Endless "You must restart your computer" loop caused by wireless?

Question

System Version: Mac OS X 10.4.5 (8H14)
Kernel Version: Darwin 8.5.0
Machine Name: PowerBook G4 15"
Machine Model: PowerBook5,6
CPU Type: PowerPC G4 (1.2)
Number Of CPUs: 1
CPU Speed: 1.5 GHz
L2 Cache (per CPU): 512 KB
Memory: 1.5 GB
Bus Speed: 167 MHz
Boot ROM Version: 4.9.1f1
Network
Type: AirPort
Hardware: AirPort
BSD Device Name: en1
IPv4:
Configuration Method: DHCP
IPv6:
Configuration Method: Automatic
AppleTalk:
Configuration Method: Node
Proxies:
Proxy Configuration Method: Manual
ExcludeSimpleHostnames: 0
FTP Passive Mode: Yes
Auto Discovery Enabled: No
Ethernet:
Media Options:
Media Subtype: autoselect
Synopsis
Problem: Endless Black Box "You Must Restart You Computer..." loop
Cause: Printing certain documents (so far one specific pdf file and a text file) through the wireless network at school initiates the problem and then all wireless networks perpetuate the problem thereafter
Steps Taken: Unplugged wireless network - this allows me to log in
-Warning box about fatal crash appears but "Send Report" does not produce any data
-Restarting wireless after login causes no problems
-Waking computer from sleep with wireless enabled causes black box to reappear
-Permissions repair did not resolve anything
-A complete reinstall solved everything until the other day when printing initiated the problem again, after having successfully printed numerous documents wirelessly over the past month
Other strange things my computer does:
-Makes very quite chirping sound with every key stroke (except arrows)
-Usually sits at the grey startup screen with the spinning wheel for a long time and then speeds through login process
-Only restarts successfully every second time after a hard-restart (the first time it just sits there spinning endlessly)
More Details
Problem: Black box appears notifying me "You need to restart your computer" (Kernel panic I believe?) I restart my computer once, and it sits forever at the grey screen with the little wheel spinning. I hard-restart my computer a second time and it logs me in and then the black box reappears... and then the whole process starts over again..
Circumstances: I had this exact same problem occur about a month ago and it happened again under the exact same circumstances. I recently installed a Korean wireless router, some other foreigner had left behind, in my school here in Korea. The first time it happened I was trying to print PDF document wirelessly from my classroom and the black box appeared. Then the whole endless loop began...
That night I tried to fix the problem at home. I was able to log into safe mode but the endless loop persisted when I tried a normal log in normally again. I finally did a reinstall from my external drive using the most up to date image I had created with Carbon Copy Cloner.
The following day I went to school and couldn't resist trying to reprint the suspect document. My freshly installed computer crashed and I was ****** at myself for experimenting so early in the day. Then I tried unplugging the wireless router and restarting and it worked! Then I plugged the router back in and everything was running smoothly again.
Now I have a new problem. If my computer wakes from her sleep with the wireless enabled I get the black box both at school and at home. I'd really like to avoid doing another reinstall... please help!
Thanks in advance!
PowerBook G$   Mac OS X (10.4.5)  

Answer 1

Hey Rich,
Think my computer healed herself while I was away this weekend
What I am wondering is if
a Safe Boot will always get you logged in when the
other problems are occurring.
This question prompted me to try starting up in safe mode. I wanted to make sure the problem still persisted so I:
1. Plugged in ethernet cable
2. Turned on Airport
3. Ensured WAN was functioning
4. Shut Down my computer with just like I used to, with all network connections enabled
5. Power ON -> Flawless start up, no black box!
6. Put computer to sleep -> Woke up -> No black box!
Weird eh?
So the only way I can answer your question is based on previous experience. Logging in using safe mode did work the three or four times I used it the first time this problem occurred.
I did nothing to my computer since this error, no updates, no permissions repairs and no sudo daily, weekly, monthly house keeping. When classes were finished Friday night, I came home, put my computer to sleep with Airport off and ethernet unplugged and the following morning I shut her down, hid her in my sock drawer, and left for the weekend!
My only explanation is that somehow reconnecting to the wireless network at school allowed my computer to resolve unresolved issue it was having with that network, the same network that instigated the problem. That's my best guess.
Thanks for taking the time to try and help me out with this issue. The clarification you sought definitely helped us get a more refined picture of the problem. I'm sure this issue will rear its ugly head again in the near future... that is, unless you or anyone else have some ideas about what I could do to prevent this from happening again.
-Greg
FU,
Here's the info you wanted:
-Only restarts successfully every second time after a hard-restart (the first time it just sits there spinning endlessly)
This might indicate a dying backup battery (the one that keeps your PRAM healthy)
My PowerBook isn't even a year old yet, could it be that my battery has died this quickly? Hmmm, another thing I have experienced is that my Mac wont wake from sleeping if I have let the power get so low that she has been forced to sleep.
1. "10 minutes of battery power remaining" box appears
2. Battery depletes and computer enters sleep mode by default
3. I go home and plug computer into power adaptor
4. Computer fails to wake up no matter how long I wait -->power adaptor light does indicate the battery is charging
5. I am forced to unplug my computer, remove the battery and hold down the power switch.
6. Power on -> Date and time settings have changed and need to be set again
Does this sound like the symptom of a low backup battery?
make sure that "Set time & date automatically" in the Date & Time System >Preferences is unchecked.
I've never tried this so I'll give it a shot and see if performance improves.
now it seems almost obvious: 99% looks like a network fault and nothing >to do with your Tiger installation...
Perhaps, I'm no networking specialist, but I have flawless network performance until printing some random document at school over wireless triggers the whole series of events I mentioned above. My home router has never triggered this problem... although I have never tried to print wirelessly at home because I have no printer.
1) how big is your network? (how many wireless and how many wired Macs >access your Router)
At Home: Very small, 1 PowerBook 64 and one iBook G3
At School: Small: Two Windows machines and my PowerBook G4. Wireless box is plugged into the existing router that was there. I have windows printer sharing checked in the "sharing" section of "system prefs"
2) make/model of your router
D-Link DI-624 (Home)
Some crazy old dilapidated korean box (at school)
3) how do you configure your router (via the browser (Safari) or via a >utility/application provided by the vendor)?
I believe I configure it manually... I access the router via web browser and configure my settings
4) make sure DHCP is set to Off/Disabled and set your IPs for both your >Macs and the Router manually
Check, Check
5) If you're familiar with network settings like hosts file, post back your >configuration / make sure your IP addresses are assigned correctly
Not familiar
btw your PowerBook has an AirPort Extreme card or a 3rd party Wireless card?
AirPort Extreme card
Thanks for trying to help FU, hope this information helps you.
-Greg
PowerBook G$   Mac OS X (10.4.5)