Need help debugging system freezes

[kaefert]

Hi there!

I am plagued by frequent system freezes:
My mouse still moves, but I can't click anything and even the clock stops counting the seconds.
I can't restart X with Strg+Alt+Backspace, I can't switch into a tty with Strg+Alt+F1..6.

Information on my System:

Code: Select all

$ inxi -Fxz
System:    Host: Hostname Kernel: 4.15.0-39-generic x86_64
           bits: 64 gcc: 7.3.0
           Desktop: Cinnamon 3.8.9 (Gtk 3.22.30-1ubuntu1)
           Distro: Linux Mint 19 Tara
Machine:   Device: desktop Mobo: ASRock model: X99 Extreme4 serial: N/A
           UEFI [Legacy]: American Megatrends v: P2.00 date: 06/01/2015
CPU:       6 core Intel Core i7-5820K (-MT-MCP-) 
           arch: Haswell rev.2 cache: 15360 KB
           flags: (lm nx sse sse2 sse3 sse4_1 sse4_2 ssse3 vmx) bmips: 39591
           clock speeds: max: 3600 MHz 1: 1248 MHz 2: 1201 MHz 3: 1200 MHz
           4: 1210 MHz 5: 1199 MHz 6: 1199 MHz 7: 1208 MHz 8: 1200 MHz
           9: 1260 MHz 10: 1317 MHz 11: 1203 MHz 12: 1200 MHz
Graphics:  Card: NVIDIA GK208 [GeForce GT 730] bus-ID: 01:00.0
           Display Server: x11 (X.Org 1.19.6 )
           drivers: nouveau (unloaded: modesetting,fbdev,vesa)
           Resolution: 1920x1080@60.00hz, 1920x1080@60.00hz, 1920x1080@60.00hz
           OpenGL: renderer: NV106 version: 4.3 Mesa 18.0.5 Direct Render: Yes
Audio:     Card-1 NVIDIA GK208 HDMI/DP Audio Controller
           driver: snd_hda_intel bus-ID: 01:00.1
           Card-2 Intel C610/X99 series HD Audio Controller
           driver: snd_hda_intel bus-ID: 00:1b.0
           Sound: Advanced Linux Sound Architecture v: k4.15.0-39-generic
Network:   Card: Intel Ethernet Connection (2) I218-V
           driver: e1000e v: 3.2.6-k port: f000 bus-ID: 00:19.0
           IF: enp0s25 state: up speed: 1000 Mbps duplex: full mac: <filter>
Drives:    HDD Total Size: 600.1GB (21.7% used)
           ID-1: /dev/sda model: OCZ size: 120.0GB
           ID-2: /dev/sdb model: SanDisk_SDSSDHII size: 480.1GB
Partition: ID-1: / size: 385G used: 62G (17%) fs: btrfs dev: /dev/sdb1
           ID-2: /home size: 385G used: 62G (17%) fs: btrfs dev: /dev/sdb1
           ID-3: swap-1 size: 67.11GB used: 0.00GB (0%)
           fs: swap dev: /dev/dm-0
RAID:      No RAID devices: /proc/mdstat, md_mod kernel module present
Sensors:   System Temperatures: cpu: 47.0C mobo: N/A gpu: 48.0
           Fan Speeds (in rpm): cpu: N/A
Info:      Processes: 317 Uptime: 16 min Memory: 3628.5/32093.5MB
           Init: systemd runlevel: 5 Gcc sys: 7.3.0
           Client: Shell (bash 4.4.191) inxi: 2.3.56

I've tried removing the "Multi-Core System Monitor" widget but since I had freezes again afterwards I added it back since it doesn't seem to be the culprit.

I believe I successfully ssh'ed into the machine sometime back, but I'll try that again when the next freeze happens and report back whether it worked or not.

[Pjotr]

Create a new user account, log into that new account, don't change anything at all in it (certainly don't install widgets and such), and test again.

[kaefert]

well, sorry, but that won't work. The freeze doesn't happen when the system is idle, it doesn't happen when I use the system for a few minutes, but mostly it works fine for hours. It didn't crash since I posted my first message in this thread, though it did crash two times in the hour before posting (which motivated me to do so..).

What do you want me to do for hours or days in an stock user account?
I'm asking for help on debugging the problem not on how to start with a fresh installation / user directory...

[Pjotr]

I'm asking for help on debugging the problem

That's exactly what you're getting. It's called: elimination of user tweaks as potential culprits. Narrows down the investigation field.

not on how to start with a fresh user directory...

Suit yourself, brother.

[kaefert]

well. thanks for hanging out in this forum and trying to help people who ask for it.
I just don't feel helped but just told to not customize my system.
I hope that there are ways to debug the system without removing anything that's not part of a default installation first..

(maybe a weak analogy:) I don't go back to a hello world sample every time something I code doesn't work, I debug. Sadly I don't know where to start to do this with my current problem.

[Pjotr]

well. thanks for hanging out in this forum and trying to help people who ask for it.

You're welcome.

I just don't feel helped but just told to not customize my system.

I said no such thing. I said to create a new user account for testing purposes, definitely not to replace your main account with its customizations.

[kaefert]

I said no such thing. I said to create a new user account for testing purposes, definitely not to replace your main account with its customizations.

Yes. But as I explained in a reply: The frequency of freezes is so extremely low and doesn't happen at all when the system is idle that I can't do that kind of testing.

[kc1di]

I would venture to say that your freezes are the result of your graphics card Nividia and Nouveau driver. either set the nouveau to nomodeset or install the correct nvidia driver for you card by going to Menu> Administration> driver manager. If you want to continue to use nouveau you will have to edit the grub boot line and add nomodeset to it by editing the /etc/defaullt/grub file as root. Good luck.

[kaefert]

I would venture to say that your freezes are the result of you graphics care Nividia and Nouveau driver. either set the nouveau to nomodeset or install the correct nvidia driver for you card by going to Menu> Administration> driver manager. If you want to continue to use nouveau you will have to edit the grub boot line and add nomodeset to it by editing the /etc/defaullt/grub file as root. Good luck.

Ahh! Okey! Thanks for that hint! I've installed the nvidia drivers, rebooted and will report back if another crash happens.

Code: Select all

$ inxi -Fxz
System:    Host: Hostname Kernel: 4.15.0-39-generic x86_64
           bits: 64 gcc: 7.3.0
           Desktop: Cinnamon 3.8.9 (Gtk 3.22.30-1ubuntu1)
           Distro: Linux Mint 19 Tara
Machine:   Device: desktop Mobo: ASRock model: X99 Extreme4 serial: N/A
           UEFI [Legacy]: American Megatrends v: P2.00 date: 06/01/2015
CPU:       6 core Intel Core i7-5820K (-MT-MCP-) 
           arch: Haswell rev.2 cache: 15360 KB
           flags: (lm nx sse sse2 sse3 sse4_1 sse4_2 ssse3 vmx) bmips: 39588
           clock speeds: max: 3600 MHz 1: 3299 MHz 2: 1565 MHz 3: 1458 MHz
           4: 1244 MHz 5: 1315 MHz 6: 1850 MHz 7: 3299 MHz 8: 1600 MHz
           9: 1498 MHz 10: 1274 MHz 11: 1404 MHz 12: 1953 MHz
Graphics:  Card: NVIDIA GK208 [GeForce GT 730] bus-ID: 01:00.0
           Display Server: x11 (X.Org 1.19.6 )
           drivers: nvidia (unloaded: modesetting,fbdev,vesa,nouveau)
           Resolution: 1920x1080@60.00hz, 1920x1080@60.00hz, 1920x1080@60.00hz
           OpenGL: renderer: GeForce GT 730/PCIe/SSE2
           version: 4.6.0 NVIDIA 390.77 Direct Render: Yes
Audio:     Card-1 NVIDIA GK208 HDMI/DP Audio Controller
           driver: snd_hda_intel bus-ID: 01:00.1
           Card-2 Intel C610/X99 series HD Audio Controller
           driver: snd_hda_intel bus-ID: 00:1b.0
           Sound: Advanced Linux Sound Architecture v: k4.15.0-39-generic
Network:   Card: Intel Ethernet Connection (2) I218-V
           driver: e1000e v: 3.2.6-k port: f000 bus-ID: 00:19.0
           IF: enp0s25 state: up speed: 1000 Mbps duplex: full mac: <filter>
Drives:    HDD Total Size: 600.1GB (21.8% used)
           ID-1: /dev/sda model: OCZ size: 120.0GB
           ID-2: /dev/sdb model: SanDisk_SDSSDHII size: 480.1GB
Partition: ID-1: / size: 385G used: 63G (17%) fs: btrfs dev: /dev/sdb1
           ID-2: /home size: 385G used: 63G (17%) fs: btrfs dev: /dev/sdb1
           ID-3: swap-1 size: 67.11GB used: 0.00GB (0%)
           fs: swap dev: /dev/dm-0
RAID:      No RAID devices: /proc/mdstat, md_mod kernel module present
Sensors:   System Temperatures: cpu: 56.0C mobo: N/A gpu: 0.0:55C
           Fan Speeds (in rpm): cpu: N/A
Info:      Processes: 317 Uptime: 2 min Memory: 2816.8/32093.5MB
           Init: systemd runlevel: 5 Gcc sys: 7.3.0
           Client: Shell (bash 4.4.191) inxi: 2.3.56

[Hoser Rob]

well. thanks for hanging out in this forum and trying to help people who ask for it.
I just don't feel helped but just told to not customize my system.
I hope that there are ways to debug the system without removing anything that's not part of a default installation first..

(maybe a weak analogy:) I don't go back to a hello world sample every time something I code doesn't work, I debug. Sadly I don't know where to start to do this with my current problem.

You ARE being helped, and by one of the real experts here. What he suggested is one of the most tried and true methods.
Don'e be so quick to criticize vthat which you clearly do not understand..

[kaefert]

You ARE being helped, and by one of the real experts here. What he suggested is one of the most tried and true methods.
Don'e be so quick to criticize vthat which you clearly do not understand..

Well, thanks for your reply, though I don't really understand the point of it.

Yes, I was luckily helped by the forum user @kc1di just a few hours later, and I'm very thankful for it.

I don't take it lightly being told I shall not criticise, and also being told that I do not understand something (at all) just because I'm asking for help. You should seriously reconsider if it's a good approach to open source software to tell people they should not criticise and that they know nothing and should rather shut their mouths. (No you did not use those words, but sorry, that was the tone in which I read it, might be my fault, might be that you can learn from that though)

I didn't say that @Pjotr did not help me, I said I didn't FEEL helped by him. I know very well that an approach as suggested by him can be very useful to track down the cause of an error, but it definitely doesn't work well for problems that take many hours or even days to reproduce.

[thx-1138]

Code: Select all

Partition: ID-1: / size: 385G used: 62G (17%) fs: btrfs dev: /dev/sdb1
           ID-2: /home size: 385G used: 62G (17%) fs: btrfs dev: /dev/sdb1
           ID-3: swap-1 size: 67.11GB used: 0.00GB (0%)
           fs: swap dev: /dev/dm-0

...i know absolutely nada about btrfs & it's features & configuration, so if you don't mind me asking such,
as the above got me quite curious: are both / & /home supposed to be mapped on /dev/sdb1?

[kaefert]

...i know absolutely nada about btrfs & it's features & configuration, so if you don't mind me asking such,
as the above got me quite curious: are both / & /home supposed to be mapped on /dev/sdb1?

nothing to do with btrfs, its just an encrypted home directory stored in the folder /home/.ecryptfs in the same root partition as the rest of the system. Nothing special, just checked the checkbox to encrypt home during installation.