IMac 27" 2020 crashing often

[gooseodyssey]

Hi, can anyone help me diagnose why this iMac crashes several times a day. I have tried full reset. Stock RAM. No external display. Updated all software. It is often triggered when I start playing music so could be related to audio hardware or just increased CPU usage?

Crash report:

panic(cpu 0 caller 0xfffffff022acba68): x86 CPU CATERR detected
Debugger message: panic
Memory ID: 0x6
OS release type: User
OS version: 20P4252
macOS version: 22E261
Kernel version: Darwin Kernel Version 22.4.0: Mon Mar 6 19:59:22 PST 2023; root:xnu-8796.101.5~1/RELEASE_ARM64_T8010
KernelCache UUID: 3EE3A93ABACFD0C7EC346C7000BE6EBA
Kernel UUID: F1917FD8-2F88-39FB-8CCA-40A668D190BA
Boot session UUID: D01A6A88-EE0A-4DE9-8564-8286699C2331
iBoot version: iBoot-8422.100.650
secure boot?: YES
roots installed: 0
x86 EFI Boot State: 0x16
x86 System State: 0x0
x86 Power State: 0x0
x86 Shutdown Cause: 0x0
x86 Previous Power Transitions: 0x70604000400
PCIeUp link state: 0x89271611
macOS kernel slide: 0x18800000
Paniclog version: 14
Kernel slide: 0x000000001c6b0000
Kernel text base: 0xfffffff0236b4000
mach_absolute_time: 0xf1d0c16e0
Epoch Time: sec usec
Boot : 0x64e494a9 0x000f07dd
Sleep : 0x64e494b7 0x000f202a
Wake : 0x64e494db 0x00048f34
Calendar: 0x64e49f5a 0x00067825

Zone info:
Zone map: 0xffffffddc886c000 - 0xffffffe3c886c000
. VM : 0xffffffddc886c000 - 0xffffffdeaeed0000
. RO : 0xffffffdeaeed0000 - 0xffffffdefbb9c000
. GEN0 : 0xffffffdefbb9c000 - 0xffffffdfe2200000
. GEN1 : 0xffffffdfe2200000 - 0xffffffe0c8864000
. GEN2 : 0xffffffe0c8864000 - 0xffffffe1aeecc000
. GEN3 : 0xffffffe1aeecc000 - 0xffffffe295534000
. DATA : 0xffffffe295534000 - 0xffffffe3c886c000
Metadata: 0xffffffdc003c0000 - 0xffffffdc01bc0000
Bitmaps : 0xffffffdc01bc0000 - 0xffffffdc01cec000
Extra : 0 - 0

TPIDRx_ELy = {1: 0xffffffe0c876f938 0: 0x0000000000000000 0ro: 0x0000000000000000 }
CORE 0 is the one that panicked. Check the full backtrace for details.
CORE 1: PC=0xfffffff0238d3c78, LR=0xfffffff0238d3c78, FP=0xffffffe3c8be3ef0
Compressor Info: 0% of compressed pages limit (OK) and 0% of segments limit (OK) with 0 swapfiles and OK swap space
Panicked task 0xffffffe2953dfa10: 0 pages, 193 threads: pid 0: kernel_task
Panicked thread: 0xffffffe0c876f938, backtrace: 0xffffffe3c89df700, tid: 324
lr: 0xfffffff0238a584c fp: 0xffffffe3c89df770
lr: 0xfffffff0239c5cfc fp: 0xffffffe3c89df7e0
lr: 0xfffffff0239c4cbc fp: 0xffffffe3c89df8c0
lr: 0xfffffff0238695fc fp: 0xffffffe3c89df8d0
lr: 0xfffffff0238a5288 fp: 0xffffffe3c89dfc80
lr: 0xfffffff023ef3634 fp: 0xffffffe3c89dfca0
lr: 0xfffffff022acba68 fp: 0xffffffe3c89dfcd0
lr: 0xfffffff022ab3604 fp: 0xffffffe3c89dfd30
lr: 0xfffffff022abcaec fp: 0xffffffe3c89dfd80
lr: 0xfffffff022ab5b5c fp: 0xffffffe3c89dfe20
lr: 0xfffffff022ab2b94 fp: 0xffffffe3c89dfe90
lr: 0xfffffff0228c8b40 fp: 0xffffffe3c89dfec0
lr: 0xfffffff023e445bc fp: 0xffffffe3c89dfef0
lr: 0xfffffff023e43eac fp: 0xffffffe3c89dff20
lr: 0xfffffff0238746c0 fp: 0x0000000000000000

 

[gooseodyssey]

And here is a report from EtreCheck:

 

[gooseodyssey]

I've also found some other reports from the Console

 

[Cory Cooper]

Hello and welcome.

Normally, this line: panic(cpu 0 caller 0xfffffff022acba68): x86 CPU CATERR detected indicates a hardware failure of the CPU/logic board. You could try diabling/removing some login items, or create another user and login with that to see if it maybe something in your user. You could also try the following:

• Reset the SMC of your Mac
• Reset NVRAM on your Mac
• Use Apple Diagnostics to test your Mac

I strongly recommend making a Time Machine or other backup of your data in case it is a hardware issue.

C

 

[gooseodyssey]

Hello and welcome.

Normally, this line: panic(cpu 0 caller 0xfffffff022acba68): x86 CPU CATERR detected indicates a hardware failure of the CPU/logic board. You could try diabling/removing some login items, or create another user and login with that to see if it maybe something in your user. You could also try the following:

• Reset the SMC of your Mac
• Reset NVRAM on your Mac
• Use Apple Diagnostics to test your Mac

I strongly recommend making a Time Machine or other backup of your data in case it is a hardware issue.

C

Cheers. It deffo is hardware. I've tried SMC and NVRAM, but will try the Apple Diagnostics. I suspect it is the CPU/Logic board. What would be the next step? Take it to Apple? How to I get a "genius" to take interest in the issue?

 

[gooseodyssey]

Yeah the Apple Hardware Test brought back nothing

 

[TonyAguila]

Your model originally came with macOS Catalina. Have you updated your system? Reinstalling macOS is usually my first recourse, barring any other obvious causes. You should be able to run macOS Ventura, which just yesterday came out with version 13.6 (22G109). Another thing you can try is to boot into Safe Mode to rule out extensions and other systems from loading. SMC and NVRAM reset might help, just don’t forget to re-enable TRIM to prevent SSD degradation. And the best recommendation from Cory, set up Time Machine for regular backups, preferably using a pair of drives for redundancy.

 

[gooseodyssey]

Tried reinstalling macOS, updating to new major versions. Done NVRAM etc. Done safe mode. At a loss.