MacOS – Kernel panic in old MacBook Pro after upgrading to El Capitan

crashkernel-panicmacbook promacosupgrade

I'm trying to get my old 15-inch MacBook Pro (Mac-F42D86C8) from late 2008, back to life.

I installed El Capitan operating system upgrade and since then, everytime I boot I reach a kernel panic and the laptop reboots again and again.

I've managed to start the system in safe mode and read the kernel panic information (attached below). However, It looks like a problem with the graphics system. I've tried following some online troubleshooting manuals without much luck.

I've reinstalled El Capitan several times without better results. I'm not sure why it works in safe mode.

Mon Dec 14 22:32:31 2015

*** Panic Report ***
panic(cpu 1 caller 0xffffff80003d6bba): Kernel trap at 0xffffff7f823a80fb, type 14=page fault, registers:
CR0: 0x0000000080010033, CR2: 0x0000000000000000, CR3: 0x000000011cd22000, CR4: 0x0000000000002660
RAX: 0x0000000000000000, RBX: 0xffffff806a8d3000, RCX: 0xffffff8000b27338, RDX: 0xffffff800a021db0
RSP: 0xffffff90990fb780, RBP: 0xffffff90990fb790, RSI: 0x0000000000007059, RDI: 0xffffff806a8d3000
R8:  0xffffff90990fb4a8, R9:  0xffffff90990fb4a0, R10: 0x0000000000000000, R11: 0x0000000000c06000
R12: 0xffffff806a8d3000, R13: 0xffffff8000b27338, R14: 0x0000000000000000, R15: 0x0000000000000080
RFL: 0x0000000000010297, RIP: 0xffffff7f823a80fb, CS:  0x0000000000000008, SS:  0x0000000000000010
Fault CR2: 0x0000000000000000, Error code: 0x0000000000000000, Fault CPU: 0x1, PL: 0

Backtrace (CPU 1), Frame : Return Address
0xffffff90990fb410 : 0xffffff80002e5307 
0xffffff90990fb490 : 0xffffff80003d6bba 
0xffffff90990fb670 : 0xffffff80003f4313 
0xffffff90990fb690 : 0xffffff7f823a80fb 
0xffffff90990fb790 : 0xffffff7f8239cb2b 
0xffffff90990fb7c0 : 0xffffff7f8239c9b0 
0xffffff90990fb820 : 0xffffff7f8239ea5f 
0xffffff90990fb9b0 : 0xffffff7f821ab2e0 
0xffffff90990fba30 : 0xffffff7f81e4e939 
0xffffff90990fbb60 : 0xffffff7f81e4d93f 
0xffffff90990fbbd0 : 0xffffff7f821ac355 
0xffffff90990fbc10 : 0xffffff7f81dac535 
0xffffff90990fbca0 : 0xffffff7f81da414b 
0xffffff90990fbcd0 : 0xffffff7f821acae8 
0xffffff90990fbd20 : 0xffffff8000897241 
0xffffff90990fbd70 : 0xffffff80008e0a69 
0xffffff90990fbde0 : 0xffffff80003a02a1 
0xffffff90990fbe30 : 0xffffff80002e9aa3 
0xffffff90990fbe60 : 0xffffff80002cd478 
0xffffff90990fbea0 : 0xffffff80002dcfd5 
0xffffff90990fbf10 : 0xffffff80003c13aa 
0xffffff90990fbfb0 : 0xffffff80003f4b36 
      Kernel Extensions in backtrace:
         com.apple.iokit.IOGraphicsFamily(2.4.1)[48AC8EA9-BD3C-3FDC-908D-09850215AA32]@0xffffff7f81d9a000->0xffffff7f81dd3fff
            dependency: com.apple.iokit.IOPCIFamily(2.9)[8E5F549E-0055-3C0E-93F8-E872A048E31B]@0xffffff7f80b2d000
         com.apple.iokit.IONDRVSupport(2.4.1)[814A7F4B-03EF-384A-B205-9840F0594421]@0xffffff7f81e4c000->0xffffff7f81e59fff
            dependency: com.apple.iokit.IOGraphicsFamily(2.4.1)[48AC8EA9-BD3C-3FDC-908D-09850215AA32]@0xffffff7f81d9a000
            dependency: com.apple.iokit.IOPCIFamily(2.9)[8E5F549E-0055-3C0E-93F8-E872A048E31B]@0xffffff7f80b2d000
         com.apple.nvidia.classic.NVDAResmanTesla(10.0)[05FC5D7E-BB0B-3232-BBBD-8A49B6870D8B]@0xffffff7f821a9000->0xffffff7f8241dfff
            dependency: com.apple.iokit.IOPCIFamily(2.9)[8E5F549E-0055-3C0E-93F8-E872A048E31B]@0xffffff7f80b2d000
            dependency: com.apple.iokit.IONDRVSupport(2.4.1)[814A7F4B-03EF-384A-B205-9840F0594421]@0xffffff7f81e4c000
            dependency: com.apple.iokit.IOGraphicsFamily(2.4.1)[48AC8EA9-BD3C-3FDC-908D-09850215AA32]@0xffffff7f81d9a000

BSD process name corresponding to current thread: WindowServer
Boot args: -x

Mac OS version:
15B42

Kernel version:
Darwin Kernel Version 15.0.0: Sat Sep 19 15:53:46 PDT 2015; root:xnu-3247.10.11~1/RELEASE_X86_64
Kernel UUID: AB5FC1B4-12E7-311E-8E6F-9023985D8C1D
__HIB  text base: 0xffffff8000100000
System model name: MacBookPro5,1 (Mac-F42D86C8)

System uptime in nanoseconds: 104766501851
last loaded kext at 98757521179: com.apple.iokit.IOSurface  108.0.1 (addr 0xffffff7f826e9000, size 77824)
loaded kexts:
com.apple.Dont_Steal_Mac_OS_X   7.0.0
com.apple.driver.AGPM   110.20.21
com.apple.driver.AppleBacklight 170.8.1
com.apple.nvenet    2.0.22
com.apple.iokit.BroadcomBluetoothHostControllerUSBTransport 4.4.2f1
com.apple.driver.AirPort.Brcm4331   800.20.24
com.apple.driver.AppleMuxControl    3.11.33b1
com.apple.driver.ACPI_SMC_PlatformPlugin    1.0.0
com.apple.driver.AppleLPC   3.1
com.apple.driver.AppleMCCSControl   1.2.13
com.apple.nvidia.NVDAStartup    10.0.6
com.apple.filesystems.autofs    3.0
com.apple.driver.AppleUSBTCButtons  245.4
com.apple.driver.AppleUSBTCKeyEventDriver   245.4
com.apple.driver.AppleUSBTCKeyboard 245.4
com.apple.driver.AppleFileSystemDriver  3.0.1
com.apple.AppleFSCompression.AppleFSCompressionTypeDataless 1.0.0d1
com.apple.AppleFSCompression.AppleFSCompressionTypeZlib 1.0.0
com.apple.BootCache 37
com.apple.driver.AppleIRController  327.5
com.apple.iokit.SCSITaskUserClient  3.7.7
com.apple.iokit.IOAHCIBlockStorage  2.8.0
com.apple.driver.AppleFWOHCI    5.5.2
com.apple.driver.AppleAHCIPort  3.1.5
com.apple.driver.usb.AppleUSBEHCIPCI    1.0.1
com.apple.driver.usb.AppleUSBOHCIPCI    1.0.1
com.apple.driver.AppleSmartBatteryManager   161.0.0
com.apple.driver.AppleRTC   2.0
com.apple.driver.AppleHPET  1.8
com.apple.driver.AppleACPIButtons   4.0
com.apple.driver.AppleSMBIOS    2.1
com.apple.driver.AppleACPIEC    4.0
com.apple.driver.AppleAPIC  1.7
com.apple.driver.AppleIntelCPUPowerManagementClient 218.0.0
com.apple.nke.applicationfirewall   163
com.apple.security.quarantine   3
com.apple.security.TMSafetyNet  8
com.apple.driver.AppleIntelCPUPowerManagement   218.0.0
com.apple.iokit.IOSurface   108.0.1
com.apple.AppleGraphicsDeviceControl    3.11.33b1
com.apple.nvidia.classic.NVDANV50HalTesla   10.0.0
com.apple.nvidia.classic.NVDAResmanTesla    10.0.0
com.apple.iokit.IOBluetoothHostControllerUSBTransport   4.4.2f1
com.apple.iokit.IOBluetoothFamily   4.4.2f1
com.apple.iokit.IO80211Family   1101.24
com.apple.driver.corecapture    1.0.4
com.apple.driver.AppleBacklightExpert   1.1.0
com.apple.iokit.IONDRVSupport   2.4.1
com.apple.driver.AppleGraphicsControl   3.11.33b1
com.apple.driver.NVSMU  2.2.9
com.apple.driver.IOPlatformPluginLegacy 1.0.0
com.apple.driver.AppleSMBusPCI  1.0.14d1
com.apple.driver.IOPlatformPluginFamily 6.0.0d7
com.apple.driver.AppleSMC   3.1.9
com.apple.driver.AppleSMBusController   1.0.14d1
com.apple.iokit.IOGraphicsFamily    2.4.1
com.apple.kext.triggers 1.0
com.apple.driver.AppleUSBMultitouch 250.4
com.apple.iokit.IONetworkingFamily  3.2
com.apple.driver.usb.AppleUSBHub    1.0.1
com.apple.iokit.IOUSBHIDDriver  900.4.1
com.apple.driver.usb.AppleUSBHostCompositeDevice    1.0.1
com.apple.iokit.IOSCSIMultimediaCommandsDevice  3.7.7
com.apple.iokit.IOBDStorageFamily   1.8
com.apple.iokit.IODVDStorageFamily  1.8
com.apple.iokit.IOCDStorageFamily   1.8
com.apple.iokit.IOAHCISerialATAPI   2.6.2
com.apple.iokit.IOSCSIArchitectureModelFamily   3.7.7
com.apple.driver.AppleXsanScheme    3
com.apple.driver.AppleUSBMergeNub   900.4.1
com.apple.iokit.IOFireWireFamily    4.5.8
com.apple.iokit.IOAHCIFamily    2.8.0
com.apple.driver.usb.AppleUSBOHCI   1.0.1
com.apple.driver.usb.AppleUSBEHCI   1.0.1
com.apple.iokit.IOUSBFamily 900.4.1
com.apple.iokit.IOUSBHostFamily 1.0.1
com.apple.driver.AppleUSBHostMergeProperties    1.0.1
com.apple.driver.AppleEFINVRAM  2.0
com.apple.driver.AppleEFIRuntime    2.0
com.apple.iokit.IOHIDFamily 2.0.0
com.apple.iokit.IOSMBusFamily   1.1
com.apple.security.sandbox  300.0
com.apple.kext.AppleMatch   1.0.0d1
com.apple.driver.AppleKeyStore  2
com.apple.driver.AppleMobileFileIntegrity   1.0.5
com.apple.driver.AppleCredentialManager 1.0
com.apple.driver.DiskImages 415
com.apple.iokit.IOStorageFamily 2.1
com.apple.iokit.IOReportFamily  31
com.apple.driver.AppleFDEKeyStore   28.30
com.apple.driver.AppleACPIPlatform  4.0
com.apple.iokit.IOPCIFamily 2.9
com.apple.iokit.IOACPIFamily    1.4
com.apple.kec.pthread   1
com.apple.kec.corecrypto    1.0
Model: MacBookPro5,1, BootROM MBP51.007E.B06, 2 processors, Intel Core 2 Duo, 2,4 GHz, 4 GB, SMC 1.33f8
Graphics: NVIDIA GeForce 9400M, NVIDIA GeForce 9400M, PCI, 256 MB
Graphics: NVIDIA GeForce 9600M GT, NVIDIA GeForce 9600M GT, PCIe, 256 MB
Memory Module: BANK 0/DIMM0, 2 GB, DDR3, 1067 MHz, 0x80CE, 0x4D34373142353637334448312D4346382020
Memory Module: BANK 0/DIMM1, 2 GB, DDR3, 1067 MHz, 0x80CE, 0x4D34373142353637334448312D4346382020
AirPort: spairport_wireless_card_type_airport_extreme (0x14E4, 0x8D), Broadcom BCM43xx 1.0 (5.106.98.100.24)
Bluetooth: Version 4.4.2f1 16391, 3 services, 27 devices, 0 incoming serial ports
Network Service: Wi-Fi, AirPort, en1
Serial ATA Device: TOSHIBA MK5076GSX, 500,11 GB
Serial ATA Device: MATSHITADVD-R   UJ-868
USB Device: USB 2.0 Bus
USB Device: USB 2.0 Bus
USB Device: Built-in iSight
USB Device: USB Bus
USB Device: Apple Internal Keyboard / Trackpad
USB Device: IR Receiver
USB Device: USB Bus
USB Device: BRCM2046 Hub
USB Device: Bluetooth USB Host Controller
Thunderbolt Bus: 

UPDATE 2016-01-03

I've removed the HD from my MacBook Pro from 2008 and put it today in a White Macbook I have at home and I've been able to finish the El Capitan install and get it working without issues.

So I've removed the HD from the White Macbook and put it back in the MacBook Pro 2008 and It has booted correctly the first time. I've started Safari, I've gone to youtube and when starting to watch the first video, it has kernel paniced. Now I'm unable to boot the computer again.

BTW, I'm using a 3rd party Hard drive, but I believe it's not the issue because it works flawless in the White Macbook. My understanding is the issue is related with the two graphic cards, and I'm unable to upgrade the EFI as suggested by @kenjikato

2nd UPDATE 2016-01-03

Every time I boot my HD in my white MacBook and then put it back in my MBPro it works the first boot.

This time I switched to high performance in Energy Saver and it did work. However seconds after that, the screen started to turn purple. It looks like something is wrong with one of these graphic cards.

You can see the video here

3rd UPDATE 2016-01-04

I've managed to boot sometimes in El Capitan, however it's quite unstable, and the operating system doesn't seem to remember the high performance mode after a crash. This is another kernel panic I captured today, I believe it's different enough from the previous one.

Anonymous UUID:       A4F7B385-F7EB-6327-54C1-E8D48CD11866

Sun Jan  3 08:41:23 2016

*** Panic Report ***
panic(cpu 1 caller 0xffffff801d9d155a): Kernel trap at 0xffffff7f9ff5437d, type 14=page fault, registers:
CR0: 0x0000000080010033, CR2: 0x0000000000000010, CR3: 0x0000000016ef9000, CR4: 0x0000000000002660
RAX: 0x3803a69ac0f30001, RBX: 0xffffff80876c8000, RCX: 0x0000000000000001, RDX: 0x00000000ffffffff
RSP: 0xffffff90b693bae0, RBP: 0xffffff90b693bae0, RSI: 0x0000000000000000, RDI: 0x0000000000000000
R8:  0x00000000ffffffff, R9:  0x0000000000000002, R10: 0xffffff802b2c10d0, R11: 0x000000000000002c
R12: 0x0000000000000000, R13: 0x000000000000073c, R14: 0xffffff80876c8268, R15: 0xffffff80876c8000
RFL: 0x0000000000010293, RIP: 0xffffff7f9ff5437d, CS:  0x0000000000000008, SS:  0x0000000000000010
Fault CR2: 0x0000000000000010, Error code: 0x0000000000000000, Fault CPU: 0x1, PL: 0

Backtrace (CPU 1), Frame : Return Address
0xffffff90b693b770 : 0xffffff801d8de792 
0xffffff90b693b7f0 : 0xffffff801d9d155a 
0xffffff90b693b9d0 : 0xffffff801d9ef233 
0xffffff90b693b9f0 : 0xffffff7f9ff5437d 
0xffffff90b693bae0 : 0xffffff7f9ff3e9b4 
0xffffff90b693bb40 : 0xffffff7f9ff3e8f8 
0xffffff90b693bb60 : 0xffffff7f9ff1a77a 
0xffffff90b693bba0 : 0xffffff7f9f2fe0f5 
0xffffff90b693bbf0 : 0xffffff7f9f2fe008 
0xffffff90b693bc10 : 0xffffff7f9f302572 
0xffffff90b693bca0 : 0xffffff7f9f2fa14b 
0xffffff90b693bcd0 : 0xffffff7f9f9f7ae8 
0xffffff90b693bd20 : 0xffffff801de95f91 
0xffffff90b693bd70 : 0xffffff801dedfb19 
0xffffff90b693bde0 : 0xffffff801d99a8f1 
0xffffff90b693be30 : 0xffffff801d8e2ef3 
0xffffff90b693be60 : 0xffffff801d8c68a8 
0xffffff90b693bea0 : 0xffffff801d8d62e5 
0xffffff90b693bf10 : 0xffffff801d9bbd2a 
0xffffff90b693bfb0 : 0xffffff801d9efa56 
      Kernel Extensions in backtrace:
         com.apple.iokit.IOGraphicsFamily(2.4.1)[48AC8EA9-BD3C-3FDC-908D-09850215AA32]@0xffffff7f9f2f0000->0xffffff7f9f329fff
            dependency: com.apple.iokit.IOPCIFamily(2.9)[6ADFE830-2986-35D2-8C2F-6ABEDBC94F6A]@0xffffff7f9e12c000
         com.apple.nvidia.classic.NVDAResmanTesla(10.0)[05FC5D7E-BB0B-3232-BBBD-8A49B6870D8B]@0xffffff7f9f9f4000->0xffffff7f9fc68fff
            dependency: com.apple.iokit.IOPCIFamily(2.9)[6ADFE830-2986-35D2-8C2F-6ABEDBC94F6A]@0xffffff7f9e12c000
            dependency: com.apple.iokit.IONDRVSupport(2.4.1)[814A7F4B-03EF-384A-B205-9840F0594421]@0xffffff7f9f675000
            dependency: com.apple.iokit.IOGraphicsFamily(2.4.1)[48AC8EA9-BD3C-3FDC-908D-09850215AA32]@0xffffff7f9f2f0000
         com.apple.GeForceTesla(10.0)[FA931FAA-37C3-36C9-A992-63632B1496AF]@0xffffff7f9ff17000->0xffffff7f9ffe2fff
            dependency: com.apple.iokit.IOPCIFamily(2.9)[6ADFE830-2986-35D2-8C2F-6ABEDBC94F6A]@0xffffff7f9e12c000
            dependency: com.apple.iokit.IONDRVSupport(2.4.1)[814A7F4B-03EF-384A-B205-9840F0594421]@0xffffff7f9f675000
            dependency: com.apple.iokit.IOGraphicsFamily(2.4.1)[48AC8EA9-BD3C-3FDC-908D-09850215AA32]@0xffffff7f9f2f0000
            dependency: com.apple.nvidia.classic.NVDAResmanTesla(10.0.0)[05FC5D7E-BB0B-3232-BBBD-8A49B6870D8B]@0xffffff7f9f9f4000

BSD process name corresponding to current thread: WindowServer

Mac OS version:
15C50

Kernel version:
Darwin Kernel Version 15.2.0: Fri Nov 13 19:56:56 PST 2015; root:xnu-3248.20.55~2/RELEASE_X86_64
Kernel UUID: 17EA3101-D2E4-31BF-BDA9-931F51049F93
Kernel slide:     0x000000001d600000
Kernel text base: 0xffffff801d800000
__HIB  text base: 0xffffff801d700000
System model name: MacBookPro5,1 (Mac-F42D86C8)

System uptime in nanoseconds: 59624319088
last loaded kext at 55760580027: com.apple.driver.pmtelemetry   1 (addr 0xffffff7fa004c000, size 49152)
loaded kexts:
com.apple.driver.pmtelemetry    1
com.apple.iokit.IOUserEthernet  1.0.1
com.apple.iokit.IOBluetoothSerialManager    4.4.3f4
com.apple.Dont_Steal_Mac_OS_X   7.0.0
com.apple.driver.AppleUpstreamUserClient    3.6.1
com.apple.driver.AppleHDAHardwareConfigDriver   272.51.3
com.apple.driver.AppleTyMCEDriver   1.0.2d2
com.apple.driver.AGPM   110.20.21
com.apple.driver.AppleMikeyHIDDriver    124
com.apple.GeForceTesla  10.0.0
com.apple.driver.AppleHDA   272.51.3
com.apple.driver.AppleOSXWatchdog   1
com.apple.driver.AppleMikeyDriver   272.51.3
com.apple.driver.AppleHV    1
com.apple.driver.AppleBacklight 170.8.3
com.apple.nvenet    2.0.22
com.apple.iokit.BroadcomBluetoothHostControllerUSBTransport 4.4.3f4
com.apple.iokit.IOBluetoothUSBDFU   4.4.3f4
com.apple.driver.AppleSMCLMU    208
com.apple.driver.AppleMuxControl    3.12.6
com.apple.driver.AirPort.Brcm4331   800.20.24
com.apple.driver.ACPI_SMC_PlatformPlugin    1.0.0
com.apple.driver.AppleLPC   3.1
com.apple.driver.AppleIntelSlowAdaptiveClocking 4.0.0
com.apple.driver.AppleFIVRDriver    4.1.0
com.apple.driver.AppleMCCSControl   1.2.13
com.apple.nvidia.NVDAStartup    10.0.8
com.apple.driver.SMCMotionSensor    3.0.4d1
com.apple.filesystems.autofs    3.0
com.apple.driver.AppleUSBTCButtons  245.4
com.apple.driver.AppleFileSystemDriver  3.0.1
com.apple.AppleFSCompression.AppleFSCompressionTypeDataless 1.0.0d1
com.apple.AppleFSCompression.AppleFSCompressionTypeZlib 1.0.0
com.apple.BootCache 38
com.apple.driver.AppleUSBTCKeyEventDriver   245.4
com.apple.driver.AppleUSBTCKeyboard 245.4
com.apple.driver.AppleIRController  327.5
com.apple.iokit.SCSITaskUserClient  3.7.7
com.apple.iokit.IOAHCIBlockStorage  2.8.5
com.apple.driver.usb.AppleUSBOHCIPCI    1.0.1
com.apple.driver.AppleSmartBatteryManager   161.0.0
com.apple.driver.AppleFWOHCI    5.5.2
com.apple.driver.AppleAHCIPort  3.1.8
com.apple.driver.usb.AppleUSBEHCIPCI    1.0.1
com.apple.driver.AppleRTC   2.0
com.apple.driver.AppleHPET  1.8
com.apple.driver.AppleACPIButtons   4.0
com.apple.driver.AppleSMBIOS    2.1
com.apple.driver.AppleACPIEC    4.0
com.apple.driver.AppleAPIC  1.7
com.apple.driver.AppleIntelCPUPowerManagementClient 218.0.0
com.apple.nke.applicationfirewall   163
com.apple.security.quarantine   3
com.apple.security.TMSafetyNet  8
com.apple.driver.AppleIntelCPUPowerManagement   218.0.0
com.apple.iokit.IOSurface   108.0.1
com.apple.iokit.IOSerialFamily  11
com.apple.AppleGraphicsDeviceControl    3.12.6
com.apple.driver.CoreCaptureResponder   1
com.apple.nvidia.classic.NVDANV50HalTesla   10.0.0
com.apple.nvidia.classic.NVDAResmanTesla    10.0.0
com.apple.driver.DspFuncLib 272.51.3
com.apple.kext.OSvKernDSPLib    525
com.apple.iokit.IOBluetoothHostControllerUSBTransport   4.4.3f4
com.apple.iokit.IOBluetoothFamily   4.4.3f4
com.apple.iokit.IOFireWireIP    2.2.6
com.apple.driver.AppleHDAController 272.51.3
com.apple.iokit.IOHDAFamily 272.51.3
com.apple.iokit.IOAudioFamily   204.3
com.apple.vecLib.kext   1.2.0
com.apple.kec.Libm  1
com.apple.driver.AppleBacklightExpert   1.1.0
com.apple.iokit.IONDRVSupport   2.4.1
com.apple.driver.AppleGraphicsControl   3.12.6
com.apple.iokit.IO80211Family   1110.26
com.apple.driver.corecapture    1.0.4
com.apple.driver.NVSMU  2.2.9
com.apple.driver.AppleSMBusPCI  1.0.14d1
com.apple.driver.IOPlatformPluginLegacy 1.0.0
com.apple.driver.IOPlatformPluginFamily 6.0.0d7
com.apple.iokit.IOSlowAdaptiveClockingFamily    1.0.0
com.apple.driver.AppleSMBusController   1.0.14d1
com.apple.iokit.IOGraphicsFamily    2.4.1
com.apple.driver.AppleSMC   3.1.9
com.apple.kext.triggers 1.0
com.apple.iokit.IONetworkingFamily  3.2
com.apple.driver.usb.IOUSBHostHIDDevice 1.0.1
com.apple.driver.AppleUSBMultitouch 250.5
com.apple.driver.usb.AppleUSBHub    1.0.1
com.apple.iokit.IOUSBHIDDriver  900.4.1
com.apple.driver.usb.AppleUSBHostCompositeDevice    1.0.1
com.apple.iokit.IOSCSIMultimediaCommandsDevice  3.7.7
com.apple.iokit.IOBDStorageFamily   1.8
com.apple.iokit.IODVDStorageFamily  1.8
com.apple.iokit.IOCDStorageFamily   1.8
com.apple.driver.AppleXsanScheme    3
com.apple.iokit.IOAHCISerialATAPI   2.6.2
com.apple.iokit.IOSCSIArchitectureModelFamily   3.7.7
com.apple.driver.AppleUSBMergeNub   900.4.1
com.apple.driver.usb.AppleUSBOHCI   1.0.1
com.apple.iokit.IOFireWireFamily    4.5.8
com.apple.driver.AppleEFINVRAM  2.0
com.apple.iokit.IOAHCIFamily    2.8.1
com.apple.driver.usb.AppleUSBEHCI   1.0.1
com.apple.iokit.IOUSBFamily 900.4.1
com.apple.iokit.IOUSBHostFamily 1.0.1
com.apple.driver.AppleUSBHostMergeProperties    1.0.1
com.apple.driver.AppleEFIRuntime    2.0
com.apple.iokit.IOHIDFamily 2.0.0
com.apple.iokit.IOSMBusFamily   1.1
com.apple.security.sandbox  300.0
com.apple.kext.AppleMatch   1.0.0d1
com.apple.driver.AppleKeyStore  2
com.apple.driver.AppleMobileFileIntegrity   1.0.5
com.apple.driver.AppleCredentialManager 1.0
com.apple.driver.DiskImages 417.1
com.apple.iokit.IOStorageFamily 2.1
com.apple.iokit.IOReportFamily  31
com.apple.driver.AppleFDEKeyStore   28.30
com.apple.driver.AppleACPIPlatform  4.0
com.apple.iokit.IOPCIFamily 2.9
com.apple.iokit.IOACPIFamily    1.4
com.apple.kec.pthread   1
com.apple.kec.corecrypto    1.0
Model: MacBook6,1, BootROM MB61.00C8.B00, 2 processors, Intel Core 2 Duo, 2,26 GHz, 2 GB, SMC 1.51f53
Graphics: NVIDIA GeForce 9400M, NVIDIA GeForce 9400M, PCI, 256 MB
Memory Module: BANK 0/DIMM0, 1 GB, DDR3, 1067 MHz, 0x80AD, 0x484D54313132533642465236432D47372020
Memory Module: BANK 1/DIMM0, 1 GB, DDR3, 1067 MHz, 0x80AD, 0x484D54313132533642465236432D47372020
AirPort: spairport_wireless_card_type_airport_extreme (0x14E4, 0x93), Broadcom BCM43xx 1.0 (5.106.98.100.24)
Bluetooth: Version 4.4.3f4 16616, 3 services, 27 devices, 1 incoming serial ports
Network Service: Wi-Fi, AirPort, en1
Serial ATA Device: TOSHIBA MK5076GSX, 500,11 GB
Serial ATA Device: MATSHITADVD-R   UJ-898
USB Device: USB 2.0 Bus
USB Device: Built-in iSight
USB Device: USB 2.0 Bus
USB Device: USB Bus
USB Device: BRCM2070 Hub
USB Device: Bluetooth USB Host Controller
USB Device: USB Bus
USB Device: Apple Internal Keyboard / Trackpad
Thunderbolt Bus: 

Best Answer

I think I found your problem. It appears that you have one of the faulty Nvidia 9400m graphics cards in your computer. If you search on your model you will find lots of discussions (Apple Support, GoodBytes) about this system, and problems with the 9400m graphics card.

If you were running your system in “High Performance” graphics mode, then the system relied on the 9600m graphics card rather than the 9400m. So you would not have seen the dreaded flickering and green flash so many people reported on.

There is a fix, Apple released an EFI Firmware Update 2.8 for several systems including your MacBook in 2012.

But if you read through your kernel panic log you will see that you only have the 2.0 EFI Firmware in installed.

com.apple.driver.AppleEFINVRAM  2.0
com.apple.driver.AppleEFIRuntime    2.0

Hence the kernel panic you are seeing.

I would suggest that if you made a backup before you tried updating the system (you did make a backup right?) that you:

  1. Boot your computer from your Snow Leopard pre-upgrade backup.
  2. Go to  -> System Prefs -> Energy Saver and set your graphics card to High performance. enter image description here
  3. Try installing the EFI Firmware Update 2.8 from Snow Leopard.
    NOTE: The installer will ONLY work from Mac OS X 10.5.8, 10.6.8 or 10.7.3. according to the Apple website.
  4. Reboot to the internal drive, and the new El Capitan OS you already installed.

You might have to rerun the El Capitan installer again to get things working, but I have a feeling that you should be able to just boot up into El Capitan.

I hope this solves your problem.

ADDITION:
One additional workaround for this problem came to me from a friend.

You can try and disable (in Mavericks 10.9, Yosemite 10.10 and El Capitan 10.11) the Automatic Graphics Switching if you can boot into the the updated OS, and get to the System Prefs. This may disable the 9400m enough that you “might” not see the kernel panic again.

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