Strange hardware behavior

[MacInWin]

Not sure it's related but the machine just crashed. This time it did spit out a crash report. Here is the header.

Process: WindowServer [152]
Path: /System/Library/PrivateFrameworks/SkyLight.framework/Versions/A/Resources/WindowServer
Identifier: WindowServer
Version: 600.00 (569.6)
Code Type: X86-64 (Native)
Parent Process: launchd [1]
Responsible: WindowServer [152]
User ID: 88

Date/Time: 2021-01-10 21:40:03.836 -0500
OS Version: macOS 11.1 (20C69)
Report Version: 12
Anonymous UUID: C3EA7D5A-8BCF-4CA3-86C1-91FECCAEBD44


Time Awake Since Boot: 120000 seconds

System Integrity Protection: enabled

Crashed Thread: 0 Dispatch queue: com.apple.main-thread

Exception Type: EXC_CRASH (SIGKILL)
Exception Codes: 0x0000000000000000, 0x0000000000000000
Exception Note: EXC_CORPSE_NOTIFY

Termination Reason: WATCHDOG, [0x1] monitoring timed out for service
Termination Details: WATCHDOG, checkin with service: WindowServer returned not alive with context:
unresponsive work processor(s): WindowServer main thread
40 seconds since last successful checkin, 12200 total successsful checkins since load (0 induced crashes)

Application Specific Information:
StartTime:2021-01-09 11:45:39
GPU:IG&AMD
MetalDevice for accelerator(0x7937): 0x7fea19a1d188 (MTLDevice: 0x7fea1c7d4000)
MetalDevice for accelerator(0xb403): 0x7fea19b3dd18 (MTLDevice: 0x7fea1c7c2000)
IOService:/AppleACPIPlatformExpert/PCI0@0/AppleACPIPCI/PEG0@1/IOPP/GFX0@0/ATY,Ramen@0/AMDFramebufferSI
IOService:/AppleACPIPlatformExpert/PCI0@0/AppleACPIPCI/PEG0@1/IOPP/GFX0@0/ATY,Ramen@2/AMDFramebufferSI

Does anybody know what WATCHDOG is? Or the relationship with WindowsServer? The system was running, fans turning, screen dark. I had installed Amphetimine a few days ago to see if it was a rogue nap routine creating the issue. All else is the same. On reboot, all windows returned to where they were, battery is ok this time. Don't know if this is related to the earlier problems or not, but wondered what WATCHDOG is and why it's shutting down my system.

 

[MacInWin]

I found a 39 page thread at MacRumors about the KPs with Watchdog. Two types, one is on shutdown/startup and the other like mine, associated with WindowServer. No solutions. One workaround is to disable SIP, but it's hit or miss. All kinds of hardware affected from 2015 to 2020 models, all sizes. Goes back to Catalina and now in Big Sur. Looks like Apple has a nasty bug in there somewhere. A couple of folks tried to get Apple to work on it, but got shut down after a couple of tries.

 

[MacInWin]

Here is the link to the thread: Page 39

Constant Kernel Panics – userspace watchdog timeout: no successful checkins from com.apple.WindowServer

This may sound stupid, but for the reboot issue (KP on reboot - watchdogd etc), I simply start the machine then open terminal. I then execute a couple of commands, such as gem or top, then reboot.

forums.macrumors.com

 

[IWT]

Oh, Jake, I feel so sorry for you. I read most of the 39 pages and, frankly, there's little in the way of understanding, let alone solving, the problem. And, according to some, Apple has either been in denial or suggested it is related to common apps which many professionals use, and have for ages.

Needless to say, I can't help but I do have the sincerest sympathy for you.

I think Apple needs to take this more seriously. Sorry, old chap. Commiserations are all I can offer.

Ian

 

[MacInWin]

Well, the good news in all of that is that it's NOT hardware related. I'll maybe play around a bit to see if I can determine what I have running that might be related. I only scanned the 39 pages, maybe I'll search all of it for anything I have running to see if I really need it. This isn't a business-critical machine, so there isn't much I can't let go. But for me, it was strange for it to just start happening after installing Big Sur, when others have had the issue back in Catalina. And although this one event was a true KP, the original "stopping" wasn't, so I really don't know if the two are related.

 

[bcoffeyphoto]

@ferrarr, Yes and No. Ran it. Nothing noted.

I'm running into this as well, had a 2019 iMac, worked with Apple, the OWC RAM manufacturer, was running Mojave at the time. RMA replacement on 128GB of RAM, that didn't fix it. Sent the 2019 into an Apple 3rd Party Repair Center (Apple was closed in CA due to COVID) they couldn't figure it out. Spent months on various support calls and emails from Apple, they finally RMA'd the 2019 iMac and shipped out a new 2020 iMac and the problem persists. Tested the RAM (which was replaced) kernel panicked, tried different sticks, kernel panics, finally got it working somehow through the tests...seemed better. Started a transfer of 5.6TB worth of data between two Thunderbolt RAID arrays, kernel panicked. I have another RMA out to replace the RAM for the second time, arriving Wednesday 2/17, after that if that doesn't fix it, I'll call OWC and see what else is going on. My issue is different than yours because it is a true panic, but there's definitely some similarities, primarily your log message that brought me here. First it was FinderSyncAPIExtension, so I killed all of those (Dropbox/Google/Adobe Finder Integrations) then it was

CVMCompiler[1635]: getattrlist failed for /System/Library/Extensions/AMDShared.bundle/Contents/Resources/cl_kernel.amd.dbl.fmath.pch: #2: No such file or directory

com.apple.xpc.launchd[1] (com.apple.mdworker.shared.10000000-0100-0000-0000-000000000000[1610]): Service exited due to SIGKILL | sent by mds[102] times 3 w/various numbers

Then com.apple.xpc.launchd[1] (com.apple.applefsplaceholder): Service only ran for 0 seconds. Pushing respawn out by 10 seconds.

In that order, Panic, Reboot.

You're not alone man, I've been chasing this for 3 months, first on a 2019 iMac with Mojave, now on a brand new 2020 iMac with Big Sur. I'm losing my mind over here.

 

[bcoffeyphoto]

Here is the link to the thread: Page 39

Constant Kernel Panics – userspace watchdog timeout: no successful checkins from com.apple.WindowServer

This may sound stupid, but for the reboot issue (KP on reboot - watchdogd etc), I simply start the machine then open terminal. I then execute a couple of commands, such as gem or top, then reboot.

forums.macrumors.com

I've seen the watchdog error as well.

B

 

[MacInWin]

For me, Amphetamine seems to have cut down the issues. I'm probably dooming myself, but it's been a couple of weeks now since the last stoppage.

 

[MacInWin]

Just an update. The problem is still there and just happened. This time the consul logs were wiped out and restarted, battery history wiped out and restarted. Logs empty before the reboot. No panic, no crash reports. It just quit. I heard all my external drives spin down, which alerted me to the issue. No response from the spacebar to wake it up, so I had to hold down the power button to get it to reboot. Battery was at 93% on restart, dropped instantly from 100 to 93%. So, it's getting slightly worse, although not as often (I hope). Hope I can nurse it to the Mx MBP 16" comes out...

 

[IWT]

Feel desperately sorry for you Jake. Seems there’s nothing you or we can do to help. You’re a good man; you’ll manage


Ian

 

[chscag]

So, it's getting slightly worse, although not as often (I hope). Hope I can nurse it to the Mx MBP 16" comes out...

According to the rumor mill, we may see a new 16" MX around September or October. I'm waiting on a MX large screen iMac but it appears that we won't see one until next Spring at the earliest. But with Apple you never know.

 

[MacInWin]

But with Apple you never know.

Amen to that, brother!