Desktop freeze, unresponsive

[leona]

Hi
This is tricky to describe,
I'm using Mint 18.2, Cinnamon
Now and again apps will stop responding, I can move the mouse pointer, attempt to switch apps, but nothing happens, sometimes if I click on an app in the taskbar it will l turn red, and give you a preview, but you can't access it. If I press the super key you get the menu, but you can't access anything on it. The only way out of this situation (because ctrl+alt+backspace doesn't work) is to drop to a command prompt and do

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sudo shutdown -r now

.

My System spec.

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System:    Kernel: 4.8.0-53-generic x86_64 (64 bit)
           Desktop: Cinnamon 3.4.6  Distro: Linux Mint 18.2 Sonya
Machine:   Mobo: MSI model: H77MA-G43 (MS-7756) v: 1.0
           Bios: American Megatrends v: V1.11 date: 02/27/2013
CPU:       Dual core Intel Core i3-3225 (-HT-MCP-) cache: 3072 KB 
           clock speeds: max: 3300 MHz 1: 1618 MHz 2: 2710 MHz 3: 1624 MHz
           4: 1693 MHz
Graphics:  Card: Intel Xeon E3-1200 v2/3rd Gen Core processor Graphics Controller
           Display Server: X.Org 1.18.4 drivers: intel (unloaded: fbdev,vesa)
           Resolution: 2048x1152@59.91hz
           GLX Renderer: Mesa DRI Intel Ivybridge Desktop
           GLX Version: 3.0 Mesa 17.0.7
Audio:     Card Intel 7 Series/C210 Series Family High Definition Audio Controller
           driver: snd_hda_intel
           Sound: Advanced Linux Sound Architecture v: k4.8.0-53-generic
Network:   Card-1: Realtek RTL8111/8168/8411 PCI Express Gigabit Ethernet Controller
           driver: r8169
           IF: enp2s0 state: down mac: <filter>
           Card-2: Belkin F5D8053 N Wireless USB Adapter v3000 [Ralink RT2870]
           driver: rt2800usb
           IF: wlx0022758fc36d state: N/A mac: N/A
Drives:    HDD Total Size: 2064.4GB (40.1% used)
           ID-1: /dev/sda model: WDC_WD20EARX size: 2000.4GB
           ID-2: /dev/sdb model: SanDisk_SDSSDP06 size: 64.0GB
Partition: ID-1: / size: 51G used: 6.5G (14%) fs: ext4 dev: /dev/sdb2
           ID-2: /home size: 1.8T used: 757G (42%) fs: ext4 dev: /dev/sda1
           ID-3: swap-1 size: 8.46GB used: 0.00GB (0%) fs: swap dev: /dev/sdb3
RAID:      No RAID devices: /proc/mdstat, md_mod kernel module present
Sensors:   System Temperatures: cpu: 29.8C mobo: 27.8C
           Fan Speeds (in rpm): cpu: N/A
Info:      Processes: 248 Uptime: 4 min Memory: 2981.1/7799.6MB
           Client: Shell (bash) inxi: 2.2.35 

All level 1,2,3 updates applied.
Anyone have any idea whats going on?
Thanks
Leona.

[catweazel]

Possibly the Intel Xeon E3-1200 graphics is doing overtime with Cinnamon effects. Try turning them off. If that doesn't help, try this when the problem occurs:

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dmesg

Check the output for errors and if there are any, post the errors (only the errors). Enclose the results in code markers, which you can select from the mini toolbar above the textbox where you type your reply.

Also try this when it happens:

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inxi -t c

Again, post the output.

[leona]

Ok, this has happened a few more times, I don't think this is a lock up,
What I think is happening it that the Desktop Environment (Compiz?) is hiding dialog boxes, they are not bought to the foreground, as this are Modal they take away any event handling as they are expecting input which you can't do because you can't get to them, this then locks up the application, you are then not able to close the application, I tried to open the system monitor to see if I could kill it that way but although I could load it, I couldn't interact with it, something seriously wrong, I know Windows Vista (spit) had a similar problem with dialog boxes. I hope the developer can get this fixed soon, as its really annoying!
I see there is a Level 4 mesa update, I don't know if this would help or whether its safe to apply this update?