System freezes and stability problems - Mint 18.2

[cograil]

I've been having severe system stability issues with Mint 18.2. Hours spent looking for a solution has turned up some suggestions that I've tried, but none have really helped so far.

The biggest problems is complete system freezes during disk access. The mouse won't move and it doesn't respond to keyboard input of any kind, including cntl+alt+bkspace. A hard reset is the only thing that works. It often happens when I'm moving the mouse while doing something disk intensive. I found various sites recommending the addition the boot option "libata.force=noncq" but that has not helped. It seems to happen more often when I'm running Virtualbox, but it has occurred at other times.

The system also sometimes slows down to the point where it is no longer usable. This happens less frequently, but it sometimes takes 5 minutes just to get the system to restart.

My system info is here:

https://gist.github.com/anonymous/1ddfa ... 7ee012b83d

Thanks much.

[Mute Ant]

"some suggestions that I've tried, but none have really helped so far" Such as what? These are a good start...
o I have run memtest all the way through and it passed 100%
o I have run gnome-disks and the drive SMART report is 'Disk is OK'.
o I have booted a Live Session of the same Mint and it doesn't freeze.
o I have run inxi -Fxz and here is the text it generates.

[cograil]

Thanks for the response. I've actually done quite a bit and should have included in the original post.

I have run memtest all the way through and it passed 100%
Bios memory tests have been run for 4-5 hours. No problems reported. Haven't tried memtest. Can do that tonight.

I have run gnome-disks and the drive SMART report is 'Disk is OK'.
SMART logs zero errors and no self test problems for all drives except an old one I run only for backups. It shows 2 CRC errors total. I disconnected that drive for a week to make sure it wasn't causing problems and the system still locks up.

I have booted a Live Session of the same Mint and it doesn't freeze.
The freezes happen 2-3 times a week with daily usage. I haven't had the same problem with a live session but can't use it for my daily tasks.

Other things I've tried: I replaced the system power supply a few weeks ago. I've also upgraded the Kernel to 4.10.x thinking that might help and increased the SWAP partition size. Swappiness is set to 0 so it's rarely used.

I have run inxi -Fxz and here is the text it generates.
System: Host: Office-Mint Kernel: 4.10.0-37-generic x86_64 (64 bit gcc: 5.4.0)
Desktop: Cinnamon 3.4.6 (Gtk 3.18.9-1ubuntu3.3)
Distro: Linux Mint 18.2 Sonya
Machine: Mobo: Gigabyte model: GA-MA785GM-US2H
Bios: Award v: F11 date: 05/17/2010
CPU: Quad core AMD Phenom 9850 (-MCP-) cache: 2048 KB
flags: (lm nx sse sse2 sse3 sse4a svm) bmips: 20091
clock speeds: max: 2500 MHz 1: 2500 MHz 2: 1250 MHz 3: 1250 MHz
4: 1250 MHz
Graphics: Card: NVIDIA GK208 [GeForce GT 720] bus-ID: 01:00.0
Display Server: X.Org 1.18.4 drivers: nvidia (unloaded: fbdev,vesa,nouveau)
Resolution: 1920x1080@60.00hz, 1280x1024@60.02hz
GLX Renderer: GeForce GT 720/PCIe/SSE2
GLX Version: 4.5.0 NVIDIA 384.90 Direct Rendering: Yes
Audio: Card-1 NVIDIA GK208 HDMI/DP Audio Controller
driver: snd_hda_intel bus-ID: 01:00.1
Card-2 Advanced Micro Devices [AMD/ATI] SBx00 Azalia (Intel HDA)
driver: snd_hda_intel bus-ID: 00:14.2
Sound: Advanced Linux Sound Architecture v: k4.10.0-37-generic
Network: Card: Realtek RTL8111/8168/8411 PCI Express Gigabit Ethernet Controller
driver: r8169 v: 2.3LK-NAPI port: de00 bus-ID: 02:00.0
IF: enp2s0 state: up speed: 1000 Mbps duplex: full mac: <filter>
Drives: HDD Total Size: 1620.4GB (40.3% used)
ID-1: /dev/sda model: Samsung_SSD_850 size: 500.1GB
ID-2: /dev/sdb model: SanDisk_SDSSDX12 size: 120.0GB
ID-3: /dev/sdc model: ST3750640AS size: 750.2GB
ID-4: /dev/sdd model: HDS722525VLAT80 size: 250.1GB
Partition: ID-1: / size: 447G used: 107G (26%) fs: ext4 dev: /dev/sda1
ID-2: swap-1 size: 13.21GB used: 0.00GB (0%) fs: swap dev: /dev/sda2
RAID: No RAID devices: /proc/mdstat, md_mod kernel module present
Sensors: System Temperatures: cpu: 52.0C mobo: 40.0C gpu: 0.0:62C
Fan Speeds (in rpm): cpu: 956 mobo: 168750 fan-1: 1216
Info: Processes: 268 Uptime: 1 day Memory: 7317.5/7978.1MB
Init: systemd runlevel: 5 Gcc sys: 5.4.0
Client: Shell (bash 4.3.481) inxi: 2.2.35

[michael louwe]

@ cograil, .......

.

Did you install the proprietary Nvidia driver through Driver Manager, as recommended by this link ... https://linuxmint.com/rel_sonya_cinnamon.php .?

You have a very large / or root or system partition of 447GB = slow system. It should be only about 50GB in size, as per this link ... viewtopic.php?f=42&t=122276 (manual partitioning Tutorial)

[Pjotr]

You have a very large / or root or system partition of 447GB = slow system. It should be only about 50GB in size

Untrue. The size of the root partition shouldn't be too small, but there's no maximum. A big root partition, even if it is huge, has no effect at all on performance.

@cograil: I've noticed from your GitHub code dump, that you've enabled two PPA's.

One of these is the nasty Grub Customizer, but even though I always advise not to install that particular piece of software (because it adds a needless thick layer of complexity to your bootloader), it can have no effect on your current problem.

What's the other PPA (teejee2008) for?

[michael louwe]

@ Pjotr, .......
.

Untrue. The size of the root partition shouldn't be too small, but there's no maximum. A big root partition, even if it is huge, has no effect at all on performance.

.
A very large / or root or system partition will cause disk performance to suffer, as per this link ... https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Disk_partitioning

It is always better to put your often-accessed system files in a smallish partition of about 50GB at the beginning of the hard-disk, and your usually not-often-accessed data files in a separate home or data partition.
... In Windows, we can similarly manually create the C:\ Drive or system partition and the D:\ Drive or data partition.

For a multi-boot system on a single internal hard-drive, the consideration about partitioning may be different.

[Pjotr]

@ Pjotr, .......
.

Untrue. The size of the root partition shouldn't be too small, but there's no maximum. A big root partition, even if it is huge, has no effect at all on performance.

.
A very large / or root or system partition will cause disk performance to suffer, as per this link ... https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Disk_partitioning

Well, I may have spoken too soon.... Nevertheless, that article speaks about NTFS (Windows!) and not about EXT4 (Linux):

Raising overall computer performance on systems where smaller file systems are more efficient. For instance, large HDDs with only one NTFS file system typically have a very large sequentially accessed Master File Table (MFT) and it generally takes more time to read this MFT than the smaller MFTs of smaller partitions.

So, even if we assume that a large NTFS partition might decrease performance (but by how much?), it's unclear whether this is also valid for Linux partitions. It's the first I've ever heard of it, anyway.

[MintBean]

/ is on an SSD in this instance so it's really not applicable in any case.

[cograil]

You have a very large / or root or system partition of 447GB = slow system. It should be only about 50GB in size

Untrue. The size of the root partition shouldn't be too small, but there's no maximum. A big root partition, even if it is huge, has no effect at all on performance.

@cograil: I've noticed from your GitHub code dump, that you've enabled two PPA's.

One of these is the nasty Grub Customizer, but even though I always advise not to install that particular piece of software (because it adds a needless thick layer of complexity to your bootloader), it can have no effect on your current problem.

What's the other PPA (teejee2008) for?

The 2nd PPA is for a program called Timeshift. It's functionality is similar to the system restore feature in Windows.
It is not currently installed and hasn't been for at least a couple of months.

I didn't realize that installing the Grub Customizer wasn't a good idea and it was installed for convenience, not by necessity.

I've uninstalled Grub Customer and deleted both PPA's.

[cograil]

@ cograil, .......

.

Did you install the proprietary Nvidia driver through Driver Manager, as recommended by this link ... https://linuxmint.com/rel_sonya_cinnamon.php .?

You have a very large / or root or system partition of 447GB = slow system. It should be only about 50GB in size, as per this link ... viewtopic.php?f=42&t=122276 (manual partitioning Tutorial)

I used the driver manager and installed the recommended Nvidia driver. I've also tested the older Nvidia-340 driver. The system freezes with both.

No issues with system speed under normal conditions.

[Pjotr]

I didn't realize that installing the Grub Customizer wasn't a good idea and it was installed for convenience, not by necessity. I'll uninstall it.

That won't help.... The changes it has made, cannot be undone so easily. At least not in a way that I know of. More information:
https://sites.google.com/site/easylinux ... Customizer
(item 6.2.2, right column)

About your current problem: try if it helps when you disable all visual effects in Cinnamon:
https://sites.google.com/site/easylinux ... n-Cinnamon
(item 7.1, right column)

[cograil]

I didn't realize that installing the Grub Customizer wasn't a good idea and it was installed for convenience, not by necessity. I'll uninstall it.

That won't help.... The changes it has made, cannot be undone so easily. At least not in a way that I know of. More information:
https://sites.google.com/site/easylinux ... Customizer
(item 6.2.2, right column)

About your current problem: try if it helps when you disable all visual effects in Cinnamon:
https://sites.google.com/site/easylinux ... n-Cinnamon
(item 7.1, right column)

Re: Grub Customizer - the only change I made was to add "libata.force=noncq", and that was last week. This problem has been happening for months so the Customizer isn't the source of the problem, at least in this case. I appreciate the info about the changes it makes. I won't make the mistake of installing it in the future.

I'll disable the visual effects and give that a try. Thanks.

[michael louwe]

@ cograil, .......

Level 4 and 5 updates will often bork the Linux system. Did you set your system to install all updates.?

[cograil]

@ cograil, .......

Level 4 and 5 updates will often bork the Linux system. Did you set your system to install all updates.?

Not initially, but I have done all level 4 and some level 5 updates trying to improve stability and resolve the freeze problem. They've made no noticeable difference either way.

[michael louwe]

@ cograil, .......

.

.

Have you optimized the SSD.? ... https://sites.google.com/site/easylinuxtipsproject/ssd

Run a Live LM 18.2 session from a USB-stick or DVD. If the Live session runs smooth without the above problems, that likely means the problem lies with the internal hard-drives or the installed Linux system. If so, check the hard-drive connectors or do a reinstall.

You have 4 internal hard-drives. The / or root partition is on the 500GB SSD and the swap partition is on the 120GB SSD. Is this the correct configuration.?

[cograil]

@ cograil, .......

.

.

Have you optimized the SSD.? ... https://sites.google.com/site/easylinuxtipsproject/ssd

Run a Live LM 18.2 session from a USB-stick or DVD. If the Live session runs smooth without the above problems, that likely means the problem lies with the internal hard-drives or the installed Linux system. If so, check the hard-drive connectors or do a reinstall.

You have 4 internal hard-drives. The / or root partition is on the 500GB SSD and the swap partition is on the 120GB SSD. Is this the correct configuration.?

All optimization for the SSD has been done with the exception of the noatime change to the fstab file and that doesn't look like it would have any effect on this problem.

Both the root and swap partitions are on the 500GB drive. There is no swap partition on the 120GB SSD.

This problem happens 2-3 times a week with daily system use. I have software I need to use and can't run a Live session (without that needed software) for the length of time needed to see if it's going to exhibit the problem. I have run it while browsing the web for a few hours and it's been fine.

Thanks for the suggestions.

[ClixTrix]

When the problem flairs, does a disconnect of wired Ethernet solve the problem (either toggle off from panel icon or pull the plug)?

[cograil]

When the problem flairs, does a disconnect of wired Ethernet solve the problem (either toggle off from panel icon or pull the plug)?

Can't get to the panel icon - the system is completely frozen, but next time it happens I'll pull the Ethernet connector. Thanks for the suggestion.

[cograil]

I've decided that I have to bite the bullet and realize that this problem is probably not solvable. I had no problem with Mint 18 so I'm going to reinstall that version and hope for the best.