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10900K iMac Crashes Frequently

Jeremy Gillam

Senior Member
I have the 10 core iMac. I've gotten occasional kernel panics the whole time I've had it (only since Dec 2020) and they seem to be increasing in frequency. They seem to happen randomly, or at at least processor load has no bearing on when it happens. Sometimes it doesn't shut off properly when I power down, and I get the error screen when it reboots. I swapped out all 4 aftermarket 32GB RAM modules that I purchased from OWC, and it didn't resolve the issue. I updated from Catalina to Big Sur. No dice.

Apple gave me the runaround on phone support. Reinstall the OS, etc. Nothing. Of course I can take it to the genius bar, but I was putting it off due to Covid, and now I'm busy with work and loathe to take the time. I thought I'd check in here to see if anyone might be able to shed some light.

Thanks...
 
I have the 10 core iMac. I've gotten occasional kernel panics the whole time I've had it (only since Dec 2020) and they seem to be increasing in frequency. They seem to happen randomly, or at at least processor load has no bearing on when it happens. Sometimes it doesn't shut off properly when I power down, and I get the error screen when it reboots. I swapped out all 4 aftermarket 32GB RAM modules that I purchased from OWC, and it didn't resolve the issue. I updated from Catalina to Big Sur. No dice.

Apple gave me the runaround on phone support. Reinstall the OS, etc. Nothing. Of course I can take it to the genius bar, but I was putting it off due to Covid, and now I'm busy with work and loathe to take the time. I thought I'd check in here to see if anyone might be able to shed some light.

Thanks...
Are these crashes happening when temps are too high?
 
I encountered a spate of overnight crashes on my 2018 Mac mini (Big Sur) a few weeks ago, and to my great surprise, reinstalling the OS actually seems to have cured them. If you've tried that since the update to Big Sur, it really sounds like hardware (especially with a new machine). Have you tried running Apple Diagnostics?
 
Thanks for the replies.
Are these crashes happening when temps are too high?
They seem to be unrelated to temps. Last kernel panic was yesterday (a fairly cool day in Los Angeles) when I was only running word processing. I actually don't think I've gotten any panics when I've really been slamming the CPU with Cubase or Photoshop and the fans are going.
I encountered a spate of overnight crashes on my 2018 Mac mini (Big Sur) a few weeks ago, and to my great surprise, reinstalling the OS actually seems to have cured them. If you've tried that since the update to Big Sur, it really sounds like hardware (especially with a new machine). Have you tried running Apple Diagnostics?
I did reinstall since the Big Sur update. Maybe I'll try that once more. Apple Diagnostics found no issues when I ran that.
 
Thanks for the replies.

They seem to be unrelated to temps. Last kernel panic was yesterday (a fairly cool day in Los Angeles) when I was only running word processing. I actually don't think I've gotten any panics when I've really been slamming the CPU with Cubase or Photoshop and the fans are going.

I did reinstall since the Big Sur update. Maybe I'll try that once more. Apple Diagnostics found no issues when I ran that.
I'm fairly certain it's a hardware issue. If the OS fails to critically talk to one of your mobo components at any point in time, that grey curtain will just come down beautifully to tell you the show's over.

OS self-diagnostics are super flaky and don't work most of the time (Apple/Msoft).
 
It could be a funky hardware component. I had a stick of RAM go bad on me recently and it brought my whole system down. Took me a couple of days to figure out what it was. Obviously that's not your problem. The Genius-Bar may be your best option.
 
For what it's worth a friend of mine has had a miserable time with the 10 core 2020 iMac… Lots of kernel panics, other kinds of crashes etc. Also got the runaround with Apple support. Swapping out Ram did improve things considerably but it still crashes a lot more than it should for a new Mac.
 
Thanks for the feedback everyone. Hopefully the Genius Bar can sort it out. I was using a PC I built that never crashed, but I missed the Mac for a few reasons and took the plunge on this machine to tide me over until they get the new chips sorted out for pro work. If not for the crashes I'd be very pleased with it but...yeesh.
 
Thanks for the feedback everyone. Hopefully the Genius Bar can sort it out. I was using a PC I built that never crashed, but I missed the Mac for a few reasons and took the plunge on this machine to tide me over until they get the new chips sorted out for pro work. If not for the crashes I'd be very pleased with it but...yeesh.
MacOS is awesome. I love the UI and terminal. The way they build their computers though...tragic.
 
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I have the 10 core iMac. I've gotten occasional kernel panics the whole time I've had it (only since Dec 2020) and they seem to be increasing in frequency. They seem to happen randomly, or at at least processor load has no bearing on when it happens. Sometimes it doesn't shut off properly when I power down, and I get the error screen when it reboots. I swapped out all 4 aftermarket 32GB RAM modules that I purchased from OWC, and it didn't resolve the issue. I updated from Catalina to Big Sur. No dice.

Apple gave me the runaround on phone support. Reinstall the OS, etc. Nothing. Of course I can take it to the genius bar, but I was putting it off due to Covid, and now I'm busy with work and loathe to take the time. I thought I'd check in here to see if anyone might be able to shed some light.

Thanks...
I rarely use Apple support but when I have to, I find that the geniuses on the end of the phone are useless. Not quite sure how I get away with it, but I always insist on speaking to a senior technician.

If they give me the palaver about reinstall, safe boot, whatever, I say yes yes, I've been using Macs since 1986, so yes, I've done all that and it didn't work, that's why I'm ringing you. If you haven't any other suggestions that I haven't already tried, yes I've reset the PRAM, the SMC, all that, then please can you put me through to a senior technician.

For some reason, they are all in Cork. Because Apple used to manufacture there, I suppose.

But they are superb.

So try to get through to a senior!

Good luck.
 
Thanks for the feedback everyone. Hopefully the Genius Bar can sort it out. I was using a PC I built that never crashed, but I missed the Mac for a few reasons and took the plunge on this machine to tide me over until they get the new chips sorted out for pro work. If not for the crashes I'd be very pleased with it but...yeesh.
If I'm not mistaken, I remember when you were selling your PC on the forum. I thought really hard about buying it. I kind of wish I had, since my PC is getting really old and you we're offering a great price.
 
If I'm not mistaken, I remember when you were selling your PC on the forum. I thought really hard about buying it. I kind of wish I had, since my PC is getting really old and you we're offering a great price.
Well, it found a home with another forum member. Maybe I will be selling an iMac soon :thumbsdown:
 
Oh wait I should read that OP better.

Point being: I once had a series of unexplained issues with a late-2015 iMac (even got a new, identical iMac!) and it was kernel panicking right and left no matter what.

Turns out that that iMac didn't appreciate OWC's RAM. I tried 2 separate sets of RAM cards and neither worked!

Switching to Crucial solved the problem immediately.
 
Oh wait I should read that OP better.

Point being: I once had a series of unexplained issues with a late-2015 iMac (even got a new, identical iMac!) and it was kernel panicking right and left no matter what.

Turns out that that iMac didn't appreciate OWC's RAM. I tried 2 separate sets of RAM cards and neither worked!

Switching to Crucial solved the problem immediately.
Geez. Thanks for mentioning that. RAM was my first thought, and like I said above OWC was kind enough to help me swap out the modules I bought from them but it didn't help. Maybe I'll have to try Crucial.
 
Geez. Thanks for mentioning that. RAM was my first thought, and like I said above OWC was kind enough to help me swap out the modules I bought from them but it didn't help. Maybe I'll have to try Crucial.
Ah, I thought you'd tried it with the stock RAM, but what you can do with that is probably quite limited. Trying a different brand of RAM is probably a good next step if possible.
 
Sorry to bump this, but the saga continues...

I took the iMac in to the Genius Bar a few weeks ago and left it overnight. They ran their diagnostics and told me the only failing component was the RAM (my 128 GB OWC kit.) I ordered another brand of RAM from Amazon (Timetec) and it seemed to resolve the problem for about a week, but then I got a couple kernel panics with it installed. OWC support won't let me return the RAM I bought from them, saying "under Magnuson-Moss Warranty Act the memory would have to be replaced three times for the same issue before it could be deemed a lemon and a refund offered." So they are putting me through the same series of troubleshooting steps I went through with them before I took it to the Apple Store. The latest was to restore some disk permissions via the internet recovery option. I did that with the Timetec RAM installed and it was okay today.

Tonight when I tried to reinstall my four OWC DIMMs (so I can return the Timetec kit) the computer wouldn't boot. I tried several combinations of slots and eventually got it to boot with only the second from the top slot and the bottom slot installed. When I tried all four DIMMs again it wouldn't boot, so I went back to the two slots mentioned above. It wouldn't boot on the first try, but I fiddled with them and it eventually booted, so at the moment I'm only running with 64GB installed.

Needless to say I'm very frustrated and wondering if I should figure out a way to cut my losses and get rid of this computer. It seems to me that there might be some bad RAM slots. Maybe I can get Apple to replace it, but at this point I feel like nobody can help me get to the bottom of this. Apple blames OWC, OWC blames Apple...

Suggestions welcome.
 
Sorry to bump this, but the saga continues...

I took the iMac in to the Genius Bar a few weeks ago and left it overnight. They ran their diagnostics and told me the only failing component was the RAM (my 128 GB OWC kit.) I ordered another brand of RAM from Amazon (Timetec) and it seemed to resolve the problem for about a week, but then I got a couple kernel panics with it installed. OWC support won't let me return the RAM I bought from them, saying "under Magnuson-Moss Warranty Act the memory would have to be replaced three times for the same issue before it could be deemed a lemon and a refund offered." So they are putting me through the same series of troubleshooting steps I went through with them before I took it to the Apple Store. The latest was to restore some disk permissions via the internet recovery option. I did that with the Timetec RAM installed and it was okay today.

Tonight when I tried to reinstall my four OWC DIMMs (so I can return the Timetec kit) the computer wouldn't boot. I tried several combinations of slots and eventually got it to boot with only the second from the top slot and the bottom slot installed. When I tried all four DIMMs again it wouldn't boot, so I went back to the two slots mentioned above. It wouldn't boot on the first try, but I fiddled with them and it eventually booted, so at the moment I'm only running with 64GB installed.

Needless to say I'm very frustrated and wondering if I should figure out a way to cut my losses and get rid of this computer. It seems to me that there might be some bad RAM slots. Maybe I can get Apple to replace it, but at this point I feel like nobody can help me get to the bottom of this. Apple blames OWC, OWC blames Apple...

Suggestions welcome.
Have you tried Crucial yet? ;)
 
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