Kernel Panic on macOS (crash, reboot)

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137

Had another one pointing to Obsidian Helper. I avoided using Obsidian desktop for the last few days. I used Obsidian Mobile most of the time (and occasionally desktop for a few minutes ) and had no KP on my computer. Just now I opened Ob desktop for like 20 min and it caused a KP.

System version: MacOS Catalina 10.15.7
Obsidian version: v0.12.10 (installer v0.12.3)

Panic(CPU 2, time 55393502726727): NMIPI for spinlock acquisition timeout, spinlock: 0xffffff804cdfaa90, spinlock owner: 0xffffff8043fe6000, current_thread: 0xffffff8043fe6000, spinlock_owner_cpu: 0x2
RAX: 0xffffff80485c6000, RBX: 0xffffff80687e3cd8, RCX: 0x000000000000000c, RDX: 0x0000033d00000000
RSP: 0xffffff81ff333a70, RBP: 0xffffff81ff333ab0, RSI: 0xffffff8043fe6000, RDI: 0xffffff80687e3cd8
R8:  0xffffff81ff333c30, R9:  0xffffff801076d2e0, R10: 0x0000000000ffffff, R11: 0xffffff80436c9a00
R12: 0xffffff8043fe6000, R13: 0x0000000000000000, R14: 0x0000033da9338a58, R15: 0xffffff80485c6000
RFL: 0x0000000000000087, RIP: 0xffffff801072cfad, CS:  0x0000000000000008, SS:  0x0000000000000010
Backtrace (CPU 2), Frame : Return Address
0xffffff81fe4e8f80 : 0xffffff8010847eab 
0xffffff81fe4e8fd0 : 0xffffff80106c2bed 
0xffffff81ff333ab0 : 0xffffff801072d154 
0xffffff81ff333ae0 : 0xffffff801076baa0 
0xffffff81ff333b00 : 0xffffff801076d319 
0xffffff81ff333bb0 : 0xffffff801076d821 
0xffffff81ff333c20 : 0xffffff801076c944 
0xffffff81ff333ce0 : 0xffffff8010770638 
0xffffff81ff333d20 : 0xffffff8010c4fa24 
0xffffff81ff333d40 : 0xffffff8010c4fb0e 
0xffffff81ff333d80 : 0xffffff8010ca584d 
0xffffff81ff333db0 : 0xffffff8010ca62b3 
0xffffff81ff333e20 : 0xffffff8010ca0500 
0xffffff81ff333ee0 : 0xffffff8010ca02c0 
0xffffff81ff333f40 : 0xffffff8010d83cb7 
0xffffff81ff333fa0 : 0xffffff80106c3206 

BSD process name corresponding to current thread: Obsidian Helper 
Boot args: chunklist-security-epoch=0 -chunklist-no-rev2-dev

Mac OS version:
19H1217

Kernel version:
Darwin Kernel Version 19.6.0: Thu May  6 00:48:39 PDT 2021; root:xnu-6153.141.33~1/RELEASE_X86_64
Kernel UUID: 0B6CD26B-B526-3646-9B69-02D22BBE9C52
Kernel slide:     0x0000000010400000
Kernel text base: 0xffffff8010600000
__HIB  text base: 0xffffff8010500000
System model name: Macmini8,1 (Mac-7BA5B2DFE22DDD8C)
System shutdown begun: NO

System uptime in nanoseconds: 55393502768838
last loaded kext at 54282715371704: >usb.IOUSBHostHIDDevice	1.2 (addr 0xffffff7f94412000, size 45056)
last unloaded kext at 54421268768221: >!UAudio	323.4 (addr 0xffffff7f94ad6000, size 434176)
loaded kexts:
com.getdropbox.dropbox.kext	1.13.0
com.cisco.kext.acsock	4.9.40
net.nutstore.kext.fsmonk	0000.00.12
com.valvesoftware.SteamInput	4357.73.42
com.paragon-software.filesystems.ntfs	149.8.15
>!ATopCaseHIDEventDriver	3430.1
>AudioAUUC	1.70
>!AGraphicsDevicePolicy	5.2.7
@fileutil	20.036.15
@AGDCPluginDisplayMetrics	5.2.7
>!AHV	1
|IOUserEthernet	1.0.1
>!AUpstreamUserClient	3.6.8
|IO!BSerialManager	7.0.6f8
>!AMCCSControl	1.14
>pmtelemetry	1
>AGPM	111.4.4
>X86PlatformShim	1.0.0
>!APlatformEnabler	2.7.0d0
>!A!IKBLGraphics	14.0.7
@Dont_Steal_Mac_OS_X	7.0.0
>BridgeAudioCommunication	6.70.7
>!AThunderboltIP	3.1.4
>!ABridgeAudio!C	6.70.7
>!AGFXHDA	100.1.429
>!A!ICFLGraphicsFramebuffer	14.0.7
>!AAVEBridge	6.1
>!A!IPCHPMC	2.0.1
>!A!ISlowAdaptiveClocking	4.0.0
@filesystems.autofs	3.0
>BCMWLANFirmware4355.Hashstore	1
>BCMWLANFirmware4364.Hashstore	1
>BCMWLANFirmware4377.Hashstore	1
@filesystems.hfs.kext	522.100.5
@BootCache	40
@!AFSCompression.!AFSCompressionTypeDataless	1.0.0d1
@!AFSCompression.!AFSCompressionTypeZlib	1.0.0
>!AVirtIO	1.0
|!ABCM5701Ethernet	10.3.5
>!ABCMWLANBusInterfacePCIe	1
@filesystems.apfs	1412.141.2
@private.KextAudit	1.0
>!AACPIButtons	6.1
>!ASMBIOS	2.1
>!AACPIEC	6.1
>!AAPIC	1.7
$!AImage4	1
@nke.applicationfirewall	303
$TMSafetyNet	8
@!ASystemPolicy	2.0.0
|EndpointSecurity	1
>!AHIDKeyboard	209
>!AActuatorDriver	3440.1
>!AMultitouchDriver	3440.1
>!AInputDeviceSupport	3440.8
>!AHS!BDriver	3430.1
>IO!BHIDDriver	7.0.6f8
>!AGraphicsControl	5.2.7
|IOAVB!F	850.1
>!ASMBus!C	1.0.18d1
@!AGPUWrangler	5.2.7
|IONDRVSupport	576.1
|IO!BHost!CUARTTransport	7.0.6f8
|IO!BHost!CTransport	7.0.6f8
>!A!ILpssUARTv1	3.0.60
>!A!ILpssUARTCommon	3.0.60
>!AOnboardSerial	1.0
@!AGraphicsDeviceControl	5.2.7
|IOAccelerator!F2	438.7.4
|IOGraphics!F	576.1
|IOSlowAdaptiveClocking!F	1.0.0
>X86PlatformPlugin	1.0.0
>IOPlatformPlugin!F	6.0.0d8
@plugin.IOgPTPPlugin	840.3
@kext.triggers	1.0
>usb.cdc.ncm	5.0.0
>usb.cdc	5.0.0
>usb.networking	5.0.0
>usb.!UHostCompositeDevice	1.2
|IOSurface	269.11
@filesystems.hfs.encodings.kext	1
|IOAudio!F	300.2
@vecLib.kext	1.2.0
|IOEthernetAVB!C	1.1.0
>!ABCMWLANCore	1.0.0
>mDNSOffloadUserClient	1.0.1b8
>IOImageLoader	1.0.0
|IOSerial!F	11
|IO80211!FV2	1200.12.2b1
>corecapture	1.0.4
|IOSkywalk!F	1
>!AThunderboltPCIDownAdapter	2.5.4
>!AThunderboltDPInAdapter	6.2.6
>!AThunderboltDPAdapter!F	6.2.6
>!AHPM	3.4.4
>!A!ILpssI2C!C	3.0.60
>!A!ILpssDmac	3.0.60
>!A!ILpssI2C	3.0.60
>!AThunderboltNHI	5.8.6
|IOThunderbolt!F	7.6.1
>usb.!UVHCIBCE	1.2
>usb.!UVHCI	1.2
>usb.!UVHCICommonBCE	1.0
>usb.!UVHCICommon	1.0
>!AEffaceableNOR	1.0
|IOBufferCopy!C	1.1.0
|IOBufferCopyEngine!F	1
|IONVMe!F	2.1.0
|IOUSB!F	900.4.2
>usb.!UXHCIPCI	1.2
>usb.!UXHCI	1.2
>!AEFINVRAM	2.1
>!AEFIRuntime	2.1
>!ASMCRTC	1.0
|IOSMBus!F	1.1
|IOHID!F	2.0.0
$quarantine	4
$sandbox	300.0
@kext.!AMatch	1.0.0d1
>!AKeyStore	2
>!UTDM	489.120.1
|IOSCSIBlockCommandsDevice	422.120.3
>!ACredentialManager	1.0
>!AFDEKeyStore	28.30
>!AEffaceable!S	1.0
>!AMobileFileIntegrity	1.0.5
@kext.CoreTrust	1
|CoreAnalytics!F	1
|IOTimeSync!F	840.3
|IONetworking!F	3.4
>DiskImages	493.0.0
|IO!B!F	7.0.6f8
|IO!BPacketLogger	7.0.6f8
>!ASSE	1.0
>KernelRelayHost	1
>!ASEPManager	1.0.1
>IOSlaveProcessor	1
|IOUSBMass!SDriver	157.140.1
|IOSCSIArchitectureModel!F	422.120.3
|IO!S!F	2.1
|IOUSBHost!F	1.2
>usb.!UCommon	1.0
>!UHostMergeProperties	1.2
>!ABusPower!C	1.0
|IOReport!F	47
>!AACPIPlatform	6.1
>!ASMC	3.1.9
>watchdog	1
|IOPCI!F	2.9
|IOACPI!F	1.4
@kec.pthread	1
@kec.corecrypto	1.0
@kec.Libm	1
panic(cpu 0 caller 0xffffff801083dae0): "Spinlock acquisition timed out: lock=0xffffff804cdfaa90, lock owner thread=0xffffff8043fe6000, current_thread: 0xffffff80485c6000, lock owner active on CPU 0x2, current owner: 0xffffff8043fe6000, time: 55393502796161"@/AppleInternal/BuildRoot/Library/Caches/com.apple.xbs/Sources/xnu/xnu-6153.141.33/osfmk/i386/locks_i386.c:501
Backtrace (CPU 0), Frame : Return Address
0xffffff81de0e0b30 : 0xffffff801071c63d 
0xffffff81de0e0b80 : 0xffffff8010856b25 
0xffffff81de0e0bc0 : 0xffffff80108486ae 
0xffffff81de0e0c10 : 0xffffff80106c2a40 
0xffffff81de0e0c30 : 0xffffff801071bd07 
0xffffff81de0e0d30 : 0xffffff801071c0f7 
0xffffff81de0e0d80 : 0xffffff8010ec0b3c 
0xffffff81de0e0df0 : 0xffffff801083dae0 
0xffffff81de0e0e30 : 0xffffff801073ae56 
0xffffff81de0e0e60 : 0xffffff801076745c 
0xffffff81de0e0f20 : 0xffffff8010835847 
0xffffff81de0e0f60 : 0xffffff8010850713 
0xffffff81de0e0f80 : 0xffffff8010847eab 
0xffffff81de0e0fd0 : 0xffffff80106c2bed 
0xffffff92220d3da0 : 0xffffff8010770431 
0xffffff92220d3e00 : 0xffffff8010ca23a9 
0xffffff92220d3f00 : 0xffffff8010ca14b6 
0xffffff92220d3f40 : 0xffffff8010d83cb7 
0xffffff92220d3fa0 : 0xffffff80106c3206 

BSD process name corresponding to current thread: Obsidian Helper
138

Just had several kernel panics in a row - new user of Obsidian, just downloaded yesterday on a 2020 16" Intel MacbookPro. Not many plugins (Citations, Dataview), most crashes happened on default Dark theme, now I’m on Minimal.

I think there’s a correlation with pasting in text from other programs, but can’t be sure.

1 Like
139

I’ve been having continued crashes here (approx 4 per day). I’m not managing to find good reports, though - nothing at all relevant in Console under Crash Reports or Diagnostic Reports. It’s a hard hang, machine instantly turns off.

I’m starting to become suspicious of interaction with the Citations plug-in - it’s often after adding or looking at a link to a literature note.

One other point - I’ve got my Vault in a Dropbox folder. I’m going to stop syncing for a while, and see if that helps…

2 Likes
140

(stopping Dropbox sync did not stop the crashes…)

1 Like
141

i’m experiencing this too now. also obsidian helper renderer. 2018 macbook pro running big sur 11.4

142

I experienced my first KP. Log report pointed to Obsidian Helper. Curiously, I had just reinstalled Obsidian a couple days ago using the new DMG installer.

MacBook Pro 16in, 2019
Intel 6-Core i7, 2.6 GHz
16GB DDR4
Big Sur 11.5.2

Obsidian v0.12.12
Minimal theme
17 Community plugins
7 CSS snippets

I am using a 34" USB-C external display.

143

I’m starting to blame the monitor - no crashes at work on a small screen, lots at home on a 4k USB-C monitor.

1 Like
144

Not the monitor - just had my 2nd crash of the day with no monitor attached.

1 Like
145

Kernel panics are very time wasting, nerve killing, very counter productive and ask ends users for technical flip flops without actually resolving the underlying problems.

This topic is hard to discuss, even between developers as each and every one pushes responsibilities on somebody else.
The developer of Obsidian did a great job to mitigate the inherent problem but of course, can’t address each and every issue.

I understand that working on features is much nicer than to debug… Debugging is very time consuming and discouraging at times. Still, Kernel Panics need more attention. Compatibility of a software is one thing, integration another. Sorry for the suggestion, but maybe, the devs should limit what Plugins are able to do.

Sources of problems are

  • Multiple versions of Chrome / Electron based apps running, mixed versions of the same framework (older /newer implementations)
  • older preferences (chrome)
  • Sleep mode + Obsidian
  • Corrupt or bad theme
  • Plugins

Solutions

  • check if your monitor cable, computer cable is plugged in tightly, pull out all cables, wait 10 minutes and plug in again Firmly but not with force - this is the pram reset for desktop computers
  • fresh install of the newest Obsidian and electron based apps (use an Uninstaller like Appcleaner
  • repair your HDD or SSD permissions with Disk Utility but in recovery mode (Mac startup key combinations - Apple Support), you can repair some permissions, if you are running MacOS, repairing permissions never harms
  • depending on your machine (laptop is more vulnerable) avoid the global graph view on big databases
  • try to switch off Hw acceleration and see Obsidians performance for a week
  • Don’t sync your data all the times with the cloud - rather, use cloud more for backup
  • Don’t run multiple electron / chromium apps simultaneously (they could use older frameworks and conflict each other)
1 Like
146

I want to chime in a second to reiterate that we do not have any specific evidence that suggests that plugings, or older version of electron, or sleep mode, or themes are the issues here.
For what we know, so far, and we aren’t 100% sure, this is an issue triggered by macosx and node.js file system api (which we use a lot). If you search electron and kernel panic you’ll see many other software lamenting the same problem. This is ultimately on apple’s court to fix. We and other devs have been trying to escalade the issue.

3 Likes
147

@WhiteNoise
I experienced the very same issue as @obadiahcruz

Something awful must happen behind the scenes to crash my MacPro. I’ve enough capacity on my system to run everything I want, smoothly and stable
I didn’t have Kernel Panics for ages, this makes me feel very bitter - Obsidian is awesome but I’m not too excited about its framework, Java and electron, chromium. Today many browsers use chromium but apparently many apps as well (apple store)

So I’m adding my 2 cents to this topic, and not by summarizing what others say to put myself at the center. Let me explain why I wrote what I wrote previously :

I added Plugins, because Plugins extend Obsidians code adding to a potential vulnerability, electron because the problems with electron aren’t isolated, also sleep mode, because I had a violent double shutdown KP whilst waking up my computer and working with Obsidian, themes because they interact with draw processes which might conflict, especially if the theme is malformed

I code myself for a decade already but only in ObjC, applescript and bash shell, in future I’ll learn Kotlin.
Sometimes little code corrections adjust everything bad, and you forget you ever had some problems with your code.

Obsidian keeps running 3 or 4 additional helpers in the background. Do they interact only with the gpu or more? What happens all in the background?
The graph in Obsidian is very resource intensive but we don’t use it to work, just to explore and we don’t look at it all times…

If you start to limit a process to the bone, you learn very quickly how to prevent any crashes. I would prefer if Obsidian would get a mechanism to quit itself before to cause any harm to my system.

KP are not the problem if isolated, but can’t be a constant. From the videos seen and the discussions online I know the user base of Obsidian who uses Mac isn’t a small percentage.

Because getting KP isn’t working, it’s just a mess. And with mess I don’t wanna insult anyone working on the code of Obsidian. Otherwise, I wouldn’t take the time to write my post.
I also don’t want to try with Notion because it uses electron as well. Obsidian is awesome, but let’s remove this KP for good

148

Then don’t. The devs aren’t being lazy; no one can come up with a reliable repro so saying “remove this KP for good” isn’t … helpful.

It’s small comfort for those experiencing it, but it does not appear that most mac users experience this. If it were in the dev’s power to just fix it, they would.

2 Likes
149

i did not write 2 lines and threw it there: “just fix it”…
We are adult people who should not be offended so easily - i really hope we agree on this at least
if you dont experience KP then it does not matter for you. Everything changes if you get the real problem.

150

I want to reiterate that Kernel Panics are OS problems. We are one of many electron apps who is suffering from this. Apple should look into this.

I also understand that from the user POV this is irrelevant information.

3 Likes
151

Here to report a second KP today. Two things I noticed since a month ago when I experienced the first one:

  • Both times it happened with external monitors plugged, one of which is rather big.
  • Both times battery was running low.
152

I understood that Apple should provide a fix but they probably won’t, or only for the newest systems. Anyway, I agree - and thanks for sharing your point

Would you recommend to update Node.js — Download ?

153

I don’t know what Apple will do. I have no other recommendation other than to submit your crashes to Apple.

154

Third KP, just 5 days after. This time battery was full so I am discarding that. I’m beginning to work with only one screen and see what happens (though I see @mo-seph reported he had a crash with no external monitors attached).

I have sent all my crash reports to Apple. Is there really nothing else we can do to drive attention to this? I really don’t want my computer to be damaged at some point and will hate to give up Obsidian.

155

Maybe it’s fixed in Monterey? I am not sure Apple publishes detailed release notes for macOS…

156

The most useful hint so far for me is that it may have something to do with Obsidian after waking up from sleep mode. So I tend to kill obsidian and restart everytime I wake up the computer. (Which is not ideal, but it starts super fast, so not as bad as it might be…)