Can you tell from this error report if there is a hardware issue?

[msackey]

Fellow Macrumors-readers, is anyone knowledgeable enough to decipher if the following error message generated by macOS is an indication of a hardware failure or failing hardware? I really hope it is. I don't mind if it's just some occasional software glitch. Every once in a while, I do get such kernel panics but not often, though about two or so have occurred in the past week which seems to be more than has been typical.

As my signature block indicates, this is a MacBook Pro from 2017 so it's an Intel chip. I'm really hoping I get to use this until at least 2027 Do not want to upgrade at all. THANKS!!!!

--//--

panic(cpu 2 caller 0xffffff7fac28ee2c): "Graphics firmware encountered an exception (eip: 0xc988, fault #: 0xd)\n" @IGGuC.cpp:923
Panicked task 0xffffffb3ffc64038: 203 threads: pid 0: kernel_task
Backtrace (CPU 2), panicked thread: 0xffffffaf321350c8, Frame : Return Address
0xffffffc48d54bae0 : 0xffffff8016c70c7d
0xffffffc48d54bb30 : 0xffffff8016dc52e4
0xffffffc48d54bb70 : 0xffffff8016db4df7
0xffffffc48d54bbc0 : 0xffffff8016c11971
0xffffffc48d54bbe0 : 0xffffff8016c70f5d
0xffffffc48d54bcd0 : 0xffffff8016c70607
0xffffffc48d54bd30 : 0xffffff80173db8db
0xffffffc48d54be20 : 0xffffff7fac28ee2c
0xffffffc48d54be70 : 0xffffff7fac2044e4
0xffffffc48d54bed0 : 0xffffff8017313e43
0xffffffc48d54bf20 : 0xffffff801731263e
0xffffffc48d54bf60 : 0xffffff8017311c87
0xffffffc48d54bfa0 : 0xffffff8016c1119e
      Kernel Extensions in backtrace:
         com.apple.driver.AppleIntelKBLGraphics(20.0.7)[5E61D4A8-9FFC-3681-B46E-8909F5126724]@0xffffff7fac202000->0xffffff7fac2bffff
            dependency: com.apple.iokit.IOAcceleratorFamily2(475.40.6)[5CEA519D-44FC-30EB-8622-2394570EBDD4]@0xffffff7fac820000->0xffffff7fac88afff
            dependency: com.apple.iokit.IOGraphicsFamily(597)[718E01CF-8B05-3042-88F4-DE3441395D00]@0xffffff7fac9c1000->0xffffff7fac9effff
            dependency: com.apple.iokit.IOPCIFamily(2.9)[481BF782-1F4B-3F54-A34A-CF12A822C40D]@0xffffff80196b6000->0xffffff80196e7fff
            dependency: com.apple.iokit.IOSurface(336.60.1)[CEE7530A-8DE3-30C6-9EE3-EC791D0A2CAC]@0xffffff801981a000->0xffffff8019842fff

Process name corresponding to current thread (0xffffffaf321350c8): kernel_task

Mac OS version:
22H221

Kernel version:
Darwin Kernel Version 22.6.0: Thu Sep  5 20:48:48 PDT 2024; root:xnu-8796.141.3.708.1~1/RELEASE_X86_64
Kernel UUID: E0032591-5E81-3972-9D32-387A42376B1C
roots installed: 0
KernelCache slide: 0x0000000016800000
KernelCache base:  0xffffff8016a00000
Kernel slide:      0x00000000168dc000
Kernel text base:  0xffffff8016adc000
__HIB  text base: 0xffffff8016900000
System model name: MacBookPro14,2 (Mac-CAD6701F7CEA0921)
System shutdown begun: NO
Panic diags file available: YES (0x0)
Hibernation exit count: 0

System uptime in nanoseconds: 91776538898062
Last Sleep:           absolute           base_tsc          base_nano
  Uptime  : 0x0000537863fff1fc
  Sleep   : 0x00004ef0e0ed2f79 0x000365e24547c054 0x00004ee52edb8976
  Wake    : 0x00004ef0f70f9916 0x00036627c0fd8c3f 0x00004ef0f488bb88
Compressor Info: 10% of compressed pages limit (OK) and 6% of segments limit (OK) with 3 swapfiles and OK swap space
Zone info:
  Zone map: 0xffffff9a66030000 - 0xffffffba66030000
  . PGZ   : 0xffffff9a66030000 - 0xffffff9a67031000
  . VM    : 0xffffff9a67031000 - 0xffffff9f33a97000
  . RO    : 0xffffff9f33a97000 - 0xffffffa0cd363000
  . GEN0  : 0xffffffa0cd363000 - 0xffffffa599dc9000
  . GEN1  : 0xffffffa599dc9000 - 0xffffffaa6682f000
  . GEN2  : 0xffffffaa6682f000 - 0xffffffaf33295000
  . GEN3  : 0xffffffaf33295000 - 0xffffffb3ffcfc000
  . DATA  : 0xffffffb3ffcfc000 - 0xffffffba66030000
  Metadata: 0xffffff903427a000 - 0xffffff905427a000
  Bitmaps : 0xffffff905427a000 - 0xffffff9055a7a000
  Extra   : 0 - 0

last started kext at 53094627165374: >!UAudio    560.2 (addr 0xffffff7fac68f000, size 335872)
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[Andrey84]

Someone has asked the same question on the Apple Community forums:

Graphics firmware failure - Apple Community

discussions.apple.com

Copying the full reply here:

"If you have an external display connected, then disconnect it in case it is causing a problem. You may also want to disconnect all other external devices in case one of them is causing a problem (try the display first since).

It sounds like you may have a bad Logic Board since the Kernel Panic is referencing a GPU firmware issue.

You can try running the Apple Diagnostics to see if any hardware issues are detected. If the diagnostics report an issue, then you will need to have the laptop repaired. A passing diagnostic does not mean there are no hardware issues...the only useful diagnostic is one which reports an error.

If the diagnostics don't report an issue, then you can try performing a clean install of macOS by first erasing the drive followed by reinstalling macOS. Make sure to test the laptop thoroughly before installing any third party software or restoring from a backup. If the Kernel Panics continue under these conditions, then you definitely have a hardware issue which will need to be repaired.

Here are the instructions for reinstalling macOS....for a clean install you will need to also "Erase the Disk" option within that Apple article:

How to reinstall macOS - Apple Support

If you perform a clean install, make sure to have a good backup first since erasing the drive destroys all data on the drive.

Normally I would suggest running EtreCheck and posting the report to look for possible third party software causing a problem instead of a clean install, but I doubt that third party software is the issue for a GPU firmware issue. Typical software culprits are anti-virus apps, cleaning/optimizer apps, and third party security software...none of which are needed on a Mac and usually causes more problems than they solve.

Make sure to have a good backup in case the failure becomes worse where the laptop is no longer functional. Plus if the laptop is repaired, the Logic Board will be replaced which means you will lose any data that is not backed up since the SSD is integrated onto the Logic Board.

People should always have frequent and regular backups of their computer and all external media (including the cloud) which contains important & unique data."

 

[msackey]

Thanks, I do have an external monitor, the original Apple Thunderbolt Display ( https://support.apple.com/en-us/112597 ) which came with Thunderbolt Port, but I have a Thunderbolt Port to USB-C dongle (by Apple). I’ve had this monitor for a very long time and this setup also for a very long time (since 2017 and the monitor is older than that). There are also 2 small hard drives connected to the monitor’s USB 2.0 ports.

The kernel panics aren’t frequent. There can be months when it doesn’t happen and then like more recently it happened twice. I don’t actually see them. It usually happens when I’m not using the computer.

At this rate, I’m probably not too inclined to do a lot of troubleshoot only because of the disruption it would cause when the panics themselves aren’t often.

But, it is good to know that the error is related to a Graphics firmware.

Related question:
- Could the graphics firmware error be about the monitor itself and not the computer?

So many years back, my Apple Thunderbolt Monitor exhibited some whine. In reading up on what that whine could be, it was suggested that there is a power failing. I took the monitor to an Apple Store and they couldn’t diagnose anything and in fact the whine went away. I did learn from Apple forums that one way to keep the power supply from failing faster was to make sure the built-in power cable which can be used to power the laptop is not in use. And so, that’s what I did. Instead of using the monitor’s power cable to supply my laptop with power, I just used the laptop’s brick.

It’s been many years since that whine (like over 6 years) and the monitor still works. At this point, if the monitor does fail, I’m just going to chuck the monitor and use my iPad Pro as the second display with the laptop display as the primary. The computer is too old to further invest in it.

 

[Andrey84]

Thanks, I do have an external monitor, the original Apple Thunderbolt Display ( https://support.apple.com/en-us/112597 ) which came with Thunderbolt Port, but I have a Thunderbolt Port to USB-C dongle (by Apple). I’ve had this monitor for a very long time and this setup also for a very long time (since 2017 and the monitor is older than that). There are also 2 small hard drives connected to the monitor’s USB 2.0 ports.

The kernel panics aren’t frequent. There can be months when it doesn’t happen and then like more recently it happened twice. I don’t actually see them. It usually happens when I’m not using the computer.

At this rate, I’m probably not too inclined to do a lot of troubleshoot only because of the disruption it would cause when the panics themselves aren’t often.

But, it is good to know that the error is related to a Graphics firmware.

Related question:
- Could the graphics firmware error be about the monitor itself and not the computer?

So many years back, my Apple Thunderbolt Monitor exhibited some whine. In reading up on what that whine could be, it was suggested that there is a power failing. I took the monitor to an Apple Store and they couldn’t diagnose anything and in fact the whine went away. I did learn from Apple forums that one way to keep the power supply from failing faster was to make sure the built-in power cable which can be used to power the laptop is not in use. And so, that’s what I did. Instead of using the monitor’s power cable to supply my laptop with power, I just used the laptop’s brick.

It’s been many years since that whine (like over 6 years) and the monitor still works. At this point, if the monitor does fail, I’m just going to chuck the monitor and use my iPad Pro as the second display with the laptop display as the primary. The computer is too old to further invest in it.

Yes, according the that reply.
Will you be trying to perform a clean (with SSD formatting) install of Sequoia?

 

[msackey]

Yes, according the that reply.
Will you be trying to perform a clean (with SSD formatting) install of Sequoia?

Sequoia does not run on a 2017 MacBook Pro. The latest macOS that runs on it is Ventura.

 

[Andrey84]

Sequoia does not run on a 2017 MacBook Pro. The latest macOS that runs on it is Ventura.

I know, but I've been using OpenCore Legacy Patcher for a year now. I used it to run Ventura on my MacBook Pro 2015. A week ago I've done a clean install of Sequoia with full SSD formatting, and the OS works really well. You should try it. The later major OS you install, the more chance this issue was fixed. There are great tutorials on YouTube, I use Mr. Macintosh. The prompt is "installing Sequoia on an unsupported Mac".

 

[msackey]

I know, but I've been using OpenCore Legacy Patcher for a year now. I used it to run Ventura on my MacBook Pro 2015. A week ago I've done a clean install of Sequoia with full SSD formatting, and the OS works really well. You should try it. The later major OS you install, the more chance this issue was fixed. There are great tutorials on YouTube, I use Mr. Macintosh. The prompt is "installing Sequoia on an unsupported Mac".

Ah, I see what you mean.

For a while, I was thinking of using OpenCore Legacy Patcher. In a way, it would be great because it would bring my macOS to more updated applications like Reminder, Notes, etc. which all my other devices (phone and iPad) are all running the latest versions.

But the thought of having to muck around makes me go ugh….

But, I’ll keep it in mind. Maybe I’ll try it if the errors become unbearable.