Where is my airport card?

[bertieboy]

Hi there. New member.

Probably a dumb question but I can't find the airport card in my machine (a bit of a problem since it is causing kernel panics like they are going out of fashion).

I have looked at the Apple docs on where to find it (such as http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?artnum=111919) but when I move my keyboard out of the way it is not there.

I have a white ibook g4 with dual USB and firewire, bought in September 2005.

Any suggestions or links for further information would be most welcome.

Regards



Bertie

[trevor]

You didn't mention what processor clock speed or screen size but all four models of white iBook G4 sold in 2005 include Airport built-in. It is not a separate removable card.

What makes you think that it is the Airport chipset causing kernel panics?

Trevor

[bertieboy]

Aha!! Thanks for that Trevor. Would be handy if the apple website thought to mention that.

I have got airport down as the main culprit because everytime it kicks me out the panic log mentions airport as the last thing it tries... see below

Sun Oct 29 17:37:02 2006
panic(cpu 0 caller 0x000A8800): Uncorrectable machine check: pc = 0000000000687038, msr = 0000000000149030, dsisr = 42000000, dar = 000000002D5EE000
AsyncSrc = 0000000000000000, CoreFIR = 0000000000000000
L2FIR = 0000000000000000, BusFir = 0000000000000000

Latest stack backtrace for cpu 0:
Backtrace:
0x00095138 0x00095650 0x00026898 0x000A8800 0x000A7A90 0x000AB780
Proceeding back via exception chain:
Exception state (sv=0x2D2CB780)
PC=0x00687038; MSR=0x00149030; DAR=0x2D5EE000; DSISR=0x42000000; LR=0x00686C10; R1=0x1783BC70; XCP=0x00000008 (0x200 - Machine check)
Backtrace:
0x00000171 0x006B2EC8 0x006AE828 0x006C3094 0x002D0B94 0x002CFA5C
0x000A9314
Kernel loadable modules in backtrace (with dependencies):
com.apple.iokit.AppleAirPort2(405.1)@0x684000
dependency: com.apple.iokit.IONetworkingFamily(1.5.0)@0x5b1000
dependency: com.apple.iokit.IOPCIFamily(1.7)@0x482000
Exception state (sv=0x2D2DB280)
PC=0x00000000; MSR=0x0000D030; DAR=0x00000000; DSISR=0x00000000; LR=0x00000000; R1=0x00000000; XCP=0x00000000 (Unknown)

Kernel version:
Darwin Kernel Version 8.8.0: Fri Sep 8 17:18:57 PDT 2006; root:xnu-792.12.6.obj~1/RELEASE_PPC
*********

Sun Oct 29 17:38:48 2006
panic(cpu 0 caller 0x000A8800): Uncorrectable machine check: pc = 0000000000687038, msr = 0000000000149030, dsisr = 40000000, dar = 000000002D6DBFBC
AsyncSrc = 0000000000000000, CoreFIR = 0000000000000000
L2FIR = 0000000000000000, BusFir = 0000000000000000

Latest stack backtrace for cpu 0:
Backtrace:
0x00095138 0x00095650 0x00026898 0x000A8800 0x000A7A90 0x000AB780
Proceeding back via exception chain:
Exception state (sv=0x32242780)
PC=0x00687038; MSR=0x00149030; DAR=0x2D6DBFBC; DSISR=0x40000000; LR=0x00686C10; R1=0x1783BC70; XCP=0x00000008 (0x200 - Machine check)
Backtrace:
0x000001BE 0x006B2EC8 0x006AE828 0x006C3094 0x002D0B94 0x002CFA5C
0x000A9314
Kernel loadable modules in backtrace (with dependencies):
com.apple.iokit.AppleAirPort2(405.1)@0x684000
dependency: com.apple.iokit.IONetworkingFamily(1.5.0)@0x5b1000
dependency: com.apple.iokit.IOPCIFamily(1.7)@0x482000
Exception state (sv=0x3224E500)
PC=0x00000000; MSR=0x0000D030; DAR=0x00000000; DSISR=0x00000000; LR=0x00000000; R1=0x00000000; XCP=0x00000000 (Unknown)

Kernel version:
Darwin Kernel Version 8.8.0: Fri Sep 8 17:18:57 PDT 2006; root:xnu-792.12.6.obj~1/RELEASE_PPC
*********

Sun Oct 29 18:30:11 2006
panic(cpu 0 caller 0x000A8800): Uncorrectable machine check: pc = 0000000000689CD8, msr = 0000000000149030, dsisr = 40000000, dar = 0000000031DFE004
AsyncSrc = 0000000000000000, CoreFIR = 0000000000000000
L2FIR = 0000000000000000, BusFir = 0000000000000000

Latest stack backtrace for cpu 0:
Backtrace:
0x00095138 0x00095650 0x00026898 0x000A8800 0x000A7A90 0x000AB780
Proceeding back via exception chain:
Exception state (sv=0x31DEC280)
PC=0x00689CD8; MSR=0x00149030; DAR=0x31DFE004; DSISR=0x40000000; LR=0x00689CC4; R1=0x177FB530; XCP=0x00000008 (0x200 - Machine check)
Backtrace:
0x00689CC4 0x006A3930 0x006C3874 0x006C0F9C 0x006D38F8 0x005BD42C
0x005BD2AC 0x002D124C 0x005BD320 0x005B4240 0x005B4470 0x005B40FC 0x005BD2AC 0x002D124C
0x005BD320 0x005B3FBC 0x0011DE04 0x0011B230 0x0011B740 0x00283274 0x00283328 0x00260244
0x0027F47C 0x002AAE28 0x000AB930 0x020C0D20
Kernel loadable modules in backtrace (with dependencies):
com.apple.iokit.AppleAirPort2(405.1)@0x684000
dependency: com.apple.iokit.IONetworkingFamily(1.5.0)@0x5b1000
dependency: com.apple.iokit.IOPCIFamily(1.7)@0x482000
com.apple.iokit.IONetworkingFamily(1.5.0)@0x5b1000
Exception state (sv=0x31DEC500)
PC=0x90001B0C; MSR=0x0200F030; DAR=0xE00F9000; DSISR=0x42000000; LR=0x000E431C; R1=0xF00803E0; XCP=0x00000030 (0xC00 - System call)

Kernel version:
Darwin Kernel Version 8.8.0: Fri Sep 8 17:18:57 PDT 2006; root:xnu-792.12.6.obj~1/RELEASE_PPC

*********

Sun Oct 29 18:51:50 2006
panic(cpu 0 caller 0x000A8800): Uncorrectable machine check: pc = 0000000000689CD8, msr = 0000000000149030, dsisr = 40000000, dar = 0000000031DF8004
AsyncSrc = 0000000000000000, CoreFIR = 0000000000000000
L2FIR = 0000000000000000, BusFir = 0000000000000000

Latest stack backtrace for cpu 0:
Backtrace:
0x00095138 0x00095650 0x00026898 0x000A8800 0x000A7A90 0x000AB780
Proceeding back via exception chain:
Exception state (sv=0x278DD500)
PC=0x00689CD8; MSR=0x00149030; DAR=0x31DF8004; DSISR=0x40000000; LR=0x00689CC4; R1=0x1779B9E0; XCP=0x00000008 (0x200 - Machine check)
Backtrace:
0x00689CC4 0x006A3930 0x006C3874 0x006C41A4 0x006C32A0 0x006C313C
0x002D124C 0x006C14AC 0x006C2774 0x002EB838 0x0008C6A4 0x0002921C 0x000233F8 0x000ABAAC
0x00000000
Kernel loadable modules in backtrace (with dependencies):
com.apple.iokit.AppleAirPort2(405.1)@0x684000
dependency: com.apple.iokit.IONetworkingFamily(1.5.0)@0x5b1000
dependency: com.apple.iokit.IOPCIFamily(1.7)@0x482000
Exception state (sv=0x2D9B2000)
PC=0x9000AB48; MSR=0x0200F030; DAR=0x2DB8B000; DSISR=0x42000000; LR=0x9000AA9C; R1=0xBFFFD440; XCP=0x00000030 (0xC00 - System call)

Kernel version:
Darwin Kernel Version 8.8.0: Fri Sep 8 17:18:57 PDT 2006; root:xnu-792.12.6.obj~1/RELEASE_PPC

*********

If I can't get to the Airport card then I guess I will have to try the usual rigmarole of removing RAM and other stuff to see if any of that is to blame.

... unless anyone has a brighter idea?

[trevor]

Can you turn Airport off? Or does it panic before you even get that chance?

What are your network settings? Are you using Bluetooth? Built-in Ethernet?

Are there any peripherals attached to this computer at all? Can you disconnect them for troubleshooting?

Do the kernel panics continue after a Safe Boot? What about when booting to your Install CD/DVD?

Can you create a new user? Do the panics continue from the new user?

Have you made any recent changes, such as new memory?

Trevor

[bertieboy]

Hi Trevor

I am struggling to turn airport off. Sometimes it lets me in and allows me to use a few applications but as soon as I click on the airport icon at the top I get kernel panic'd again.

I have bluetooth off and no other network settings - I have just got it back from an apple authorised repairer who (incorrectly) decided the problem was with OSX and reinstalled it - so I have pretty much a pristine set up.

No peripherals are attached at all.

I can safe boot to my heart's content and never get a kernel panic. I haven't tried to boot from the install DVD because the version of OSX on there now is newer than my install disc version.

I have created a new user - same problem.

No recent changes at all.

Thanks for your help.

[trevor]

Quote: I can safe boot to my heart's content and never get a kernel panic.

Can you Safe Boot, then turn off Airport?

Quote: I haven't tried to boot from the install DVD because the version of OSX on there now is newer than my install disc version.

Boot to your Install DVD, but don't actually install anything. As long as you don't install anything, you're not going to change the version of OS X on your hard drive--just being booted to the DVD will have no effect on your hard drive at all. When booted to the Install DVD, do you have any kernel panics?

If possible, after booting to your Install DVD, select Disk Utility from one of the pulldown menus, go to the First Aid tab, select your boot drive on the left, and click "Repair Disk".

Trevor

[bertieboy]

I managed to sneak into the Airport settings in the brief period of time it let me log on for and switched off Airport. The computer is (so far) panic free.

I ran the Disk Repair, which gave a clean bill of health, and the Hardware Test, which again came up clean (including AirPort).

Guess I need a long ethernet cable (

[SEAcarlessTTLE]

Any luck solving this issue? I'm having the exact same problem with a 12" iBook G4 1.33 GHz that I bought last December. The machine runs fine when the AirPort is off, but shortly after I turn it on, sometimes instantaneously, I get a kernel panic. Sometimes, it panics before the login screen comes up. If I'm lucky, I can get as far as logging in long enough to turn it off.

Based on your panic.log, I gather I'm running the same kernel version and the same AirPort Extreme firmware version (405.1). The AppleCare folks have asked me to do an archive and install, so we'll see if that does anything, but I'm not hopeful. I'll post again here if this solves the problem.

In case it's useful/meaningful to anyone else out there, here's a panic.log entry:

Thu Nov 9 13:55:04 2006
panic(cpu 0 caller 0x000A8800): Uncorrectable machine check: pc = 00000000006FF52C, msr = 0000000000149030, dsisr = 42000000, dar = 00000000E04BC000
AsyncSrc = 0000000000000000, CoreFIR = 0000000000000000
L2FIR = 0000000000000000, BusFir = 0000000000000000

Latest stack backtrace for cpu 0:
Backtrace:
0x00095138 0x00095650 0x00026898 0x000A8800 0x000A7A90 0x000AB780
Proceeding back via exception chain:
Exception state (sv=0x2CA7A500)
PC=0x006FF52C; MSR=0x00149030; DAR=0xE04BC000; DSISR=0x42000000; LR=0x00714078; R1=0x0D06BD30; XCP=0x00000008 (0x200 - Machine check)
Backtrace:
0x01709E00 0x00714078 0x002D0B94 0x002CFA5C 0x000A9314
Kernel loadable modules in backtrace (with dependencies):
com.apple.iokit.AppleAirPort2(405.1)@0x6d5000
dependency: com.apple.iokit.IONetworkingFamily(1.5.0)@0x602000
dependency: com.apple.iokit.IOPCIFamily(1.7)@0x45f000
Exception state (sv=0x1D10B780)
PC=0x00000000; MSR=0x0000D030; DAR=0x00000000; DSISR=0x00000000; LR=0x00000000; R1=0x00000000; XCP=0x00000000 (Unknown)

Kernel version:
Darwin Kernel Version 8.8.0: Fri Sep 8 17:18:57 PDT 2006; root:xnu-792.12.6.obj~1/RELEASE_PPC

[paulcapewell]

This is exactly the same as is happening to me.

Any new advice?

[lucacairoli]

Dear all,
I'm also experiencing frequent kernel panics due to Airport (405.1), but only after having upgraded my Mac OS X to 10.4.8 (everything worked fine earlier).
The panic log looks very similar to yours ("panic(cpu 0 caller 0x000A8800): Uncorrectable machine check....Kernel loadable modules in backtrace (with dependencies): com.apple.iokit.AppleAirPort2(405.1)...").

Installing a 10.4.8 combo-update seemed to solve the problem for few weeks, but, unfortunately, two days ago......two more KPs :-(

Please, don't forget to keep this discussion up-to-date, if any of you discovers something interesting... I'll do the same (apart for praying for a patch by Apple, of course!).

Best,

[hayne]

Experiencing kernel panics is not normal. If any significant (percentage wise) number of people were getting kernel panics due to Airport you would have heard much more about it and it likely would have been fixed by now too.

So if you are experiencing kernel panics, it must mean that there is something unusual about your machine - either the hardware or the software.
If the "unusual" thing is that something is wrong (broken) with your hardware, then you will likely need to get it repaired and of course that can get expensive if the machine is out of warranty.

But first you want to rule out all other possibilities.
To this end, you should try the standard troubleshooting suggestions:
http://www.apple.com/support/mac101/ (see the "My Mac needs help" section)
http://www.macosxhints.com/article.p...04011205473937
http://forums.osxfaq.com/viewtopic.php?t=7269
http://www.thexlab.com/faqs/faqs.html

[markus_k]

did anyone already figure out how to resolve this problem?

surfing on the internet I've found so many users experiencing this problem and some of them ended up with their logic board changed..

[ironlung]

I am also interested in any suggestions - my ibook has recently began kernel panicking whenever airport is enabled.

[dealhunter]

I am also interested in knowing the solution.

I upgraded to 10.4.8 earlier this month and the iBook worked fine until yesterday when I started getting the error message! If it is a software bug then am not sure why it worked fine for 3+ weeks.

I have turned off airport card and the machine is working fine with ethernet.

[ironlung]

It's hard to tell whether the number of people suddenly getting this is a coincidence (hardware failure) or the not (software updates causing the issue).

There is a security update out for Tiger today, a security issue with airport has been fixed. Perhaps this driver will be more reliable.

[dealhunter]

I applied the new drivers last night and got the same error again after turning on airport card! So the new drivers have not solved the problem for me.

[lucacairoli]

I also installed the last security patch (17'' G4 ibook), but nothing changed to me: I yet experience KPs. It would be worth to read the references posted above by hayne (I already was aware of some of them, but they didn't solve my problem).

A strange thing that I observed is that KPs are more likely when I phisically move my iBook (when, e.g., working on a sofa connected through airport, I --gently-- move my ibook off my knees and put it on the sofa in order to have a break).
At a first sight, this may suggest a HW problem (e.g., the airport card chipset is not firmly fixed on the motherboard), but since (i) I experience this problem only after having upgraded to 10.4.8, (ii) many users have the same problem, and (iii) I experience KPs also when my ibook is on a stable position (e.g., a table), I guess there may be a software explanation for this: perhaps the defective driver functionality is mainly triggered when there is some kind of interference (which may be worth when phisically moving the laptop)?

Did some of you observed such a correlation (phisical moves <-> kernel panics)?

Best.

[Skinkie]

I'm new here. But today I got *exactly* the same issues. I first blamed my Linux upgrade to 2.6.19, but I don't think you all have Linux on your machines. I installed the security update again in safe mode, didn't make the airport - on working.

The funniest thing at the mac shop they wanted to replace hardware. But it seems if so many people have the same issues. It must be a software related thing. But I wonder what triggered it :|

Tue Dec  5 09:26:34 2006
panic(cpu 0 caller 0x000A8800): Uncorrectable machine check: pc = 000000003931288C, msr = 0000000000149030, dsisr = 40000000, dar = 000000003A207F7E
  AsyncSrc = 0000000000000000, CoreFIR = 0000000000000000
     L2FIR = 0000000000000000,  BusFir = 0000000000000000

Latest stack backtrace for cpu 0:
      Backtrace:
         0x00095138 0x00095650 0x00026898 0x000A8800 0x000A7A90 0x000AB780 
Proceeding back via exception chain:
   Exception state (sv=0x39D1B780)
      PC=0x3931288C; MSR=0x00149030; DAR=0x3A207F7E; DSISR=0x40000000; LR=0x39312858; R1=0x2285BA10; XCP=0x00000008 (0x200 - Machine check)
      Backtrace:
0x39312848 0x393139B8 0x39333874 0x393336BC 0x393332F0 0x3933313C 
         0x002D124C 0x393314AC 0x39332774 0x002EB838 0x0008C6A4 0x0002921C 0x000233F8 0x000ABAAC 
         0x00000000 
      Kernel loadable modules in backtrace (with dependencies):
         com.apple.iokit.AppleAirPort2(405.1)@0x392f4000
            dependency: com.apple.iokit.IONetworkingFamily(1.5.0)@0x386e6000
            dependency: com.apple.iokit.IOPCIFamily(1.7)@0x32922000
   Exception state (sv=0x39D3A780)
      PC=0x9000AB48; MSR=0x0200F030; DAR=0x003B8000; DSISR=0x42000000; LR=0x9000AA9C; R1=0xBFFFCCA0; XCP=0x00000030 (0xC00 - System call)

Kernel version:
Darwin Kernel Version 8.8.0: Fri Sep  8 17:18:57 PDT 2006; root:xnu-792.12.6.obj~1/RELEASE_PPC

*********

[Calle]

Quote: Originally Posted by lucacairoli I also installed the last security patch (17'' G4 ibook), but nothing changed to me: I yet experience KPs. It would be worth to read the references posted above by hayne (I already was aware of some of them, but they didn't solve my problem). A strange thing that I observed is that KPs are more likely when I phisically move my iBook (when, e.g., working on a sofa connected through airport, I --gently-- move my ibook off my knees and put it on the sofa in order to have a break). At a first sight, this may suggest a HW problem (e.g., the airport card chipset is not firmly fixed on the motherboard), but since (i) I experience this problem only after having upgraded to 10.4.8, (ii) many users have the same problem, and (iii) I experience KPs also when my ibook is on a stable position (e.g., a table), I guess there may be a software explanation for this: perhaps the defective driver functionality is mainly triggered when there is some kind of interference (which may be worth when phisically moving the laptop)? Did some of you observed such a correlation (phisical moves <-> kernel panics)? Best.

I have the exact same problem, I first noticed the KP's when I moved my iBook (12" G4, bought in september 2005) from my lap to a table, with Airport activated. From that point on, I could have it activated on some surfaces for a short time before a new KP, but not for more than a few minutes. Changing location, to a network I never used before, enabled me to use it for about 10 minutes before the next KP. I haven't tried deleting the settings mentioned in this thread, but the fact that I couldn't use a new network for more than a short while, makes me belive that it won't change much.

About the same time as this started, my HDD started acting a bit strange, it only got power every other time I rebooted, and sometimes booting in to EFI, with error codes mentioning the ATA-bus. Other times I only got the "face" alternating with a question mark, meaning that the computer wouldn't find my HDD at all. So my guess here is that the logicboard is to blame, as this happens with any version of Tiger installed. I also read about a guy on a swedish forum who had the same problems with his Airport card (on a machine just like mine), and his logicboard was faulty and swaped, after which everything started functioning normally.

So I guess the biggest problem for me is that my warranty has expired.

[Skinkie]

Quote: Originally Posted by Calle So I guess the biggest problem for me is that my warranty has expired.

I just called Apple about this problem. And they claim nobody reported the same incidents. Seems quite plausible if they don't read their own forums and the laptops die after their 90 days telephone support.

If asked if some representative could come back with an official statement. By dutch law they cannot even charge money for support on broken systems (under warranty) and you can assume the system should work after one year. (Except for batteries.)