I think I have a hardware problem but how do I know?

little_penguin · 10-26-2006, 12:37 PM

I thought yesterday I maybe had a virus but I think now that seems unlikely, I did lots of scans and have even scanned for rootkits and it turned up nothing, a few people have said they think it may be a hardware problem but I dont know how to check for this, my computer keeps freezing and and rebooting itself and the clock is always wrong, it did it about an hour ago and I managed to get the log and copy and paste but its about 9 pages i dont think it will fit on here?
Would someone please be able to take a look at it and tell me what they think the problem is?
I will try to post bit I am guessing are important, (I know very little about this)

Forgot to mention this earlier - the crashes mainly seem to happen at the start of the day - the first few times I boot up the machine after it being off all night, after this it is usually more stable.

at point of crash -

Code:

/etc/resolv.conf. See info block in this file
Oct 26 17:35:05 linux ip-up: SuSEfirewall2: Warning: ip6tables does not support state matching. Extended IPv6 support disabled.
Oct 26 17:35:05 linux SuSEfirewall2: Warning: ip6tables does not support state matching. Extended IPv6 support disabled.
Oct 26 17:35:05 linux SuSEfirewall2: Setting up rules from /etc/sysconfig/SuSEfirewall2 ...
Oct 26 17:35:05 linux SuSEfirewall2: batch committing...
Oct 26 17:35:06 linux SuSEfirewall2: Firewall rules successfully set
Oct 26 17:35:06 linux pppd[6983]: Script /etc/ppp/ip-up finished (pid 6988), status = 0x0
Oct 26 17:35:11 linux poll.tcpip: Checking for network time protocol daemon (NTPD): ..unused
Oct 26 17:35:41 linux kernel: SubDomain: REJECTING r access to /usr/lib/browser-plugins (firefox-bin(6618) profile /opt/MozillaFirefox/lib/firefox-bin active /opt/MozillaFirefox/lib/firefox-bin)
Oct 26 17:35:41 linux kernel: SubDomain: REJECTING r access to /usr/lib/browser-plugins (firefox-bin(6618) profile /opt/MozillaFirefox/lib/firefox-bin active /opt/MozillaFirefox/lib/firefox-bin)

also noticed these warning messages -

Code:

Oct 26 17:30:23 linux kernel: 8139cp: 10/100 PCI Ethernet driver v1.2 (Mar 22, 2004)
Oct 26 17:30:23 linux kernel: USB Universal Host Controller Interface driver v2.3
Oct 26 17:30:23 linux kernel:     ACPI-0212: *** Warning: Device is not power manageable
Oct 26 17:30:23 linux kernel: ACPI: PCI Interrupt 0000:00:11.2[D] -> Link [LNKD] -> GSI 10 (level, low) -> IRQ 10
Oct 26 17:30:23 linux kernel: uhci_hcd 0000:00:11.2: UHCI Host Controller
Oct 26 17:30:23 linux kernel: uhci_hcd 0000:00:11.2: new USB bus

Code:

Oct 26 17:30:23 linux kernel: hub 2-0:1.0: USB hub found
Oct 26 17:30:23 linux kernel: hub 2-0:1.0: 2 ports detected
Oct 26 17:30:23 linux kernel:     ACPI-0212: *** Warning: Device is not power manageable
Oct 26 17:30:23 linux kernel: ACPI: PCI Interrupt 0000:00:14.0[A] -> Link [LNKA] -> GSI 11 (level, low) -> IRQ 11
Oct 26 17:30:23 linux kernel: uhci_hcd 0000:00:14.0: UHCI Host Controller
Oct 26 17:30:23 linux kernel: uhci_hcd 0000:00:14.0: new USB bus registered, assigned bus number 3
Oct 26 17:30:23 linux kernel: uhci_hcd 0000:00:14.0: irq 11, io base 0x0000d400
Oct 26 17:30:23 linux kernel: hub 3-0:1.0: USB hub found
Oct 26 17:30:23 linux kernel: hub 3-0:1.0: 2 ports detected
Oct 26 17:30:23 linux kernel:     ACPI-0212: *** Warning: Device is not power manageable
Oct 26 17:30:23 linux kernel: ACPI: PCI Interrupt Link [LNKB] enabled at IRQ 10
Oct 26 17:30:23 linux kernel: ACPI: PCI Interrupt 0000:00:14.1[B] -> Link [LNKB] -> GSI 10 (level, low) -> IRQ 10

Code:

Controller Driver version: 0.4
Oct 26 17:30:23 linux kernel: NET: Registered protocol family 23
Oct 26 17:30:23 linux kernel: via_ircc: module not supported by Novell, setting U taint flag.
Oct 26 17:30:23 linux kernel:     ACPI-0212: *** Warning: Device is not power manageable
Oct 26 17:30:23 linux kernel:     ACPI-0212: *** Warning: Device is not power manageable
Oct 26 17:30:23 linux kernel: ACPI: PCI Interrupt 0000:00:11.5[C] -> Link [LNKC] -> GSI 11 (level, low) -> IRQ 11
Oct 26 17:30:23 linux kernel: PCI: Setting latency timer of device 0000:00:11.5 to 64
Oct 26 17:30:23 linux kernel: ieee1394: Host added: ID:BUS[0-00:1023]  GUID[0011060000999e12]

Code:

Oct 26 17:30:41 linux smpppd[5865]: smpppd version 1.59 started
Oct 26 17:30:42 linux kernel: powernow-k8: Processor cpuid 662 not supported
Oct 26 17:30:44 linux rcpowersaved: CPU frequency scaling is not supported by your processor.
Oct 26 17:30:44 linux rcpowersaved: enter 'CPUFREQD_MODULE=off' in /etc/sysconfig/powersave/cpufreq to avoid this warning.
Oct 26 17:30:44 linux rcpowersaved: Cannot load cpufreq governors - No cpufreq driver available
Oct 26 17:30:44 linux [powersave]: ERROR (CPUFreq_Kernel:21) Can not set ondemand governor, maybe your cpufreq driver is too slow.
Oct 26 17:30:44 linux [powersave]: ERROR (CPUFreq_Kernel:23) Try CPUFREQ_CONTROL=userspace in /etc/sysconfig/powersave/cpufreq.
Oct 26 17:30:44 linux [powersave]: ERROR (PM_Interface:231) Cannot create cpufreq objects
Oct 26 17:30:44 linux SuSEfirewall2: Warning: ip6tables does not

Code:

options and Called(0) /bin/mount -t subfs -o fs=floppyfss,noatime,procuid,nosuid,nodev,exec /dev/fd0 "/media/floppy" 
Oct 26 17:30:46 linux kernel: end_request: I/O error, dev fd0, sector 0
Oct 26 17:30:46 linux kernel: end_request: I/O error, dev fd0, sector 0
Oct 26 17:30:46 linux kernel: end_request: I/O error, dev fd0, sector 0
Oct 26 17:30:46 linux submountd: mount failure, No such device or address
Oct 26 17:30:46 linux kernel: end_request: I/O error, dev fd0, sector 0
Oct 26 17:30:46 linux kernel: subfs: unsuccessful attempt to mount media (256)
Oct 26 17:30:55 linux modprobe: FATAL: Error inserting sonypi (/lib/modules/2.6.13-15.12-default/kernel/drivers/char/sonypi.ko): No such device
Oct 26 17:30:57 linux hp: unable to open /var/run/hpiod.port: No such file or directory: prnt/hpijs/hplip_api.c 75

Code:

Oct 26 17:31:45 linux kernel: SubDomain: REJECTING w access to /var/run/dbus/system_bus_socket (firefox-bin(6618) profile /opt/MozillaFirefox/lib/firefox-bin active /opt/MozillaFirefox/lib/firefox-bin)
Oct 26 17:31:47 linux kernel: SubDomain: REJECTING x access to /tmp/flashgot.8t4ku9t8.default/flashgot.fgt (firefox-bin(6624) profile /opt/MozillaFirefox/lib/firefox-bin active /opt/MozillaFirefox/lib/firefox-bin)
Oct 26 17:32:06 linux wvdial[6612]: CONNECT 115200
Oct 26 17:32:06 linux wvdial[6612]: Carrier detected.  Chatmode finished.
Oct 26 17:32:06 linux pppd[6603]: Serial connection established.
Oct 26 17:32:06 linux pppd[6603]: Renamed interface ppp0 to modem0

can anyone spot hardware problems here, my computer is very unstable right now I was thinking of wiping the OS and putting back on windows, Id rather stick with linux though if I can get this sorted out, thank you

sn68 · 10-26-2006, 12:50 PM

"Clock always wrong" is sometimes a symptom of discharged bios/motherboard battery, not very expensive, so you can always change and check
Though I will admit that a discharged bios bty should not result in frequent reboot..

little_penguin · 10-26-2006, 01:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sn68

"Clock always wrong" is sometimes a symptom of discharged bios/motherboard battery, not very expensive, so you can always change and check
Though I will admit that a discharged bios bty should not result in frequent reboot..

Could you spot any problems in the log file posts?
Would the battery low causes system crashes?

dracolich · 10-26-2006, 02:22 PM

I don't know much about cpu frequency scaling, but this doesn't look good.

Quote:

Oct 26 17:30:44 linux rcpowersaved: CPU frequency scaling is not supported by your processor.
Oct 26 17:30:44 linux rcpowersaved: enter 'CPUFREQD_MODULE=off' in /etc/sysconfig/powersave/cpufreq to avoid this warning.
Oct 26 17:30:44 linux rcpowersaved: Cannot load cpufreq governors - No cpufreq driver available
Oct 26 17:30:44 linux [powersave]: ERROR (CPUFreq_Kernel:21) Can not set ondemand governor, maybe your cpufreq driver is too slow.
Oct 26 17:30:44 linux [powersave]: ERROR (CPUFreq_Kernel:23) Try CPUFREQ_CONTROL=userspace in /etc/sysconfig/powersave/cpufreq.
Oct 26 17:30:44 linux [powersave]: ERROR (PM_Interface:231) Cannot create cpufreq objects

If your cpu isn't scaling and you're fan is going bad then you could get the frequent crashes and reboots. In fact, any thing that causes excessive heat buildup inside the box can cause this: bad cpu fan, poor ventilation, bad ps fan, too much demand from the ps, etc. The clock issue is likely the battery and that would not be causing anything so drastic.

little_penguin · 10-26-2006, 02:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dracolich

I don't know much about cpu frequency scaling, but this doesn't look good.

If your cpu isn't scaling and you're fan is going bad then you could get the frequent crashes and reboots. In fact, any thing that causes excessive heat buildup inside the box can cause this: bad cpu fan, poor ventilation, bad ps fan, too much demand from the ps, etc. The clock issue is likely the battery and that would not be causing anything so drastic.

thanks for the response, if it is one of these things how would I go about to check for this? I dont know really anything about hardware problems, any help would be great

hansalfredche · 10-27-2006, 03:26 AM

REMOVE POWER CORD and open case. Inspect if all cables are OK (check power connector on mainboard!), all cards sitting well (push all of them in, maybe replace battery (if your computer is already some years old). Look for important dust accumulation (fans! coolers), signs of overheating and also look at the cylindric things all over the mainboard (capacitors, if you know what that is). These last one shouldn't be bulging (top must be flat, look carefully at them) and have no rusty stuff around them.
Bad capacitors look like this, first and second on the picture (here the green components, notice the bulging on top and the how of them aren't standing straight any more)
http://www.asjohnson.com/~asjohn1/im...ps/cpu-cap.jpg
or here, info on pictures and in text:
http://www.computersolutionsgv.com/marantz/caps.html

Now replug the power cord and boot the system, leaving it open. But keep your fingers out of the case! Danger in there! See if all fans you identified before are turning and hear if they are making strange noise. Shut down system, close the case and report what you have found (even if it was nothing).

Did you make a BIOS update recently?