Linux Mint 19 only boots in Emergency Mode or Software rendering mode

[Monsieur Arkadin]

Hello All,
I'm really new to Mint. I managed to set it up on my ASUS laptop about a month or so ago. Dual boot Mint 19 Cinnamon (64 Bit) and Windows 10. Everything has been going swimmingly until today. I was using it fine, then everything got bizarrely laggy, so I shut down the computer (not 100% sure I shut down properly, I was in a hurry and may have just held the power button.) Upon re-start mint boots to a "You are in emergency mode" screen. I followed the prompts to run a system report and got a bunch of errors. The ones I managed to write down were:
[Firmware Bug] Tse_Deadline disabled due to Errata please update microcode to version: 8X52 or later

Couldn't get size: 0X8000000e

[Firmware Bug] ACPI region does not cover the entire command/response buffer [mem 0Xfed40000-0xfed4087f fla]

The Start up Result is: Result

So, I don't know if any of those are important. But I shut down again, and booted in recovery mode, and was able to "continue normally" and login to my desktop which is in Software Rendering Mode, not pretty to look at or fun to use, but functional. I opened the terminal and ran inxi -b (I don't know anything about this, I did this from googling) and what I got in the graphics panel was this:
Graphics: Card: Intel HD Graphics 620
Display Server: x11 (X.Org 1.19.6 )
drivers: fbdev (unloaded: modesetting,vesa)
Resolution: 800x600@75.00hz
OpenGL: renderer: llvmpipe (LLVM 6.0, 256 bits)
version: 3.3 Mesa 18.0.0-rc5
I can shut down, but when I reboot normally it just goes back to emergency mode. Any idea of how I can get Mint back up and running? Or what I should even be looking for?

Any guidance would be greatly appreciated, I feel completely in the dark.

[Lord Boltar]

[Firmware Bug] Tse_Deadline disabled due to Errata please update microcode to version: 8X52 or later


Just install intel-microcode with

Code: Select all

sudo apt-get install intel-microcode 

and reboot

[zcot]

Hi Monsieur Arkadin, post the result of this command(enclose in code tags please, or just post the url): upload-system-info

if it fails to give you a url, you can consider updating, but use the old method command: inxi -Fxxxrz

I think you should want the graphics driver to say: intel

[Monsieur Arkadin]

Just install intel-microcode with

Code: Select all

sudo apt-get install intel-microcode 

and reboot

Thank you for the help. I tried this, but I'm still having the same issue upon reboot.

Another update, I noticed, is in recovery mode I can only continue with boot after I have "repaired broken packages".

[Monsieur Arkadin]

Hi Monsieur Arkadin, post the result of this command(enclose in code tags please, or just post the url): upload-system-info

if it fails to give you a url, you can consider updating, but use the old method command: inxi -Fxxxrz

I think you should want the graphics driver to say: intel

Thank you. I did the upload-system info command. It gave me a termbin.com url. I have copied and pasted the results from that here:

System: Host: monsieurarkadin Kernel: 4.15.0-20-generic x86_64
bits: 64 gcc: 7.3.0
Desktop: Cinnamon 3.8.8 (Gtk 3.22.30-1ubuntu1) dm: lightdm
Distro: Linux Mint 19 Tara
Machine: Device: laptop System: ASUSTeK product: TP501UAK v: 1.0 serial: N/A
Mobo: ASUSTeK model: TP501UAK v: 1.0 serial: N/A
UEFI: American Megatrends v: TP501UAK.301 date: 09/06/2016
Battery BAT0: charge: 29.7 Wh 86.3% condition: 34.4/38.0 Wh (91%)
volts: 7.6/7.6
model: ASUSTeK ASUS serial: N/A status: Discharging
CPU: Dual core Intel Core i5-7200U (-MT-MCP-)
arch: Kaby Lake rev.9 cache: 3072 KB
flags: (lm nx sse sse2 sse3 sse4_1 sse4_2 ssse3 vmx) bmips: 10848
clock speeds: min/max: 400/3100 MHz 1: 800 MHz 2: 800 MHz
3: 800 MHz 4: 800 MHz
Graphics: Card: Intel HD Graphics 620 bus-ID: 00:02.0 chip-ID: 8086:5916
Display Server: x11 (X.Org 1.19.6 )
drivers: fbdev (unloaded: modesetting,vesa)
Resolution: 800x600@75.00hz
OpenGL: renderer: llvmpipe (LLVM 6.0, 256 bits)
version: 3.3 Mesa 18.0.0-rc5 (compat-v: 3.0) Direct Render: Yes
Audio: Card Intel Sunrise Point-LP HD Audio
driver: snd_hda_intel bus-ID: 00:1f.3 chip-ID: 8086:9d71
Sound: Advanced Linux Sound Architecture v: k4.15.0-20-generic
Network: Card-1: Realtek RTL8111/8168/8411 PCIE Gigabit Ethernet Controller
driver: r8169 v: 2.3LK-NAPI port: e000
bus-ID: 02:00.0 chip-ID: 10ec:8168
IF: enp2s0 state: down mac: <filter>
Card-2: Realtek RTL8192EE PCIe Wireless Network Adapter
driver: rtl8192ee port: d000 bus-ID: 03:00.0 chip-ID: 10ec:818b
IF: wlp3s0 state: up mac: <filter>
Drives: HDD Total Size: 1000.2GB (3.5% used)
ID-1: /dev/sda model: TOSHIBA_MQ01ABD1 size: 1000.2GB
serial: <filter>
Partition: ID-1: / size: 19G used: 9.5G (55%) fs: ext4 dev: /dev/sda5
ID-2: /home size: 169G used: 18G (12%) fs: ext4 dev: /dev/sda7
ID-3: swap-1 size: 6.00GB used: 0.00GB (0%)
fs: swap dev: /dev/sda6
RAID: System: supported: N/A
No RAID devices: /proc/mdstat, md_mod kernel module present
Unused Devices: none
Sensors: System Temperatures: cpu: 32.0C mobo: N/A
Fan Speeds (in rpm): cpu: N/A
Repos: Active apt sources in file: /etc/apt/sources.list.d/google-chrome.list
deb [arch=amd64] http://dl.google.com/linux/chrome/deb/ stable main
Active apt sources in file: /etc/apt/sources.list.d/official-package-repositories.list
deb http://packages.linuxmint.com tara main upstream import backport #id:linuxmint_main
deb http://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu bionic main restricted universe multiverse
deb http://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu bionic-updates main restricted universe multiverse
deb http://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu bionic-backports main restricted universe multiverse
deb http://security.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ bionic-security main restricted universe multiverse
deb http://archive.canonical.com/ubuntu/ bionic partner
Active apt sources in file: /etc/apt/sources.list.d/skype-stable.list
deb [arch=amd64] https://repo.skype.com/deb stable main
Active apt sources in file: /etc/apt/sources.list.d/spotify.list
deb http://repository.spotify.com stable non-free
Info: Processes: 196 Uptime: 2 min Memory: 704.5/5844.4MB
Init: systemd v: 237 runlevel: 5 Gcc sys: 7.3.0
Client: Shell (upload-system-i running in bash) inxi: 2.3.56

[zcot]

Code: Select all

System:    Host: monsieurarkadin Kernel: 4.15.0-20-generic x86_64
           bits: 64 gcc: 7.3.0
           Desktop: Cinnamon 3.8.8 (Gtk 3.22.30-1ubuntu1) dm: lightdm
           Distro: Linux Mint 19 Tara
Machine:   Device: laptop System: ASUSTeK product: TP501UAK v: 1.0 serial: N/A
           Mobo: ASUSTeK model: TP501UAK v: 1.0 serial: N/A
           UEFI: American Megatrends v: TP501UAK.301 date: 09/06/2016
Battery    BAT0: charge: 29.7 Wh 86.3% condition: 34.4/38.0 Wh (91%)
           volts: 7.6/7.6
           model: ASUSTeK ASUS serial: N/A status: Discharging
CPU:       Dual core Intel Core i5-7200U (-MT-MCP-)
           arch: Kaby Lake rev.9 cache: 3072 KB
           flags: (lm nx sse sse2 sse3 sse4_1 sse4_2 ssse3 vmx) bmips: 10848
           clock speeds: min/max: 400/3100 MHz 1: 800 MHz 2: 800 MHz
           3: 800 MHz 4: 800 MHz
Graphics:  Card: Intel HD Graphics 620 bus-ID: 00:02.0 chip-ID: 8086:5916
           Display Server: x11 (X.Org 1.19.6 )
           drivers: fbdev (unloaded: modesetting,vesa)
           Resolution: 800x600@75.00hz
           OpenGL: renderer: llvmpipe (LLVM 6.0, 256 bits)
           version: 3.3 Mesa 18.0.0-rc5 (compat-v: 3.0) Direct Render: Yes
Audio:     Card Intel Sunrise Point-LP HD Audio
           driver: snd_hda_intel bus-ID: 00:1f.3 chip-ID: 8086:9d71
           Sound: Advanced Linux Sound Architecture v: k4.15.0-20-generic
Network:   Card-1: Realtek RTL8111/8168/8411 PCIE Gigabit Ethernet Controller
           driver: r8169 v: 2.3LK-NAPI port: e000
           bus-ID: 02:00.0 chip-ID: 10ec:8168
           IF: enp2s0 state: down mac: <filter>
           Card-2: Realtek RTL8192EE PCIe Wireless Network Adapter
           driver: rtl8192ee port: d000 bus-ID: 03:00.0 chip-ID: 10ec:818b
           IF: wlp3s0 state: up mac: <filter>
Drives:    HDD Total Size: 1000.2GB (3.5% used)
           ID-1: /dev/sda model: TOSHIBA_MQ01ABD1 size: 1000.2GB
           serial: <filter>
Partition: ID-1: / size: 19G used: 9.5G (55%) fs: ext4 dev: /dev/sda5
           ID-2: /home size: 169G used: 18G (12%) fs: ext4 dev: /dev/sda7
           ID-3: swap-1 size: 6.00GB used: 0.00GB (0%)
           fs: swap dev: /dev/sda6
RAID:      System: supported: N/A
           No RAID devices: /proc/mdstat, md_mod kernel module present
           Unused Devices: none
Sensors:   System Temperatures: cpu: 32.0C mobo: N/A
           Fan Speeds (in rpm): cpu: N/A
Repos:     Active apt sources in file: /etc/apt/sources.list.d/google-chrome.list
           deb [arch=amd64] http://dl.google.com/linux/chrome/deb/ stable main
           Active apt sources in file: /etc/apt/sources.list.d/official-package-repositories.list
           deb http://packages.linuxmint.com tara main upstream import backport #id:linuxmint_main
           deb http://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu bionic main restricted universe multiverse
           deb http://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu bionic-updates main restricted universe multiverse
           deb http://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu bionic-backports main restricted universe multiverse
           deb http://security.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ bionic-security main restricted universe multiverse
           deb http://archive.canonical.com/ubuntu/ bionic partner
           Active apt sources in file: /etc/apt/sources.list.d/skype-stable.list
           deb [arch=amd64] https://repo.skype.com/deb stable main
           Active apt sources in file: /etc/apt/sources.list.d/spotify.list
           deb http://repository.spotify.com stable non-free
Info:      Processes: 196 Uptime: 2 min Memory: 704.5/5844.4MB
           Init: systemd v: 237 runlevel: 5 Gcc sys: 7.3.0
           Client: Shell (upload-system-i running in bash) inxi: 2.3.56

Hmm. This is a good one. I'm not too sure. From what I can tell this looks like a dual gpu setup(checking model number), with an Nvidia discrete gpu? -it's not even showing in hardware.

You are running in an emulation type of graphics mode, not using either(or even one) gpu directly.

Emergency mode would tend to try to boot with the most generic graphics drivers if it's running into duress trying to figure out what to do with the hardware.

I can't say why it would suddenly happen although if you didn't do a clean shutdown then you should want to run an fsck on the mint partition.

Other than that, the release notes for Mint do list a section for "solving freezes" where you test booting with a kernel parameter such as "nomodeset", which is not especially this case but it does present a way to try to line up the correct graphics drivers properly for a clean boot into the actual metal instead of graphics emulation.

[Monsieur Arkadin]

Hmm. This is a good one. I'm not too sure. From what I can tell this looks like a dual gpu setup(checking model number), with an Nvidia discrete gpu? -it's not even showing in hardware.

You are running in an emulation type of graphics mode, not using either(or even one) gpu directly.

Emergency mode would tend to try to boot with the most generic graphics drivers if it's running into duress trying to figure out what to do with the hardware.

I can't say why it would suddenly happen although if you didn't do a clean shutdown then you should want to run an fsck on the mint partition.

Other than that, the release notes for Mint do list a section for "solving freezes" where you test booting with a kernel parameter such as "nomodeset", which is not especially this case but it does present a way to try to line up the correct graphics drivers properly for a clean boot into the actual metal instead of graphics emulation.

Weird. I don't know how to reach that conclusion, or really how to proceed from here. But I will try the fsk and the nomodeset just to see what happens. It does seem weird that the gpu would suddenly stop functioning in Mint only.

Thanks again for the help! I'll keep fiddling and hopefully can find a way to get it functioning again.

[zcot]

The nomodeset option is probably not needed if it wasn't needed before, but just a point to add dealing with graphics drivers situation, and likely the current setup is due to the fact of Mint having to boot into an alternate mode because of something else.

Check the filesystem, fsck, and report the findings.

There's a lot of potential issues that could be in play with dual booting with Win10 using its "hibernation and fast startup" features. And it's only hearsay for me, I can't find definitive info about it, but there's the possibility that Win10 has some kind of hardware locked/blocking to where booting into Mint can't give it full access to the hardware.

[Monsieur Arkadin]

Check the filesystem, fsck, and report the findings.

There's a lot of potential issues that could be in play with dual booting with Win10 using its "hibernation and fast startup" features.

I have already disabled the Windows fast startup, just out of curiosity, but that hasn't changed anything.

I feel silly, but I do not know how exactly to execute the fsck properly. All my linux partitions are mounted and it keeps warning me I'm going to severely damage the system.


I tried to check my partitions with the disk manager, they are all mounted. Am I trying to unmount my filesystem partition and run the fsck on that (sda7)?
Sorry, this is all new to me.

[Monsieur Arkadin]

Sorry about the double post. I was able to run the automated fsck from the recovery mode list of options. The result I got was /dev/sda7: UNEXPECTED INCONSISTENCY; RUN fsck MANUALLY.

[zcot]

Great.

Yes, you wont be able to run on mounted partitions.

Boot to a live session. Use the usb media installer you had carefully stashed away in a drawer.

You can quickly confirm that the drive is still sda and not sdb being displaced by something weird with the usb media being booted(probably wont change, but checking is easy). Open disks, or gparted, or use command: lsblk

Get into terminal and run: sudo fsck /dev/sda7 (on live session the password is blank so you just hit enter for password)

Maybe you want to check partition 5 also depending on what's on that partition and if it was mounted too. If 7 is /home and 5 is /, or vice-versa, or whatever, check them both if 5 is relevant.

[Monsieur Arkadin]

Get into terminal and run: sudo fsck /dev/sda7 (on live session the password is blank so you just hit enter for password)

Maybe you want to check partition 5 also depending on what's on that partition and if it was mounted too. If 7 is /home and 5 is /, or vice-versa, or whatever, check them both if 5 is relevant.

Great! Thanks so much for all the help. That seems to have cleared up my problem. I ran the fsck on sda5 which came back as: /dev/sda5: clean, 272888/1222992 files, 2566762/4882432 blocks
On sda7 it was a huge process. TONS of reading block errors, directory inodes with no checksum... I had to fix, salvage, clear, etc.. for 20-100 lines on each pass. In the end I got this message: /dev/sda7: ***** FILE SYSTEM WAS MODIFIED *****
/dev/sda7: 324972/11272192 files (0.8% non-contiguous), 5759619/45085696 blocks

Shut down, pulled out my live boot USB, and booted Mint like normal, and it currently seems to be working. I'm not really sure what went wrong in the first place, but I'm extremely appreciative for all your help.

[Monsieur Arkadin]

NVM,
Spoke too soon. It fixed my problem temporarily, but after booting back to windows and back to mint again, I simply returned to emergency mode. If I live boot again and run the fsck again, Pass 1 goes off without a hitch, but I have to start approving inode fixes in pass 2 and 4. Pass 3 also went well.
In the end this time the readout I get is: /dev/sda7: ***** FILE SYSTEM WAS MODIFIED *****
/dev/sda7: 302468/11272192 files (0.9% non-contiguous), 5712849/45085696 blocks
So, slightly different.

[zcot]

After a successful fsck, boot, and post the result from: inxi -G

What happens if you just reboot from Mint to Mint?

It's a wide open situation from what I can see. There are many unknowns. You mentioned it was suddenly laggy and maybe you didn't do a clean shutdown. So, was there software updates beforehand? Any type of actions could prove to be relevant. Also, I see you have the default kernel which a more recent one could possible help for the few firmware bug reports(those are not making the system broken though), but that's a different story.

post the result (encase in code tags please) of the last section of the file /var/log/apt/term.log (scroll to bottom, note the "Log ended: 2018-12...." and scroll up a little bit to "Log started: 2018-12...."

[Monsieur Arkadin]

After a successful fsck, boot, and post the result from: inxi -G

What happens if you just reboot from Mint to Mint?

It's a wide open situation from what I can see. There are many unknowns. You mentioned it was suddenly laggy and maybe you didn't do a clean shutdown. So, was there software updates beforehand? Any type of actions could prove to be relevant. Also, I see you have the default kernel which a more recent one could possible help for the few firmware bug reports(those are not making the system broken though), but that's a different story.

post the result (encase in code tags please) of the last section of the file /var/log/apt/term.log (scroll to bottom, note the "Log ended: 2018-12...." and scroll up a little bit to "Log started: 2018-12...."

Results from inxi - G are:

Code: Select all

Graphics:  Card: Intel HD Graphics 620
           Display Server: x11 (X.Org 1.19.6 )
           drivers: modesetting (unloaded: fbdev,vesa)
           Resolution: 1366x768@60.00hz
           OpenGL: renderer: Mesa DRI Intel HD Graphics 620 (Kaby Lake GT2)
           version: 4.5 Mesa 18.0.0-rc5 

Term log results:

Code: Select all

Log started: 2018-12-11  08:06:06
Selecting previously unselected package iucode-tool.
(Reading database ... 
(Reading database ... 5%
(Reading database ... 10%
(Reading database ... 15%
(Reading database ... 20%
(Reading database ... 25%
(Reading database ... 30%
(Reading database ... 35%
(Reading database ... 40%
(Reading database ... 45%
(Reading database ... 50%
(Reading database ... 55%
(Reading database ... 60%
(Reading database ... 65%
(Reading database ... 70%
(Reading database ... 75%
(Reading database ... 80%
(Reading database ... 85%
(Reading database ... 90%
(Reading database ... 95%
(Reading database ... 100%
(Reading database ... 254044 files and directories currently installed.)
Preparing to unpack .../iucode-tool_2.3.1-1_amd64.deb ...
Unpacking iucode-tool (2.3.1-1) ...
Selecting previously unselected package intel-microcode.
Preparing to unpack .../intel-microcode_3.20180807a.0ubuntu0.18.04.1_amd64.deb ...
Unpacking intel-microcode (3.20180807a.0ubuntu0.18.04.1) ...
Setting up iucode-tool (2.3.1-1) ...
Processing triggers for man-db (2.8.3-2) ...
Setting up intel-microcode (3.20180807a.0ubuntu0.18.04.1) ...
update-initramfs: deferring update (trigger activated)
intel-microcode: microcode will be updated at next boot
Processing triggers for initramfs-tools (0.130ubuntu3) ...
update-initramfs: Generating /boot/initrd.img-4.15.0-20-generic
Log ended: 2018-12-11  08:06:43

After my second run of the FSCK, I shut down and booted back straight to mint twice, about a couple hours apart, and it is working fine.There had been no software updates that I was aware of.
Thanks again! I will shut down, boot to windows, then switch to mint again and see if it sends me back to emergency mode. So then I can at least try to narrow it down to windows/dual boot issue, and report back if that seems to be the case.

[Monsieur Arkadin]

Ok,
So I am now unable to reproduce the issue. Mint has been booting fine after shutdown, and also from a windows boot/shut down. It's gone about 12 hours since that second round of FSCK without sending me back to emergency mode. So I'm cautiously optimistic that it just needed to go through the FSCK process twice.

Thank you again. If there is anything else I should do to try to gain more clarity, or safeguard myself, I'm happy to try. I'm just gonna try to return to using Mint normally and see if the current stability holds.

[zcot]

Ok,
So I am now unable to reproduce the issue. Mint has been booting fine after shutdown, and also from a windows boot/shut down. It's gone about 12 hours since that second round of FSCK without sending me back to emergency mode. So I'm cautiously optimistic that it just needed to go through the FSCK process twice.

Thank you again. If there is anything else I should do to try to gain more clarity, or safeguard myself, I'm happy to try. I'm just gonna try to return to using Mint normally and see if the current stability holds.

Ok, that all seems good.

Oh, I forgot about the microcode installation, I was going to look at the previous block of software updates, but it's probably not relevant anyway.

Yes, the system will often panic if you do a wild west shutdown.

As for the original issue where the system just started lagging down, I'm not even sure. It could've been some runaway software threads that started using up memory and the system switched over to using swap as memory(that's going to be slow and unpleasant). Or you ran into some unknown bug situation that got the system into a bad mood. It could be a whole variety of possibilities. Do keep an eye on the situation, maybe check the system monitor on occasion to see if any processes seem to be oddly using a large amount of resources.

keep us posted.