macOS Big Sur 11.3: Upgrade ASAP for fix to 0-Day Gatekeeper Security Exploit (Apple CVE-2021-30657)

If you are running macOS Big Sur, update to 11.3 ASAP to get an urgent security fix.

In essence, you could do little more than double-click to open a document faking-it as an app, and compromise your entire machine.

Take-ways

It’s hard to operate in today’s internet environment without risk. But when Apple has bugs like this one, hardly anyone is safe, not even highly-knowledgeable people (including me). Break these rules at your own risk, since this latest Apple bug is an existence proof of that nothing is safe.

• Unless you are CERTAIN that a file comes from a trusted party, do not download or open files received in email. Even then there is a risk since a friend or acquaintance could have been tricked, or infected.
• Prefer plain-text emails.
• Do not open attachments from unknown parties, particularly those forwarded by others.
• Do not click on links in emails. Yeah it’s convenient—don’t.
• Disable auto-loading of images in Apple Mail (Preferences => Viewing => Load Remote content in messages = unchecked/off).
• Communicate by phone (voice) with persons sending you attachments/links to verify validity. And only those you already know.

Years of risk from sloppy practices at Apple?

Apple’s zealous security lockdowns have resulted in numerous impacts on those who use their computers for real work. Bars on the windows, rear doors locked, concrete bunker inside—but here we have the front door left wide open.

It took nearly TWO YEARS to find and fix this outrageous bug. Which is one more reason why waiting at least 6 months for a major macOS update is the smart move. But even that wouldn’t have worked in this case.

Ever wonder why Apple’s operating system releases require numerous updates in just 6 months? Check your premises on quality control—Apple ships by schedule, not by software quality.

About the bug

See also: Apple Security Bounty

 CVE-2021-30657 was discovered and reported to Apple by security engineer Cedric Owens on March 25, 2021.

An unsigned, unnotarized, script-based proof of concept application [...] could trivially and reliably sidestep all of macOS's relevant security mechanisms (File Quarantine, Gatekeeper, and Notarization Requirements), even on a fully patched M1 macOS system," security researcher Patrick Wardle explained in a write-up. "Armed with such a capability macOS malware authors could (and are) returning to their proven methods of targeting and infecting macOS users.

Ironic that macOS Catalina introduced the bug, what with all its extra security hassles. Of course, Catalina was a dismal failure in terms of so many other security bugs.

AnandTech: Actively exploited Mac 0-day neutered core OS security defenses

When Apple released the latest version, 11.3, for macOS on Monday, it didn't just introduce support for new features and optimizations. More importantly, the company fixed a zero-day vulnerability that hackers were actively exploiting to install malware without triggering core Mac security mechanisms, some that were in place for more than a decade.

..the flaw appears to have existed since the introduction of macOS 10.15 in June 2019, which is when notarization was introduced.

MPG: if the bug was being “actively exploited”, how can Apple be so out-of-the-loop to not know that after nearly two years? Why isn’t there a team at Apple that infiltrates the hacker community and/or actively buys exploits, so as to fix them?

Why doesn’t Apple owe compensation to the victims of this bug? A constant barrage of buggy macOS releases has a long track record of sloppy work—Apple should be liable given that track record.

iOS 14.5 and macOS: Removing/Breaking Useful Functionality One Small Piece at a Times

I often (daily) listen to a web podcast of sorts. Not a formal podcast as such*, just playing audio on a web page.

In all previous iOS versions, I could start listening, then switch to another web page. I like letting the podcast play while I read the news so I can use my time efficiently.

But in iOS 14.5, as soon as I switch to another web page, the audio is instantly cut off.

Is this just one more arbitrary design change by intention? Sloppy work? A bug?

No matter the cause, it has a major impact on the #1 time use of my phone. It’s so frustrating and disappointing that Apple keep destroying useful features on macOS, and now iOS.

* Apple’s formal podcast support sucks: downloading stuff I might not listen to, notifications irritating me, etc.

MacOS Big Sur 11.3 Update: woe to professionals daring to use dual displays on a Mac

Woe to professionals like me daring to use dual displays on a Mac.

The macOS BigSur update is itself bad enough in taking a very long time, many minutes of which are blank (black) screens. And when it’s done, it doesn’t beep or notify, it’s just an interminable black screen. I only figured out when it was done by checking every few minutes—it had booted up and gone into sleep mode.

That dog-poop user experience aside, the real nightmare is the 45 minutes I spent trying to get my dual display setup working again, a witchraft and voodoo affair involving:

• 4 reboots
• black main screen and black 2nd screen
• black 2nd screen and lit-up main screen
• lit-up main screen and black 2nd screen
• flashing out of sync flickering problems.
• warnings of outrageous syncing settings by the display—looks like a video card that can't do things right.

Do things work better if all displays are Thunderbolt? Not realistic for professional use.

By comparison, my 2nd display on my iMac running macOS Mojave works flawlessly for 10 years (various Macs). And it and its predecessors works flawlessly for a decade or more in total.

But the 2019 Mac Pro and either macOS Big Sur or macOS Catalina have been a daily headache because the problems above are a daily one, albeit usually only taking a minute or less to resolve.

I have no way to separate whether the issues are pure software or hardware only, or both. I just know that the same display works flawlessly on my 2019 iMac 5K with macOS Mojave.

Ron Y writes:

I have a mac pro 7.1 with a Vega two card. I am using OS 10.15.7. I have two Eizo 2740 displays both running at scaled 2560 x 1440. They work perfectly—lighting up after sleep and reboot -- all open windows returning to the correct places. My experience is that the connection type seems to make a difference. My main monitor is connected to the video card Thunderbolt and the display port on the monitor. The second display is connected using Thunderbolt connection on the top board (one that USBC and Thunderbolt connections) and Thunderbolt on the monitor. [diglloyd: it's USB-C on the display, not Thunderbolt]

Some time ago, I tried using a Thunderbolt hub and had all sorts of disasters, similar to what you are describing. You might try connecting your monitors to the computer differently. In my case, that was the trick. Hope a different set of connections solves your problem.

MPG: the Eizo 2740 display supports USB-C and USB power delivery. It is also a 4K display. As such, it is not comparable to an NEC PA302W, which is about 5-year-old tech (but still the best panel available IMO).

The ColorEdge CS2740 features USB Type-C connectivity with 60W of power delivery. With a single USB Type-C cable, you can display video, transmit USB signals, and supply power to a connected device such as a smartphone or notebook PC. Simply plug in and get creative without worrying about additional cable clutter.

Basically, we are comparing apples and oranges here vs the NEC PA302W, which supports a wide variety of inputs (except Thunderbolt/USB-C) and a very wide range of input resolutions and sync rates.

Even if I had the funds for expensive new displays (I don’t), thing is, no panel on the market today has as neutral a backlight as the NEC PA302W with its truly neutral GB-R LED backlighting*. And nothing that ppi at 2560 X 1600 resolution. I don’t want inferior color and higher ppi and inferior “looks like” resolution (eg 1920 X 1080) on the Eizo 2740.

Some time ago I discusssed those USB-C to DisplayPort cables—total fail when I tried it. I’ve tried all viable options for the PA302W, meaning dual DisplayPort adapter, Thunderbolt Dock, USB-C to DisplayPort. The first two work with voodooo, the USB-C to DisplayPort cable fails outright. HDMI is not viable for optimal calibration. There are no other options.

It is also possible that NEC displays are troubled by newer Macs, and that other brands are not. But without comparing comparable technology, that’s a dubious premise. But the most damning evidence is that this all started around November 2019, prior to which operation had always been flawless.

* All other displays I’ve tried have a slight magenta tint which measures neutral, but is definitely not neutral as any side-by-side proves including other NEC displays. I have exceptional color discrimination, so most people cannot see the tint I can see. However, I have not seen the latest crop of displays and I don't know how the Eizo 2740 behaves. It uses some kind of “Wide-Gamut LED” and maybe that addresses the neutrality issue.

re: Display Connections for HDMI/DisplayPort Displays on 2019 Mac Pro or Other Macs
re: Mac mini has Serious Trouble Syncing with Display via either HDMI or DisplayPort
re: Nasty Surprise with Apple Software Update: NEC PA302W will no longer Work (UPDATE: how to fix it)

OWC Port Expansion

Port Expansion wish list • Deals on OWC

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Automatic Image Downsizing in Apple Mail Wrecks Image Readability

As an ongoing headache, I regularly get emails from people with severely downsampled images so small that no text or details are readable. Screen shots, spreadsheets, etc. Which wastes everyone’s time.

The culprit is Apple Mail defaulting to a low-res size, typically “Small”.

Fortunately the fix is simple: make sure Image Size = Actual Size.

Of course if you really do want a downsized image, you can use the feature. But sending friends and family postage-stamp quality images is a bummer.

Tigger

OWC Solutions for Apple M1 iPad Pro

See new Apple TV 4K, Apple iPad Pro M1.

OWC has a host of products suitable for use with the new Apple iPad Pro:

OWC Announces Innovative Storage and Connectivity Solutions For New iPad Pro and iMac

• OWC Thunderbolt Dock available now, starting at $169 on More info...
• OWC Thunderbolt Hub available now, starting at $149 on More info...
• OWC Thunderbolt 4 / USB-C Cable is available now on More info...
• OWC USB-C Travel Dock E is available now, starting at $64.99 on More info...
• OWC Envoy Pro FX 240GB to 2TB models is available now starting at $199 on More info...
• OWC Mercury Elite Pro Dock starts at $279 for the 0TB solution, available up to 36TB on More info...

OWC Thunderbolt Hub, Dock, cables, storage

Cables wish list • Deals on OWC

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Apple 24-Inch iMac with M1 CPU —  Home Run for Mainstream Usage, Iffy for Photographers

Pre-order Apple 24" iMac at B&H Photo (and save the sales tax). Thanks for using that link! See also new Apple TV 4K, Apple iPad Pro M1.

The new Apple 24" iMac with the M1 CPU should be a home run for Apple—physically not too small and not too large, a lighting fast CPU and GPU, 4.5K display, and color options*.

• Apple M1 8-Core CPU
• 8GB or 16GB Unified RAM
• 256GB or 512GB or 1TB or 2TB SSD
• 24" 4480 x 2520 Retina Display
• 7-Core GPU, 16-Core Neural Engine
• P3 Color Gamut, True Tone Technology
• Wi-Fi 6 (802.11ax) and Bluetooth 5.0
• 2 x Thunderbolt ports
• 2 X USB-C ports
• High quality sound system.
• Gigabit ethernet optional.
• Color options available.

Perhaps most important in this age of telework, the high quality stereo and triple microphones and 1080p camera can help you reach Zoom fatigue better than ever.

Performance should be stunningly fast compared to the current iMac. Like a sports car that does 0-60 mph in 3.6 seconds, but with top speed governed to 62mph. So it will be a terrific computer for the mainstream market, for basic “commuting”. Enough with analogies.

When it comes to real-world performance that I and many other photographers need, it’s dead on arrival because of the 16GB memory limit. Photoshop as I use it hits 32GB memory usage (for Photoshop alone) with even my lightest usage, and ramps up to 100GB and beyond at times. However, some photographers doing light-duty work may find 16GB adequate so long as attention is paid to not too many applications and/or images all at once.

Just having 32GB would have expanded the envelope firmly into low-end professional use. It looks like Apple is still working on the M1 chip that can support more memory than laptops had 7 years ago (eons in the computer industry).

Recommended : OWC Thunderbolt Hub, or OWC Thunderbolt 3 Dock.

* The last time Apple offered color options on a Mac it was hideous plastic schlock. But metallic might work.

CLICK TO VIEW: Recommended Storage from Large to Huge

OWC Thunderbolt Hub, Dock, cables, storage

Cables wish list • Deals on OWC

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OWC Thunderbolt 4 Dock: Seamless Operation Overall, But With a Few Limitations

OWC Thunderbolt Dock

re: Thunderbolt 4 Is Here...
re: Thunderbolt hub

See previous post for details on the OWC Thunderbolt Dock.

Thunderbolt 4 makes a Thunderbolt hub possible and the new OWC Thunderbolt Dock not only incorporates the capabilities of a Thunderbolt hub, but adds additional ports of its own.

I’ve been running the OWC Thunderbolt Dock for a month now and it has performed flawlessly.

With built-in hubbing capability, 3 Thunderbolt devices can be connected to the Dock, which is pretty nifty considering that it occupies only one port on the computer. Most useful for me is using these ports for USB-C SSDs like the OWC Envoy Pro EX and multiple OWC Thunderbay enclosures.

The 10Gbps USB-A ports are as always super useful, great for all sorts of USB devices and standalone hard drives like the OWC Mercury Elite Pro and similar.

Limitations

See also: Display Connections for HDMI/DisplayPort Displays on 2019 Mac Pro or Other Macs

• There is no Mini DisplayPort as on the OWC Thunderbolt 3 Dock. That port is essential to connect my NEC PA302W color-managed display (ditto for any Mini DisplayPort display). This is not so much a limitation as a design choice in favor of the Thunderbolt hubbing (a bandwidth allocation issue).
• The OWC Thunderbolt 3 Dual DisplayPort Adapter would not work to connect my display through any of the hubbed ports on the Dock and yet it would work directly connected to the Mac Pro. Perhaps this is some sort of limitation with Thunderbolt?
• Downstream devices are limited to 20 Gpbs write speeds. If you have a high-speed SSD like the OWC Thunderblade, it’s therefore best to daisy-chain it or plug it directly into the computer, rather than plug it into the ports on the Dock.

Given these considerations for my own computing needs (not necessarily in general), I am probably better served by the 14-port OWC Thunderbolt 3 Dock (with the Mini DisplayPort) along with one or two OWC Thunderbolt Hub.

See also: Intel: What Is Thunderbolt 4?

CLICK TO VIEW: Recommended Storage from Large to Huge

OWC Thunderbolt Hub, Dock, cables

Cables wish list • Deals on OWC

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OWC Thunderbolt Dock

Apple Image Capture in macOS Big Sur: Degraded and Broken

Brilliant idea #1: remove the checkbox for deleting images from the device.
Brilliant idea #2: remove the command key shortcut for deleting images and hide it in a menu (Edit => Delete).

I hope the genius coding Image Capture doesn’t proceed to Brilliant Idea #3.

Who thinks this stuff up? Don’t get me started on the new error-inducing dialogs in Big Sur.

But wait! Not content to degrade a key feature, Image Capture can’t even draw things properly any more. This drawing bug happens 100% of the time on my system.

Oh, and my scanner won’t show up 80% of the time, not unless I plug/unplug repeatedly.

Incompetence at Apple is the norm now, with macOS Big Turd the epitome of everything that is wrong with Apple.

I wish I could just run everything on macOS Mojave, which had its issus, but I breath a sigh of relief every time I use my iMac (still on Mojave).

Display Connections for HDMI/DisplayPort Displays on 2019 Mac Pro or Other Macs

Jack Z writes:

I assume you are using the latest Mac Pro and I’d be grateful if you could advise if an older BenQ display with the following ports:

HDMI 1.4
DisplayPort 1.2
DVI
D-SUB

...can be connected to the current Mac Pro. I couldn’t find the answer in the spec. And Apple support people were clueless.

MPG: the 2019 Mac Pro has no DisplayPort or Mini DisplayPort connectors, and no HDMI port either. Certain of the video card upgrade options offer an HDMI port, but HDMI is less good than DisplayPort for display calibration (I can’t recall the details as I write this).

The best solution so as to not lose a Thunderbolt port is the 14-port OWC Thunderbolt 3 Dock which has a Mini DisplayPort port along with its USB ports. Connect the display to the Dock with a Mini DisplayPort to DisplayPort cable. The new OWC Thunderbolt Dock is slick, but it lacks the Mini DisplayPort.

Some storage solutions offer an HDMI port. But connecting a display to a storage device is not my preference since I might want to turn the storage device off at times.

For an HDMI with some USB ports, the travel dock is slick. The dual DisplayPort adapter is good, but it dead-ends the Thunderbolt daisy chain (and I could not get it to work on the OWC Thunderbolt Hub, only direct-connect).

OWC Port Expansion

Port Expansion wish list • Deals on OWC

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Kernel Panics are Oh So easy to Provoke — Remove an SD Card

If you’re not happy with only being able to crash a highly protected modern operating system in Photoshop, this one is for you.

It isn’t new to macOS Big Sur; it has happened regularly before. It happens fairly often to me, perhaps in 1 in 6 times:

1. Unmount a volume for a camera card (SD card). It might have to be in a dock or external reader (not sure since the Mac Pro has no built-in SD card reader).
2. Remove the card.

A crash of macOS follows.

Good work Apple! Now get to work on those new emoticons and stick one in the screen of death just to make things better.

panic(cpu 0 caller 0xffffff80185ee1e6): Kernel trap at 0xffffff7fba624c3a, type 14=page fault, registers:
CR0: 0x000000008001003b, CR2: 0x0000000000000070, CR3: 0x000000001cb2b000, CR4: 0x00000000003626e0
RAX: 0x0000000000000000, RBX: 0xffffff95b26ee830, RCX: 0x00000000e00002ca, RDX: 0x0000000000000000
RSP: 0xffffffa5979e3e50, RBP: 0xffffffa5979e3e50, RSI: 0x00000000e00002ca, RDI: 0x0000000000000000
R8:  0x0000000000000000, R9:  0x0000000000000013, R10: 0xffffff801ae8f4c8, R11: 0x0000000000000000
R12: 0x0000000000000000, R13: 0x0000000000000000, R14: 0xffffffa276ae5a18, R15: 0x00000000e00002ca
RFL: 0x0000000000010202, RIP: 0xffffff7fba624c3a, CS:  0x0000000000000008, SS:  0x0000000000000010
Fault CR2: 0x0000000000000070, Error code: 0x0000000000000002, Fault CPU: 0x0, PL: 0, VF: 1
Backtrace (CPU 0), Frame : Return Address
0xffffffa5979e3870 : 0xffffff80184bab4d 
0xffffffa5979e38c0 : 0xffffff80185fd7e3 
0xffffffa5979e3900 : 0xffffff80185ede1a 
0xffffffa5979e3950 : 0xffffff801845fa2f 
0xffffffa5979e3970 : 0xffffff80184ba3ed 
0xffffffa5979e3a90 : 0xffffff80184ba6d8 
0xffffffa5979e3b00 : 0xffffff8018cbef9a 
0xffffffa5979e3b70 : 0xffffff80185ee1e6 
0xffffffa5979e3cf0 : 0xffffff80185edecd 
0xffffffa5979e3d40 : 0xffffff801845fa2f 
0xffffffa5979e3d60 : 0xffffff7fba624c3a 
0xffffffa5979e3e50 : 0xffffff7fba63e44a 
0xffffffa5979e3e90 : 0xffffff801af428d3 
0xffffffa5979e3f20 : 0xffffff801ae811b7 
0xffffffa5979e3f80 : 0xffffff801ae8121f 
0xffffffa5979e3fa0 : 0xffffff801845f13e 
     Kernel Extensions in backtrace:
        com.apple.iokit.IOStorageFamily(2.1)[B5300908-BF34-3D47-8776-FB154A6DEE4C]@0xffffff801af3f000->0xffffff801af50fff
        com.apple.iokit.IOSCSIBlockCommandsDevice(436.40.6)[17662AB7-6B15-3342-9F23-AB161202B652]@0xffffff801ae7f000->0xffffff801ae8cfff
           dependency: com.apple.iokit.IOSCSIArchitectureModelFamily(436.40.6)[E5CB0567-FBD1-39AE-8847-C559B51918B1]@0xffffff801ae5a000->0xffffff801ae6dfff
           dependency: com.apple.iokit.IOStorageFamily(2.1)[B5300908-BF34-3D47-8776-FB154A6DEE4C]@0xffffff801af3f000->0xffffff801af50fff
        com.softraid.driver.SoftRAID(6.0.1b53)[04BE793D-D81D-356C-9D79-9C0CCE5A5D0F]@0xffffff7fba613000->0xffffff7fba641fff
           dependency: com.apple.iokit.IOStorageFamily(2.1)[B5300908-BF34-3D47-8776-FB154A6DEE4C]@0xffffff801af3f000->0xffffff801af50fff
Process name corresponding to current thread: kernel_task
Mac OS version:
20D91
Kernel version:
Darwin Kernel Version 20.3.0: Thu Jan 21 00:07:06 PST 2021; root:xnu-7195.81.3~1/RELEASE_X86_64
Kernel UUID: C86236B2-4976-3542-80CA-74A6B8B4BA03
KernelCache slide: 0x0000000018200000
KernelCache base:  0xffffff8018400000
Kernel slide:      0x0000000018210000
Kernel text base:  0xffffff8018410000
__HIB  text base: 0xffffff8018300000
System model name: MacPro7,1 (Mac-27AD2F918AE68F61)
System shutdown begun: NO
Hibernation exit count: 0
System uptime in nanoseconds: 273152701564715
Last Sleep:           absolute           base_tsc          base_nano
 Uptime  : 0x0000f86e51bf0c25
 Sleep   : 0x0000f3d2b3b91111 0x000000017edbe6b2 0x0000f3c3216a0203
 Wake    : 0x0000f3d326eb859e 0x000000017efcaa8e 0x0000f3d30b18b1df
last started kext at 27312085758694: @filesystems.msdosfs

Arne K writes:

Just read your experience with the latest Apple core rot. To be honest, I'm glad I don't have to rely on the latest OSX on my workhorses. I always stay 2 versions behind and watch the "dernier cri" of Apple stupidity unfold on stage.

But what I see and hear from my customers and friends about failures and problems with the latest OSX since the glory days of Snow Leopard to this day leaves me sitting speechless and stunned. It seems to be a mixture of ignorance, arrogance, helplessness and kamikaze.

Although I am a German, I know what it means when something "goes down south". Well, so what do we expect from something that is even called "Big Sur" then ?!? ;-)

And about the pointless configuration bars: Let's remember the old saying of WW2 soldiers, when something is fucked up beyond all recognition: F.u.b.a.r. That's the new Fubar's! hey! 

Apple management is looking more and more to me as if the "Brain Bug" from Starship Troopers paid them a visit....

MPG: technology is now so advanced, that’s hard to imagine any elegant designs happening any more. Features (most of which go unused) result in more and more complexity, which results in more and more bugs. And so the steady drumbeat of weekly software updates, which fix half the bugs and replace them with another new crop.

Compare that to the just introduced Sony A1 digital camera. A technological tour de force, it’s a tool that works for a purpose incredibly well. And it never bothers me with updates or demands to login. And it never crashes.

As someone who has used technology all my life, more and more I am turned off by most technology—so much of it makes life more of a hassle, not a convenience.

macOS Big Sur: Finder Randomly Depopulates Favorites in Sidebar

Depopulated Favorites Sidebar
macOS Big Sur Finder

A few days ago, I was baffled by the disappearance of an item from the sidebar of Finder windows. I shrugged, and re-added it.

Today, my Favorites sidebar was mostly wiped out, with half of its entries just gone.

So it seems that the Finder (or something in macOS) is sporadically wiping out entries on the Favorites area of the sidebar

These entries are used in Finder windows but also in the Save/Open dialogs, and they save me a lot of time navigating around. So it’s not a minor thing, it directly impacts my workflow.

Then there is the sidebar itself, which when it’s not losing entries is a major nuisance in itself, that is, reappearing constantly even though I’ve hidden it (Finder windows).

Dozens of little quirks and problems like this that make macOS increasingly irritating to use. We have not seen any real usability progress for what now... a decade?

Kernel Panics with Adobe Photoshop on macOS Big Sur Continue

UPDATE April 14: this problem continues to plague me. No solution or workarounds exist. Apple has a complete system report, but I am left hung out to to dry.

I can’t seem to get clarity from Adobe if this is an Adobe bug, or an Apple bug.

I am hesitant to blame it on Adobe, for two reasons: (1) I spend a lot of time in Photoshop (thus increasing the likelihood of it seemingly being involved), plus it exercises the hardware substantially, and (2) I don’t know how an application can cause a panic from “NMIPI for unresponsive processor”, since that’s a hardware-level thing (not software).

Still, the majority of kernel panics I’ve had have been in Photoshop and generally when I open a lot of raw files at once. But also at other times.

No change in moving to macOS Big Sur—this happened on macOS Catalina also. It has been a problem ever since July 2020 or so, maybe August. If I had to guess, I’d say it relates to one of Apple’s security updates back then.

I thought it might be related to the GPU, but then why an unresponsive CPU?

Symptoms

1. Working in Photoshop, the machine goes unresponsive—no mouse, no application switching.
2. After about 20 seconds, the screens blank and the machines shuts off.
3. Pressing the power button, the Mac Pro comes up with the usual “Your computer shut down unexpectedly... press any key to restart”. The usual kludge that means “we at Apple can’t get our stuff to work reliably”.
4. Pressing a key and rebooting, the computer comes up. Usually I have to unplug and replug USB devices like keyboard and mouse as they do not work at first. Then I login, but the 2nd display is missing. Often I have to reboot again to fix that.

This whole clusterfuck takes down all work in progress as well as a 10-minute cycle just to get operational again. And because I might have lost a dozen open files, I have to start over sometimes, which can be a half-hour hit.

It can also desroy the file system on backup drives, so I like to keep them turned off.

So infuriatingly unacceptable.

Maybe it’s a hardware error, but when I tried to run Apple’s hardware test, that hung on me. And tearing down my entire work environment to wait a week for Apple service is just a nightmare proposition.

AFAIK, the TLB thing refers to “translation lookaside buffer” and relates to virtual memory mapping on the CPU. Suggesting a CPU bug or a macOS implementation bug.

Panic(CPU 0, time 13929063302739): NMIPI for unresponsive processor: TLB flush timeout, TLB state:0x0
RAX: 0x00000000000002d5, RBX: 0x000000000000002e, RCX: 0x0000000000000021, RDX: 0xffffff8014ea5500
RSP: 0xffffffa5731f0d10, RBP: 0xffffffa5731f0d50, RSI: 0x00001d1534fe6e4e, RDI: 0xffffff8014ea5500
R8:  0xffffffa5727ede4c, R9:  0x0000000000000001, R10: 0x000c902010008a01, R11: 0xffffffa5727c7a0c
R12: 0xffffff88ff22aad0, R13: 0x0000000000000000, R14: 0x0000000000000000, R15: 0xffffff8014ea5500
RFL: 0x0000000000000093, RIP: 0xffffff80140d0724, CS:  0x0000000000000008, SS:  0x0000000000000000
Backtrace (CPU 0), Frame : Return Address
0xffffffa5731f0bc0 : 0xffffff80141ed5bb 
0xffffffa5731f0c10 : 0xffffff801405fd39 
0xffffffa5731f0d50 : 0xffffff80140db6d3 
0xffffffa5731f0e10 : 0xffffff80140db152 
0xffffffa5731f0e50 : 0xffffff80140db01c 
0xffffffa5731f0e80 : 0xffffff8014108d7b 
0xffffffa5731f0f40 : 0xffffff80141d98b3 
0xffffffa5731f0f80 : 0xffffff80141ed6b9 
0xffffffa5731f0fd0 : 0xffffff801405fbdd 
0xffffffe5f8933fa0 : 0xffffff801405f133 
Process name corresponding to current thread: Adobe Photoshop 2021
Mac OS version:
20D91
Kernel version:
Darwin Kernel Version 20.3.0: Thu Jan 21 00:07:06 PST 2021; root:xnu-7195.81.3~1/RELEASE_X86_64
Kernel UUID: C86236B2-4976-3542-80CA-74A6B8B4BA03
KernelCache slide: 0x0000000013e00000
KernelCache base:  0xffffff8014000000
Kernel slide:      0x0000000013e10000
Kernel text base:  0xffffff8014010000
__HIB  text base: 0xffffff8013f00000
System model name: MacPro7,1 (Mac-27AD2F918AE68F61)
System shutdown begun: NO
Hibernation exit count: 0
System uptime in nanoseconds: 13929063336675
Last Sleep:           absolute           base_tsc          base_nano
Uptime  : 0x00000cab1cdf4ee0
Sleep   : 0x00000101d3c531ab 0x00000001812accec 0x000000f2067e2c3d
Wake    : 0x00000102464b73c0 0x000000017ee49c72 0x000001022a7685ec
last started kext at 37665812666: @filesystems.msdosfs	1.10 (addr 0xffffff7fb51de000, size 57344)
...
Panic(CPU 55, time 13929563490834): NMIPI for unresponsive processor: TLB flush timeout, TLB state:0x0
RAX: 0x0000000000000024, RBX: 0xffffffe5fb233bd0, RCX: 0x0000000000000037, RDX: 0x0000000000000000
RSP: 0xffffffe5fb233ac0, RBP: 0xffffffe5fb233b00, RSI: 0x0000000000000003, RDI: 0x0000000000000006
R8:  0xffffff88ff9375a0, R9:  0xffffff80140ba3ed, R10: 0x0000000000000000, R11: 0xffffffe5fb233bc0
R12: 0xffffffe5fb233bd0, R13: 0x0000000000000003, R14: 0xffffffe5fb233bd0, R15: 0x0000000000000000
RFL: 0x0000000000000086, RIP: 0xffffff80140ba7cd, CS:  0x0000000000000008, SS:  0x0000000000000010
Backtrace (CPU 55), Frame : Return Address
0xffffffa593c94f80 : 0xffffff80141ed5bb 
0xffffffa593c94fd0 : 0xffffff801405fbdd 
0xffffffe5fb233b00 : 0xffffff80141fd7e3 
0xffffffe5fb233b40 : 0xffffff80141ede1a 
0xffffffe5fb233b90 : 0xffffff801405fa2f 
0xffffffe5fb233bb0 : 0xffffff80140ba3ed 
0xffffffe5fb233cd0 : 0xffffff80140ba6d8 
0xffffffe5fb233d40 : 0xffffff80148bef9a 
0xffffffe5fb233db0 : 0xffffff80140d086b 
0xffffffe5fb233e20 : 0xffffff80140dd606 
0xffffffe5fb233e80 : 0xffffff80140dd3f6 
0xffffffe5fb233ed0 : 0xffffff80140e9cae 
0xffffffe5fb233ee0 : 0xffffff80140e9d34 
0xffffffe5fb233ef0 : 0xffffff80141d1fc3 
0xffffffe5fb233fa0 : 0xffffff8014060216 
Process name corresponding to current thread: Adobe Photoshop 2021
Panic(CPU 4, time 13929563494621): NMIPI for unresponsive processor: TLB flush timeout, TLB state:0x0
RAX: 0x0000000000000024, RBX: 0xffffffa59615bbd0, RCX: 0x0000000000000004, RDX: 0x0000000000000000
RSP: 0xffffffa59615bac0, RBP: 0xffffffa59615bb00, RSI: 0x0000000000000003, RDI: 0x0000000000000006
R8:  0xffffff88ff36c000, R9:  0xffffff80140ba3ed, R10: 0x0000000000000000, R11: 0xffffffa59615bbc0
R12: 0xffffffa59615bbd0, R13: 0x0000000000000003, R14: 0xffffffa59615bbd0, R15: 0x0000000000000000
RFL: 0x0000000000000086, RIP: 0xffffff80140ba7cd, CS:  0x0000000000000008, SS:  0x0000000000000010
Backtrace (CPU 4), Frame : Return Address
0xffffffa593bc0f80 : 0xffffff80141ed5bb 
0xffffffa593bc0fd0 : 0xffffff801405fbdd 
0xffffffa59615bb00 : 0xffffff80141fd7e3 
0xffffffa59615bb40 : 0xffffff80141ede1a 
0xffffffa59615bb90 : 0xffffff801405fa2f 
0xffffffa59615bbb0 : 0xffffff80140ba3ed 
0xffffffa59615bcd0 : 0xffffff80140ba6d8 
0xffffffa59615bd40 : 0xffffff80148bef9a 
0xffffffa59615bdb0 : 0xffffff80140d086b 
0xffffffa59615be20 : 0xffffff80140dd606 
0xffffffa59615be80 : 0xffffff80140dd3f6 
0xffffffa59615bed0 : 0xffffff80140e9cae 
0xffffffa59615bee0 : 0xffffff80140e9d34 
0xffffffa59615bef0 : 0xffffff80141d1fc3 
0xffffffa59615bfa0 : 0xffffff8014060216 
Process name corresponding to current thread: Adobe Photoshop 2021
mp_kdp_enter() NMI pending on cpus: 0 1 2 3 5 7 8 10 11 12 13 14 15 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 37 39 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 50 51
mp_kdp_enter() timed-out during locked wait after NMI;expected 56 acks but received 13 after 19633979 loops in 1246874999 ticks
panic(cpu 36 caller 0xffffff80141c8af1): "Uninterruptible processor(s): CPU bitmap: 0x1, NMIPI acks: 0x0, now: 0x1, deadline:
13929063300548"@/AppleInternal/BuildRoot/Library/Caches/com.apple.xbs/Sources/xnu/xnu-7195.81.3/osfmk/x86_64/pmap.c:2679
Backtrace (CPU 36), Frame : Return Address
0xffffffe5fba6ba10 : 0xffffff80140bab4d 
0xffffffe5fba6ba60 : 0xffffff80141fd7e3 
0xffffffe5fba6baa0 : 0xffffff80141ede1a 
0xffffffe5fba6baf0 : 0xffffff801405fa2f 
0xffffffe5fba6bb10 : 0xffffff80140ba3ed 
0xffffffe5fba6bc30 : 0xffffff80140ba6d8 
0xffffffe5fba6bca0 : 0xffffff80148bef9a 
0xffffffe5fba6bd10 : 0xffffff80141c8af1 
0xffffffe5fba6bd80 : 0xffffff801417339b 
0xffffffe5fba6be60 : 0xffffff8014169c7f 
0xffffffe5fba6bf20 : 0xffffff8014645dee 
0xffffffe5fba6bf40 : 0xffffff80147698cb 
0xffffffe5fba6bfa0 : 0xffffff80140601f6 
Process name corresponding to current thread: Adobe Photoshop 2021