My G5 is so swamped by kernel panics, I can't get past the grey screen of death and I need a solution... The story:

Bought a used G5 2.3 Dual Core off eBay. Picked it up and it ran fine (no original install discs). As far as I could tell, everything inside was stock. I swapped out the internal hard drive and reinstalled OS X, fine so far. I started doing some DVD backups and every once in a while, I would get the jet-engine fans with a freeze, usually on verify of the DVD. Didn't happen more than three times over the course of 35 DVDs or so, but at least once I got a kernel panic on startup (grey screen with the restart msg).

I started installing new software (Adobe CS3, FCP Studio, Poser 6) and the only thing I brought over from my last user settings was my Safari bookmarks. Now at this point, I am starting to get more kernel panics on restarts, altho usually they would go away after a restart or two. I installed new ram (4x Samsung 1G sticks) and the kernel panics continued at the same rate for a few weeks, then they started getting more and more frequent. The panics also 'stuck' more, requiring between 5-10 restarts before I got to the finder.

At this point, I did the usual troubleshooting. All peripherals disconnected, save the mouse and keyboard - no difference. PRAM zap - no difference. Open firmware reset-nvram/set-defaults/reset-all: saved me once, tho maybe it was luck. Ram tested with memtest, ran 10 cycles with all 4 gigs (a loooong time), all showed no errors. Checked the voltage on the PRAM battery and its right at 3 volts. PMU reset. Permissions verified. Nothing.

I figured for the time being, whenever the g5 would startup, I would leave it up, and I did and it ran fine, altho it did freeze once using Photoshop and once using Poser 6.

But yesterday, I needed to shut down and upon restart, no luck, just the grey screen of death, over 20 times at least. I tried everything again, PRAM reset, PMU reset, open firmware routine, disconnect superdrive, nothing. I even removed the hard drive and replaced with a blank, then got an OS X.3 install disc in the drive and tried to boot off that, but still, grey screen. Tried safe mode 3 times, but I got the jet engine fans every time (but no grey please restart screen). Left it unplugged overnight, tried restart, nothing.

I did manage to launch in target mode and pull off the last crash log, although it's from a few weeks back (I assume all my PRAM flashing cleared out the info going to the logs):

Tue Apr 29 09:45:52 2008
Unresolved kernel trap(cpu 1): 0x400 - Inst access DAR=0x0000000063167E00 PC=0x0000000000000000
Latest crash info for cpu 1:
Exception state (sv=0x5F3EE780)
PC=0x00000000; MSR=0x40009030; DAR=0x63167E00; DSISR=0x40000000; LR=0x00000000; R1=0x44E138A0; XCP=0x00000010 (0x400 - Inst access)
Backtrace:
0x00000000
Proceeding back via exception chain:
Exception state (sv=0x5F3EE780)
previously dumped as "Latest" state. skipping...
Exception state (sv=0x5ED90780)
PC=0x00000000; MSR=0x0000D030; DAR=0x00000000; DSISR=0x00000000; LR=0x00000000; R1=0x00000000; XCP=0x00000000 (Unknown)

Kernel version:
Darwin Kernel Version 8.11.0: Wed Oct 10 18:26:00 PDT 2007; root:xnu-792.24.17~1/RELEASE_PPC
panic(cpu 1 caller 0xFFFF0004): 0x400 - Inst access
Latest stack backtrace for cpu 1:
Backtrace:
0x000954F8 0x00095A10 0x00026898 0x000A8204 0x000ABB80
Proceeding back via exception chain:
Exception state (sv=0x5F3EE780)
PC=0x00000000; MSR=0x40009030; DAR=0x63167E00; DSISR=0x40000000; LR=0x00000000; R1=0x44E138A0; XCP=0x00000010 (0x400 - Inst access)
Backtrace:
0x00000000
Exception state (sv=0x5ED90780)
PC=0x00000000; MSR=0x0000D030; DAR=0x00000000; DSISR=0x00000000; LR=0x00000000; R1=0x00000000; XCP=0x00000000 (Unknown)

Kernel version:
Darwin Kernel Version 8.11.0: Wed Oct 10 18:26:00 PDT 2007; root:xnu-792.24.17~1/RELEASE_PPC
*********


So, anyone have any idea what I do next? The only thing that's left is the graphics card, processor or motherboard, all of which I can't test without spending cash. Any other tricks I'm missing before I take the nuclear option? I got no applecare, so if it's a logic board, don't know if it's worth it.

Also, trying to get my hands on the Hardware Test from the original install discs - why the hell doesn't Apple make those available for download??? Anyone got a disc image of it?

And yes, I know, buyer beware, so no lectures...

Thanks in advance!!!

I had similar problems with my dual G5. I don't know why the problem didn't stop until I made the switch to leopard.

I can't even boot off a DVD to install a new OS. I'm suspecting hardware issues at this point, but any additional insights are helpful!

Hi Sattch. I posted a similar story today (Constant Crashing) before I came across yours. Dual 2GHz G5, had it from new for three or four years, never gave much trouble (maybe one system crash a year) and now suddenly in the last 24 hours there are constant kernel panics with a very similar look to the crash log you're getting.

This was most unsettling, since it all occurred after I came home from a week's holiday and switched it on. Before I left it had been humming along with no bother at all.

Have you had any solution to your own problems?

At one point I was able to trace some of my problem back to a bad memory chip. Apple hardware Test nor Yech Tool found this problem. I had to use Memtest for OS X

Several months later if I crashed and then booted in single user mode the screen dump included messages about onboard audio I/O errors There was also another error that I don't remember.