# Kernel panics: RAM, Lion, or Lightroom??



## lostnomore (Sep 21, 2010)

This forum solved a 3-year-old kernel panic issue for me last summer with my G4 Mini (Headrush, I don't even know how to _begin_ to thank you enough!!), but now I'm getting several with my one-year old 13" MacBook Pro that never happened before.

About a week ago, I downloaded a trial version of Adobe Lightroom 3 (I'll call it LR). A couple of days after that, I downloaded OS X Lion. Two days after that, I upgraded my RAM from 4GB to 8GB.

A couple of apps had frozen up and/or shut down after Lion had been installed, but I only got my first kernel panic after the RAM was installed. Although most of the panics have involved LR (including while it was opening), one involved Firefox while it was opening, so I'm not sure I can pin this on just LR.

What makes the kernel panics more difficult to pinpoint is the fact that I never had time to do more than tinker a little with LR (a couple of hours total) until after the RAM upgrade, and I'm sure it didn't crash before Lion and the RAM.

As for the RAM, when I go to About This Mac --> More Info --> System Report --> Memory, it gives the status of my new 2x4GB RAM sticks as OK. Is it possible that this is incorrect, because I suspect the RAM more than anything?


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## lostnomore (Sep 21, 2010)

Oh yeah, I'm leaving for work soon, so it may be several hours before I can answer any replies to my inquiry.


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## Headrush (Feb 9, 2005)

Sounds like it could be faulty RAM. You might only see it in Lightroom because its the only program actually using enough RAM to cause issues.

For starters I would try this: http://www.command-tab.com/2008/01/11/how-to-test-ram-under-mac-os-x/


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## lostnomore (Sep 21, 2010)

Actually, the first panic happened when I was app switching between Aperture and Lightroom, comparing editing on the same photo, using Cmd-Tab and finger-swiping.

Anyhow, also suspecting the RAM and after some Google searching, I ran my Apple Hardware Test DVD with only one of the new 4 GB RAM sticks, and then just the other, and found out that one was faulty. I confirmed my results by running Rember; after a few seconds, the faulty stick struck out again, whereas the good stick ran well into the second loop before I determined that it was indeed good.

So now I have the good 4GB combined with one of the original stock 2GB until I can get a replacement for the bad 4GB. I've been doing the same intensive sort of things the past couple of hours (ex. running Aperture and LR at once), and no more panics. I'm glad this seems to be over with!

BTW, thanks again for your input, Headrush.


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