You can make a difference in the Apple Support Community!

When you sign up with your Apple Account, you can provide valuable feedback to other community members by upvoting helpful replies and User Tips.

Looks like no one’s replied in a while. To start the conversation again, simply ask a new question.

Kernel Panic after switching logic board

MacBook Pro 2012 retina


I was running High Sierra, during a complicated upgrade, during which I switched my logic board and got upgraded to Mojave. I started getting frequent kernel panic, in the form of the screen going blank after 2-15 minutes of use, needing a hard reset.


I tried wiping the drive and reinstalling the OS from scratch, but after 5 minutes (I had already installed chrome and along with it my extensions, but nothing else), I had another kernel panic incident.


This is the report:


Posted on Aug 17, 2019 8:32 PM

Reply

Similar questions

9 replies

Aug 17, 2019 10:52 PM in response to HWTech

So none of you suggested tests (combined) triggered the kernel panic, I had them running simultaneously for about 10 minutes.

I tried the Apple Hardware test (power-D), I got the following error:

Error: 0x8000000000000003, cannot Load 'EFI/Drivers/TestSupport.efi'.

Status: 0x00000003


What did finally cause the kernel panic was opening Chrome and a few heavy google spreadsheets.

BTW, after these kernel panic, it normally takes a few hard resets to get the machine booted again.


Is there any chance that going back to High Sierra (I believe that is what I was running before the hardware and software update) will correct the problem?


See attached panic report


Aug 18, 2019 9:35 AM in response to posef770

posef770 wrote:

It seems that your reply is missing some information, perhaps links that were edited by the moderator.

Yeah, the moderators were very aggressive and gutted all the links which is a shame since people could get bogus/dangerous software without the proper links. Their reason was it contained links not directly related to the OP's question. Why they left the rest of the post is beyond me. When they gutted the links they also took the text from the hyperlink.


I tried to mention performing a SMC reset

https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT201295


and PRAM reset

https://support.apple.com/HT204063,


, but the moderators took away ALL the links even to their own Apple articles.



I will try running a few HD youtube videos on Safari, see if that triggers the kernel panic.

It is better to find some HD trailers to actually download and run them in Quicktime.


I tried the Apple Hardware test (power-D), I got the following error:
Error: 0x8000000000000003, cannot Load 'EFI/Drivers/TestSupport.efi'.
Status: 0x00000003

Others have reported this issue. It seems Apple has broken something.



What did finally cause the kernel panic was opening Chrome and a few heavy google spreadsheets.

It could be triggered by one of your Chrome extensions. Chrome also has an advanced setting to enable hardware graphics acceleration. You can try disabling this setting.


BTW, after these kernel panic, it normally takes a few hard resets to get the machine booted again.

This reinforces the hardware failure aspect.


For another perhaps more intensive GPU test, you can try one of the Unigine Demo Benchmarks

https://benchmark.unigine.com/


The Heaven demo might be able to run on your laptop.

Aug 17, 2019 8:58 PM in response to HWTech

Thanks. Is there any way to determine this for sure? (I just upgraded from 8GB to 16GB, I would hate to have to go back to my old Logic Board).

I was thinking of doing an Apple Hardware Test on loop mode - would that help?


BTW, I have been running the computer for more than 1/2 an hour with no problem. The difference is that I only have Safari open, as opposed to having Chrome running all the other times. If it was a GPU issue, perhaps the issue is Chrome taxing the GPU, while Safari does not?

Aug 17, 2019 9:42 PM in response to posef770

It wouldn't hurt to run the Apple Hardware Test in loop mode if possible. Diagnostics don't always catch all types of failures though.


To test the GPU, you can try running "" which should mostly focus on the GPU and not the CPU. I haven't had any luck running gputest with the GUI on recent versions of macOS although a co-worker seems to have no problems running it. I usually have to run gputest from the Terminal command line using the following command:

open  <path-to-gputest-app>  --args  '/fullscreen  /mpaa=4  /test=fur'



You can just type "open " without the double quotes, then drag & drop the "gputest" app (non-gui version) onto the Terminal to auto-fill the path "<path-to-gputest-app>". For other tests and options open up the shell script (the file ending in ".sh") using TextEdit. One undocumented test which I also like is "/test=pixmark_julia_fp64", but it isn't as strenuous as the "furmark" test listed previously.

open  <path-to-gputest-app>  --args  '/fullscreen  /mpaa=4  /test=pixmark_julia_fp64'


You will need to give GateKeeper permission to run the app the first time by going into the Security Setting System Preferences. Press Esc while the test is running in fullscreen to quit the qputest.


Another good way to test the GPU is by downloading several HD trailers and running them in loop mode simultaneously using Quicktime. I like to overlap the various movie windows to make the computer work a bit harder.


Try an and (hold the PRAM reset for at least three chimes).


You can monitor system fans and temperature using.


To stress test the CPU and memory, try running "" in Torture Test mode.


To test just the memory try creating a bootable USB drive using. the USB drive and select the orange icon labeled "EFI". Once Memtest86 is running you can safely remove the USB drive. The latest free version 8.2 unfortunately does not allow running the test for more than four loops. You can download the older free which I believe allows the loops to be increased beyond four. Use the Memtest .img file as the source for Etcher.






[Link Edited by Moderator]


Aug 17, 2019 9:48 PM in response to HWTech

It seems that your reply is missing some information, perhaps links that were edited by the moderator.

I have been using the machine for close to 2 hours with no issue, so perhaps it is indeed GPU stress induced by Chrome.

I will try running a few HD youtube videos on Safari, see if that triggers the kernel panic.

Aug 17, 2019 10:14 PM in response to posef770

UPDATE:

So I am running GPUtest and 2 HD videos on loop, on Activity Monitor it shows GPU test is %CPU 182.2, CPU load 68% idle, I have gotten the fans running loudly (that hasn't happened before when using Safari), and still haven't triggered a kernel panic. I'm going to launch Chrome and remove all add-ons, see if I get a kernel panic.

Kernel Panic after switching logic board

Welcome to Apple Support Community
A forum where Apple customers help each other with their products. Get started with your Apple Account.