An open community 
of Macintosh users,
for Macintosh users.

FineTunedMac Dashboard widget now available! Download Here

Previous Thread
Next Thread
Print Thread
Kernel Panics with Firefox solved (probably)
#41024 06/30/16 06:48 PM
Joined: Sep 2009
deniro Offline OP
OP Offline

Joined: Sep 2009
After about two years of increasingly recurring kernel panics while using Firefox, I think have solved the problem, thanks to some googling and advice from others.

I spent a while keeping an eye on this thread:
https://bugzilla.mozilla.org/show_bug.cgi?id=1111808

The kernel panics were blamed on sites that used WebGL, combined with imacs that had an ATI Radeon X1600 graphics card.

A couple days ago I found another site which offered what I hope is the solution:

https://superuser.com/questions/73518/ati-x1600-driver-problem-on-mac

Here the advice was to use a program that allows you to adjust the fan speed, the assumption being that excess heat was causing the graphics card (or something) to become too warm, thus setting of a kernel panic. For me, this only happened in Firefox, and I had long ago disabled hardware acceleration in Firefox prefs. I did disable WebGL through Firefox config a long time ago, but I don't remember how to re-enable it. I don't remember how to check if it is enabled.

Regardless, I downloaded Macs Fan Control and used the default settings. So far no kernel panics, not even on sites which were guaranteed to cause them. I'm hoping for the best.

Wow, what a long, terrible problem that may finally be solved. So many people shaking their heads at my old machine. It lives!

Re: Kernel Panics with Firefox solved (probably)
deniro #41026 07/01/16 12:04 AM
Joined: Aug 2009
Likes: 14
Online

Joined: Aug 2009
Likes: 14
Originally Posted By: deniro
So many people shaking their heads at my old machine.

Old machine? What do you mean, old machine? wink


ryck

"What Were Once Vices Are Now Habits" The Doobie Brothers

iMac (Retina 5K, 27", 2020), 3.8 GHz 8 Core Intel Core i7, 8GB RAM, 2667 MHz DDR4
OS Ventura 13.6.3
Canon Pixma TR 8520 Printer
Epson Perfection V500 Photo Scanner c/w VueScan software
TM on 1TB LaCie USB-C
Re: Kernel Panics with Firefox solved (probably)
ryck #41028 07/01/16 04:15 PM
Joined: Sep 2009
deniro Offline OP
OP Offline

Joined: Sep 2009
OK, so it didn't work. B&H.com reliably causes a kernel panic on Firefox 39. Doesn't happen with Safari 5 or Opera 25.

I think this one's unfixable. Whatever the programmers at Firefox have done, it's crashing my computer.


Re: Kernel Panics with Firefox solved (probably)
deniro #41029 07/01/16 04:35 PM
Joined: Aug 2009
Likes: 4
Offline

Joined: Aug 2009
Likes: 4
Have you filed a "grievance" with Bugzilla?
It may also be that they're aware of the issue but haven't yet been able to correct it.

Re: Kernel Panics with Firefox solved (probably)
grelber #41037 07/01/16 09:50 PM
Joined: Sep 2009
deniro Offline OP
OP Offline

Joined: Sep 2009
I posted a message on Bugzilla. I don't know what the process is for filing an official grievance. I don't expect a problem to be solved for someone using an old comptuer and an old version of Firefox.

From what I've read online, and tried myself, it has something to with Firefox, certain web sites, webGL, and the graphics driver in the Radeon X1600. I thought heat might be a factor, but I guess not. Even if I disable webGL and hardware acceleration, I stll get kernel panics.

The solution is for certain sites to use Opera or Safari.

Re: Kernel Panics with Firefox solved (probably)
deniro #41047 07/02/16 09:59 PM
Joined: Sep 2009
deniro Offline OP
OP Offline

Joined: Sep 2009
The solution to this is at https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/kb/upgrade-graphics-drivers-use-hardware-acceleration

You have to disable hardware acceleration and webGL.

Re: Kernel Panics with Firefox solved (probably)
deniro #41048 07/02/16 10:02 PM
Joined: Aug 2009
Likes: 15
Online

Joined: Aug 2009
Likes: 15
Originally Posted By: deniro
The solution to this is at https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/kb/upgrade-graphics-drivers-use-hardware-acceleration

You have to disable hardware acceleration and webGL.

But you just said
Quote:
Even if I disable webGL and hardware acceleration, I stll get kernel panics.

confused


The new Great Equalizer is the SEND button.

In Memory of Harv: Those who can make you believe absurdities can make you commit atrocities. ~Voltaire
Re: Kernel Panics with Firefox solved (probably)
artie505 #41058 07/03/16 09:48 PM
Joined: Sep 2009
deniro Offline OP
OP Offline

Joined: Sep 2009
I was wrong. I tried it yesterday. The B&H site reliably crashes my Mac. As soon as I turned off webGL, I could use the site.

Re: Kernel Panics with Firefox solved (probably)
deniro #42240 10/22/16 10:52 PM
Joined: Sep 2009
deniro Offline OP
OP Offline

Joined: Sep 2009
1) Turn off hardware acceleration in Firefox prefs, under Advanced.

2) Disable WebGL:

a) In the address bar, type "about:config" and press Return.
b) At "void warranty warning" continue.
c) In the Filter box, type "webgl.disabled"
d) Double click on the "webgl.disabled" item to switch it to true.

3) Restart Firefox


Moderated by  alternaut, dianne, MacManiac 

Link Copied to Clipboard
Powered by UBB.threads™ PHP Forum Software 7.7.4
(Release build 20200307)
Responsive Width:

PHP: 7.4.33 Page Time: 0.019s Queries: 32 (0.015s) Memory: 0.6091 MB (Peak: 0.6938 MB) Data Comp: Zlib Server Time: 2024-03-28 10:29:50 UTC
Valid HTML 5 and Valid CSS