System problems following kernal panic

[Guitarfreak]

My iMac recently froze unexpectedly and I wasn't able to recover like I usually can. Sometimes when it freezes I am able to tap the power button to put it into sleep mode and then wake it from there, but not this time. It wouldn't wake, so I had to hard restart it. Haven't really had any issues with it since then, seemed like just a normal inconvenient hiccup until today when I realized that I cannot click anything in the top bar that goes across the screen. I was about to check for software updates, but couldn't click on the apple icon, or any other button. It still changes with the active screen like it should, I just can't interact with it. I have tried to restart finder from the application manager window and that didn't help. I have run disk utility and verify disk shows no problems.

[appleman_design]

open console and paste your crash logs here from the last kernel panic….
the easiest thing to do is a archive and install of the OS.

[voldenuit]

Boot the machine with the System Install Media containing A.H.T (Apple Hardware Test).

Details here: http://support.apple.com/kb/ht1509

Freezes with no recognizable pattern are more often than not hardware-related.

[Guitarfreak]

Quote: Originally Posted by appleman_design open console and paste your crash logs here from the last kernel panic…. the easiest thing to do is a archive and install of the OS.

May 14 14:00:21 ****-****'s-imac kernel[0]: AppleYukon2: 00000000,00000000 sk98nif - deadmanCheck - nothing received, soft reset of chip
May 14 22:28:28 ****-****'s-imac mDNSResponder[22]: Failed to obtain NAT port mapping 00819C5C from router 192.168.1.1 external address 0.0.0.0 internal port 16402 error 0
May 14 22:47:53 ****-****'s-imac [0x0-0x18018].org.mozilla.firefox[188]: !!! [MLProbe] handleDocument(http://track.pubmatic.com/AdServer/A...iewforum.php): '[JavaScript Error: "node is null" {file: "file:///Users/****/Library/Application%20Support/Firefox/Profiles/wnyyfwv5.default/extensions/%7Bb9db16a4-6edc-47ec-a1f4-b86292ed211d%7D/components/dhUtilService.js" line: 556}]' when calling method: [dhIUtilService::xpGetNodes] file:///Users/****/Library/Application%20Support/Firefox/Profiles/wnyyfwv5.default/extensions/%7Bb9db16a4-6edc-47ec-a1f4-b86292ed211d%7D/components/dhMedialinkProbe.js:55




My disk drive is broken... can't use the install disk.

[NaOH]

I'm no expert with crash logs, but it looks like you have two Firefox extension-related issues from what you posted: dhUtilService.js and dhMedialinkProbe.js. I don't know the details, but they seem to come from here, likely as part of an extension you've added. Try disabling all Firefox extensions and seeing if problems persist.

Likewise, while you don't have a working optical drive for re-installing the OS, I would recommend you at least install AppleJack to aid with disk repair utility functions you would otherwise be able to perform using your original system discs. It's small and easy to use, but review the documentation if you're not already familiar with it.

[Guitarfreak]

Seems to be related to a content downloader called dlhelper... I added that myself to download a couple youtube videos and convert them to audio files, but it seems to be causing trouble I suppose. I would disable it, but I can't access the preference pane :/ Right now I can't even restart my computer or turn it off without using the actual power button (I don't think).

[NaOH]

If you open your Home folder, then navigate to Library/PreferencePanes, you can remove the DLHelper preference pane from there, then restart (the hard way, with the power button, if that's you're only available method). If you don't see DLHelper there, double click on the icon for your hard drive, then look in the Library/PreferencePanes folder there for the file to move.

[NaOH]

Alternatively, since the DLHelper site indicates the software is installed through Firefox, you may want to look in the Firefox Tools menu at Add-Ons. Presumably, you should be able to disable it there.

[Guitarfreak]

Quote: Originally Posted by NaOH Alternatively, since the DLHelper site indicates the software is installed through Firefox, you may want to look in the Firefox Tools menu at Add-Ons. Presumably, you should be able to disable it there.

Well that goes back to the original problem, the Tools tab is part of the top bar which I cannot interface with. I am still free to manage anything on the right side of the top bar though... Airport, bluetooth, spaces etc.

[voldenuit]

create a fresh account.

log out of the old one.

log into the newly created account and tell us whether the panics subsist.

[NaOH]

I forgot about the issue with the menu bar. You can also try getting to the Tools menu by using keyboard shortcuts. Pressing Control-F2 should highlight the Apple menu. If that works, normally you'd be able to then use the arrow keys to move to and through the Firefox menus. Once you find the item you want to select (Add-Ons), simply press Return.

Again, alternatively, you could do the following, noting that my instructions my be a little vague since I haven't used Firefox in a while.

1. In the Finder, use the Go menu to select Home.
2. In the window that opens, open Library, then Applications Support.
3. Open the Firefox folder, then (I think) the Profiles folder (if you see an Add-Ons folder, open that instead of Profiles).
4. You should see the Download Helper extension in there. Move it to the Desktop.

You can do something similar to remove the System Preference pane.

1. In the Finder, use the Go menu to select Home.
2. In the window that opens, open Library, then PreferencePanes.
3. You should see the Download Helper pane in there. Move it to the Desktop.

If there isn't one there, do this:

1. In the Finder, use the Go menu to select Computer.
2. In the window that opens, open Library, then PreferencePanes.
3. You should see the Download Helper pane in there. Move it to the Desktop.

But you will still need to quit and relaunch Firefox to have these changes take effect. If pressing Command-Q doesn't work, you can also try force-quitting it.