Kernel panic
 

I am experiencing random kernel panic incidences. I experienced the same thing with Xubuntu 18.04LTS since last Friday after an update causing boot issues. Saturday's update corrected the booting issues. On Sunday I switched over to using MX Linux 19 with the same kernel panics. The computer will lock up solid where noting works. I did notice a kernel panic message once which the desktop computer was narrowly able to display the split second before it locked up. This rules out a distro problem and points to a hardware problem. I even tried a newer kernel because I have experienced issues with any kernel before 4.20 on my AMD Ryzen 7. I tired to look at the log in Thunar but either it won't open or I get a kernel panic trying to open it. I also can't find anything to open it even though I open Thunar as root. Is "syslog" the correct folder to look at? Does anyone know how I can see the log files and if so how I do get to view them? Unfortunately GSmartControl can't scan the RAID 10 I have to see if there are any issues with it or not. :(

I'd boot from an install dvd, another system, or a usb key.

Try /var/log for files. You want

• /var/log/dmesg
• /var/log/messages
• /var/log/syslog

and possibly kern.log in the same location. I don't think systemd has taken over logging - yet.

Thanks. MX Linux doesn't use systemD. "/var/log/messages" won't open with FeatherPad because I get an error message saying it's too Huge. I was able to view "/var/log/dmesg and /var/log/syslog". What else could I use to view "/var/log/messages"?

less doesn't work. I checked to see if "less" is installed which it is because when I try to open the kernel log less is nowhere to be found.

Telling us less doesn't work without any further explanation is a frustrating waste of type to those trying to help you. You've told us your system is borked without giving us an inkling why. Copy or Explain the exact error and post it.

/usr/bin/less is a paging program. There's also more. Let's see some errors and we can sort your issues.

There is no error. less is in that location you described but can't be opened because nothing is assigned to it to open it. When I right click on kern.log and select "Open Other Application" less is nowhere to be found. I need to know what is in the kernel log so I can see what is causing these kernel panics. How can I view it?

a kitten just died...
and I am very sad.

OK, use 'less /path/to/logfile' in your case probably 'less /var/log/syslog' or whatever logfile you're looking at. They're typically huge, but the last boot is at the end.

Thank you. With some trail and error I figured it out that it's the C.L.I. way which worked for me in this case thanks to your help as I am command line illiterate. Strange thing is so far I haven't had any stability issues for the past two days which I wonder if it fixed it's self our I am just lucky nothing happened. The only change was I installed "Watchdog" and was still having full computer lockups but that has eventually seemed to stop happening. Perhaps Watchdog needed to settle in. "Only time will tell.

You'd want to fix that. Every program has a man page, so you can run 'man less' to get a quick (or not so quick) rundown of how to use them. Once you master less, cat, more, cp, rm, mv, mkdir, and a few others you can get around and do stuff. Google is full of examples. Just put linux in your search term.

Nothing to fix. 8 bit computing is not for me.

Not going to get you very far, especially given that most problems can only be solved via the command line. You can't cook without going into the kitchen.

I am not looking to get far. All I want is my computer to work. In the early 1980's I tried to work with the command line and I couldn't understand it as it looks like gibberish. Now it's 2019 and I still can't understand it as it still looks like gibberish. The last time I tried the command line I had you reformat my HDD because of it. If a G.U.I. can't do everything the command line does is because of incomplete engineering. My knowledge is in other areas.

Wrong answer, esp. for system maintenance.

And my computer is either 32 or 64 bit - as is yours.

Seriously, saying that the command line is obsolete is just plain wrong. Look at systemd - fairly new init system, yet totally CLI-centric. Just an example. Or powershell.

Anyhow, you were able to provide inxi output in your first post, put it in code tags. And the nature of your question literally begs for a non-GUI approach from the start.
Why turn away from that a few posts later?

I'm sure you're doing it on purpose. You've been here long enough to know that most advice will involve the CLI, and what sort of reaction you'll get if you ignore that.

I have an update on this issue. Since the logs in Linux are as useless as they are in Windows for diagnosing issues I have resorted to the old tried and true method of changing components. I first tried a new video card since I wasn't too fond of the one I originally had. The problem as continued. Next was I was starting to run low on storage space and went with installing an 8TB HDD and removing the RAID controller card along with the 4 HDD eliminating any possibilities of write errors from the RAID 10 I had. Going back to a more simple configuration with the 8 TB HDD didn't correct the issue. I next tried replacing the power supply which increased stability and greatly increased quietness because of it's far superior power control of the fans. Then eventually the computer would not boot anymore. I first changed the motherboard since I hated that ASUS motherboard I had because ASUS quality has gone down like a rock and ASUS lies about their specs. (RAID when it doesn't have RAID) I also replaced the CPU and the computer finally worked except for booting issues. It looks like the power supply did damage to the either the CPU or the motherboard or both. I will report back if it stays stable or not. I will post the boot issue in a new post.

I am going to mark this solved since the computer hasn't locked up anymore. It's too bad that no one could come out with diagnostics tools that actually works by telling you in plain English on what is causing kernel panics and any freezes. Who ever comes out with that would become as famous as Linus Torvalds.

You're looking for a complete detailed diagnosis and that's coming from someone who won't use the command line? Are you serious? Have you any remote idea how far out that is? How impossible you have made it?

Deleted.

I was about to react similarly - also to the previous post - but then I remembered that I already did that in my post #15.
Crippled succesfully pushed my buttons; I'm sure they had fun doing it, but it's not something I'm going to allow again.
No reason for name calling, but we know what people like that are commonly called on the interwebz.