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kOSKextReturnStartStopError
The failure came from the kext lifecycle routine
kOSKextReturnStartStopError means that the kext’s start or stop routine returned an error. This is later than validation, authentication, dependency resolution, and link processing: the loader reached the kext lifecycle callback and that callback failed.
Investigate the direction first. A failed start routine affects activation after loading; a failed stop routine affects teardown and can be related to outstanding state that must be released. The generic return code does not contain that internal cause, so the kext’s own diagnostic output is essential.
Lifecycle distinctions
| Status | What it tells you |
|---|---|
kOSKextReturnStartStopError | The start or stop routine returned an error. |
kOSKextReturnStopping | The kext is already stopping and cannot accept new requests. |
kOSKextReturnInUse | References or use prevent unload. |
What to capture
- Whether the callback was start or stop, its own returned status, and its preceding log messages.
- The target kext version and the dependency state active in the current boot environment.
- For stop failures, outstanding clients, service instances, or retained resources rather than a blind unload retry.
References
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