[solved] Linux Mint 18 - random freezing

[peterling]

Hello,

fresh install of Linux Mint 18 on SSD.

Using Mint Mate.

Same problem existed with 17.3.

Without warning Linux Mint 18 freezes, the keyboard and mouse become unresponsive. No SysRQ; no other Desktop; no Konsole

The only thing I can do is press the power button to turn off the computer and start it again.

The video drivers are NVIDIA installed via "DriverManager".

As I usually have Firefox open that may or may not be an issue. I have/had several Linux distros installed. It only happens with Mint.

I have no clue what is causing this problem.

inxi -Fxz:

System: Host: name Kernel: 4.4.0-21-generic x86_64 (64 bit gcc: 5.3.1)
Desktop: MATE 1.14.1 (Gtk 3.18.9-1ubuntu3.1) Distro: Linux Mint 18 Sarah
Machine: Mobo: ASRock model: H61M/U3S3 Bios: American Megatrends v: P2.20 date: 07/30/2012
CPU: Quad core Intel Core i7-3770K (-HT-MCP-) cache: 8192 KB
flags: (lm nx sse sse2 sse3 sse4_1 sse4_2 ssse3 vmx) bmips: 27935
clock speeds: max: 3900 MHz 1: 1815 MHz 2: 1627 MHz 3: 1605 MHz 4: 2443 MHz
5: 1667 MHz 6: 2004 MHz 7: 2061 MHz 8: 2333 MHz
Graphics: Card: NVIDIA GK104 [GeForce GTX 770] bus-ID: 01:00.0
Display Server: X.Org 1.18.3 drivers: nvidia (unloaded: fbdev,vesa,nouveau)
Resolution: 2560x1600@59.97hz
GLX Renderer: GeForce GTX 770/PCIe/SSE2
GLX Version: 4.5.0 NVIDIA 367.57 Direct Rendering: Yes
Audio: Card-1 NVIDIA GK104 HDMI Audio Controller driver: snd_hda_intel bus-ID: 01:00.1
Card-2 Intel 6 Series/C200 Series Family High Definition Audio Controller
driver: snd_hda_intel bus-ID: 00:1b.0
Sound: Advanced Linux Sound Architecture v: k4.4.0-21-generic
Network: Card-1: Qualcomm Atheros AR8151 v2.0 Gigabit Ethernet
driver: atl1c v: 1.0.1.1-NAPI port: d000 bus-ID: 05:00.0
IF: enp5s0 state: down mac: <filter>
Card-2: Atheros AR9271 802.11n usb-ID: 002-004
IF: N/A state: N/A mac: N/A
Drives: HDD Total Size: 2275.5GB (74.3% used)
ID-1: /dev/sda model: WDC_WD20EARS size: 2000.4GB temp: 27C
ID-2: /dev/sdb model: Crucial_CT275MX3 size: 275.1GB temp: 26C
Partition: ID-1: / size: 163G used: 81G (53%) fs: ext4 dev: /dev/sdb3
ID-2: swap-1 size: 17.73GB used: 0.00GB (0%) fs: swap dev: /dev/sdb4
RAID: No RAID devices: /proc/mdstat, md_mod kernel module present
Sensors: System Temperatures: cpu: 39.0C mobo: N/A gpu: 0.0:37C
Fan Speeds (in rpm): cpu: N/A
Info: Processes: 298 Uptime: 3:17 Memory: 3137.0/16012.5MB
Init: systemd runlevel: 5 Gcc sys: 5.4.0 Client: Shell (bash 4.3.421) inxi: 2.2.35

Thanks.

[Pepi]

I bet it's Firefox 50.0.2. I've quit using Firefox because it will lockup my system tight. I find the firefox process Defunct and have to kill it. There is also some Plugin-container that is eating up all the memory.

pepe 4392 4391 58 08:39 ? 00:00:26 [firefox] <defunct>
pepe 4441 4392 39 08:39 ? 00:00:17 /usr/lib/firefox/plugin-container -greomni /usr/lib/firefox/omni.ja -appomni /usr/lib/firefox/browser/omni.ja -appdir /usr/lib/firefox/browser 2 true tab
pepe 4528 4392 95 08:39 ? 00:00:24 /usr/lib/firefox/plugin-container /usr/lib/adobe-flashplugin/libflashplayer.so -greomni /usr/lib/firefox/omni.ja -appomni /usr/lib/firefox/browser/omni.ja -appdir /usr/lib/firefo
pepe 4565 2655 0 08:40 pts/6 00:00:00 ps -ef
pepe@pepe:~ >

EDIT:

I installed the newest version of FireJail and this seems to have fix my problem in Firefox. I noticed that running Firefox without Firejail didn't lock up so I tried working in that area

[peterling]

Thanks for this tip. I will have an eye on it and report back!

[peterling]

After now watching for a while I found out that my WLAN stick could be the culprit.

Code: Select all

Bus 002 Device 020: ID 0cf3:9271 Atheros Communications, Inc. AR9271 802.11n

wlx54e6fc872ee9 IEEE 802.11bgn ESSID:"wlan"
Mode:Managed Frequency:2.412 GHz Access Point: 58:7F:66:65:73:6C
Bit Rate=72.2 Mb/s Tx-Power=20 dBm
Retry short limit:7 RTS thr:off Fragment thr:off
Encryption key:off
Power Management:off
Link Quality=42/70 Signal level=-68 dBm
Rx invalid nwid:0 Rx invalid crypt:0 Rx invalid frag:0
Tx excessive retries:1 Invalid misc:315 Missed beacon:0

Firmware:

htc_7010-1.4.0.fw
htc_9271-1.4.0.fw

I created a as mentioned here:

Add a file "0cf3:20ff" in /etc/usb_modeswitch.d/ and add these lines to it.

http://www.linuxwireless.org/en/users/D ... ath9k_htc/

I noticed the following:

Sometimes (but very seldom) the internet speed slows down dramatically. If I then remove the stick and plug in again speed is ok again.

If I resume my pc from standby sometimes (every 5th time) I just get a black screen although the pc is running. If I then just unplug the WLAN stick the screen turns on.
I also noticed that reaching standby and waking up from standby takes longer and longer after each standby. As soon as it takes 20 s and longer to reach standby I reboot my pc and then all is fine again. If I switch off the stick before going to standby then all is fine and going to standby takes only a few secs.

So far I did not find anything unusual in syslog.
I switched off IPv6.

Is there sth. I could try to do? Any help appreciated.

[Pjotr]

Try this:

1. Update Manager - panel: View - Linux kernels

2. Install the latest kernel from the 4.4 series.

3. Reboot your computer.

[peterling]

Thanks. I updated now. I will check and report back!

[peterling]

Updated to

Code: Select all

4.4.0-57-generic

but so far no change. After resuming from Standby I have to remove the WLAN Stick otherwise my monitor stays blank/black ...

I found out that I can light on the monitor by switching through all Virtual Consoles (ctrl+ alt + f1 -> f7) ... Quite annoying though.

[Pjotr]

Is your motherboard already running on the latest BIOS for it? You can check the support section of the ASRock website for that.

[peterling]

Found a new BIOS. Upgraded my Mobo to the new version.

All BIOS settings were resetted which I noticed during first boot. Thats why it did not want to boot at all

After fixing this I saw while booting:

Code: Select all

usb 2-1.2.3: device descriptor read/64, error -110
usb 2-1.2.3: device descriptor read/64, error -110
usb 2-1.2.3: new high-speed USB device number 5 using ehci-pci
usb 2-1.2.3: device descriptor read/64, error -110

which is my WLAN-Stick.

But I think I saw this error before while trying to print to my USB printer.

Next bootup my PC did not want to show any Desktop at all - just my mouse pointer. Back to konsole and reboot. In BIOS again I switched off everything I do not need. Serial / LPT port etc.

Additionally I added the following boot parameter:

Code: Select all

libata.force=noncq

Which seems to suppress my following SSD errors:

Code: Select all

[    0.980592] ata3.00: ACPI cmd ef/10:06:00:00:00:00 (SET FEATURES) succeeded
[    0.980594] ata3.00: ACPI cmd f5/00:00:00:00:00:00 (SECURITY FREEZE LOCK) filtered out
[    0.980596] ata3.00: ACPI cmd b1/c1:00:00:00:00:00 (DEVICE CONFIGURATION OVERLAY) filtered out

and

Code: Select all

device reported invalid CHS sector 0

(I think I hadn't had these errors before)

After the third/fourth reboot everything runs smooth now.

So far my stick behaves well too. If there is trouble again I will let you know.

Thanks for the support!!

[Pjotr]

That last error code might indicate a dying hard disk.... Run some diagnostics on it.

[peterling]

Hi Pjotr

Now after some testing I noticed that my WLAN stick just keeps switched off after resume. But therefore my desktop will be up and running fine after resume. So I just have to unplug and replug my wlan stick and I am fine. Not a big problem. (Now that I know how to handle it )

The error message:

Code: Select all

device reported invalid CHS sector 0

is gone and I do not really know why it was there. I thought it disappeared cuz of this added boot parameter:

Code: Select all

libata.force=noncq

My SSD is brand new and I really cannot believe that my SSD should be "done" already. Thanks for your support!

[peterling]

So after a while of watching I can tell the following:

a) I still have random freezes. If there is a freeze nothing can be done. Even the keyboard does not even light the "num" pad light. This takes around 2 to 3 minutes. After that all is back to normal. Really strange.

b) After standby my monitor sometimes stays black. My WLAN stick stays does not flash too. As soon as I unplug my wlan stick the monitor shows the desktop. Then I can insert my stick again and lights are flashing and wlan is on.

The WLAN and desktop problem is annoying but I can live with that. More strange is this temporary "freeze". Happening once a week or once every two weeks. So not very often.
I hope I will get one day a hint checking my logs.

[Pjotr]

Do a memtest from the Mint DVD (hit the space bar during countdown to make that option visible). Let it complete one full run (might take an hour). Does it show errors?

[peterling]

I will do tonight and report back. Thanks for the hint.

[peterling]

Several mem tests later always same result. No errors.

But I got a freeze again. Again 2 min long. Mouse can be moved but nothings else working. Not even the Num-Pad Light changes.

But as long as it is not more often or lasting longer thats not the end of the world.

[Pjotr]

Have you already installed the latest kernel from the 4.4 series (-64)? And is your SSD running on the latest firmware for it?

[peterling]

Kernel is:

Code: Select all

4.4.0-57-generic

Available is:

Code: Select all

4.4.0-64-generic

But I do not want to upgrade right now. I need to do a backup first. My system is (apart from these 2 smaller bugs) running great. Even hibernate works smooth.
So after I had the time to do a system backup I will upgrade.

Thanks for your hints!

[Pjotr]

Kernel is:

Code: Select all

4.4.0-57-generic

Available is:

Code: Select all

4.4.0-64-generic

But I do not want to upgrade right now. I need to do a backup first. My system is (apart from these 2 smaller bugs) running great. Even hibernate works smooth.
So after I had the time to do a system backup I will upgrade.

Thanks for your hints!

No need for a previous backup: in the Grub bootloader menu, you can always boot from an older kernel (it's still there). In fact, reverting a kernel update is much easier than reverting any other kind of update.

[peterling]

Ok - then I am gonna do that now.

I just checked my SSD - the SSD is up to date. I think I did update last time already.

Thanks for your help! I will report back after some tests.

[peterling]

So far the freezing never occurred again. I hope it stays like this. So case is closed. Thanks!