 2.0.0
com.apple.iokit.IOUSBUserClient 3.7.5
com.apple.iokit.IOATAFamily 2.5.0
com.apple.iokit.IOUSBFamily 3.7.8
com.apple.iokit.IO80211Family 300.20
com.apple.iokit.IONetworkingFamily 1.8
com.apple.iokit.IOFireWireFamily 4.1.7
com.apple.driver.AppleEFIRuntime 1.3.0
com.apple.iokit.IOHIDFamily 1.6.0
com.apple.iokit.IOSMBusFamily 1.1
com.apple.security.TMSafetyNet 6
com.apple.kext.AppleMatch 1.0.0d1
com.apple.driver.DiskImages 281
com.apple.iokit.IOStorageFamily 1.6
com.apple.driver.AppleACPIPlatform 1.3
com.apple.iokit.IOPCIFamily 2.6
com.apple.iokit.IOACPIFamily 1.3.0
Model: iMac8,1, BootROM IM81.00C1.B00, 2 processors, Intel Core 2 Duo, 3.06 GHz, 6 GB, SMC 1.30f1
Graphics: NVIDIA GeForce 8800 GS, NVIDIA GeForce 8800 GS, PCIe, 512 MB
Memory Module: global_name
AirPort: spairport_wireless_card_type_airport_extreme (0x14E4, 0x8C), Broadcom BCM43xx 1.0 (5.10.131.42.4)
Bluetooth: Version 2.4.5f3, 2 service, 19 devices, 1 incoming serial ports
Network Service: AirPort, AirPort, en1
Serial ATA Device: WDC WD10EADS-65P6B0, 931.51 GB
Parallel ATA Device: MATSHITADVD-R UJ-875
USB Device: LaCie Hard Drive USB, 0x059f (LaCie), 0x1018, 0xfa400000 / 2
USB Device: Built-in iSight, 0x05ac (Apple Inc.), 0x8502, 0xfd400000 / 2
USB Device: BRCM2046 Hub, 0x0a5c (Broadcom Corp.), 0x4500, 0x1a100000 / 2
USB Device: Bluetooth USB Host Controller, 0x05ac (Apple Inc.), 0x820f, 0x1a110000 / 5
USB Device: IR Receiver, 0x05ac (Apple Inc.), 0x8242, 0x5d100000 / 2