Troubleshooting Mac OS X 10.2.5: More on kernel panics; Clicking issue limited to 10.2.5?; SMB and UAM problems; more

Kernel panics: USB and other As we continue to deal with a huge number of kernel panic reports following the release and subsequent wide adoption of Mac OS X 10.2.5, there are appears to be some confusion about what exactly is causing the kernel panics. Most of the evidence thus far - including an admission from Apple - indicates that some part of the USB infrastructure becomes critically flawed in Mac OS X 10.2.5, meaning that some users cannot connect USB hubs or even individual devices without experiencing the panics. However, some other factors seem to be at play.

First of all, detaching all USB devices is by no means an airtight solution to this problem and is inconvenient to boot. After removing all USB components and even going so far as to use displays that lack USB connectivity (included on all currently chipping Apple Studio Displays), some users are still being presented with a kernel panic every few minutes.

In cases where USB problems are almost certainly not at play, users are receiving the following message, repeating, in the log viewer:

"2003-04-18 13:20:58 BST - Can't unregister node ~BSD Configuration Files~Local since not registered"

Not all of these log additions seem to coincide perfectly with the kernel panics, though for many users the majority of them do.

It should also be noted, for reference, that this problem also affects internal USB adapters, such as Belkin's PCI 4-port internal USB Hub. MacFixIt reader James Snyder writes:

"I installed the Belkin card on my Power Macintosh G4 Dual 1 GHz (Sawtooth) and it worked fine right on the first try. However, that same evening, the Mac OS X 10.2.5 update was announced and I downloaded it to upgrade from 10.2.3. My G4 has not been able to recognize the PCI USB hub ever since installing the upgrade to 10.2.5. The USB hub does not show up on Apple System Profiler either."

Clicking issue limited to 10.2.5? Since our initial coverage regarding a constant "clicking" or "ticking" noise after upgrading to Mac OS X 10.2.5, a handful of users have come forth to report that the clicking issue existed before applying the 10.2.5 updater. Simultaneously, an overwhelming number of readers continue to report that the problem only cropped up after applying the new update.

In some cases this issue could be caused by a software failure induced by Mac OS X 10.2.5, in others clicking could be the result of aging hardware. As we try to track down more information, please let us know if the clicking you are hearing is coming from the speakers, internal drive, or some other component.

One MacFixIt reader says he could actually feel some component of his iBook's internal hard drive knocking against the inside of the case in accompaniment with the clicking:

"I upgraded my iBook to Mac OS X 10.2.5 and experienced a disk drive clicking which was pronounced and very unusual. As I usually have the 'mute' on for my laptop speakers I can testify that my particular problem was with the hard drive. It seemed the head was seeking the very edges of the disk and actually knocking on the side of the casing. I could feel it when I held the machine. I could regularly reproduce this noise by using the Disk Utility to "repair permissions" and somewhere around the ten minute mark the disk would start seeking and making distressing noises."

SMB and UAM problems We continue to receive complaints regarding SMB capabilities after upgrading to 10.2.5. Rick Sanders writes:

"I updated my PowerMac G4 from Mac OS X 10.2.3 to 10.2.5. Now I can no longer access files on my Dell Dimension 2350 running Windows XP. Using the Connect to Server menu item, I can successfully connect to the shared folder I set up on the Dell. However, when I click on the item in the finder, it does not show any of the files that I know are in the folder. When I click on another item in the finder window, the shared folder just disappears. When I attempt to connect once more, I get a dialog box indicating an SMB error=-5000. I have to restart the Mac to get back to get rid of the error message, but I still can't see any files."

Users are also reporting problems with the Microsoft UAM setup. UAM stands for "User Authentication Module" and provides a method for encrypting the passwords that you use to log into Windows AFP Servers. According to Micrsoft, the standard Apple UAM provides only minimal encryption (if any) so your password could easily be intercepted on the LAN or Internet.

Oddly, while applying incremental Mac OS X combo updaters instead of the smaller "one-step" upgrades has generally resolved a number of issues, in this case the opposite seems to be true. Some users who applied only the one-step upgrade are reporting full success using SMB or UAM (individual cases vary) with Windows systems, while those who applied the combo updater are noticing the problem. Unfortunately, applying the one-step upgrade over a current Mac OS X 10.2.5 combo installation does not seem to resolve the issue. Instead users will need to perform an Archive and Install process reverting to Mac OS X 10.2 and then move back up to 10.2.5. However, this tedious process does not guarantee that SMB and UAM access issues will be resolved.

Apparently, SMB access for Linux servers still works properly in most cases.

Slideshow screensaver bug A minor, but annoying bug exists in the Screen Effects portion of System Preferences after upgrading to Mac OS X 10.2.5. If you choose "present slides in random order" when using the "Pictures Folder" screensaver, the system will display the message "Looking for pictures" in the preview pane, and a black screen when the screensaver is activated.

Loss of sound If you experience a loss of sound after installing either the new AirPort 3.0.2 or AppleWorks 6.2.7 releases, try re-applying the Mac OS X 10.2.5 combo updater.

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