M1 Mac mini crashing every 2-3 days: Invalid kernel stack pointer (probable overflow)

[Flake]

Like many others, I've found Big Sur 11.2+ to be a nightmare.

I've found extensive discussion about frequent kernel panics occurring after updating to 11.2, but have been able to find next to no information about the specific message in the title of this thread, which is what I always receive. I see a lot of others complaining about getting the message, "userspace watchdog timeout: no successful checkins from com.apple.WindowServer in 120 seconds"

My crash logs also point to a process called WindowServer:

panic(cpu 1 caller 0xfffffe002c74504c): Invalid kernel stack pointer (probable overflow). at pc 0xfffffe002bf630d8, lr 0x5f9d7e002c002c44 (saved state: 0xfffffe304af3bcb0)
x0: 0xfffffe002fcdbf08 x1: 0xfffffe100018c110 x2: 0x00000000000d0000 x3: 0x000000000000000c
x4: 0xfffffe2339b8fcd0 x5: 0xfffffe306e278458 x6: 0x0000000000001400 x7: 0x000000000000006d
x8: 0xfffffe10001ac240 x9: 0x0000000000000007 x10: 0x0000000000000004 x11: 0x0000000000000004
x12: 0xfffffe166ce7bcf0 x13: 0x0000000000003cf0 x14: 0xc0ffef810564e762 x15: 0x0000000000008000
x16: 0x0000000000008000 x17: 0xfffffe2339b8fca0 x18: 0x0000000000000000 x19: 0xfffffe002fcdbf08
x20: 0x00000000000000a0 x21: 0x00000000000d0000 x22: 0x0000000000000200 x23: 0xfffffe100018c110
x24: 0x0000000000000000 x25: 0x0000000000000100 x26: 0x0000000000000000 x27: 0x0000000000000090
x28: 0x0000000000001000 fp: 0xfffffe306e278060 lr: 0x5f9d7e002c002c44 sp: 0xfffffe306e277cc0
pc: 0xfffffe002bf630d8 cpsr: 0x204013c8 esr: 0x96000047 far: 0xfffffe306e277cc8

Debugger message: panic
Memory ID: 0x6
OS release type: User
OS version: 20D91
Kernel version: Darwin Kernel Version 20.3.0: Thu Jan 21 00:06:51 PST 2021; root:xnu-7195.81.3~1/RELEASE_ARM64_T8101
Fileset Kernelcache UUID: F78A48EC84D7C3283E7C6C67D00889A7
Kernel UUID: 9FE8C0DA-8ED0-381C-9CEC-2A779F3E1503
iBoot version: iBoot-6723.81.1
secure boot?: YES
Paniclog version: 13
KernelCache slide: 0x000000002435c000
KernelCache base: 0xfffffe002b360000
Kernel slide: 0x0000000024e90000
Kernel text base: 0xfffffe002be94000
Kernel text exec base: 0xfffffe002bf5c000
mach_absolute_time: 0x64cb8417f18
Epoch Time: sec usec
Boot : 0x606c68ed 0x0008cb24
Sleep : 0x606ddbe8 0x0002ea48
Wake : 0x606dde95 0x00069936
Calendar: 0x6070fbf3 0x000db41e

CORE 0 recently retired instr at 0xfffffe002c0c6c0c
CORE 1 recently retired instr at 0xfffffe002c0c5748
CORE 2 recently retired instr at 0xfffffe002c0c6c0c
CORE 3 recently retired instr at 0xfffffe002c0c6c0c
CORE 4 recently retired instr at 0xfffffe002c0c6c10
CORE 5 recently retired instr at 0xfffffe002c0c6c10
CORE 6 recently retired instr at 0xfffffe002c0c6c10
CORE 7 recently retired instr at 0xfffffe002c0c6c10
Panicked task 0xfffffe166ece12a8: 3944 pages, 19 threads: pid 151: WindowServer
Panicked thread: 0xfffffe166ecf0658, backtrace: 0xfffffe304af3b5c0, tid: 1838

I also notice in Console.app under Crash Reports, I always see one or two crash logs there pointing to another process called CVMServer, dated right around the time the OS crashes and reboots. But some of them are logged without the entire system crashing due to kernel panic.

I've already tried reinstalling the OS. The issue also happens after booting into safe mode.

I'm worried it may be a hardware fault, but I bought this machine back in December, and I'm certain these crashes only started after updating to 11.2 in February, which has me thinking the update introduced some bug.

Unsurprisingly, Apple support has been utterly useless.

 

[Coheebuzz]

That sounds like a privileged user process doing an illegal call, in this case overflowing into protected memory, and getting killed. I'd bet on some driver bug if it's happening in safe mode, Catalina has a similar thing going.

 

[Alex-Microsmeta]

Like many others, I've found Big Sur 11.2+ to be a nightmare.

I've found extensive discussion about frequent kernel panics occurring after updating to 11.2, but have been able to find next to no information about the specific message in the title of this thread, which is what I always receive. I see a lot of others complaining about getting the message, "userspace watchdog timeout: no successful checkins from com.apple.WindowServer in 120 seconds"

My crash logs also point to a process called WindowServer:


I also notice in Console.app under Crash Reports, I always see one or two crash logs there pointing to another process called CVMServer, dated right around the time the OS crashes and reboots. But some of them are logged without the entire system crashing due to kernel panic.

I've already tried reinstalling the OS. The issue also happens after booting into safe mode.

I'm worried it may be a hardware fault, but I bought this machine back in December, and I'm certain these crashes only started after updating to 11.2 in February, which has me thinking the update introduced some bug.

Unsurprisingly, Apple support has been utterly useless.

Same problem here (and more frequent: it was crashing every 8 hours, sent feedback to Apple). I have installed Big Sur 11.3 RC from Apple beta program and after 24 hours no more kernel panics.

 

[Honza1]

Well, no hardware info provided... But if the problem happens in safe mode and after reinstalling system, I would suspect hardware. First suspect is usually memory. If possible, test by removing a stick at time (if removable). If it is under warranty, hand this to Apple and ask them to fix it.
Most users are not seeing this issue, it would be lot larger firestorm here. Therefore this is likely installation issue, user software (e.g., bad kext), or hardware. Installation & software were evaluated and should be OK, hardware is remaining likely culprit.

 

[George Dawes]

I think I'll wait until I buy a new mac before using big sur , looks like a lot of big problems

 

[Alex-Microsmeta]

Well, no hardware info provided... But if the problem happens in safe mode and after reinstalling system, I would suspect hardware. First suspect is usually memory. If possible, test by removing a stick at time (if removable). If it is under warranty, hand this to Apple and ask them to fix it.
Most users are not seeing this issue, it would be lot larger firestorm here. Therefore this is likely installation issue, user software (e.g., bad kext), or hardware. Installation & software were evaluated and should be OK, hardware is remaining likely culprit.

[SOLVED] Simply updating to Big Sur 11.3 RC (from Apple beta program)

In all M1 computers memory is inside the soldered SOC, so no stick to remove. I was fearing that was caused by hardware failure (after removing all possible unstable applications and devices) ...No more crashes since 4 days now (was happening every 4-8 hours last times)

As always absolutely no help by all Apple official support channels (useless also the Feedback Application) ...Their helpdesk members are too busy to suggest the color of your next iMac M1 with soldered SSD, other easy to break components and crazy prices 😂

 

[Coheebuzz]

It's really not indicative of bad memory, that one tends to produce a lot of "memory corruption" crash reports and is aggravated by memory intensive tasks, and in the case that a badge of M1's came with bad memory we'd be hearing about a variety of random and far more serious symptoms, from our computers not turning on, to abysmal performance and to hard crashes as even the debugger would become corrupted.