I upgraded to macOS Catalina last week (10.15.1). Since then, my computer has crashed no less than three times with the exact same kernel panic, pointing out to something wrong with the graphics driver (com.apple.kext.AMDRadeonX4000). The usual trick of letting one minor version pass before upgrading did not work.
Update 1: It’s a widely reported problem, and it’s been reported over a month ago.
Update 2: Just had my kernel panic #4 (I upgraded last Thursday)
Update 3: Since this is related to graphics and apparently is often triggered around power state changes, I decided to disable “Automatic graphics switching” in the Energy Saver control panel. If that works for one week, I’ll assume that’s a valid workaround. If not, I’ll share here.
Update 4: The workaround does not work, just had kernel panic #5. Uptime in the 4 hours range, great!
Update 5: Two more kernel panics back to back. My machine cannot playback a video on YouTube or from VLC for more than a couple of minutes without crashing. This is definitely the kind of easy to reproduce bug that should never have passed quality testing. Also, for the last two kernel panics, Catalina decided to not ask the usual question “It looks like you crashed”, and to restart all my applications. Which of course only makes it more likely another crash will arrive. This also means no crash report for the last two crashes either.
Update 6: Yet another crash, now trying without an external monitor. Also see various comments below from other people with the same problem. YCombinator submission has 28 upvotes (feel free to add more).
Update 7: While not directly related to kernel panic, a number of other issues bug me with this release. Most notably, the Magic Trackpad, a Genuine Apple Product™, disconnected this morning, and getting it to reconnect proves difficult, because the Bluetooth control panel is a beachball-of-death generator. Actually, an external Magic Mouse, also a Genuinely Expensive Apple Product™, shows as “connected”, but fails to produce any kind of cursor movement. So two expensive pointing devices, none of them works (the builtin trackpad works, but that forces me to lift my arm at a very uncomfortable angle). Frankly, this release is unacceptably bad.
Update 8: I was away from home most of the week-end, and the machine stayed up, happily churning on some unrelated email disaster. I have a “black” screensaver, so very little GPU activity. This would tend to prove that only drawing activity really causes a crash. Because as soon as I started using the machine again… Three kernel panics in a row, with the shortest uptime being in the low 15 minutes range, Infuriating. To make things worse, my two backup Linux machines are also acting up, each in a different way. If this keeps going, my mood my end up being negatively impacted.
Update 9: macOS Catalina 10.15.2 is out. I installed it, and so far so good. I was able to go back to my regular 3-display setup and do relatively active sessions with videos, etc, which used to cause a panic within a few minutes before. Let’s hope it’s really gone for good!
The stack trace looks something like this:
panic(cpu 6 caller 0xffffff8004062e0a): Kernel trap at 0xffffff7f871f334e, type 6=invalid opcode, registers: CR0: 0x000000008001003b, CR2: 0x000000010a70a000, CR3: 0x000000000a8e4000, CR4: 0x00000000001626e0 RAX: 0x0000000000000000, RBX: 0x0000000000000000, RCX: 0x0000000000000000, RDX: 0xffffff92796d3ba0 RSP: 0xffffff92796d3d10, RBP: 0xffffff92796d3d10, RSI: 0x0000000000000503, RDI: 0xffffff802e124800 R8: 0x0000000000000001, R9: 0x0000000000989680, R10: 0x0000000000000000, R11: 0x0000000000000006 R12: 0x0000000000000001, R13: 0xffffff802c9af7b0, R14: 0xffffff92796d3d30, R15: 0xffffff802c9af7b0 RFL: 0x0000000000010286, RIP: 0xffffff7f871f334e, CS: 0x0000000000000008, SS: 0x0000000000000010 Fault CR2: 0x000000010a70a000, Error code: 0x0000000000000000, Fault CPU: 0x6, PL: 0, VF: 0 Backtrace (CPU 6), Frame : Return Address 0xffffff92796d3770 : 0xffffff8003f39a3b 0xffffff92796d37c0 : 0xffffff8004070fe5 0xffffff92796d3800 : 0xffffff8004062a5e 0xffffff92796d3850 : 0xffffff8003ee0a40 0xffffff92796d3870 : 0xffffff8003f39127 0xffffff92796d3970 : 0xffffff8003f3950b 0xffffff92796d39c0 : 0xffffff80046d17f9 0xffffff92796d3a30 : 0xffffff8004062e0a 0xffffff92796d3bb0 : 0xffffff8004062b08 0xffffff92796d3c00 : 0xffffff8003ee0a40 0xffffff92796d3c20 : 0xffffff7f871f334e 0xffffff92796d3d10 : 0xffffff7f87153490 0xffffff92796d3d50 : 0xffffff7f87161655 0xffffff92796d3da0 : 0xffffff7f870ea6db 0xffffff92796d3e10 : 0xffffff7f84efc966 0xffffff92796d3e60 : 0xffffff7f84f0a438 0xffffff92796d3ea0 : 0xffffff7f84f09bf8 0xffffff92796d3ee0 : 0xffffff80046401bd 0xffffff92796d3f30 : 0xffffff800463eb02 0xffffff92796d3f70 : 0xffffff800463e08c 0xffffff92796d3fa0 : 0xffffff8003ee013e Kernel Extensions in backtrace: com.apple.iokit.IOAcceleratorFamily2(438.2.7)[72B8A0B5-E12C-3764-9187-0AC0E93416F9]@0xffffff7f84ef8000->0xffffff7f84fbbfff dependency: com.apple.driver.AppleMobileFileIntegrity(1.0.5)[180FC5AB-0E47-35BC-91DF-609EBE8ED4A5]@0xffffff7f84a04000 dependency: com.apple.iokit.IOPCIFamily(2.9)[AA7C7A4F-9F5D-3533-9E78-177C3B6A72BF]@0xffffff7f84b75000 dependency: com.apple.iokit.IOSurface(269.6)[39DC4195-B168-3895-ACD5-E731581855F8]@0xffffff7f84e68000 dependency: com.apple.iokit.IOGraphicsFamily(568)[247C211E-C250-351C-BCE2-4DB9D3003E10]@0xffffff7f84e99000 dependency: com.apple.iokit.IOReportFamily(47)[2CCA7DD3-C33F-3CA4-A213-BC83D3D997B0]@0xffffff7f84aa5000 com.apple.kext.AMDRadeonX4000(3.0.2)[1E092428-A3E6-3063-B692-B943B1565B91]@0xffffff7f870e1000->0xffffff7f87526fff dependency: com.apple.iokit.IOPCIFamily(2.9)[AA7C7A4F-9F5D-3533-9E78-177C3B6A72BF]@0xffffff7f84b75000 dependency: com.apple.iokit.IOSurface(269.6)[39DC4195-B168-3895-ACD5-E731581855F8]@0xffffff7f84e68000 dependency: com.apple.iokit.IOGraphicsFamily(568)[247C211E-C250-351C-BCE2-4DB9D3003E10]@0xffffff7f84e99000 dependency: com.apple.iokit.IOAcceleratorFamily2(438.2.7)[72B8A0B5-E12C-3764-9187-0AC0E93416F9]@0xffffff7f84ef8000 BSD process name corresponding to current thread: kernel_task Mac OS version: 19B88 Kernel version: Darwin Kernel Version 19.0.0: Thu Oct 17 16:17:15 PDT 2019; root:xnu-6153.41.3~29/RELEASE_X86_64 Kernel UUID: 7503CD47-851F-321E-8747-50DB4299165F Kernel slide: 0x0000000003c00000 Kernel text base: 0xffffff8003e00000 __HIB text base: 0xffffff8003d00000 System model name: MacBookPro11,5 (Mac-06F11F11946D27C5) System shutdown begun: NO Panic diags file available: YES (0x0) System uptime in nanoseconds: 227673169922251 last loaded kext at 293101090797: @filesystems.msdosfs 1.10 (addr 0xffffff7f85168000, size 69632) loaded kexts: com.google.drivefs.filesystems.dfsfuse 35.0.13 com.Cycling74.driver.Soundflower 2 com.sentinelone.sentinel-kext 2857 net.lundman.zfs 1.7.2 net.lundman.spl 1.7.2 @filesystems.msdosfs 1.10 @filesystems.smbfs 3.4 >!A!BMultitouch 97 @fileutil 20.036.15 >AGPM 111.2.5 >!APlatformEnabler 2.7.0d0 >X86PlatformShim 1.0.0 @filesystems.ntfs 3.14.3 >!AHDAHardwareConfigDriver 283.14 >!AHDA 283.14 @filesystems.autofs 3.0 >!AUpstreamUserClient 3.6.8 @kext.AMDRadeonServiceManager 3.0.2 @kext.AMDFramebuffer 3.0.2 >AudioAUUC 1.70 @kext.AMDRadeonX4000 3.0.2 >!AGraphicsDevicePolicy 4.5.9 @AGDCPluginDisplayMetrics 4.5.9 >!AHV 1 |IOUserEthernet 1.0.1 >AGDCBacklightControl 4.5.9 |Broadcom!B20703USBTransport 7.0.1f1 |IO!BSerialManager 7.0.1f1 >!ACameraInterface 7.6.0 >!ABacklight 180.1 >!A!IHD5000Graphics 14.0.2 >pmtelemetry 1 @Dont_Steal_Mac_OS_X 7.0.0 >!AThunderboltIP 3.1.3 >!AMuxControl 4.5.9 >eficheck 1 >!A!IFramebufferAzul 14.0.2 >ACPI_SMC_PlatformPlugin 1.0.0 >!ALPC 3.1 >!A!ISlowAdaptiveClocking 4.0.0 @kext.AMD7000!C 3.0.2 >!AMCCSControl 1.13 >!AFIVRDriver 4.1.0 >!ASMCLMU 212 >Core!SFsck 551 >iPodSBCDriver 1.7.0 |SCSITaskUserClient 422.0.2 >!ATopCaseHIDEventDriver 3410.1 >!UTopCaseDriver 3410.1 >!U!SCoexistentDriver 489.41.1 >!UCardReader 489.41.1 |IO!BUSBDFU 7.0.1f1 @filesystems.apfs 1412.41.1 >AirPort.BrcmNIC 1400.1.1 >!AAHCIPort 341.0.2 >!AFileSystemDriver 3.0.1 >!AVirtIO 1.0 @filesystems.hfs.kext 522.0.9 @!AFSCompression.!AFSCompressionTypeDataless 1.0.0d1 @BootCache 40 @!AFSCompression.!AFSCompressionTypeZlib 1.0.0 @private.KextAudit 1.0 |!ABCM5701Ethernet 10.3.5 >!ASmartBatteryManager 161.0.0 >!AACPIButtons 6.1 >!AHPET 1.8 >!ARTC 2.0 >!ASMBIOS 2.1 >!AACPIEC 6.1 >!AAPIC 1.7 $!AImage4 1 @nke.applicationfirewall 303 $TMSafetyNet 8 @!ASystemPolicy 2.0.0 |EndpointSecurity 1 >DspFuncLib 283.14 @kext.OSvKernDSPLib 529 @kext.triggers 1.0 @kext.AMDRadeonX4030HWLibs 1.0 @kext.AMDRadeonX4000HWServices 3.0.2 |IOAVB!F 800.17 >!ASSE 1.0 |Broadcom!BHost!CUSBTransport 7.0.1f1 |IO!BHost!CUSBTransport 7.0.1f1 |IO!BHost!CTransport 7.0.1f1 >!ABacklightExpert 1.1.0 |IONDRVSupport 568 >!AThunderboltEDMSink 4.2.1 >!AThunderboltDPOutAdapter 6.2.3 >!AGraphicsControl 4.5.9 |IOAccelerator!F2 438.2.7 >!AHDA!C 283.14 |IOHDA!F 283.14 >IOPlatformPluginLegacy 1.0.0 >X86PlatformPlugin 1.0.0 >IOPlatformPlugin!F 6.0.0d8 @!AGPUWrangler 4.5.9 |IOSlowAdaptiveClocking!F 1.0.0 >!ASMBusPCI 1.0.14d1 @kext.AMDSupport 3.0.2 @!AGraphicsDeviceControl 4.5.9 >!ASMBus!C 1.0.18d1 |IOGraphics!F 568 @plugin.IOgPTPPlugin 810.1 >Core!S 551 >!AHS!BDriver 3410.1 >IO!BHIDDriver 7.0.1f1 |IO!B!F 7.0.1f1 |IO!BPacketLogger 7.0.1f1 >!AActuatorDriver 3410.2 >!AMultitouchDriver 3410.2 >!AInputDeviceSupport 3410.1 >!AHIDKeyboard 209 |IOUSBMass!SClass 4.0.4 >usb.IOUSBHostHIDDevice 1.2 >usb.!UHub 1.2 >!UAudio 320.49 |IOAudio!F 300.2 @vecLib.kext 1.2.0 >usb.cdc 5.0.0 >usb.networking 5.0.0 >usb.!UHostCompositeDevice 1.2 >!AXsanScheme 3 |IOAHCIBlock!S 316.40.3 |IO80211!F 1200.12.2b1 >corecapture 1.0.4 |IOSkywalk!F 1 >!A!ILpssGspi 3.0.60 >usb.!UXHCIPCI 1.2 >usb.!UXHCI 1.2 |IOAHCI!F 290.0.1 >!AThunderboltDPInAdapter 6.2.3 >!AThunderboltDPAdapter!F 6.2.3 >!AThunderboltPCIUpAdapter 2.5.2 >!AThunderboltPCIDownAdapter 2.5.2 |IOSerial!F 11 |IOSurface 269.6 @filesystems.hfs.encodings.kext 1 |IOEthernetAVB!C 1.1.0 >mDNSOffloadUserClient 1.0.1b8 >!AThunderboltNHI 5.8.0 |IOThunderbolt!F 7.4.6 >usb.!UHostPacketFilter 1.0 |IOUSB!F 900.4.2 >!AEFINVRAM 2.1 >!AEFIRuntime 2.1 |IOSMBus!F 1.1 |IOHID!F 2.0.0 $quarantine 4 $sandbox 300.0 @kext.!AMatch 1.0.0d1 >DiskImages 493.0.0 >!AFDEKeyStore 28.30 >!AEffaceable!S 1.0 >!AKeyStore 2 >!UTDM 489.41.1 |IOSCSIBlockCommandsDevice 422.0.2 >!ACredentialManager 1.0 >KernelRelayHost 1 >!ASEPManager 1.0.1 >IOSlaveProcessor 1 |IOUSBMass!SDriver 157.40.7 |IOSCSIArchitectureModel!F 422.0.2 |IO!S!F 2.1 |IOUSBHost!F 1.2 >!UHostMergeProperties 1.2 >usb.!UCommon 1.0 >!ABusPower!C 1.0 |CoreAnalytics!F 1 >!AMobileFileIntegrity 1.0.5 @kext.CoreTrust 1 |IOReport!F 47 |IOTimeSync!F 810.1 |IONetworking!F 3.4 >!AACPIPlatform 6.1 >!ASMC 3.1.9 >watchdog 1 |IOPCI!F 2.9 |IOACPI!F 1.4 @kec.pthread 1 @kec.Libm 1 @kec.corecrypto 1.0
Published by Christophe de Dinechin
To the dismay of my beloved wife and kids, I still try to change the world. It's been hopelessly a work in progress for a few decades now… I'm passionate about programming techniques and programming languages, interactive 3D, real-time computing, OS design, free software, physics research, religion, the meaning of life, and so much more (see http://c3d.github.io for a few links)… View all posts by Christophe de Dinechin