[SOLVED] System runs a few minutes, browser crashes and applications won't launch

Ztcoracat · 02-06-2015, 04:15 PM

I'm running Slackware 14.1 on a AMD Quad Core Desktop and it's been running fine up until now.

Code:

-MS-7501 ~ $ lspci
00:00.0 Host bridge: Advanced Micro Devices, Inc. [AMD] RS780 Host Bridge
00:01.0 PCI bridge: Advanced Micro Devices, Inc. [AMD] RS780/RS880 PCI to PCI bridge (int gfx)
00:04.0 PCI bridge: Advanced Micro Devices, Inc. [AMD] RS780/RS880 PCI to PCI bridge (PCIE port 0)
00:05.0 PCI bridge: Advanced Micro Devices, Inc. [AMD] RS780/RS880 PCI to PCI bridge (PCIE port 1)
00:11.0 SATA controller: Advanced Micro Devices, Inc. [AMD/ATI] SB7x0/SB8x0/SB9x0 SATA Controller [IDE mode]
00:12.0 USB controller: Advanced Micro Devices, Inc. [AMD/ATI] SB7x0/SB8x0/SB9x0 USB OHCI0 Controller
00:12.1 USB controller: Advanced Micro Devices, Inc. [AMD/ATI] SB7x0 USB OHCI1 Controller
00:12.2 USB controller: Advanced Micro Devices, Inc. [AMD/ATI] SB7x0/SB8x0/SB9x0 USB EHCI Controller
00:13.0 USB controller: Advanced Micro Devices, Inc. [AMD/ATI] SB7x0/SB8x0/SB9x0 USB OHCI0 Controller
00:13.1 USB controller: Advanced Micro Devices, Inc. [AMD/ATI] SB7x0 USB OHCI1 Controller
00:13.2 USB controller: Advanced Micro Devices, Inc. [AMD/ATI] SB7x0/SB8x0/SB9x0 USB EHCI Controller
00:14.0 SMBus: Advanced Micro Devices, Inc. [AMD/ATI] SBx00 SMBus Controller (rev 3a)
00:14.1 IDE interface: Advanced Micro Devices, Inc. [AMD/ATI] SB7x0/SB8x0/SB9x0 IDE Controller
00:14.2 Audio device: Advanced Micro Devices, Inc. [AMD/ATI] SBx00 Azalia (Intel HDA)
00:14.3 ISA bridge: Advanced Micro Devices, Inc. [AMD/ATI] SB7x0/SB8x0/SB9x0 LPC host controller
00:14.4 PCI bridge: Advanced Micro Devices, Inc. [AMD/ATI] SBx00 PCI to PCI Bridge
00:14.5 USB controller: Advanced Micro Devices, Inc. [AMD/ATI] SB7x0/SB8x0/SB9x0 USB OHCI2 Controller
00:18.0 Host bridge: Advanced Micro Devices, Inc. [AMD] Family 10h Processor HyperTransport Configuration
00:18.1 Host bridge: Advanced Micro Devices, Inc. [AMD] Family 10h Processor Address Map
00:18.2 Host bridge: Advanced Micro Devices, Inc. [AMD] Family 10h Processor DRAM Controller
00:18.3 Host bridge: Advanced Micro Devices, Inc. [AMD] Family 10h Processor Miscellaneous Control
00:18.4 Host bridge: Advanced Micro Devices, Inc. [AMD] Family 10h Processor Link Control
01:05.0 VGA compatible controller: Advanced Micro Devices, Inc. [AMD/ATI] RS780C [Radeon 3100]
02:00.0 Network controller: Realtek Semiconductor Co., Ltd. RTL8192CE PCIe Wireless Network Adapter (rev 01)
03:00.0 Ethernet controller: Realtek Semiconductor Co., Ltd. RTL8111/8168/8411 PCI Express Gigabit Ethernet Controller (rev 02)

Linux Mint is installed to the 1 TB drive and Slackware is installed on the 500 GB HDD that I installed in this desktop.

The system boots and stays up and running for approx. 5 minutes and than either Sea Monkey or FF crashes. Applications and games won't launch and attempting to open the Home directory fails.
The GUI stays up but I can't launch anything and have to perform a hard shutdown.

When I try to launch FF I get:
[CODE]Failed to execute child process "firefox" (input/output error)

If I try to restart by using Ctrl+Alt+Del I get:

Code:

Failed to execute child process "xfock4" (input/output error)

And if I try to open the Home directory I get the same or similar error:

Code:

Failed to execute child process /usr/lib64/xfce4/exo-1-helper-1" (no such file or directory)

I used Google to look up the errors but I didn't get any hits.

I opened the case and ensured that the SATA cable is seated all the way down on the mobo. The cable had a kink in it so I straightened it out.

The disto stays up for about maybe 3 to 5 minutes so how can I get a look at the var/logs or dmesg log long enough?

Any idea what might be going on?

jailbait · 02-06-2015, 04:35 PM

First I think you should determine if this is a software or hardware problem. Do you have similar problems in Linux Mint?

Run memtest if you have it installed.

---------------------
Steve Stites

bassmadrigal · 02-06-2015, 04:36 PM

Sounds like a memory issue. I doubt it is the harddrive, because once things are loaded in memory, you tend to not have problems until you start accessing the disc. Try running memtest (can be done using the Slack install dvd).

Ztcoracat · 02-06-2015, 04:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jailbait

First I think you should determine if this is a software or hardware problem. Do you have similar problems in Linux Mint?

Run memtest if you have it installed.

---------------------
Steve Stites

No, I don't have any of the above mentioned problems with Linux Mint.

Ztcoracat · 02-06-2015, 04:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bassmadrigal

Sounds like a memory issue. I doubt it is the harddrive, because once things are loaded in memory, you tend to not have problems until you start accessing the disc. Try running memtest (can be done using the Slack install dvd).

I'll run Memtest over night and let you know if it passed in the morning:-

55020 · 02-06-2015, 04:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ztcoracat

Code:

Failed to execute child process "firefox" (input/output error)

It's the disk. Which is why the Mint installation on the other disk doesn't croak.

Ztcoracat · 02-06-2015, 05:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 55020

It's the disk. Which is why the Mint installation on the other disk doesn't croak.

How do you know that it is the disk?

I want to be sure before I have to make another purchase.

55020 · 02-06-2015, 06:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ztcoracat

How do you know that it is the disk?

Because it said "input/output error".
I put it in bold and underlined it for you to see.
Also, because Mint is ok and Mint is on a different disk.

Diantre · 02-06-2015, 06:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ztcoracat

How do you know that it is the disk?

Run smartctl on the disk to be sure:

Code:

# smartctl -a /dev/sdX

Some errors are reported only after running tests on the disk, use the -t option for that:

Code:

# smartctl -t short|long /dev/sdX

As an example, here's the output of one of my disks showing errors (bad sectors), which showed after running the extended test. The relevant lines are in red:

Code:

# smartctl -d sat -a /dev/sdc
smartctl 5.43 2012-06-30 r3573 [x86_64-linux-3.10.17] (local build)
Copyright (C) 2002-12 by Bruce Allen, http://smartmontools.sourceforge.net

=== START OF INFORMATION SECTION ===
Model Family:     Hitachi Deskstar P7K500
Device Model:     Hitachi HDP725050GLA380
Serial Number:    XXXXXXXXXXXXXX
LU WWN Device Id: 5 000cca 32cdfa10b
Firmware Version: GM4OA52A
User Capacity:    500,107,862,016 bytes [500 GB]
Sector Size:      512 bytes logical/physical
Device is:        In smartctl database [for details use: -P show]
ATA Version is:   8
ATA Standard is:  ATA-8-ACS revision 4
Local Time is:    Fri Feb  6 18:13:21 2015 CST
SMART support is: Available - device has SMART capability.
SMART support is: Enabled

...

SMART Attributes Data Structure revision number: 16
Vendor Specific SMART Attributes with Thresholds:
ID# ATTRIBUTE_NAME          FLAG     VALUE WORST THRESH TYPE      UPDATED  WHEN_FAILED RAW_VALUE
  1 Raw_Read_Error_Rate     0x000b   100   100   016    Pre-fail  Always       -       0
  2 Throughput_Performance  0x0005   133   133   054    Pre-fail  Offline      -       138
  3 Spin_Up_Time            0x0007   112   112   024    Pre-fail  Always       -       341 (Average 343)
  4 Start_Stop_Count        0x0012   099   099   000    Old_age   Always       -       5247
  5 Reallocated_Sector_Ct   0x0033   100   100   005    Pre-fail  Always       -       2
  7 Seek_Error_Rate         0x000b   100   100   067    Pre-fail  Always       -       0
  8 Seek_Time_Performance   0x0005   131   131   020    Pre-fail  Offline      -       29
  9 Power_On_Hours          0x0012   099   099   000    Old_age   Always       -       10569
 10 Spin_Retry_Count        0x0013   100   100   060    Pre-fail  Always       -       0
 12 Power_Cycle_Count       0x0032   100   100   000    Old_age   Always       -       1240
192 Power-Off_Retract_Count 0x0032   096   096   000    Old_age   Always       -       5475
193 Load_Cycle_Count        0x0012   096   096   000    Old_age   Always       -       5475
194 Temperature_Celsius     0x0002   122   122   000    Old_age   Always       -       49 (Min/Max 20/58)
196 Reallocated_Event_Count 0x0032   100   100   000    Old_age   Always       -       2
197 Current_Pending_Sector  0x0022   100   100   000    Old_age   Always       -       1
198 Offline_Uncorrectable   0x0008   100   100   000    Old_age   Offline      -       0
199 UDMA_CRC_Error_Count    0x000a   200   200   000    Old_age   Always       -       0

SMART Error Log Version: 1
No Errors Logged

SMART Self-test log structure revision number 1
Num  Test_Description    Status                  Remaining  LifeTime(hours)  LBA_of_first_error
# 1  Short offline       Completed without error       00%     10569         -
# 2  Extended offline    Completed: read failure       50%     10538         439285046
# 3  Short offline       Completed without error       00%     10537         -
# 4  Extended offline    Completed: read failure       50%     10537         439285046
# 5  Short offline       Completed without error       00%     10536         -
# 6  Short offline       Completed without error       00%      6517         -
# 7  Short offline       Completed without error       00%      6513         -
# 8  Extended offline    Completed without error       00%      6508         -
# 9  Short offline       Completed without error       00%      6506         -

SMART Selective self-test log data structure revision number 1
 SPAN  MIN_LBA  MAX_LBA  CURRENT_TEST_STATUS
    1        0        0  Not_testing
    2        0        0  Not_testing
    3        0        0  Not_testing
    4        0        0  Not_testing
    5        0        0  Not_testing
Selective self-test flags (0x0):
  After scanning selected spans, do NOT read-scan remainder of disk.
If Selective self-test is pending on power-up, resume after 0 minute delay.

Ztcoracat · 02-06-2015, 06:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Diantre

Run smartctl on the disk to be sure:

Code:

# smartctl -a /dev/sdX

Some errors are reported only after running tests on the disk, use the -t option for that:

Code:

# smartctl -t short|long /dev/sdX

As an example, here's the output of one of my disks showing errors (bad sectors), which showed after running the extended test. The relevant lines are in red:

Code:

# smartctl -d sat -a /dev/sdc
smartctl 5.43 2012-06-30 r3573 [x86_64-linux-3.10.17] (local build)
Copyright (C) 2002-12 by Bruce Allen, http://smartmontools.sourceforge.net

=== START OF INFORMATION SECTION ===
Model Family:     Hitachi Deskstar P7K500
Device Model:     Hitachi HDP725050GLA380
Serial Number:    XXXXXXXXXXXXXX
LU WWN Device Id: 5 000cca 32cdfa10b
Firmware Version: GM4OA52A
User Capacity:    500,107,862,016 bytes [500 GB]
Sector Size:      512 bytes logical/physical
Device is:        In smartctl database [for details use: -P show]
ATA Version is:   8
ATA Standard is:  ATA-8-ACS revision 4
Local Time is:    Fri Feb  6 18:13:21 2015 CST
SMART support is: Available - device has SMART capability.
SMART support is: Enabled

...

SMART Attributes Data Structure revision number: 16
Vendor Specific SMART Attributes with Thresholds:
ID# ATTRIBUTE_NAME          FLAG     VALUE WORST THRESH TYPE      UPDATED  WHEN_FAILED RAW_VALUE
  1 Raw_Read_Error_Rate     0x000b   100   100   016    Pre-fail  Always       -       0
  2 Throughput_Performance  0x0005   133   133   054    Pre-fail  Offline      -       138
  3 Spin_Up_Time            0x0007   112   112   024    Pre-fail  Always       -       341 (Average 343)
  4 Start_Stop_Count        0x0012   099   099   000    Old_age   Always       -       5247
  5 Reallocated_Sector_Ct   0x0033   100   100   005    Pre-fail  Always       -       2
  7 Seek_Error_Rate         0x000b   100   100   067    Pre-fail  Always       -       0
  8 Seek_Time_Performance   0x0005   131   131   020    Pre-fail  Offline      -       29
  9 Power_On_Hours          0x0012   099   099   000    Old_age   Always       -       10569
 10 Spin_Retry_Count        0x0013   100   100   060    Pre-fail  Always       -       0
 12 Power_Cycle_Count       0x0032   100   100   000    Old_age   Always       -       1240
192 Power-Off_Retract_Count 0x0032   096   096   000    Old_age   Always       -       5475
193 Load_Cycle_Count        0x0012   096   096   000    Old_age   Always       -       5475
194 Temperature_Celsius     0x0002   122   122   000    Old_age   Always       -       49 (Min/Max 20/58)
196 Reallocated_Event_Count 0x0032   100   100   000    Old_age   Always       -       2
197 Current_Pending_Sector  0x0022   100   100   000    Old_age   Always       -       1
198 Offline_Uncorrectable   0x0008   100   100   000    Old_age   Offline      -       0
199 UDMA_CRC_Error_Count    0x000a   200   200   000    Old_age   Always       -       0

SMART Error Log Version: 1
No Errors Logged

SMART Self-test log structure revision number 1
Num  Test_Description    Status                  Remaining  LifeTime(hours)  LBA_of_first_error
# 1  Short offline       Completed without error       00%     10569         -
# 2  Extended offline    Completed: read failure       50%     10538         439285046
# 3  Short offline       Completed without error       00%     10537         -
# 4  Extended offline    Completed: read failure       50%     10537         439285046
# 5  Short offline       Completed without error       00%     10536         -
# 6  Short offline       Completed without error       00%      6517         -
# 7  Short offline       Completed without error       00%      6513         -
# 8  Extended offline    Completed without error       00%      6508         -
# 9  Short offline       Completed without error       00%      6506         -

SMART Selective self-test log data structure revision number 1
 SPAN  MIN_LBA  MAX_LBA  CURRENT_TEST_STATUS
    1        0        0  Not_testing
    2        0        0  Not_testing
    3        0        0  Not_testing
    4        0        0  Not_testing
    5        0        0  Not_testing
Selective self-test flags (0x0):
  After scanning selected spans, do NOT read-scan remainder of disk.
If Selective self-test is pending on power-up, resume after 0 minute delay.

I couldn't run those cmd's even if I wanted to.
Now Slackware won't boot at all. I'm getting multipule bus_error messages as it's trying to boot up.
Than when it fails to boot I get:

Code:

Kernel Panic Not not syncing

I just purchased that 500 GB HDD about 6 months ago.
Is it possible that Micro Center let that drive sit on their shelves for too long?
(in otherwords it was old to begin with)

Diantre · 02-06-2015, 06:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ztcoracat

I couldn't run those cmd's even if I wanted to.
Now Slackware won't boot at all. I'm getting multipule bus_error messages as it's trying to boot up.
Than when it fails to boot I get:

Code:

Kernel Panic Not not syncing

I just purchased that 500 GB HDD about 6 months ago.
Is it possible that Micro Center let that drive sit on their shelves for too long?
(in otherwords it was old to begin with)

Boot with Mint and try the commands from there. Usually the hard drives have a manufacture date on the label, you should check that if you're concerned about the disk age.

Ztcoracat · 02-06-2015, 07:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Diantre

Boot with Mint and try the commands from there. Usually the hard drives have a manufacture date on the label, you should check that if you're concerned about the disk age.

I installed smartmontools.

Code:

linuxcat-MS-7501 ~ $ sudo smartctl -a /dev/sda
[sudo] password for linuxcat: 
smartctl 6.2 2013-07-26 r3841 [x86_64-linux-3.13.0-24-generic] (local build)
Copyright (C) 2002-13, Bruce Allen, Christian Franke, www.smartmontools.org

=== START OF INFORMATION SECTION ===
Vendor:               /0:0:0:0
Product:              
User Capacity:        600,332,565,813,390,450 bytes [600 PB]
Logical block size:   774843950 bytes
Physical block size:  4074954752 bytes
Lowest aligned LBA:   7935
Formatted with type 1 protection
2048 protection information intervals per logical block
Logical block provisioning enabled, LBPRZ=0
scsiModePageOffset: raw_curr too small, offset=259 resp_len=130 bd_len=255
scsiModePageOffset: raw_curr too small, offset=259 resp_len=130 bd_len=255
>> Terminate command early due to bad response to IEC mode page
A mandatory SMART command failed: exiting. To continue, add one or more '-T permissive' options.

Code:

linuxcat-MS-7501 ~ $ sudo smartctl -t short|long /dev/sda

[1]+  Stopped                 sudo smartctl -t short | long /dev/sda
linuxcat@linuxcat-MS-7501 ~ $ long: command not found

Ztcoracat · 02-06-2015, 08:15 PM

Code:

linuxcat-MS-7501 ~ $ sudo smartctl -d sat -ic -q noserial /dev/sda
[sudo] password for linuxcat: 
smartctl 6.2 2013-07-26 r3841 [x86_64-linux-3.13.0-24-generic] (local build)
Copyright (C) 2002-13, Bruce Allen, Christian Franke, www.smartmontools.org

=== START OF INFORMATION SECTION ===
Device Model:     [No Information Found]
Firmware Version: [No Information Found]
Device is:        Not in smartctl database [for details use: -P showall]
ATA Version is:   [No Information Found]
Local Time is:    Fri Feb  6 21:11:39 2015 EST
SMART support is: Ambiguous - ATA IDENTIFY DEVICE words 82-83 don't show if SMART supported.
SMART support is: Ambiguous - ATA IDENTIFY DEVICE words 85-87 don't show if SMART is enabled.
A mandatory SMART command failed: exiting. To continue, add one or more '-T permissive' options.
linuxcat@linuxcat-MS-7501 ~ $

The device model isn't listed. It should say something about a Western Digital HDD.

The dmesg log shows input/output issues in sectors:

Quote:

29.223161] end_request: I/O error, dev sda, sector 123
29.223176] end_request: I/O error, dev sda, sector 125
29.223137] Buffer I/O error on device sda1, logical block 29

I think this output pretty much makes it clear that the drive is done right?

Quote:

ata1: irq_stat 0x0c000000, interface fatal error

Diantre · 02-06-2015, 08:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ztcoracat

Code:

linuxcat-MS-7501 ~ $ sudo smartctl -t short|long /dev/sda

[1]+  Stopped                 sudo smartctl -t short | long /dev/sda
linuxcat@linuxcat-MS-7501 ~ $ long: command not found

The parameter for the test option (-t) should be either "short" or "long". I used the pipe "|" to indicate "or", but I wasn't clear enough. Sorry about that.

Diantre · 02-06-2015, 09:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ztcoracat

The device model isn't listed. It should say something about a Western Digital HDD.

I think this output pretty much makes it clear that the drive is done right?

First of all, check that the cables are properly connected. The connectors should be firmly seated in the sockets, and, if possible, try another cable.

This command should report something like the example for my disk I posted earlier.

Code:

# smartctl -d sat -a /dev/sda

If after this you're still getting error messages in dmesg and the weird smartctl output, then yes, I would say that your disk appears to be damaged. As a final and conclusive test (if possible, of course), put it in another computer. If you observe the same behavior, the drive is kaput.