Kernel Panics
If you've
ever experienced the black and grey kernel panic screen above, then you
know how scary and completely unhelpful it is. When one application has a
problem, you get the spinning beach ball mentioned in a previous
section, but when multiple programs fail—or the operating system
itself—you get a kernel panic. Thankfully, it's not (usually) as big of a
problem as it seems.
Step One: Reboot and See If It Happens Again
In most
cases, a kernel panic will force you to reboot you computer. Let this
happen, and if you load right back into OS X, continue working on your
computer as usual. In a lot of cases, the issue resolves itself and you
can move along. If not, or if it happens only when you use specific
programs, it's time to figure out what's going on.
Step Two: Update All Your Software
Running
Software Update can often fix kernel panic problems because more often
than not, it's a software issue. Click the Apple icon in the top left
corner, and select "Software Update." Let it look for and install new
software to see if it fixes the problem.
If for some
reason the kernel panic happens when you're starting up and you can't
load OS X, then you'll need to try and start up in safe mode. Reboot the
computer and hold down the Shift key until the Apple logo appears.
After a little while, you'll load up safe mode, a stripped down version
of OS X. Here, you can still run Software Update the same way as you
usually would.
It's also
worth visiting the developer's web site to see if other people are
having a problem with a recent update or release. If it's one specific
app that always causes the kernel panic, it's best to not use it until
an update is issued.
Step Three: Check Your Login Items
If no
software needs updating and you can't get your computer to start without
a kernel panic then it might be an issue with one of the programs you
have loading up automatically on startup. That means its time to clear
out your login items. While you're still in safe mode you can remove any
apps that start automatically:
-
Open up your System Preferences (Applications > System Preferences).
-
Select "Users and Groups" and select your user ID.
-
Select the "Login Items" tab.
-
Select each of the applications you have and click the minus sign to remove them from the list.
-
Reboot and see if you can start without a kernel panic. If so, one of those apps is causing the problem. Try loading up each to see which one causes it again.
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