System crashing completely (Solved)

[VirusZero]

I'm a newcomer to Linux Mint (though I've dabbled with other versions of Linux in the past, though I still can't say I'm beyond a newbie).

Recently I got an older computer to set up as a Kodi box. I loaded a newer/larger hard drive in it and powered it up. Everything seemed fine... until I went to open LibreOffice 5 (came installed) and suddenly the screen went green tiles and the system froze. Nothing worked to bring it back (control+alt+escape, control+alt+delete... which yeah I know is windows... but still I hit it out of habit without thinking, escape twice, etc..) So I ended up having to push the power button to hard shut it off. I restarted the computer and opened the program again to see if I could recreate the crash... but it opened fine.
Later I connected the internet to it (via ethernet line) and added some programs (VLC, Kodi from their website, Vivaldi, FilleZilla and PuTTy). Then when I went to open Vivaldi the same thing happened, the system crashed. (Grey tiles instead of green though. Probably not that important of a detail either way.)

Just recently it crashed yet again (I had Vivaldi open and was modifying settings. I closed the settings tab and it locked up).
Here's a picture of what it looks like:


Here's a copy of the Inxi -Fxz when the system was just started up:

Code: Select all

System:    Host: name-EL1352 Kernel: 4.10.0-38-generic x86_64 (64 bit gcc: 5.4.0)
           Desktop: Cinnamon 3.6.6 (Gtk 3.18.9-1ubuntu3.3)
           Distro: Linux Mint 18.3 Sylvia
Machine:   System: eMachines product: EL1352 v: P01-A1
           Mobo: eMachines model: EL1352
           Bios: American Megatrends v: P01-A1 date: 01/28/2010
CPU:       Dual core AMD Athlon II X2 220 (-MCP-) cache: 1024 KB
           flags: (lm nx sse sse2 sse3 sse4a svm) bmips: 11251
           clock speeds: max: 2800 MHz 1: 1600 MHz 2: 1600 MHz
Graphics:  Card: NVIDIA C61 [GeForce 6150SE nForce 430] bus-ID: 00:0d.0
           Display Server: X.Org 1.18.4 drivers: nouveau (unloaded: fbdev,vesa)
           Resolution: 1366x768@59.79hz
           GLX Renderer: Gallium 0.4 on NV4C
           GLX Version: 2.1 Mesa 17.0.7 Direct Rendering: Yes
Audio:     Card NVIDIA MCP61 High Definition Audio
           driver: snd_hda_intel bus-ID: 00:05.0
           Sound: Advanced Linux Sound Architecture v: k4.10.0-38-generic
Network:   Card: NVIDIA MCP61 Ethernet
           driver: forcedeth port: e480 bus-ID: 00:07.0
           IF: enp0s7 state: down mac: <filter>
Drives:    HDD Total Size: 4000.8GB (2.3% used)
           ID-1: /dev/sda model: ST4000DM004 size: 4000.8GB
Partition: ID-1: / size: 3.6T used: 84G (3%) fs: ext4 dev: /dev/sda2
           ID-2: swap-1 size: 2.95GB used: 0.00GB (0%) fs: swap dev: /dev/sda3
RAID:      No RAID devices: /proc/mdstat, md_mod kernel module present
Sensors:   System Temperatures: cpu: 13.0C mobo: N/A
           Fan Speeds (in rpm): cpu: N/A
Info:      Processes: 181 Uptime: 1 min Memory: 518.4/2753.9MB
           Init: systemd runlevel: 5 Gcc sys: 5.4.0
           Client: Shell (bash 4.3.481) inxi: 2.2.35 

So any ideas what's causing this and if I can fix it?

[WharfRat]

That sounds like a hardware problem to me.

Try running a memory check for an hour or so.

It could also be a weak PSU not supplying adequate voltage or the GPU.

[VirusZero]

I've run a memory test for over an hour like you asked...



Doesn't look like the memory has any issues itself. But when I went to end the test (hitting escape) the system froze there. It should have booted back to the main screen, but it just said halting test and stopped responding.

So hardware problem it is... is there a way I can test to determine whether it's a power supply I need to replace or a GPU? (I mean other than replacing them and hoping it fixes the issue?)

[WharfRat]

If it's a desktop try reseating the graphics card.

As far as the PSU goes there are testers available for that https://www.newegg.com/Product/ProductL ... ubmit=ENE

Also approximately how old is it

[VirusZero]

The system itself is either late 2010 or early 2011 model. So it's been around a few years. (I didn't buy it though. It was given to me just recently as a "hey, I found this maybe it'll be useful for you" type thing.)

Re-seating the graphics card won't be an easy option (it has an integrated graphics chip on the motherboard). Hopefully it's a power supply issue that can be replaced without too much expense. (I kinda don't want to spend a lot of money fixing this up.)

[VirusZero]

Just to give an update on this...
Turns out that it was the graphics card at fault. (Not the power supply.) Unfortunately, because the graphics card is an integrated card it'd mean buying a whole new graphics card. But due to the age of the system and me not really wanting to start spending too much more money on it, I decided to just buy a new system instead.

I took the good hard drive from the other system and slid it into the new system without a problem. It powered up perfectly, detected the new hardware without an issue.
So basically the new system works flawlessly. (Though I'm a bit concerned about the CPU because the last system had an AMD cpu but this one has an Intel one... And when applying updates it looks like it's fetching AMD updates for an Intel CPU...)

[WharfRat]

I decided to just buy a new system instead.

Congrats- that was the smart thing to do

How about pasting back inxi -Fzxxx

[VirusZero]

Here's the result of inxi -Fzxxx

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System:    Host: Mintbox Kernel: 4.10.0-38-generic x86_64 (64 bit gcc: 5.4.0)
           Desktop: Cinnamon 3.6.6 (Gtk 3.18.9-1ubuntu3.3) dm: lightdm
           Distro: Linux Mint 18.3 Sylvia
Machine:   System: LENOVO product: 4518RU6 v: ThinkCentre M91p
           Mobo: LENOVO model: N/A Bios: LENOVO v: 9HKT43AUS date: 07/11/2011
CPU:       Quad core Intel Core i5-2400 (-MCP-) cache: 6144 KB
           flags: (lm nx sse sse2 sse3 sse4_1 sse4_2 ssse3 vmx) bmips: 24743
           clock speeds: min/max: 1600/3400 MHz 1: 3387 MHz 2: 3364 MHz
           3: 3299 MHz 4: 3392 MHz
Graphics:  Card: Intel 2nd Generation Core Processor Family Integrated Graphics Controller
           bus-ID: 00:02.0 chip-ID: 8086:0102
           Display Server: X.Org 1.18.4 drivers: intel (unloaded: fbdev,vesa)
           Resolution: 1366x768@59.79hz
           GLX Renderer: Mesa DRI Intel Sandybridge Desktop
           GLX Version: 3.0 Mesa 17.0.7 Direct Rendering: Yes
Audio:     Card Intel 6 Series/C200 Series Family High Definition Audio Controller
           driver: snd_hda_intel bus-ID: 00:1b.0 chip-ID: 8086:1c20
           Sound: Advanced Linux Sound Architecture v: k4.10.0-38-generic
Network:   Card: Intel 82579LM Gigabit Network Connection
           driver: e1000e v: 3.2.6-k port: f080
           bus-ID: 00:19.0 chip-ID: 8086:1502
           IF: eno1 state: up speed: 1000 Mbps duplex: full mac: <filter>
Drives:    HDD Total Size: 4000.8GB (55.5% used)
           ID-1: /dev/sda model: ST4000DM004 size: 4000.8GB serial: ZFN0TQ0G
Partition: ID-1: / size: 3.6T used: 2.1T (60%) fs: ext4 dev: /dev/sda2
           ID-2: swap-1 size: 2.95GB used: 0.00GB (0%) fs: swap dev: /dev/sda3
RAID:      System: supported: N/A
           No RAID devices: /proc/mdstat, md_mod kernel module present
           Unused Devices: none
Sensors:   System Temperatures: cpu: 45.0C mobo: N/A
           Fan Speeds (in rpm): cpu: N/A
Info:      Processes: 212 Uptime: 2:27 Memory: 1495.2/3775.9MB
           Init: systemd v: 229 runlevel: 5 default: 2 Gcc sys: 5.4.0
           Client: Shell (bash 4.3.481 running in gnome-terminal-) inxi: 2.2.35 

[jimallyn]

And when applying updates it looks like it's fetching AMD updates for an Intel CPU...)

The 64 bit architecture and instruction set was first developed by AMD, so 64 bit processors are usually referred to generically as AMD64.

[WharfRat]

Nice specs - good luck with it.

For sure you have Intel graphicsL Display Server: X.Org 1.18.4 drivers: intel

Several popular video drivers are pre-installed - a couple for amd graphics, but they won't be used.

This is what's installed here

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[bill@XPS] ~ $ apt search xserver|grep ^i|grep video
i   xserver-xorg-video-all                                                                          - X.Org X server -- output driver metapackage                                                               
i   xserver-xorg-video-amdgpu                                                                       - X.Org X server -- AMDGPU display driver                                                                   
i   xserver-xorg-video-ati                                                                          - X.Org X server -- AMD/ATI display driver wrapper                                                          
i   xserver-xorg-video-fbdev                                                                        - X.Org X server -- fbdev display driver                                                                    
i   xserver-xorg-video-intel                                                                        - X.Org X server -- Intel i8xx, i9xx display driver                                                         
i   xserver-xorg-video-nouveau                                                                      - X.Org X server -- Nouveau display driver                                                                  
i   xserver-xorg-video-qxl                                                                          - X.Org X server -- QXL display driver                                                                      
i   xserver-xorg-video-radeon                                                                       - X.Org X server -- AMD/ATI Radeon display driver                                                           
i   xserver-xorg-video-vesa                                                                         - X.Org X server -- VESA display driver                                                                     
i   xserver-xorg-video-vmware                                                                       - X.Org X server -- VMware display driver                                                                   
[bill@XPS] ~ $ 

and I have an Nvidia card.

Enjoy