[SOLVED] ALXEthernet.kext causing KP but it's NOT installed! ?

[awediohead]

Hi all - as per the title of this post every time I restart or shut down and start up I get the Apple dialogue window telling me my computer shut down because of a problem . . . except there was no problem, everything seems to be working just fine.

Looking at the report it identifies ALXEthernet.kext as the culprit, but I do not have that installed:

Last login: Sun Apr 8 16:32:04 on console
Alicetosh:~ admin$ kextstat -l | grep -v com.apple
14 1 0xffffff7f80c80000 0x3a000 0x3a000 as.vit9696.Lilu (1.1.0) B8EE7788-7DA0-3C2F-B9CA-EAC275175122 <7 5 4 3 2 1>
15 3 0xffffff7f80dad000 0x12000 0x12000 org.netkas.driver.FakeSMC (1737) 5FA27EE9-9972-30C1-B261-3CE78CFFCA33 <11 7 5 4 3 1>
16 0 0xffffff7f80fe4000 0x94000 0x94000 as.vit9696.AppleALC (1.1.1) 9FEC5024-83C5-38B9-A545-604D0042F4A9 <14 7 5 4 3 2 1>
40 1 0xffffff7f80e00000 0x8000 0x8000 org.rehabman.driver.FakePCIID (1.3.11) 28A872E7-E606-37BD-A8B3-775A56C0F582 <12 7 5 4 3 1>
41 0 0xffffff7f80e08000 0x7000 0x7000 org.rehabman.driver.FakePCIID.XHCIMux (1.3.11) 26239F4C-61F7-37D3-90F3-3D72BCEF073F <40 12 7 5 4 3 1>
45 0 0xffffff7f80cee000 0x23000 0x23000 com.insanelymac.IntelMausiEthernet (2.3.0) 8E3F92D7-AB89-3E72-8CFB-6B93236F5001 <44 12 5 4 3 1>
51 0 0xffffff7f80fc9000 0xb000 0xb000 com.insanelymac.AtherosE2200Ethernet (1.1.1) 28A7807B-1CEB-34CC-8135-7F358B3E0B95 <44 12 5 4 3 1>
85 0 0xffffff7f80df3000 0xb000 0xb000 org.hwsensors.driver.ACPISensors (1737) 5E55AFC7-973F-39B8-9805-C3F447B0F0D4 <15 11 7 5 4 3>
94 0 0xffffff7f80dc3000 0xe000 0xe000 org.hwsensors.driver.LPCSensors (1737) 465D9961-B95D-36A8-9624-B1015050A63A <15 12 11 7 5 4 3>
99 0 0xffffff7f80dec000 0x7000 0x7000 org.hwsensors.driver.CPUSensors (1737) 90FDBCEF-FC47-3B1A-83FE-2D988CA23F74 <15 7 5 4 3>
106 2 0xffffff7f81222000 0x638000 0x638000 com.nvidia.web.NVDAResmanWeb (10.1.8) ACF2DC87-2323-3506-BC1F-3B82D213D8C9 <105 96 82 12 7 5 4 3 1>
107 0 0xffffff7f8186e000 0x19a000 0x19a000 com.nvidia.web.NVDAGP100HalWeb (10.1.8) E489B3EA-E302-33F7-B0A6-FF45CF2E60FA <106 12 4 3>
109 0 0xffffff7f82532000 0xe1000 0xe1000 com.nvidia.web.GeForceWeb (10.1.8) 4BEA1FD8-8362-3362-86B1-8CA9726CFF70 <108 106 96 82 12 7 5 4 3 1>
112 0 0xffffff7f80b31000 0x13000 0x13000 net.telestream.driver.TelestreamAudio (1.1.1) 97394489-75E6-39C3-A0AF-658A94F1CA3B <80 5 4 3 1>
Alicetosh:~ admin$ sudo touch /System/Library/Extensions && sudo kextcache -u /
Password:
kext-dev-mode allowing invalid signature -67062 0xFFFFFFFFFFFEFA0A for kext Lilu.kext
kext-dev-mode allowing invalid signature -67062 0xFFFFFFFFFFFEFA0A for kext IntelMausiEthernet.kext
kext-dev-mode allowing invalid signature -67062 0xFFFFFFFFFFFEFA0A for kext FakeSMC_LPCSensors.kext
kext-dev-mode allowing invalid signature -67062 0xFFFFFFFFFFFEFA0A for kext FakeSMC_GPUSensors.kext
kext-dev-mode allowing invalid signature -67062 0xFFFFFFFFFFFEFA0A for kext FakeSMC_CPUSensors.kext
kext-dev-mode allowing invalid signature -67062 0xFFFFFFFFFFFEFA0A for kext FakeSMC_ACPISensors.kext
kext-dev-mode allowing invalid signature -67062 0xFFFFFFFFFFFEFA0A for kext FakeSMC.kext
kext-dev-mode allowing invalid signature -67062 0xFFFFFFFFFFFEFA0A for kext FakePCIID_XHCIMux.kext
kext-dev-mode allowing invalid signature -67062 0xFFFFFFFFFFFEFA0A for kext FakePCIID.kext
kext-dev-mode allowing invalid signature -67062 0xFFFFFFFFFFFEFA0A for kext AtherosE2200Ethernet.kext
kext-dev-mode allowing invalid signature -67062 0xFFFFFFFFFFFEFA0A for kext PinConfigs.kext
kext-dev-mode allowing invalid signature -67062 0xFFFFFFFFFFFEFA0A for kext AppleALC.kext
KernelCache ID: 255066E729614C0EA94616D1095DE63D

Since this is a new install of Sierra (10.12.6) on my old H87N-WIFI motherboard following a DIY repair to the CPU pins such that it now recognises both sticks of RAM (hurrah!) instead of just the one as previously, I have NEVER (I would remember cos its just been two days!) installed ALXEthernet.kext - and I have checked inside various packages such as IONetworking to see if its lurking in there.

I've tried rebuilding caches and I've checked its not being injected by Clover - I've tried searching for it and as per the above tried using my limited terminal skills to list all the non-apple kexts - and I can't find it. Is there some other cache I need to delete? Could this be something to do with NVRAM for example?
Thanks in advance

 

[P1LGRIM]

Could this be something to do with NVRAM for example?

My first thought was NVRAM.
Look in the root of your EFI partition for nvram.plist and if found delete it.
Open Terminal and type :

sudo nvram -c

Press return, type your password (it will not show on screen), press return again and then restart.

 

[awediohead]

My first thought was NVRAM.
Look in the root of your EFI partition for nvram.plist and if found delete it.
Open Terminal and type :

sudo nvram -c

Press return, type your password (it will not show on screen), press return again and then restart.

Hi P1LGRIM - many thanks for your reply. Unfortunately - having done exactly what you advised - there's no change. Exactly the same as before.
As its highly likely I'm mis-reading the substance of the Apple report I'll add it in here and hope it helps make more sense?

*** Panic Report ***
panic(cpu 2 caller 0xffffff800e934bcb): "Element 0xffffff8028de0f40 from zone kalloc.32 caught being freed to wrong zone kalloc.16\n"@/Library/Caches/com.apple.xbs/Sources/xnu/xnu-3789.70.16/osfmk/kern/zalloc.c:2656
Backtrace (CPU 2), Frame : Return Address
0xffffff90b569bcd0 : 0xffffff800e8e953c
0xffffff90b569bd50 : 0xffffff800e934bcb
0xffffff90b569be30 : 0xffffff800ee82376
0xffffff90b569be50 : 0xffffff7f90ba8c0b
0xffffff90b569be70 : 0xffffff7f90ba8cb0
0xffffff90b569bea0 : 0xffffff7f90ba8da7
0xffffff90b569bec0 : 0xffffff7f90ba9a8d
0xffffff90b569bef0 : 0xffffff7f90ba9bbf
0xffffff90b569bf10 : 0xffffff7f90ba685f
0xffffff90b569bf40 : 0xffffff800ef11a31
0xffffff90b569bf80 : 0xffffff800ef117b8
0xffffff90b569bfb0 : 0xffffff800e8978f7
Kernel Extensions in backtrace:
com.insanelymac.ALXEthernet(1.0.2)[6348F8DB-1233-3D33-A7FD-66E3ED3E7EB6]@0xffffff7f90ba6000->0xffffff7f90bb3fff
dependency: com.apple.iokit.IONetworkingFamily(3.2)[6326DB88-5330-3F0C-91F6-D478AB5E7503]@0xffffff7f8f6c5000
dependency: com.apple.iokit.IOPCIFamily(2.9)[3E00E7D2-E569-341D-9BE0-34D5DE491825]@0xffffff7f8f132000

BSD process name corresponding to current thread: kernel_task
Boot args: -v npci=0x2000 kext-dev-mode=1 rootless=0

Mac OS version:
16G29

Kernel version:
Darwin Kernel Version 16.7.0: Thu Jun 15 17:36:27 PDT 2017; root:xnu-3789.70.16~2/RELEASE_X86_64
Kernel UUID: D3314D98-5D40-3CD8-98A4-F1DD46C20E03
Kernel slide: 0x000000000e600000
Kernel text base: 0xffffff800e800000
__HIB text base: 0xffffff800e700000
System model name: iMac14,2 (Mac-27ADBB7B4CEE8E61)

System uptime in nanoseconds: 356194986380
last loaded kext at 57721140996: com.apple.filesystems.msdosfs 1.10 (addr 0xffffff7f8f51e000, size 69632)
last unloaded kext at 201588177092: com.apple.driver.AppleIntelLpssGspi 3.0.60 (addr 0xffffff7f90635000, size 45056)
loaded kexts:
com.insanelymac.ALXEthernet 1.0.2
com.insanelymac.driver.AppleIntelE1000e 3.3.5
org.netkas.driver.FakeSMC 1765
com.apple.filesystems.msdosfs 1.10
com.apple.driver.ApplePlatformEnabler 2.7.0d0
com.apple.driver.AGPM 110.23.17
com.apple.driver.X86PlatformShim 1.0.0
com.apple.filesystems.autofs 3.0
com.apple.driver.AppleUpstreamUserClient 3.6.4
com.apple.driver.AppleMCCSControl 1.3.4
com.apple.driver.AppleHDA 279.48
com.apple.driver.pmtelemetry 1
com.apple.iokit.IOUserEthernet 1.0.1
com.apple.driver.AppleOSXWatchdog 1
com.apple.iokit.IOBluetoothSerialManager 5.0.5f1
com.apple.Dont_Steal_Mac_OS_X 7.0.0
com.apple.driver.AppleHV 1
com.apple.driver.AppleIntelSlowAdaptiveClocking 4.0.0
com.apple.AppleFSCompression.AppleFSCompressionTypeDataless 1.0.0d1
com.apple.AppleFSCompression.AppleFSCompressionTypeZlib 1.0.0
com.apple.BootCache 40
com.apple.filesystems.hfs.kext 366.70.1
com.apple.iokit.IOAHCIBlockStorage 295.20.1
com.apple.driver.AppleAHCIPort 326.60.1
com.apple.driver.AppleACPIButtons 5.0
com.apple.driver.AppleRTC 2.0
com.apple.driver.AppleHPET 1.8
com.apple.driver.AppleSMBIOS 2.1
com.apple.driver.AppleAPIC 1.7
com.apple.nke.applicationfirewall 172
com.apple.security.quarantine 3
com.apple.security.TMSafetyNet 8
com.apple.AppleGraphicsDeviceControl 3.14.49
com.apple.kext.triggers 1.0
com.apple.driver.AppleSMBusController 1.0.18d1
com.apple.iokit.IOSMBusFamily 1.1
com.apple.driver.DspFuncLib 279.48
com.apple.kext.OSvKernDSPLib 525
com.apple.driver.Apple16X50Serial 3.2
com.apple.iokit.IOBluetoothHostControllerUSBTransport 5.0.5f1
com.apple.iokit.IOBluetoothHostControllerTransport 5.0.5f1
com.apple.iokit.IONDRVSupport 516.1
com.apple.iokit.IOSurface 159.9
com.apple.driver.X86PlatformPlugin 1.0.0
com.apple.driver.IOPlatformPluginFamily 6.0.0d8
com.apple.driver.AppleHDAController 279.48
com.apple.iokit.IOHDAFamily 279.48
com.apple.iokit.IOAudioFamily 205.15
com.apple.vecLib.kext 1.2.0
com.apple.iokit.IOGraphicsFamily 515.3
com.apple.iokit.IOSerialFamily 11
com.apple.iokit.IOBluetoothFamily 5.0.5f1
com.apple.driver.AppleSMC 3.1.9
com.apple.driver.AppleSSE 1.0
com.apple.iokit.IOSlowAdaptiveClockingFamily 1.0.0
com.apple.iokit.IOSCSIBlockCommandsDevice 394.50.1
com.apple.iokit.IOUSBMassStorageDriver 131.60.1
com.apple.iokit.IOSCSIArchitectureModelFamily 394.50.1
com.apple.driver.usb.AppleUSBHub 1.1
com.apple.driver.usb.IOUSBHostHIDDevice 1.1
com.apple.driver.usb.networking 5.0.0
com.apple.driver.usb.AppleUSBHostCompositeDevice 1.1
com.apple.filesystems.hfs.encodings.kext 1
com.apple.driver.AppleUSBMergeNub 900.4.1
com.apple.driver.AppleUSBHostMergeProperties 1.1
com.apple.driver.usb.AppleUSBHostPacketFilter 1.0
com.apple.iokit.IOUSBFamily 900.4.1
com.apple.iokit.IONetworkingFamily 3.2
com.apple.iokit.IOAHCIFamily 288
com.apple.driver.usb.AppleUSBEHCIPCI 1.1
com.apple.driver.usb.AppleUSBEHCI 1.1
com.apple.driver.usb.AppleUSBXHCIPCI 1.1
com.apple.driver.usb.AppleUSBXHCI 1.1
com.apple.driver.AppleEFINVRAM 2.1
com.apple.driver.AppleEFIRuntime 2.1
com.apple.iokit.IOHIDFamily 2.0.0
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 444.50.16
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: iMac14,2, BootROM IM142.0128.B00, 2 processors, Intel Core i3, 3.59 GHz, 8 GB, SMC 2.15f7
Graphics: NVIDIA GeForce GT 1030, NVIDIA GeForce GT 1030, PCIe, 2047 MB
Memory Module: BANK 0/DIMM0, 4 GB, DDR3, 1600 MHz, Corsair, CML16GX3M4A1600C9
Memory Module: BANK 1/DIMM0, 4 GB, DDR3, 1600 MHz, Corsair, CML16GX3M4A1600C9
Bluetooth: Version 5.0.5f1, 3 services, 26 devices, 1 incoming serial ports
Network Service: Ethernet, Ethernet, en0
Serial ATA Device: WDC WD10JPVX-22JC3T0, 1 TB
Serial ATA Device: Optiarc DVD+/-RW AD-7640S
USB Device: USB 3.0 Bus
USB Device: USB 2.0 Bus
USB Device: Hub
USB Device: USB 2.0 Bus
USB Device: Hub
USB Device: Bluetooth Module
USB Device: Hub in Apple Pro Keyboard
USB Device: 2.4G Keyboard Mouse
USB Device: Apple Pro Keyboard

Thanks again

 

[P1LGRIM]

having done exactly what you advised - there's no change. Exactly the same as before.

Then at least you have eliminated NVRAM from the equation.

As its highly likely I'm mis-reading the substance of the Apple report I'll add it in here and hope it helps make more sense

You must have the ALXEthernet.kext somewhere.
Look in /EFI/CLOVER/kexts/Other on your EFI partition.
On the system partition look in /Library/Extensions and /System/Library/Extensions.

If you still cannot locate it try an app such as FindAnyFile.

 

[awediohead]

You must have the ALXEthernet.kext somewhere.

Yes exactly my thought which is why I've spent the last few hours looking for the damn thing in all the places you mention - including inside kext packages in L/E and S/L/E.
Thanks for the tip about the FAF app - very neat little app! However it still didn't find anything, including searching inside package contents and the EFI partition.
Deeply puzzling!
Thank you very much for your kind efforts. I'll keep hunting

 

[P1LGRIM]

I'll keep hunting

Open About this Mac - System Information - Software - Extensions.
It will take a while to populate.
Click Loaded twice to bring Yes to the top.
Click on the ALXEthernet.kext in the top pane and then in the lower pane it will give the path to its location.

 

[P1LGRIM]

I've spent the last few hours looking for the damn thing in all the places you mention - including inside kext packages in L/E and S/L/E.

If you haven't already done so, rebuild the kernel cache in Terminal :

sudo kextcache -i /

 

[awediohead]

Hi P1LGRIM - yes I've rebuilt the kernel cache a few times this afternoon - it doesn't list it in the process btw

Alicetosh:~ admin$ sudo kextcache -i /
Password:
kext-dev-mode allowing invalid signature -67062 0xFFFFFFFFFFFEFA0A for kext Lilu.kext
kext-dev-mode allowing invalid signature -67062 0xFFFFFFFFFFFEFA0A for kext IntelMausiEthernet.kext
kext-dev-mode allowing invalid signature -67062 0xFFFFFFFFFFFEFA0A for kext FakeSMC_LPCSensors.kext
kext-dev-mode allowing invalid signature -67062 0xFFFFFFFFFFFEFA0A for kext FakeSMC_GPUSensors.kext
kext-dev-mode allowing invalid signature -67062 0xFFFFFFFFFFFEFA0A for kext FakeSMC_CPUSensors.kext
kext-dev-mode allowing invalid signature -67062 0xFFFFFFFFFFFEFA0A for kext FakeSMC_ACPISensors.kext
kext-dev-mode allowing invalid signature -67062 0xFFFFFFFFFFFEFA0A for kext FakeSMC.kext
kext-dev-mode allowing invalid signature -67062 0xFFFFFFFFFFFEFA0A for kext FakePCIID_XHCIMux.kext
kext-dev-mode allowing invalid signature -67062 0xFFFFFFFFFFFEFA0A for kext FakePCIID.kext
kext-dev-mode allowing invalid signature -67062 0xFFFFFFFFFFFEFA0A for kext AtherosE2200Ethernet.kext
kext-dev-mode allowing invalid signature -67062 0xFFFFFFFFFFFEFA0A for kext PinConfigs.kext
kext-dev-mode allowing invalid signature -67062 0xFFFFFFFFFFFEFA0A for kext AppleALC.kext
KernelCache ID: A0A9A829D5AC9E48B09066F17FE8E6C1
Alicetosh:~ admin$

I tried the system report listing of loaded extensions and its not there either - loaded or not.
Sorry - now I'm feeling guilty for wasting as much of your time as I have of my own!

 

[awediohead]

I am extremely sorry to report that I am an idiot. Not having properly understood what the new Clover installer was for and assuming that my board did not natively support NVRAM when it actually does, I had used the new Tonymacx86 clover installer when I did this latest install.
It would seem one of the side-effects of doing so on a mobo that does support NVRAM natively is this spurious dialogue on start up about the machine having shut down because of a problem and then this report being generated which points the finger at ALXEthernet.kext. How and why this happens is beyond me, especially since this kext has never ever been installed on this machine as the above thread demonstrates I believe. Understanding why there would be a KP as the machine shuts down and is presumably writing to NVRAM is a little easier - and P1LGRIMS suggestion that it must be something to do with NVRAM was what ultimately allowed me to fix my previous blunder.
I hugely appreciate the help! Thank you!

 

[jorge.neri]

Hello, how did you manage to solve the issue? I got the same mobo and have the same issue.

Have you just deleted nvram.plist?

Save me, please