Linux crashes

kladizkov.one · 11-25-2019, 06:00 AM

In my 2 year old PC, Linux is crashing at random times. It just freezes the GUI. I already tried Ubuntu 16, Ubuntu 18, Xubuntu 16 & 18, Linuxmint 18 and Linuxmint 19. There are no errors in syslog during the crash time. The machine works perfectly in Windows 10. So I'm sure there are no hardware issues.

There are no custom compiled kernel modules. A very basic fresh installation of Ubuntu, Xubuntu or Linuxmint results in crash. The absence of errors in syslog makes it difficult to troubleshoot.

Already tried Linux kernel 4.15, 4.18 and 5.0. All have the same issue.

In order to get XWindows upgraded, Hardware Enablement (HWE) was enabled in Ubuntu. Still it crashed with the latest XWindows.

My understanding is a complete freeze of the machine can be only due to kernel or XWindows issues. But here I have tried different versions already.

System Information:

Installed Kernel:

Code:

root@d37:~# uname -a
Linux d37 4.15.0-70-generic #79-Ubuntu SMP Tue Nov 12 10:36:11 UTC 2019 x86_64 x86_64 x86_64 GNU/Linux
root@d37:~#

lspci
Result of lspci

Code:

root@d37:~# lspci
00:00.0 Host bridge: Intel Corporation Atom Processor Z36xxx/Z37xxx Series SoC Transaction Register (rev 0e)
00:02.0 VGA compatible controller: Intel Corporation Atom Processor Z36xxx/Z37xxx Series Graphics & Display (rev 0e)
00:13.0 SATA controller: Intel Corporation Atom Processor E3800 Series SATA AHCI Controller (rev 0e)
00:14.0 USB controller: Intel Corporation Atom Processor Z36xxx/Z37xxx, Celeron N2000 Series USB xHCI (rev 0e)
00:1a.0 Encryption controller: Intel Corporation Atom Processor Z36xxx/Z37xxx Series Trusted Execution Engine (rev 0e)
00:1b.0 Audio device: Intel Corporation Atom Processor Z36xxx/Z37xxx Series High Definition Audio Controller (rev 0e)
00:1c.0 PCI bridge: Intel Corporation Atom Processor E3800 Series PCI Express Root Port 1 (rev 0e)
00:1c.1 PCI bridge: Intel Corporation Atom Processor E3800 Series PCI Express Root Port 2 (rev 0e)
00:1c.2 PCI bridge: Intel Corporation Atom Processor E3800 Series PCI Express Root Port 3 (rev 0e)
00:1c.3 PCI bridge: Intel Corporation Atom Processor E3800 Series PCI Express Root Port 4 (rev 0e)
00:1f.0 ISA bridge: Intel Corporation Atom Processor Z36xxx/Z37xxx Series Power Control Unit (rev 0e)
00:1f.3 SMBus: Intel Corporation Atom Processor E3800 Series SMBus Controller (rev 0e)
04:00.0 Ethernet controller: Realtek Semiconductor Co., Ltd. RTL8111/8168/8411 PCI Express Gigabit Ethernet Controller (rev 11)
root@d37:~#

lsusb

Code:

root@d37:~# lsusb
Bus 002 Device 001: ID 1d6b:0003 Linux Foundation 3.0 root hub
Bus 001 Device 004: ID 04ca:0061 Lite-On Technology Corp. 
Bus 001 Device 003: ID 04f2:0760 Chicony Electronics Co., Ltd Acer KU-0760 Keyboard
Bus 001 Device 002: ID 05e3:0608 Genesys Logic, Inc. Hub
Bus 001 Device 001: ID 1d6b:0002 Linux Foundation 2.0 root hub
root@d37:~#

CPU Info

Code:

root@d37:~# ls /proc/cpuinfo 
/proc/cpuinfo
root@d37:~# cat  /proc/cpuinfo 
processor	: 0
vendor_id	: GenuineIntel
cpu family	: 6
model		: 55
model name	: Intel(R) Pentium(R) CPU  J2900  @ 2.41GHz
stepping	: 8
microcode	: 0x838
cpu MHz		: 1512.924
cache size	: 1024 KB
physical id	: 0
siblings	: 4
core id		: 0
cpu cores	: 4
apicid		: 0
initial apicid	: 0
fpu		: yes
fpu_exception	: yes
cpuid level	: 11
wp		: yes
flags		: fpu vme de pse tsc msr pae mce cx8 apic sep mtrr pge mca cmov pat pse36 clflush dts acpi mmx fxsr sse sse2 ss ht tm pbe syscall nx rdtscp lm constant_tsc arch_perfmon pebs bts rep_good nopl xtopology tsc_reliable nonstop_tsc cpuid aperfmperf tsc_known_freq pni pclmulqdq dtes64 monitor ds_cpl vmx est tm2 ssse3 cx16 xtpr pdcm sse4_1 sse4_2 movbe popcnt tsc_deadline_timer rdrand lahf_lm 3dnowprefetch epb pti ibrs ibpb stibp tpr_shadow vnmi flexpriority ept vpid tsc_adjust smep erms dtherm ida arat md_clear
bugs		: cpu_meltdown spectre_v1 spectre_v2 mds msbds_only
bogomips	: 4831.40
clflush size	: 64
cache_alignment	: 64
address sizes	: 36 bits physical, 48 bits virtual
power management:

processor	: 1
vendor_id	: GenuineIntel
cpu family	: 6
model		: 55
model name	: Intel(R) Pentium(R) CPU  J2900  @ 2.41GHz
stepping	: 8
microcode	: 0x838
cpu MHz		: 1412.572
cache size	: 1024 KB
physical id	: 0
siblings	: 4
core id		: 1
cpu cores	: 4
apicid		: 2
initial apicid	: 2
fpu		: yes
fpu_exception	: yes
cpuid level	: 11
wp		: yes
flags		: fpu vme de pse tsc msr pae mce cx8 apic sep mtrr pge mca cmov pat pse36 clflush dts acpi mmx fxsr sse sse2 ss ht tm pbe syscall nx rdtscp lm constant_tsc arch_perfmon pebs bts rep_good nopl xtopology tsc_reliable nonstop_tsc cpuid aperfmperf tsc_known_freq pni pclmulqdq dtes64 monitor ds_cpl vmx est tm2 ssse3 cx16 xtpr pdcm sse4_1 sse4_2 movbe popcnt tsc_deadline_timer rdrand lahf_lm 3dnowprefetch epb pti ibrs ibpb stibp tpr_shadow vnmi flexpriority ept vpid tsc_adjust smep erms dtherm ida arat md_clear
bugs		: cpu_meltdown spectre_v1 spectre_v2 mds msbds_only
bogomips	: 4831.40
clflush size	: 64
cache_alignment	: 64
address sizes	: 36 bits physical, 48 bits virtual
power management:

processor	: 2
vendor_id	: GenuineIntel
cpu family	: 6
model		: 55
model name	: Intel(R) Pentium(R) CPU  J2900  @ 2.41GHz
stepping	: 8
microcode	: 0x838
cpu MHz		: 1407.260
cache size	: 1024 KB
physical id	: 0
siblings	: 4
core id		: 2
cpu cores	: 4
apicid		: 4
initial apicid	: 4
fpu		: yes
fpu_exception	: yes
cpuid level	: 11
wp		: yes
flags		: fpu vme de pse tsc msr pae mce cx8 apic sep mtrr pge mca cmov pat pse36 clflush dts acpi mmx fxsr sse sse2 ss ht tm pbe syscall nx rdtscp lm constant_tsc arch_perfmon pebs bts rep_good nopl xtopology tsc_reliable nonstop_tsc cpuid aperfmperf tsc_known_freq pni pclmulqdq dtes64 monitor ds_cpl vmx est tm2 ssse3 cx16 xtpr pdcm sse4_1 sse4_2 movbe popcnt tsc_deadline_timer rdrand lahf_lm 3dnowprefetch epb pti ibrs ibpb stibp tpr_shadow vnmi flexpriority ept vpid tsc_adjust smep erms dtherm ida arat md_clear
bugs		: cpu_meltdown spectre_v1 spectre_v2 mds msbds_only
bogomips	: 4831.40
clflush size	: 64
cache_alignment	: 64
address sizes	: 36 bits physical, 48 bits virtual
power management:

processor	: 3
vendor_id	: GenuineIntel
cpu family	: 6
model		: 55
model name	: Intel(R) Pentium(R) CPU  J2900  @ 2.41GHz
stepping	: 8
microcode	: 0x838
cpu MHz		: 1400.165
cache size	: 1024 KB
physical id	: 0
siblings	: 4
core id		: 3
cpu cores	: 4
apicid		: 6
initial apicid	: 6
fpu		: yes
fpu_exception	: yes
cpuid level	: 11
wp		: yes
flags		: fpu vme de pse tsc msr pae mce cx8 apic sep mtrr pge mca cmov pat pse36 clflush dts acpi mmx fxsr sse sse2 ss ht tm pbe syscall nx rdtscp lm constant_tsc arch_perfmon pebs bts rep_good nopl xtopology tsc_reliable nonstop_tsc cpuid aperfmperf tsc_known_freq pni pclmulqdq dtes64 monitor ds_cpl vmx est tm2 ssse3 cx16 xtpr pdcm sse4_1 sse4_2 movbe popcnt tsc_deadline_timer rdrand lahf_lm 3dnowprefetch epb pti ibrs ibpb stibp tpr_shadow vnmi flexpriority ept vpid tsc_adjust smep erms dtherm ida arat md_clear
bugs		: cpu_meltdown spectre_v1 spectre_v2 mds msbds_only
bogomips	: 4831.40
clflush size	: 64
cache_alignment	: 64
address sizes	: 36 bits physical, 48 bits virtual
power management:

root@d37:~#

Memory:

Code:

root@d37:~# free -m
              total        used        free      shared  buff/cache   available
Mem:           3778        2874         206         288         696         384
Swap:          3905           0        3905
root@d37:~#

How can I determine the issue? Any help is appreciated.

rtmistler · 11-25-2019, 06:14 AM

Use CTRL-ALT-F1 to get a system console and see what's going on with the desktop environment. See if you can kill the XServer and then let it restart and see how it's working then. I'd perform limited actions from within the desktop, like not open a browser or certain UI apps that you always do, one at a time and see if one of them tends to cause this problem.

kladizkov.one · 11-25-2019, 06:25 AM

It is not possible to take virtual console. The keyboard won't work. It is not due to any specific software like browsers as I understand. It can happen anytime even when it is idle for some time.

dc.901 · 11-25-2019, 06:27 AM

You tried different OSes and their versions. But, did you attempt to try different desktop environment; I believe default is gnome (in Ubuntu 18), but you could try kde or cinnamon (or others)?
If you do not have preference on package manager, you should try Fedora or opensuse (or other RPM based distros); do not have to install; try them on live CD to see if any of them behaves better on your machine?

kladizkov.one · 11-25-2019, 06:29 AM

I have already tried xfce, cinnamon and gnome. But afaiu these environment doesn't freeze a PC.

rtmistler · 11-25-2019, 06:31 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kladizkov.one

I have already tried xfce, cinnamon and gnome. But afaiu these environment doesn't freeze a PC.

This is unclear and please do not abbreviate. It appears as if you said you've tried various desktop environments and then said that they do not freeze your system.

kladizkov.one · 11-25-2019, 06:32 AM

Next one to try is fedora as I need to try a non-debian one.

kladizkov.one · 11-25-2019, 06:33 AM

I tried xfce, cinnamon and gnome. All these have resulted in crash. So it's not due to desktop environment.

rtmistler · 11-25-2019, 06:35 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kladizkov.one

I tried xfce, cinnamon and gnome. All these have resulted in crash. So it's not due to desktop environment.

Have you tried running command line only?

beachboy2 · 11-25-2019, 06:40 AM

kladizkov.one,

Try using oom_kill which will kill the process using most memory via this key combo:

Alt + SysRq + F

NB You first need to enable all functions for the SysRq key by editing the /etc/sysctl.d/10-magic-sysrq.conf file as follows:

Code:

sudo apt install gedit

  sudo gedit /etc/sysctl.d/10-magic-sysrq.conf

Then change the existing kernel.sysrq value to 1:

Code:

kernel.sysrq = 1

Then to update the config file, run:

Code:

  sudo sysctl --system

Once oom_kill is operational you may be able to obtain some further information as to why your system keeps crashing.

It is also worth double-checking all cable connections and ensuring that memory modules are seated correctly.

rtmistler · 11-25-2019, 06:43 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kladizkov.one

Next one to try is fedora as I need to try a non-debian one.

I do not feel that continually trying new distributions is going to get you any closer to diagnosing the problem.

kladizkov.one · 11-25-2019, 06:46 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rtmistler

Have you tried running command line only?

I haven't tried that yet.

kladizkov.one · 11-28-2019, 08:57 AM

Only application I need to run is Google chrome and Firefox. Then auto refresh 10 tabs in each. The system will freeze within 12 hours.

I'm trying the magic sysrq ( as beachboy2 mentioned ) today. I will stick with xubuntu to find the root cause.

kladizkov.one · 12-03-2019, 11:59 PM

Finally figured it out. The problem is either due to Google Chrome or Xorg hardware acceleration. I don't see any errors anywhere. Either I can go with disabling hardware acceleration in Google Chrome or I can disable GLX, DRI2, DRI3 extensions in Xorg. Disabling any of the two avoid the freezing issue.

kladizkov.one · 04-09-2020, 02:52 AM

This thread is not solved yet. Even disabling hardware acceleration or avoiding the use of Google Chrome is resulting in crashes.