Apple today released an iMac Graphics Update for users of the more recent iMacs, fixing an issue that caused the computers to freeze up after viewing very large JPEG Files.
Affected iMacs include the late 2014 27-inch Retina iMac, the late 2013 21.5-inch iMac, and the late 2013 27-inch iMac.
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Apple has also released an accompanying support document that describes the issue in more detail, suggesting the problem occurs when opening a large JPEG image in Finder or Preview on OS X Yosemite 10.10.3.
If you're using using OS X Yosemite v10.10.3 and one of the following iMac models, viewing certain very large JPEG (.jpg) images in the Finder or Preview can cause your iMac to briefly stop responding, display a black screen, and restart to a message that your computer restarted because of a problem.
People who own one of these three iMacs are encouraged to update their machines right away to fix the bug.
Top Rated Comments
(View all)Can a software engineer explain how viewing certain large JPEGs could cause a kernel panic?
It's the kernel process that tells the authorities which jpegs you're looking at. ;)
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Seriously though.. It would be good to know what apple includes in its regression tests.
We can work out that WiFi certainly isn't.
The audacity of something as primitive as a JPEG to bring down such a noble and stable OS as Yosemite...
If they ever finish it...
Can a software engineer explain how viewing certain large JPEGs could cause a kernel panic?
My guess is that there was a bug in the hardware acceleration code that displayed it. That stuff is pretty low level, and if it gets screwed up, it could do stuff like that. Maybe the chips in those newer machines were more sensitive to errors than the older ones.
I had this happen to me a few times. It almost felt like I was using windows again...
It happens to my 5k iMac, the genius changed the logic board two times.. but the problem still appear.... download this jpg to desktop and quick view or open it in preview, the iMac will freeze, black screen, trigger kernel panic and restart. Big image over 9000 with 4000 (http://40af8d963e39c6d7dafd-1483642509b9ae1e4ba0c984bc0efda5.r29.cf1.rackcdn.com/bigfiles.jpg)
Wow! That actually worked, as in it crashed my iMac :D
Install the update, now I can open it fine.