kernels 3.2.0-91 through at least 3.2.0-96 fail to boot

[charlesnix]

System POSTs normally. After grub menu screen, any version higher than 3.2.0-90 hangs on dark red screen. ESC will not show the boot process. This report was gathered using 3.2.0-90, which is the last version that works correctly.

ProblemType: Bug
DistroRelease: Ubuntu 12.04
Package: linux-image-3.2.0-90-generic 3.2.0-90.128
ProcVersionSignature: Ubuntu 3.2.0-90.128-generic 3.2.69
Uname: Linux 3.2.0-90-generic i686
AlsaVersion: Advanced Linux Sound Architecture Driver Version 1.0.24.
AplayDevices:
 **** List of PLAYBACK Hardware Devices ****
 card 0: I82801BAICH2 [Intel 82801BA-ICH2], device 0: Intel ICH [Intel 82801BA-ICH2]
   Subdevices: 1/1
   Subdevice #0: subdevice #0
ApportVersion: 2.0.1-0ubuntu17.13
Architecture: i386
AudioDevicesInUse:
 USER PID ACCESS COMMAND
 /dev/snd/controlC0: cnix 847 F.... pulseaudio
CRDA: Error: command ['iw', 'reg', 'get'] failed with exit code 1: nl80211 not found.
Card0.Amixer.info:
 Card hw:0 'I82801BAICH2'/'Intel 82801BA-ICH2 with ALC650D at irq 17'
   Mixer name : 'Realtek ALC650D'
   Components : 'AC97a:414c4721'
   Controls : 50
   Simple ctrls : 33
Date: Fri Dec 18 09:15:32 2015
HibernationDevice: RESUME=UUID=2579dd5a-324e-4b20-a97a-5f29956197a1
InstallationMedia: Ubuntu 10.04.1 LTS "Lucid Lynx" - Release i386 (20100816.1)
IwConfig:
 lo no wireless extensions.

 eth0 no wireless extensions.
MachineType: System Manufacturer System Name
MarkForUpload: True
ProcEnviron:
 TERM=xterm
 PATH=(custom, no user)
 LANG=en_US.UTF-8
 SHELL=/bin/bash
ProcFB: 0 radeondrmfb
ProcKernelCmdLine: BOOT_IMAGE=/boot/vmlinuz-3.2.0-90-generic root=UUID=17299dfb-70b4-4854-808b-0b1e23d565c9 ro
RelatedPackageVersions:
 linux-restricted-modules-3.2.0-90-generic N/A
 linux-backports-modules-3.2.0-90-generic N/A
 linux-firmware 1.79.18
RfKill:

SourcePackage: linux
UpgradeStatus: Upgraded to precise on 2014-09-10 (463 days ago)
WifiSyslog:
 Dec 18 09:15:50 harp kernel: [67160.491633] codec_semaphore: semaphore is not ready [0x1][0x300100]
 Dec 18 09:15:50 harp kernel: [67160.491684] codec_read 0: semaphore is not ready for register 0x56
dmi.bios.date: 12/25/2002
dmi.bios.vendor: Award Software, Inc.
dmi.bios.version: ASUS P4T533-C ACPI BIOS Revision 1009
dmi.board.name: P4T533-C
dmi.board.vendor: ASUSTeK Computer INC.
dmi.board.version: REV 1.xx
dmi.chassis.asset.tag: Asset-1234567890
dmi.chassis.type: 6
dmi.chassis.vendor: Chassis Manufacture
dmi.chassis.version: Chassis Version
dmi.modalias: dmi:bvnAwardSoftware,Inc.:bvrASUSP4T533-CACPIBIOSRevision1009:bd12/25/2002:svnSystemManufacturer:pnSystemName:pvrSystemVersion:rvnASUSTeKComputerINC.:rnP4T533-C:rvrREV1.xx:cvnChassisManufacture:ct6:cvrChassisVersion:
dmi.product.name: System Name
dmi.product.version: System Version
dmi.sys.vendor: System Manufacturer

[Brad Figg (brad-figg)]

This change was made by a bot.

[charlesnix (cnix)]

I looked for hours for a BIOS update. Didn't think of looking on the Taiwanese language pages--only looked at English where the product isn't even listed any more. Thanks for the link. Am updated to BIOS 1010 now.

Updated BIOS. Sometimes I can now push ESC and see the messages scrolling by up to about [2.5xxxxx] where the system hangs following several traces. Still works fine with 3.2.0-90 or lower; but not with -91 or higher. Tried BIOS 1011 beta just for kicks; no luck there either.

dmidecode follows:

root@harp:/etc# sudo dmidecode -s bios-version && sudo dmidecode -s bios-release-date
ASUS P4T533-C ACPI BIOS Revision 1010
02/27/2003
root@harp:/etc#

Would attach kernel messages, but don't know how to capture them since system never gets disks mounted on later kernel versions.

[Joseph Salisbury (jsalisbury)]

Can you test the following upstream kernels to see if this regression came in with an upstream stable update:

Should not have the bug:
http://kernel.ubuntu.com/~kernel-ppa/mainline/v3.2.69-precise/

May have the bug:
http://kernel.ubuntu.com/~kernel-ppa/mainline/v3.2.71-precise/

[Joseph Salisbury (jsalisbury)]

Also, can you try to capture an image of the panic, maybe using a digital camera?

[charlesnix (cnix)]

You are correct 3.2.69 image boots fine; 3.2.71 does not. Attached are camera images--as fast as I could push the button. Not sure much can be seen except the last bit.

[charlesnix (cnix)]

Next screenshot

[charlesnix (cnix)]

Next screenshot

[charlesnix (cnix)]

Next screenshot. System paused here.

[charlesnix (cnix)]

Then put this out.

[charlesnix (cnix)]

If this doesn't help, I can try to set up a serial console, though I haven't done that before.

[charlesnix (cnix)]

 One follow-up bit of information: (which may be a shot in the dark). 3.2.71 seems to get just short of initializing the video card (ATI Radeon 8500). Any chance that what changed between 3.2.69 and 3.2.71 is in the radeon or radeonfb modules?

[charlesnix (cnix)]

upgrade to 3.2.0-99 kernel version eliminates the problem. System now boots normally, just as it did with 3.2.0-90.