and again

Kernel panic. It's either hardware or drivers. I had a mac that positively hated USB keys. Plugging one in and removing it started a countdown clock to a crash of somewhere between instantaneous and ten minutes. I ended up sticking my keys in a different machine and sharing the volumes over the network to get data in and out of that mac.

[*]

Are you running up to date software? *clutches at straws*

The whole point of the damn usb key is so I don't have to shunt multiple GB over this machine's piss-slow wireless networking.

Gah.

I don't think it's the key either, to be honest. This has been going on since before I got my current card reader/drivey thing. It doesn't feel like hardware, 'cos it's way inconsistent.

blergh.

Try running in safe mode and see if it happens?

I don't know why it happens though, so I can't trigger it - I could spend a day in safe mode without it happening. Could be external drive (don't think so), could be networking (equally, don't think so). Basically, I have no clue. As I said, there's barely anything installed on this machine, let alone anything weirdy. Fully up-to-date 10.4.1.

10.4.10?

At least you can tie it down to hardware or software by using safe mode. Lots of plugging in and removing drives perhaps?

It's a shame that the logs are not more helpful

After this crash, it refused to deliver a log to me, just shut down the "Your mac has crashed" thingy when I clicked 'Report'

I don't want to spend ages pissing about in safe mode if I don't even have any idea what's causing the problem. I should sit down a do proper diagnostics on this problem, but what I'm actually going to do is go out in the dark and rain with the dog, for a walk.

Sounds like a much better idea.

You can view your old logs though... Cocktail does it I believe.

My PowerBook started giving me frequent kernel panics due to an HD which needed some care and attention. In my case, running Disk Utility was enough to bring it back to normal life.

I'd like to be able to suggest changing the HD, but that procedure in an iBook is a whole world of pain that I really wouldn't recommend getting into.

Have checked disk. Is fine. SMART would have popped up a warning if there was a problem anyway.

So far, am suspecting either problem with Apple's Bluetooth stack or what they call 'DirectoryService'

Oh, hang on. Just found more logs, hidden elsewhere. What's wrong with keeping all the logs in /var/log, eh? Am seeing kernel panics relating to losing mounts on local volumes, disk I/O upsets, and valloc() outspazzing.

Disk and graphics hardware both failing at once seems less likely than crappy software to me.. grrr.

I know nothing of laptops & avoid the fruit machines on principle, but if you're happy opening it up, random, unrelated kernel nonsenses are often associated with blown chip fans on larger machines...
Just a thought...

I told you this before, it's a driver. They're the only bits of user-installed software that have access to the inner ring of kernel functionality. That driver is memory-resident so it's going to be doing stuff all the time. Probably polling for it's respective device.

look, I've been certified (as nuts- er- a technician, er-yes, the first one)

email me the computer's serial number and I'll send you something that'll end the driver v. hardware comment war. : P

dear mat, when I managed to spill port on my mac and after (actually before as well) let fall down few times it have started to show me that stuff every day 2-3 times a day!!! I guess macs just like some 20-year-old port)))) but few days ago it has some tea on it so does not ask anymore to restart! anyhow, WiFi isn't working anymore :)