System malfunctions vs Safe Boot

[simpn]

Hi everyone!

I got big problems and really need your help.

I own MacBookPro 13 Early 2011 i7 2.7GHz 16GB RAM Samsung 840 Pro 512GB + 1TB HDD in OptiBay. The computer has run a clean install of Mountain Lion since March.

Everything worked perfect until the last 3 weeks.
First I got some graphical artefacts during a startup screen. After few minutes of web browsing, the Facebook images such as the red notification counter got artefacts and were not readable. Also my network printer stopped responding.

I did a restart. The Facebook page was fine this time BUT a lot of system icons disappeared. The icons in the Finder's sidebar, buttons in Safari and icons (90% of them) in the top right corner on a toolbar. They all disappeared but were still clickable and you could use their functionality. There were just blank.
Multiple restart didn't help much. Somehow I figured out to boot in Safe Boot and voila! They system fixed the issue and everything was fine again.

Unfortunately, few days later I got another problems. Due to run out of battery, the OSX hibernated system. After reloading, the VLC's OSD was again in artefacts and unreadable (I was watching a movie before the hibernation). Again the Facebook webpage got artefacts (see screenshot below).

I did restart and...I couldn't login. Everytime I typed my password, after few seconds I got the screen login again. I'm 100% sure I typed a proper password, and the system indicated it's fine, it was a grey screen (the typical one between screen login and the desktop wallpaper) and it just returned to the screenlogin.
Restarts? Didn't help. But again, the Safe Boot resolved the problem.


I decided to make some tests. I checked the RAM by using memtest86 in the MBP and DELL - no problems. I tested the SSD (again in both computers) by reading SMART, running TechToolPro and UNIX's badblocks - no problems. The SMART says there is 0 badblocks at all.

I run complete TechTool Pro tests - the only problem was in File Structure test but it doesn't look as something important. Here is a report:
https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/25196838/file structure.webarchive

I went to the Apple Service, they run some quick and longterm tests - no problems. After receiving computer from the service, I got kernel panic on the next day.

I don't know what to do now. Any suggestions?
And why Safe Boot helped?

Can you please help me? I'm worried about my files. They can get corrupted..

Ah, and the image below is a screenshot during a second malfunction. I marked green the artefacts and rubbed out not important private informations (red brush).

http://img96.imageshack.us/img96/4185/zzp9.jpg

 

[benwiggy]

Safe Boot resolved the problem.

http://support.apple.com/kb/HT1564
Starting up into Safe Mode does several things:

* It loads only required kernel extensions (some of the items in /System/Library/Extensions).
* A Safe Boot deletes the dynamic loader shared cache at (/var/db/dyld/). A cache with issues may cause a blue screen on startup, particularly after a Software Update. Restarting normally recreates this cache.
* It disables all fonts other than those in /System/Library/Fonts (Mac OS X v10.4 or later).
* It moves to the Trash all font caches normally stored in /Library/Caches/com.apple.ATS/(uid)/ , where (uid) is a user ID number such as 501 (Mac OS X v10.4 or later).
* It disables all startup items and login items (Mac OS X v10.4 or later).

If Safe Boot works, but normal Boot doesn't, then you're problem is very likely a third-party kernel extension or Login Item.

In short: you've installed something that doesn't play nice.

 

[simpn]

I know the shortnote from the Apple site. But it's too general for me.

The problem occurs from time to time and Safe Boot fixes it. I didn't say the system runs only in Safe Mode.