[SOLVED] Random network and input device shutdowns on new 14.1 installation

anket · 12-02-2015, 09:42 PM

I need assistance with troubleshooting the usability of my new computer.

Last week, I got a new custom-built laptop computer, and installed Slackware 14.1 on it using the ISO for 64-bit systems. I use the default kernel configuration that is provided after running system updates.

I have noticed that the network interface goes down after an hour or two of operation. This happens for both the wired and wireless interfaces. The only way that I seem to restore the connection is to reboot the system.

Upon rebooting, it seems to be hit-or-miss on when I can log into the system. Sometimes, I have to reboot several times just to log into the system. This is because the keyboard often hangs at the login prompt (it may allow input of username but lock up before password information can be supplied.) At other times, I log in, but when I start the X window display, the mouse locks up, and I have to do a hard reboot just to regain control of the system.

How can I troubleshoot and fix the random network connection and input device issues?

kingbeowulf · 12-02-2015, 11:30 PM

Try Slackware64-current, or better yet the new Slackware64-current-live. If you have newish hardware you may need kernel module drivers from a newer kernel series. I've had similar issues from time to time after a new system build, that a newer kernel fixed.

anket · 12-03-2015, 06:44 AM

I have downloaded a copy of the slackware64-live-current ISO from http://taper.alienbase.nl/mirrors/slackware-live/ as I was unable to locate any official live ISO images. I am preparing to install, and would like to know how maintainable the -current branch is for day-to-day use. (I have used Gentoo in the past, and had to give it up because of the headaches of maintaining a usable system due to the "Rolling Release" approach used by that distribution.)

How can I ensure that the system stays secure and relatively up-to-date without making system maintenance a full-time job? Thanks!

ponce · 12-03-2015, 06:51 AM

http://docs.slackware.com/start?id=s...rrent_versions

kingbeowulf · 12-05-2015, 05:35 PM

anket, although Slackware-current is "kinda" a rolling release, I have found the Slackware dev team and our BDFL a lot more conscientious in pushing updates than the rolling release methodology from "those other guys". I run slackware-current on 2 laptops here, so far so good. I just had one glitch when updated things in the wrong order. For example, configure slackpkg to your favorite mirror and the basis sequence is:

slackpkg update

slackpkg clean-system -- to remove deprecated packages, you can set up blacklists for any custom packages
slackpkg install-new -- add new stuff
slackpkg upgrade-all

You can use "slackpkg check-updates" to see if anything is new every day or two.

Drakeo · 12-05-2015, 06:09 PM

grab the script that builds the iso for you. http://www.slackware.com/~alien/tool...are-current.sh
take time and read it then run it as root.or change destination folder and run as user.

Code:

sh mirror-slackware-current.sh -a x86_64 -r current

it will place an iso at /ftp/pub/Linux/Slackware/slackware64-current-iso/
or x86 /ftp/pub/Linux/Slackware/slackware-current-iso/
-a stands for arch x86 or x86_64 -r stands for repo 1.0 to 14.1 or current
check out some mirrors some are faster then others.
http://mirrors.slackware.com/mirrorlist/

bassmadrigal · 12-06-2015, 08:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kingbeowulf

anket, although Slackware-current is "kinda" a rolling release, I have found the Slackware dev team and our BDFL a lot more conscientious in pushing updates than the rolling release methodology from "those other guys". I run slackware-current on 2 laptops here, so far so good. I just had one glitch when updated things in the wrong order. For example, configure slackpkg to your favorite mirror and the basis sequence is:

slackpkg update

slackpkg clean-system -- to remove deprecated packages, you can set up blacklists for any custom packages
slackpkg install-new -- add new stuff
slackpkg upgrade-all

You can use "slackpkg check-updates" to see if anything is new every day or two.

You should probably do install-new, then upgrade-all, followed by clean-system if you want to make sure you don't remove something important before something else replaces it.

anket · 12-06-2015, 08:26 PM

Thanks for the suggestions. I downloaded a -CURRENT ISO using the script. I made edits to create a DVD image instead of three CDROM images (since I was using a USB flash drive for the installation.)

It was helpful to use the -CURRENT release, since it included a kernel version which supports Intel's 3165 wireless device. The wireless connection is now reliable.

However, I am still having issues with the input devices. I am having to reboot the system about three or four times before the keyboard and touchpad work. My suspicion is that there is some sort of race condition that is preventing the usability of the input devices. How can I troubleshoot this issue?

pzognar · 12-06-2015, 09:26 PM

I used to have problems with the USB keyboard, though only at early boot time. The fix in my case was to ascertain the module name and make sure it was included in the initrd. The exact name of the module needed probably is different for every system, so I expect I can't help with details.

As for your net ... are you using wifi?

anket · 12-07-2015, 12:55 PM

At startup, the input devices for the laptop are identified, but it is unclear what driver is being used. For example, the pointing device is identified as "SynPS/2 Synaptics TouchPad" in /var/log/messages, and the keyboard is being identified as "AT Translated Set 2 keyboard" in the same log file.

I would like to know if there is a particular driver that needs to be enabled or blacklisted so that this conflict can be avoided during startup.

By the way, the network connection is wireless.

kingbeowulf · 12-13-2015, 02:08 AM

ankey,

on the boot parameter line in (e)lilo, add "rootdelay=10" for 10- seconds (or try 15, 20s, etc.) to wait for all the USB ad PCI devices to be detected. Set the laptop up so you can SSH in from another computer and compare "lsmod" outputs to see which are the KB and touchpad modules. Sometimes laptops will route those via internal USB (hid*) or modules "psmouse" for PS/S mouse, "evdev" (mouse, keyboard) or "uinput". Once X.Org loads, it will load the the actual drivers.

http://unix.stackexchange.com/questi...ng-my-touchpad

Richard Cranium · 12-13-2015, 08:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by anket

How can I troubleshoot and fix the random network connection and input device issues?

Well, the output of

Code:

/sbin/lspci

and

Code:

lsusb

might have helped a bit. As well as telling us if you were running the generic or huge kernel.

cwizardone · 12-13-2015, 09:16 PM

You can find a complete .iso of -current here (toward the bottom of the page):

http://taper.alienbase.nl/mirrors/slackware/

During the installation accept the default kernel, which is the "huge" kernel.

Slackware-current is usually very stable. Some people will go so far as to say Slackware-current is more stable than some other distributions' "stable" releases.
However, on occasion a problem or two will pop up and that is what -current is for, i.e., to work out the kinks.
From experience I would suggest that if you want to always have a "stable" platform, then don't be the first to download and install the most recent -current changes and updates. After each new entry to the change log,

http://www.slackware.com/changelog/

wait a few days for the dust to settle. Sometimes the corrections are made in a day or two or three. Sometimes it takes a week, but they, the development team, get the job done. Just monitor the change log and this forum and you'll know when it is safe to install the changes.

Cheers!

anket · 12-15-2015, 08:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Richard Cranium

Well, the output of /sbin/lspci and lsusb might have helped a bit. As well as telling us if you were running the generic or huge kernel.

I am using the huge kernel (as I recall, it provided coverage for more devices.)

The output of lspci:

Code:

00:00.0 Host bridge: Intel Corporation Sky Lake Host Bridge/DRAM Registers (rev 07)
00:01.0 PCI bridge: Intel Corporation Sky Lake PCIe Controller (x16) (rev 07)
00:14.0 USB controller: Intel Corporation Sunrise Point-H USB 3.0 xHCI Controller (rev 31)
00:14.2 Signal processing controller: Intel Corporation Sunrise Point-H Thermal subsystem (rev 31)
00:16.0 Communication controller: Intel Corporation Sunrise Point-H CSME HECI #1 (rev 31)
00:17.0 SATA controller: Intel Corporation Sunrise Point-H SATA Controller [AHCI mode] (rev 31)
00:1c.0 PCI bridge: Intel Corporation Sunrise Point-H PCI Express Root Port #5 (rev f1)
00:1c.5 PCI bridge: Intel Corporation Sunrise Point-H PCI Express Root Port #6 (rev f1)
00:1f.0 ISA bridge: Intel Corporation Sunrise Point-H LPC Controller (rev 31)
00:1f.2 Memory controller: Intel Corporation Sunrise Point-H PMC (rev 31)
00:1f.3 Audio device: Intel Corporation Sunrise Point-H HD Audio (rev 31)
00:1f.4 SMBus: Intel Corporation Sunrise Point-H SMBus (rev 31)
01:00.0 VGA compatible controller: NVIDIA Corporation GM204M [GeForce GTX 980M] (rev a1)
01:00.1 Audio device: NVIDIA Corporation GM204 High Definition Audio Controller (rev a1)
02:00.0 Unassigned class [ff00]: Realtek Semiconductor Co., Ltd. Device 5287 (rev 01)
02:00.1 Ethernet controller: Realtek Semiconductor Co., Ltd. RTL8111/8168/8411 PCI Express Gigabit Ethernet Controller (rev 12)
03:00.0 Network controller: Intel Corporation Wireless 8260 (rev 3a)

The output of lsusb:

Code:

Bus 002 Device 001: ID 1d6b:0003 Linux Foundation 3.0 root hub
Bus 001 Device 003: ID 8087:0a2b Intel Corp. 
Bus 001 Device 002: ID 1c7a:0603 LighTuning Technology Inc. 
Bus 001 Device 001: ID 1d6b:0002 Linux Foundation 2.0 root hub

kingbeowulf · 12-17-2015, 11:32 PM

Let's ty something crazy. I recall form the olden days that sometimes the huge kernel loads too much resulting in the wrong driver being selected. Go ahead and create a initrd with mkinitrd with just the file system modules needed to find /boot and /, and boot the generic kernel.