MacOS – MacBook Pro 7,1 (Mid 2010) 13 inch – Random overheat and shutdown, kernel error

kernel-panicmacbook promacosshutdownsleep-wake

Was using my laptop (MacBook Pro 13 inch, Mid 2010, macOS Sierra 10.12.3) normally as usual during classes. Before the initial overheat and shutdown, while I was carrying the laptop with the lid open, the laptop's screen went blank, dark without anything on the screen, but the laptop was still powered on. I just performed a forced shutdown, shrugging it off as a random problem.

A while later, after closing the laptop, putting it into sleep, and putting it in a bag, I realized that the laptop was severely overheating and making beeping sounds. I immediately forced a shutdown, and rebooted, and upon boot, got this error message regarding a kernel panic:

Anonymous UUID:       B1B00A1E-40EE-32D5-355E-EFF615C8D15C

Mon Mar  6 09:51:10 2017

*** Panic Report ***
panic(cpu 0 caller 0xffffff8016805ecd): Kernel trap at 0xffffff8016be160e, type 14=page fault, registers:
CR0: 0x0000000080010033, CR2: 0xfffff780230324c8, CR3: 0x0000000074f46000, CR4: 0x0000000000002660
RAX: 0xfffff780230324b8, RBX: 0xffffff8024a53f38, RCX: 0x0000000000000000, RDX: 0x0000000000000000
RSP: 0xffffff90b026bcc0, RBP: 0xffffff90b026bce0, RSI: 0x0000000000000080, RDI: 0xffffff8024a53f38
R8:  0x0000000000000003, R9:  0x0000000000001000, R10: 0x000000007ab87a0c, R11: 0xffffff8028c30260
R12: 0xffffff80230328a0, R13: 0xffffff80239fd730, R14: 0x0000000000000000, R15: 0x0000000000000000
RFL: 0x0000000000010286, RIP: 0xffffff8016be160e, CS:  0x0000000000000008, SS:  0x0000000000000010
Fault CR2: 0xfffff780230324c8, Error code: 0x0000000000000000, Fault CPU: 0x0, PL: 0, VF: 1

Backtrace (CPU 0), Frame : Return Address
0xffffff90b026b950 : 0xffffff80166f210c 
0xffffff90b026b9d0 : 0xffffff8016805ecd 
0xffffff90b026bbb0 : 0xffffff80166a3743 
0xffffff90b026bbd0 : 0xffffff8016be160e 
0xffffff90b026bce0 : 0xffffff8016bce47d 
0xffffff90b026bdf0 : 0xffffff8016bde675 
0xffffff90b026be70 : 0xffffff8016bdec95 
0xffffff90b026bf50 : 0xffffff8016c27066 
0xffffff90b026bfb0 : 0xffffff80166a3c38 

BSD process name corresponding to current thread: Creative Cloud

Mac OS version:
16D32

Kernel version:
Darwin Kernel Version 16.4.0: Thu Dec 22 22:53:21 PST 2016; root:xnu-3789.41.3~3/RELEASE_X86_64
Kernel UUID: C67A8D03-DEAC-35B8-8F68-06FF7B687215
Kernel slide:     0x0000000016400000
Kernel text base: 0xffffff8016600000
__HIB  text base: 0xffffff8016500000
System model name: MacBookPro7,1 (Mac-F222BEC8)

System uptime in nanoseconds: 2565585997543
last loaded kext at 2510657620103: com.apple.driver.usb.cdc 5.0.0 (addr 0xffffff7f993a3000, size 28672)
last unloaded kext at 2504611998544: com.apple.driver.usb.cdc   5.0.0 (addr 0xffffff7f993a3000, size 28672)
loaded kexts:
com.valvesoftware.SteamInput    3083.39.62
com.apple.filesystems.smbfs 3.1.1
com.apple.driver.AppleHWSensor  1.9.5d0
com.apple.driver.AudioAUUC  1.70
com.apple.driver.AGPM   110.23.14
com.apple.filesystems.autofs    3.0
com.apple.driver.AppleOSXWatchdog   1
com.apple.driver.AppleMikeyHIDDriver    127
com.apple.driver.AppleMikeyDriver   278.56
com.apple.driver.AppleHDA   278.56
com.apple.GeForceTesla  10.0.2
com.apple.driver.AppleUpstreamUserClient    3.6.4
com.apple.driver.AppleBacklight 170.9.10
com.apple.driver.ACPI_SMC_PlatformPlugin    1.0.0
com.apple.iokit.BroadcomBluetoothHostControllerUSBTransport 5.0.3f1
com.apple.driver.AppleSMCLMU    208
com.apple.driver.AppleMCCSControl   1.2.15
com.apple.driver.AppleLPC   3.1
com.apple.driver.pmtelemetry    1
com.apple.iokit.IOUserEthernet  1.0.1
com.apple.iokit.IOBluetoothSerialManager    5.0.3f1
com.apple.Dont_Steal_Mac_OS_X   7.0.0
com.apple.driver.AppleHV    1
com.apple.driver.AppleIntelSlowAdaptiveClocking 4.0.0
com.apple.driver.SMCMotionSensor    3.0.4d1
com.apple.driver.AppleIRController  340
com.apple.driver.AppleUSBTCButtons  252
com.apple.driver.AppleUSBTCKeyboard 252
com.apple.driver.AppleUSBCardReader 404.30.1
com.apple.AppleFSCompression.AppleFSCompressionTypeDataless 1.0.0d1
com.apple.AppleFSCompression.AppleFSCompressionTypeZlib 1.0.0
com.apple.BootCache 40
com.apple.filesystems.hfs.kext  366.30.3
com.apple.iokit.SCSITaskUserClient  394.30.2
com.apple.iokit.IOAHCIBlockStorage  295.20.1
com.apple.iokit.AppleBCM5701Ethernet    10.2.7
com.apple.driver.AirPort.Brcm4331   800.20.24
com.apple.driver.AppleAHCIPort  326
com.apple.driver.AppleFWOHCI    5.5.5
com.apple.driver.AppleSmartBatteryManager   161.0.0
com.apple.driver.AppleRTC   2.0
com.apple.driver.AppleHPET  1.8
com.apple.driver.AppleACPIButtons   5.0
com.apple.driver.AppleSMBIOS    2.1
com.apple.driver.AppleACPIEC    5.0
com.apple.driver.AppleAPIC  1.7
com.apple.driver.AppleIntelCPUPowerManagementClient 219.0.0
com.apple.nke.applicationfirewall   172
com.apple.security.quarantine   3
com.apple.security.TMSafetyNet  8
com.apple.driver.AppleIntelCPUPowerManagement   219.0.0
com.apple.driver.usb.cdc    5.0.0
com.apple.AppleGraphicsDeviceControl    3.13.79
com.apple.kext.triggers 1.0
com.apple.driver.DspFuncLib 278.56
com.apple.kext.OSvKernDSPLib    525
com.apple.nvidia.classic.NVDANV50HalTesla   10.0.2
com.apple.nvidia.classic.NVDAResmanTesla    10.0.2
com.apple.driver.AppleBacklightExpert   1.1.0
com.apple.iokit.IONDRVSupport   513.1
com.apple.driver.AppleSMBusPCI  1.0.14d1
com.apple.driver.IOPlatformPluginLegacy 1.0.0
com.apple.iokit.IOBluetoothHostControllerUSBTransport   5.0.3f1
com.apple.iokit.IOBluetoothHostControllerTransport  5.0.3f1
com.apple.driver.AppleHDAController 278.56
com.apple.iokit.IOHDAFamily 278.56
com.apple.iokit.IOAudioFamily   205.12
com.apple.vecLib.kext   1.2.0
com.apple.driver.AppleSMBusController   1.0.14d1
com.apple.driver.IOPlatformPluginFamily 6.0.0d8
com.apple.iokit.IOFireWireIP    2.2.7
com.apple.iokit.IOSurface   153.3
com.apple.iokit.IOGraphicsFamily    513.1
com.apple.iokit.IOSerialFamily  11
com.apple.iokit.IOBluetoothFamily   5.0.3f1
com.apple.driver.AppleSSE   1.0
com.apple.iokit.IOSlowAdaptiveClockingFamily    1.0.0
com.apple.driver.AppleSMC   3.1.9
com.apple.driver.usb.AppleUSBHub    1.1
com.apple.driver.AppleUSBMultitouch 258
com.apple.driver.usb.IOUSBHostHIDDevice 1.1
com.apple.iokit.IOSCSIBlockCommandsDevice   394.30.2
com.apple.iokit.IOUSBMassStorageDriver  131.1.1
com.apple.filesystems.hfs.encodings.kext    1
com.apple.driver.usb.networking 5.0.0
com.apple.driver.usb.AppleUSBHostCompositeDevice    1.1
com.apple.iokit.IOSCSIMultimediaCommandsDevice  394.30.2
com.apple.iokit.IOBDStorageFamily   1.8
com.apple.iokit.IODVDStorageFamily  1.8
com.apple.iokit.IOCDStorageFamily   1.8
com.apple.iokit.IOAHCISerialATAPI   266
com.apple.iokit.IOSCSIArchitectureModelFamily   394.30.2
com.apple.driver.usb.AppleUSBHostPacketFilter   1.0
com.apple.iokit.IOUSBFamily 900.4.1
com.apple.driver.AppleUSBHostMergeProperties    1.1
com.apple.iokit.IOEthernetAVBController 1.0.3b4
com.apple.driver.mDNSOffloadUserClient  1.0.1b8
com.apple.iokit.IO80211Family   1200.12.2
com.apple.iokit.IONetworkingFamily  3.2
com.apple.driver.corecapture    1.0.4
com.apple.iokit.IOAHCIFamily    288
com.apple.iokit.IOFireWireFamily    4.6.5
com.apple.driver.usb.AppleUSBEHCIPCI    1.1
com.apple.driver.usb.AppleUSBOHCIPCI    1.1
com.apple.driver.usb.AppleUSBOHCI   1.1
com.apple.driver.usb.AppleUSBEHCI   1.1
com.apple.driver.NVSMU  2.2.9
com.apple.driver.AppleEFINVRAM  2.1
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.KernelRelayHost    1
com.apple.iokit.IOUSBHostFamily 1.1
com.apple.driver.AppleBusPowerController    1.0
com.apple.driver.DiskImages 444.41.1
com.apple.iokit.IOStorageFamily 2.1
com.apple.iokit.IOReportFamily  31
com.apple.driver.AppleFDEKeyStore   28.30
com.apple.driver.AppleACPIPlatform  5.0
com.apple.iokit.IOPCIFamily 2.9
com.apple.iokit.IOACPIFamily    1.4
com.apple.kec.Libm  1
com.apple.kec.pthread   1
com.apple.kec.corecrypto    1.0
Model: MacBookPro7,1, BootROM MBP71.0039.B0E, 2 processors, Intel Core 2 Duo, 2.4 GHz, 4 GB, SMC 1.62f7
Graphics: NVIDIA GeForce 320M, NVIDIA GeForce 320M, PCI, 256 MB
Memory Module: BANK 0/DIMM0, 2 GB, DDR3, 1067 MHz, 0x80CE, 0x4D34373142353637334648302D4346382020
Memory Module: BANK 1/DIMM0, 2 GB, DDR3, 1067 MHz, 0x80CE, 0x4D34373142353637334648302D4346382020
AirPort: spairport_wireless_card_type_airport_extreme (0x14E4, 0x8D), Broadcom BCM43xx 1.0 (5.106.98.100.24)
Bluetooth: Version 5.0.3f1, 3 services, 27 devices, 1 incoming serial ports
Network Service: Wi-Fi, AirPort, en1
Serial ATA Device: TOSHIBA MK2555GSXF, 250.06 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: Card Reader
USB Device: USB Bus
USB Device: HID Keyboard
USB Device: USB Bus
USB Device: BRCM2046 Hub
USB Device: Bluetooth USB Host Controller
USB Device: IR Receiver
USB Device: Apple Internal Keyboard / Trackpad
Thunderbolt Bus: 

Right before and after this overheat, the laptop was also unnaturally slowing down, even slower then the usual slowdowns that I have seen. Creating new tabs, launching programs, all lead into the "beachball of death" for a while.

Is this 6~7 year old laptop done for, or is it a fixable problem? If you need more technical information about the laptop, or if I run into any additional issues, I'll keep the post updated.

Best Answer

As you probably know, troubleshooting is a process of elimination and can require quite a bit of patience.

The first things I'd do in your situation are reset your NVRAM, reset your SMC, and perhaps try booting in Safe Mode.

Reset NVRAM

Older Macs had what's called Parameter RAM (PRAM), newer Macs use Non-Volatile Random-Access Memory (NVRAM). It may be worth you also resetting this. Here’s how to:

  1. Shut down your machine. Yes, a full shut down, not just logging out.
  2. Press the power button and then press the commandoptionpr keys. You have to make sure you press these keys before the gray screen appears or it won’t work.
  3. Hold those keys down until your Mac reboots again and you here the startup chime.
  4. Let go of the keys and let your Mac reboot normally.

Note: When you log back in you may need to readjust some of your system preferences (e.g. speaker volume, screen resolution, startup disk selection, time zone information, etc).

Once you've reset your NVRAM, proceed to reset your SMC as well.

Reset SMC

  1. Shut down your computer
  2. Keep the MagSafe adapter (power cable) plugged in.
  3. Press at the same time shiftoptioncontrol (on the left side of the keyboard) and the power button
  4. Let go
  5. Turn your computer back on with the power button.

Once you're booted back in, take a note of how your MBP is running. If the symptoms persist, proceed to boot into Safe Mode.

Boot into Safe Mode

Follow these steps boot your MBP into Safe Mode:

  1. Fully shut down your Mac
  2. Restart your Mac
  3. Immediately press the Shift key and keep it down
  4. Let go of the Shift key when you see the login window (NOTE: If you have FileVault enabled you may need to log in twice. Also, it will take longer than usual to boot.)
  5. Take a note of what happens (i.e. Are you still experiencing the same issues, etc)
  6. Once you've used your Mac long enough to know if it's working any better, exit Safe Mode by restart your Mac as normal.
  7. After booting your Mac normally, take a note again of what happens (i.e. Are you still experiencing the same issues, etc)

Let me know how you went and we'll go from there.

As an aside

In your question you ask Is this 6~7 year old laptop done for, or is it a fixable problem?

Time will only tell whether your issue is fixable, but I see you only have 4GB RAM installed, so from the point of view of whether your laptop is done it certainly has the capacity to be upgraded. In fact, it can support up to 16GB RAM (although only 8GB officially).

Also, your 13" model was not affected by the the MacBook Pro (15-inch, Mid 2010) GPU issues that resulted in a recall by Apple. So, at this stage, I wouldn't give up on your MBP just yet.

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