Linux Mint 20.2 Cinnamon periodically freezing

[kai]

Dear all,

I am experiencing the same issue: sometimes the desktop just appears to go to sleep. Mouse will still be responsive, but opening nemo does not work (at least not for as long as I was prepared to wait). Opening Caja works, but doubleclick on a file does not open the application. Rebooting fixes everything.

Any suggestions would be appreciated.

Cheers,
kai.

Code: Select all

System:    Kernel: 5.4.0-90-generic x86_64 bits: 64 compiler: gcc v: 9.3.0 Desktop: Cinnamon 5.0.7 wm: muffin 5.0.2 
           dm: LightDM 1.30.0 Distro: Linux Mint 20.2 Uma base: Ubuntu 20.04 focal 
Machine:   Type: Laptop System: Acer product: Aspire A315-56 v: V1.05 serial: <filter> 
           Mobo: IL model: Sleepy_IL v: V1.05 serial: <filter> UEFI: Insyde v: 1.05 date: 12/17/2019 
Battery:   ID-1: BAT1 charge: 25.0 Wh condition: 25.0/37.0 Wh (68%) volts: 8.2/7.7 model: PANASONIC PABAS0241231 type: Li-ion 
           serial: <filter> status: Full 
CPU:       Topology: Dual Core model: Intel Core i3-1005G1 bits: 64 type: MT MCP arch: Ice Lake rev: 5 L2 cache: 4096 KiB 
           flags: avx avx2 lm nx pae sse sse2 sse3 sse4_1 sse4_2 ssse3 vmx bogomips: 9523 
           Speed: 1097 MHz min/max: 400/3400 MHz Core speeds (MHz): 1: 1030 2: 879 3: 971 4: 913 
Graphics:  Device-1: Intel vendor: Acer Incorporated ALI driver: i915 v: kernel bus ID: 00:02.0 chip ID: 8086:8a56 
           Display: x11 server: X.Org 1.20.11 driver: modesetting unloaded: fbdev,vesa resolution: 1920x1080~60Hz 
           OpenGL: renderer: Mesa Intel UHD Graphics (ICL GT1) v: 4.6 Mesa 21.0.3 direct render: Yes 
Audio:     Device-1: Intel Smart Sound Audio vendor: Acer Incorporated ALI driver: snd_hda_intel v: kernel bus ID: 00:1f.3 
           chip ID: 8086:34c8 
           Sound Server: ALSA v: k5.4.0-90-generic 
Network:   Device-1: Realtek RTL8111/8168/8411 PCI Express Gigabit Ethernet vendor: Acer Incorporated ALI driver: r8169 
           v: kernel port: 3000 bus ID: 01:00.0 chip ID: 10ec:8168 
           IF: enp1s0 state: up speed: 100 Mbps duplex: full mac: <filter> 
           Device-2: Qualcomm Atheros QCA9377 802.11ac Wireless Network Adapter vendor: Lite-On driver: ath10k_pci v: kernel 
           port: 3000 bus ID: 02:00.0 chip ID: 168c:0042 
           IF: wlp2s0 state: down mac: <filter> 
Drives:    Local Storage: total: 1.38 TiB used: 253.69 GiB (18.0%) 
           ID-1: /dev/nvme0n1 vendor: Kingston model: OM8PCP3512F-AA size: 476.94 GiB speed: 31.6 Gb/s lanes: 4 
           serial: <filter> rev: ECFK52.3 scheme: GPT 
           ID-2: /dev/sda type: USB vendor: Intenso model: External USB 3.0 size: 931.51 GiB serial: <filter> rev: 0206 
           scheme: GPT 
Partition: ID-1: / size: 467.96 GiB used: 70.40 GiB (15.0%) fs: ext4 dev: /dev/nvme0n1p2 
Sensors:   System Temperatures: cpu: 27.8 C mobo: N/A 
           Fan Speeds (RPM): N/A 
Repos:     No active apt repos in: /etc/apt/sources.list 
           Active apt repos in: /etc/apt/sources.list.d/devolo-updates.list 
           1: deb http://update.devolo.com/linux/apt/ stable main
           Active apt repos in: /etc/apt/sources.list.d/google-earth-pro.list 
           1: deb [arch=amd64] http://dl.google.com/linux/earth/deb/ stable main
           Active apt repos in: /etc/apt/sources.list.d/official-package-repositories.list 
           1: deb http://packages.linuxmint.com uma main upstream import backport #id:linuxmint_main
           2: deb http://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu focal main restricted universe multiverse
           3: deb http://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu focal-updates main restricted universe multiverse
           4: deb http://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu focal-backports main restricted universe multiverse
           5: deb http://security.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ focal-security main restricted universe multiverse
           6: deb http://archive.canonical.com/ubuntu/ focal partner
           Active apt repos in: /etc/apt/sources.list.d/rememberthemilk.list 
           1: deb https://www.rememberthemilk.com/download/linux/debian/ jessie main
Info:      Processes: 261 Uptime: 7h 58m Memory: 7.57 GiB used: 3.93 GiB (51.9%) Init: systemd v: 245 runlevel: 5 Compilers: 
           gcc: 9.3.0 alt: 9 Shell: bash v: 5.0.17 running in: gnome-terminal inxi: 3.0.38 

[SMG]

Any suggestions would be appreciated.

Your computer has a 10th-gen Intel processor. I recommend upgrading to a newer kernel to see if that helps.

Instructions for upgrading to the 5.11 or 5.13 kernel:

• Open Update Manager.
• Select View > Linux Kernels and click Continue.
• Select 5.11 or 5.13 in the left panel.
• Click the top-most option on the right panel. An "Install" button will appear.
• Install the kernel and then reboot for it to become active.

[kai]

Thanks for the quick reply!

Three thoughts on this before I follow your suggestion:

1. when rebooting, Mint tells me that "one.nemo" is running and asks if I really want to reboot. Sounds to me like nemo (or parts of it) has been launched, just there's no window on the desktop.

2. Apparently this situation occurs most often when I have been using a web browser

3. I thought that a kernel update would come by way of the usual update mechanism. Do I understand this correctly that this is not the case; that kernels are not updated in this fashion and that I need to update my kernel separately, manually and explicitly?


Cheers,
kai.

[SMG]

1. when rebooting, Mint tells me that "one.nemo" is running and asks if I really want to reboot. Sounds to me like nemo (or parts of it) has been launched, just there's no window on the desktop.

I do not know what that process might be. I have Nemo open and I just checked my System Monitor app (Processes tab) and I do not have that process. Maybe that is a connection to an external/network drive you might have set up?

2. Apparently this situation occurs most often when I have been using a web browser

Maybe you are using an online service or online app that has a connection to a online network folder?

3. I thought that a kernel update would come by way of the usual update mechanism. Do I understand this correctly that this is not the case; that kernels are not updated in this fashion and that I need to update my kernel separately, manually and explicitly?

Kernel update = updating to a newer version of that specific kernel series.
Example = Going from 5.4.0-89 to 5.4.0-90.

Kernel upgrade = changing from one kernel series to a newer kernel series.
Example = Going from 5.4 to 5.11.

Updates come through Update Manager. Upgrades are something you would do manually. However, once you upgrade to a 5.11 (or 5.13) kernel, you will get updates for that kernel series in Update Manager until the kernel series goes end of life. The 5.11 kernel is supported through February. After support for it ends, you will want to switch to a newer kernel series that is receiving support.

[kai]

I have upgraded my kernel as suggested and will watch if my problem comes up again. For now I shall close this topic, so thank you very much for your support.

Ate mais tarde,
kai.

[kai]

Hello again,

even though I have classified the issue as solved, I would like to add some observations.

First of all, the problem persists, but I'm not sure whether it's actually Linux that's to fault.

My usecase is:
- create a tar file
- encrypt it
- copy this file with cp from local to a cloud stortage using WebDAV

The problem arises while copying the tar-files. The files are between 500 and 800 mb, and the internet speed is glacial. When attempting to launch Nemo by clicking on the desktop icon while cp is ongoing, nothing will happen. Once cp is done (and this can take up to 10 minutes), then (and only then) a Nemo window will open.

Is this Linux or something else? I cannot imagine a cp command reserving all system resources, especially since the CPUs are not particularly active.

Any ideas?

Cheers,
kai.

[SMG]

When attempting to launch Nemo by clicking on the desktop icon while cp is ongoing, nothing will happen. Once cp is done (and this can take up to 10 minutes), then (and only then) a Nemo window will open.

That sounds like more of a resource conflict than a freeze situation. Freezes are usually a deadlock from which one can not escape. This situation sounds different.

- copy this file with cp from local to a cloud stortage using WebDAV

Is the WebDAV server local to your computer?

I do not know the specifics of how you set up WebDAV, but looking at this WebDAV server setup on Ubuntu Linux it mentions

WebDAV is supported by number of clients ranging from davfs2, which makes it possible to mount the WebDAV’s data storage to include into the local filesystem. This can be done with the mount command to various GUI applications with the native WebDAV support such as Nautilus, konqueror, etc.

Do you have it set up to already be linked with Nemo or another GUI? Maybe that might be a factor?

[kai]

Good morning,

thanks for your feedback. No, the WebDAV server is not local; the drive is mounted under /media/<cloud> and accessed via davfs2 and as such of course shows up in Nemo under devices when Nemo running.

I am currently avoiding the situation by running the cp as a nightly cronjob, but there must be a better solution.

Kind regards,
kai.

[kai]

PS - a similar action using rsync into the /media/<cloud> works without any impediments.

Cheers,
kai.

[SMG]

I am currently avoiding the situation by running the cp as a nightly cronjob, but there must be a better solution.

What you have described does seem odd, but I do not have much experience helping troubleshooting that type of issue.

I suggest creating a new topic specifically on that issue. It is technically not a freezing issue (which is this topic), but more of a bottleneck of sorts? Giving that issue its own topic is more likely to attract others who might have resolved something similar.