[SOLVED] My Desktop PC occasionally freezes yet the panel clock seconds keep ticking.

linustalman · 05-18-2020, 01:48 PM

Hi.

My 2013 machine makes a sound like it's about to shut off. It did power off once about 3 weeks ago for no apparent reason.

It freezes for up to 30 seconds and then comes back. Some days this never happens. Other days like today, it can occur multiple times.

In GNOME Disks Utility, the HDD looks ok. I tested the RAM with memtest86+ and it's was ok. Could it be a PSU issue? Is there a way in Debian to find out? Is '/var/log/syslog' the best place to look?

I'm using the Nouveau drivers and kernel 5.4.0-0.bpo.4-amd64. I'm not sure if this is a hardware or software issue.

Thanks.

dc.901 · 05-18-2020, 01:52 PM

I would also look at sensors (lm_sensors package): https://packages.debian.org/sid/lm-sensors
And, some BIOS have area to show hardware events (even shows when system powers off/on).

ondoho · 05-18-2020, 02:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by linustalman

My 2013 machine makes a sound like it's about to shut off.

My machines make no sound at all when they're about to shut off.
Do you mean the sound it makes when it actually shuts off?
Then that's probably what's happening.

sevendogsbsd · 05-18-2020, 02:19 PM

I like the lm_sensors idea - maybe it is a heat issue? How long since you've cleaned out dust bunnies? Or is this a laptop and you can't...

jefro · 05-18-2020, 03:59 PM

If the clock keeps time then the system is really working. The Desktop if having an issue. I'd start with top htop or other system metric to see more.

Beep might mean some keyboard buffer full?

linustalman · 05-20-2020, 04:16 AM

When it freezes for a short while, the sound that the PC makes sounds like it comes from the DVD/CD drive.

linustalman · 05-20-2020, 04:19 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dc.901

I would also look at sensors (lm_sensors package): https://packages.debian.org/sid/lm-sensors
And, some BIOS have area to show hardware events (even shows when system powers off/on).

Hi dc.901.

Here's the output for:

Code:

sensors

Code:

acpitz-acpi-0
Adapter: ACPI interface
temp1:        +27.8°C  (crit = +106.0°C)
temp2:        +29.8°C  (crit = +106.0°C)

coretemp-isa-0000
Adapter: ISA adapter
Package id 0:  +43.0°C  (high = +85.0°C, crit = +105.0°C)
Core 0:        +43.0°C  (high = +85.0°C, crit = +105.0°C)
Core 1:        +40.0°C  (high = +85.0°C, crit = +105.0°C)
Core 2:        +37.0°C  (high = +85.0°C, crit = +105.0°C)
Core 3:        +41.0°C  (high = +85.0°C, crit = +105.0°C)

nouveau-pci-0100
Adapter: PCI adapter
GPU core:     +0.97 V  (min =  +0.84 V, max =  +1.16 V)
temp1:        +30.0°C  (high = +95.0°C, hyst =  +3.0°C)
                       (crit = +105.0°C, hyst =  +5.0°C)
                       (emerg = +135.0°C, hyst =  +5.0°C)

linustalman · 05-20-2020, 04:21 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ondoho

My machines make no sound at all when they're about to shut off.
Do you mean the sound it makes when it actually shuts off?
Then that's probably what's happening.

Hi ondoho. No, it's not the same sound.

linustalman · 05-20-2020, 04:22 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sevendogsbsd

I like the lm_sensors idea - maybe it is a heat issue? How long since you've cleaned out dust bunnies? Or is this a laptop and you can't...

Hi sevendogsbsd. It's a Desktop PC. I cleaned it out in March/April.

linustalman · 05-20-2020, 04:22 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jefro

If the clock keeps time then the system is really working. The Desktop if having an issue. I'd start with top htop or other system metric to see more.

Beep might mean some keyboard buffer full?

Hi jefro. There's no beep.

sevendogsbsd · 05-20-2020, 06:23 AM

Temps look OK to me so probably not heat related.

dc.901 · 05-20-2020, 06:34 AM

Take a look at dmidecode output; it can be a lot, so this guide will help:
https://www.cyberciti.biz/tips/query...nd-prompt.html

For powersupply; compare the output below with actual specs of PSU, do they match:
dmidecode -t 39

And see if there is IPMI device:
dmidecode -t 38

There is system event log, but it may not be easy to read:
dmidecode -t 15

So, if there is IPMI device, it will be much easier to read hardware layer system event log, but I will be surprised if it is there on a desktop.

linustalman · 05-20-2020, 09:07 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dc.901

Take a look at dmidecode output; it can be a lot, so this guide will help:
https://www.cyberciti.biz/tips/query...nd-prompt.html

For powersupply; compare the output below with actual specs of PSU, do they match:
dmidecode -t 39

And see if there is IPMI device:
dmidecode -t 38

There is system event log, but it may not be easy to read:
dmidecode -t 15

So, if there is IPMI device, it will be much easier to read hardware layer system event log, but I will be surprised if it is there on a desktop.

Code:

sudo  dmidecode -t 39

Code:

# dmidecode 3.2
Getting SMBIOS data from sysfs.
SMBIOS 2.7 present.

Handle 0x0056, DMI type 39, 22 bytes
System Power Supply
	Power Unit Group: 1
	Location: To Be Filled By O.E.M.
	Name: To Be Filled By O.E.M.
	Manufacturer: To Be Filled By O.E.M.
	Serial Number: To Be Filled By O.E.M.
	Asset Tag: To Be Filled By O.E.M.
	Model Part Number: To Be Filled By O.E.M.
	Revision: To Be Filled By O.E.M.
	Max Power Capacity: Unknown
	Status: Present, OK
	Type: Switching
	Input Voltage Range Switching: Auto-switch
	Plugged: Yes
	Hot Replaceable: No
	Input Voltage Probe Handle: 0x0052
	Cooling Device Handle: 0x0054
	Input Current Probe Handle: 0x0055

Code:

sudo dmidecode -t 38

Code:

# dmidecode 3.2
Getting SMBIOS data from sysfs.
SMBIOS 2.7 present.

Code:

sudo dmidecode -t 15

Code:

# dmidecode 3.2
Getting SMBIOS data from sysfs.
SMBIOS 2.7 present.

linustalman · 05-21-2020, 01:43 AM

I disconnected the DVD/CD drive cables to see if that would stop the freezes but they still happen. I think the sound could be from the PSU or HDD - sounds a bit mechanical.

linustalman · 05-21-2020, 06:16 AM

I've noticed lines with kernel in syslog around the time of the freezes. I wonder if I should revert to the original non-backport kernel? Could the backport kernel (5.4.0-0.bpo.4-amd64) be the issue?